Succeeding at Your Next Speaking Engagement
Women in leadership roles face many challenges and many firsts. Every industry and organization presents different requirements, opportunities, and challenges for senior leaders, but there is one universal — making presentations.
Senior leaders speak in many settings and to varied audiences, ranging from community members and employees to boards of directors and investors. Understanding some basic, but important, public-speaking tips can help you succeed at the podium.
Even the most seasoned speakers say they are never completely relaxed before making an important presentation. Many say, however, that a certain amount of nervousness gets the adrenaline going and even helps to make a better presentation.
How can you build your skills and confidence to ensure that every speaking engagement is a success? These public speaking tips can help.
Learn from Others
Speakers who have impressed you can be an exceptional source of input. These may be individuals you have heard or whose presentations you can access online or through podcasts. Reviewing these podcasts or recordings can provide valuable insights about how these speakers connect with their audiences.
Equally important is knowing how not to present yourself. Seek out local events, such as business networking events and educational seminars, where you can experience a variety of speakers. Make notes during the speeches and presentations on what you like and do not like and incorporate or avoid those behaviors.
Understanding Your Audience
Another critical step is gaining a thorough understanding of the audience you will be presenting to and the goals of the presentation. For instance, if you are speaking to a group of potential investors, your goal is to get them interested in supporting your organization. Background research on potential attendees could give you insights into what’s important to them, other companies they have invested in, and any potential concerns or barriers you could address in your presentation.
Or you may be addressing employees about your company’s performance. Your goal would be to ensure their continued commitment and engagement. Employees also might be interested in learning how company performance may affect their job security, about future opportunities with the company, about changes that could affect their jobs or work environment, or about potential raises or bonuses, etc.
The more you understand what matters to your audience, the better you can make a presentation that resonates with them and keeps them engaged.
Balancing Logos, Ethos, and Pathos
The philosopher Aristotle coined the terms ethos, pathos, and logos centuries ago, but they are still relevant today and can help speakers ensure a balance between key elements of a presentation built to move or persuade an audience.
- Ethos involves convincing an audience of your credibility.
- Pathos is an appeal to emotion, often achieved through compelling stories.
- Logos is an appeal to logic, often achieved through facts and data.
While senior leaders may focus on facts and data, they should also be able to appeal to emotion. Personal stories or other relevant examples can be a good way to achieve this. For example, a story about how former investors or employees had benefited personally from their relationships with your organization can be compelling. Personal stories can also strengthen the ethos element of your presentations by conveying your personality or character.
Developing a Commanding Presence
Delivering a powerful presentation is about more than what you say—your impact is also affected by how you deliver your presentation. Professional speakers offer the following tips:
- Be mindful of your body language, your inner dialogue, and your emotions while you are at the podium or interacting with others.
- Be clear about your purpose and include how you want your audience to relate to what you’re presenting and how they can envision incorporating the knowledge into their lives to help them reach their goals.
- Be focused on your emotional tone. The energy you carry onto the stage or while interacting with others can make or break your message. Be cognizant of how you present yourself.|
Finally, be open to learning from every speaking experience. You will not get it perfect every time; in fact, most expert speakers continue to learn and grow throughout their careers. Every new opportunity will glean new insights and best practices — both from what you do well and from areas for improvement.
Steps to Consider
- Record a meeting in which you are presenting. When listening or watching it afterward, make a note of any words or phrases that you use repeatedly and work to use alternatives or avoid them altogether.
- Ask peers for honest feedback in regard to your body language and your personal energy.
- Take advantage of opportunities to practice speaking by joining Toastmasters® or other groups that allow people to hone their skills.
Key Takeaways
- Use every speech as an opportunity to improve your abilities.
- Observe how others perform at the podium and incorporate the best of them into your next engagement.
- Be cognizant of your inner dialogue and how you present yourself.
The Support You Need
For more Key4Women® resources to help you reach your goals, visit key.com/women, or email us to learn more.