What do people report as their #1 greatest fear?
It’s not death….
It’s public speaking. (Seriously, look up the research study.)
But it doesn’t have to be. Let us show you how.
Public speaking is a top-level skill (in business and life) – 7 cheat codes to master it
Here are 7 cheat codes to hone the public speaking skill:
1. Record yourself speaking
The best athletes study their game film. They carefully review plays and look for missteps in order to improve.
Do the same. Record your run-through.
● Specifically watch for:
● Where you’re looking
● What your hands are doing
● How quickly you’re speaking
● Your filler words
2. Let the silence do the work
There is nothing more powerful than a well-timed pause…
Make a strong point. And then give your audience the space to fully absorb it.
Count to 5 in your head.
It might feel like an eternity to you, but it’s such a refreshing moment for the audience.
3. Focus your gaze on specific people
The most masterful speakers make meaningful eye contact.
Look at an audience member and deliver a short point.
Then move your gaze to the next audience member and deliver another.
One person. One point. That’s the rule.
4. Don’t memorize it like a script
There’s nothing worse than someone reading a script word-for-word.
Instead, jot down an outline of each paragraph to jog your memory.
● The opening line
● The transition
● The closing line
You’ll fill in the rest much more naturally.
5. Structure your talk as a story
The best public speakers don’t deliver a speech. They tell a story.
Kindra Hall wrote Stories that Stick, and described the perfect structure to captivate an audience:
● Normal (baseline)
● Explosion (big change)
● New Normal (adjustment/learning)
Conflict is key for a story to stick.
6. Inject a bit of humor
Nothing snaps an audience back into focus like a well-told joke.
Humor creates a bond. A sense of closeness.
The trick?
Poke a little fun at yourself. Choose something that humanizes you (and others might relate to).
7. Take every opportunity to chat with strangers in your day-to-day.
● Give more than just your order to the barista.
● Spend a few minutes with the doorman.
● Strike up a conversation with someone at the gym.
The more comfortable you are speaking to strangers, the more natural you’ll feel leading a meeting, toasting a wedding, or presenting on stage.
Quick Recap:
- Record yourself speaking
- Let the silence do the work
- Focus your gaze on specific people
- Don’t memorize it like a script
- Structure your talk as a story
- Inject a bit of humor
- Take every opportunity to chat with strangers in your daily life
You got this.
Which one of these tips was your favorite?