by Steve Adubato, PhD
Professionals are asked all the time to speak “off the cuff.” Some people call it extemporaneous or impromptu speaking. It’s one of the greatest fears of even the most confident people, yet it doesn’t have to be this way if you change the way you think about communicating in your professional life.
by Steve Adubato, PhD
Q—When I’m speaking in public, what do I do with my hands?
A—USE THEM! Hand gestures can be a powerful communication tool that helps support and bring words to life. Using your hands is natural. Think about it. When you are in an animated conversation with a friend or colleague, what are your hands doing? They are moving and gesturing. You don’t think about it. The more you think about your hands, the more awkward your presentation will be.
Q—Why do so many people have problems using their hands in public speeches?
by Steve Adubato, PhD
Presenting “online” or as a long distance public speaker can be challenging. Too often, we fall in love with the latest technological advances and become convinced that just by using them we will be more effective communicators. That’s just not true.
Hi-tech presentations aren’t better just because of the bells and whistles. Further, communicating online or in a distance learning environment involves limitations that we need to understand and deal with.
With these realities in mind, consider the following tips and tools the next time you present to an audience that is not in the same room with you:
by Steve Adubato, PhD
One of the most common and avoidable mistakes people make when they communicate or present to an audience is the use of fillers or non-words. It starts with the “uhms” and “ahs” but also includes words like “basically” or “you know,” when none of these expressions are necessary or useful.
by Steve Adubato, PhD
Great communicators have a keen sense of who their audience is for a presentation. They don’t simply think about what THEY want to say, but rather spend a great deal of time working on how their message will be received and perceived.
There are numerous examples of speakers who simply miss the mark because they skip this critical step in the communication process. One of those speakers may be William Fried, a management consultant who spoke in January to a group of middle-school students in Palo Alto California on what was billed as “Career Day.”
by Steve Adubato, PhD
Acting Governor Dick Codey’s State of the State speech proved that a powerful and engaging presentation is the product of hard work, honest feedback from colleagues and a messenger who believes in his message. Dick Codey has never been known to be a great public speaker. In television interviews he comes across as down-to-earth, but not dynamic or charismatic. Simply put, Dick Codey is not a “natural” when it comes to public communication.
by Steve Adubato, PhD
Most communication and public speaking coaches will tell you that the best way to deliver a great presentation is to be “prepared.” But being prepared means different things to different people. For some, it means gathering tons of information that you prepare to dump on other people. To others, it means going over and over your PowerPoint slides and preparing them in order.