L. Eric Culverson - www.TheCompetenceMyth.com
This discussion series is an excerpt of my book: The Competence Myth - Why your technical skills are no longer enough and what you can do about it (based on Chapter 12: Articulating Yourself
The next key ingredient for an effective presentation is Practice
Before you take the stage or stand before your audience, take the time to practice. Specifically, rehearse what you’re planning to say – the exact way you plan to say it. Key concept: It’s not enough to repeatedly read the materials in what will ultimately be a failed attempt at memorization. Just reading the materials does not work. Trust me; when you’re standing in front of a live audience, and all eyes are upon you, any memory of what you have only read will disappear after the first paragraph.
The process of effective presentation demands that you actually practice speaking the words, along with whatever gestures and movements that may be appropriate.
The key point is that rehearsing your presentation not only refines the content and the delivery, it also commits your presentation to multiple sections of your working memory. Practice your presentation the same way that an athlete practices his game, they don’t read about shooting the ball or swinging the bat.
When you practice it the way you plan to do it, then, once you take the platform and start speaking, you’re much more likely to remember what you’ve spoken in practice, as opposed to anything that you’ve only read, no matter how many times you’ve read it. Just that higher degree of familiarity leads to more confidence. And that is critical, because when you’re not confident, it shows.
When you listen to a really good speaker or presenter, you may not consciously acknowledge why that person is so verbally engaging. There’s a good chance that in addition to being organized and well practiced, the speaker also employs vocal variety. The opposite of that would be a dry, flat, monotone delivery. And believe me, no one ever intends to be flat and monotone, but it happens every frikkin day, especially when technical professionals presentations are being done.
Vocal variety means using your voice as a value added resource throughout your presentation. Specifically, this involves raising your voice for emphasis, and lowering your voice, perhaps for the gravity of that point, it could speeding up to show enthusiasm and slowing down for more reflective moment. It also means recognizing the power of the pause as a tremendous means to bring emphasis on a given statement.
Admittedly, vocal variety is a skill that one cannot master simply by reading about the concept. It requires repeated practice and a measure of confidence. Once again, the practice and rehearsal process affords you the opportunity to hone this important skill area. See ya next time.