Print
Email this page
The 2-Minute Tip for Success
The Different Ways You Learn to Be a More Effective Speaker
by Patricia Fripp, CSP, CPAE
There are many ways we learn; let us look specifically how they relate to improving the spoken word. We learn by what we see, hear, experience, reflect on, and by teaching others.
Learning by What You See
When you are listening to and observing a great speaker, or a member of your Toastmasters Club, or perhaps a business speech or sales presentation, look with fresh eyes.
Observe how they move around the front of the room or the stage, and if you arrive early, watch how they act in preparation.
A couple of years ago, I was hired to deliver a one-day presentation skills training for a group of twenty engineers, scientists, and astronauts. We met for a 7:00 am continental breakfast ready for the 7:30am start. They were sitting in their seats eating, and I made a point to introduce myself to each person and shake their hands.
After being introduced my opening line was, "What have you already learned that would make you a more effective speaker before we officially started?"
Being an intelligent group, they all shouted out at the same time. "You went around and met everyone before you started." This is the point…we are rarely nervous of one individual. We're only nervous when they become an audience or a committee. Letting the audience reinforce what they see helps internalize the message.
There's a lot you can learn that will make you more effective by what you see. For convention speakers your performance actually starts when you're at the airport baggage claim. How you interact with other passengers and act when you're on the shuttle bus to the hotel leaves an impression with people who are probably going to be in your audience.
Learning by What You Hear
Certainly you learn by what you hear from the content of the speech. You can also learn by watching the vocal variety. Notice if the speaker pauses to give you the chance to reflect on what you have heard. Few speakers understand the importance of the pause and are comfortable with silence. We speak to be remembered and repeated, this requires appropriate pauses and good variety.
Learning by What You Experience
As you listen to the Toastmaster World Champions and other great speakers, you learn new ideas and techniques. Go out and try them! A word of warning, don't try six new techniques in one presentation. It will be too much and confuse you. Just take one technique at a time to incorporate in your presentation.
Perhaps you are going to make better eye contact on silence. Or, you are going to pause longer. Maybe you are going to add more creative gestures. Record your presentation for evaluation. Ask yourself what you learned from the experience of incorporating the new ideas.
Learning from Reflection
We've often heard "There's the speech that you plan to give, the speech you gave, and the speech you wish you'd given."
Whenever you finish a presentation…reflect. Do an after-action analysis. What did you do superbly well that you should repeat? If you were giving the speech again what would you improve?
Always start with what you did right. Your future success will come from building on your past success, which means you have to acknowledge it. This is one reason at least some of your presentations have to be in a mutually supportive environment.
The Best Way to Learn
The best way you learn is to teach somebody else. Take the best ideas, use the handout or workbook, and explain to somebody else what you learned. It can be your spouse at dinner, in a staff meeting, or at your local chapter. Remember, you can't give away what you don't have. Once you teach somebody else what you learned, it reinforces and improves your speaking skills.
by Patricia Fripp, CSP, CPAE
There are many ways we learn; let us look specifically how they relate to improving the spoken word. We learn by what we see, hear, experience, reflect on, and by teaching others.
Learning by What You See
When you are listening to and observing a great speaker, or a member of your Toastmasters Club, or perhaps a business speech or sales presentation, look with fresh eyes.
Observe how they move around the front of the room or the stage, and if you arrive early, watch how they act in preparation.
A couple of years ago, I was hired to deliver a one-day presentation skills training for a group of twenty engineers, scientists, and astronauts. We met for a 7:00 am continental breakfast ready for the 7:30am start. They were sitting in their seats eating, and I made a point to introduce myself to each person and shake their hands.
After being introduced my opening line was, "What have you already learned that would make you a more effective speaker before we officially started?"
Being an intelligent group, they all shouted out at the same time. "You went around and met everyone before you started." This is the point…we are rarely nervous of one individual. We're only nervous when they become an audience or a committee. Letting the audience reinforce what they see helps internalize the message.
There's a lot you can learn that will make you more effective by what you see. For convention speakers your performance actually starts when you're at the airport baggage claim. How you interact with other passengers and act when you're on the shuttle bus to the hotel leaves an impression with people who are probably going to be in your audience.
Learning by What You Hear
Certainly you learn by what you hear from the content of the speech. You can also learn by watching the vocal variety. Notice if the speaker pauses to give you the chance to reflect on what you have heard. Few speakers understand the importance of the pause and are comfortable with silence. We speak to be remembered and repeated, this requires appropriate pauses and good variety.
Learning by What You Experience
As you listen to the Toastmaster World Champions and other great speakers, you learn new ideas and techniques. Go out and try them! A word of warning, don't try six new techniques in one presentation. It will be too much and confuse you. Just take one technique at a time to incorporate in your presentation.
Perhaps you are going to make better eye contact on silence. Or, you are going to pause longer. Maybe you are going to add more creative gestures. Record your presentation for evaluation. Ask yourself what you learned from the experience of incorporating the new ideas.
Learning from Reflection
We've often heard "There's the speech that you plan to give, the speech you gave, and the speech you wish you'd given."
Whenever you finish a presentation…reflect. Do an after-action analysis. What did you do superbly well that you should repeat? If you were giving the speech again what would you improve?
Always start with what you did right. Your future success will come from building on your past success, which means you have to acknowledge it. This is one reason at least some of your presentations have to be in a mutually supportive environment.
The Best Way to Learn
The best way you learn is to teach somebody else. Take the best ideas, use the handout or workbook, and explain to somebody else what you learned. It can be your spouse at dinner, in a staff meeting, or at your local chapter. Remember, you can't give away what you don't have. Once you teach somebody else what you learned, it reinforces and improves your speaking skills.