Public Speakers! Myth #3: I'm A Good Spontaneous Speaker and I Don't Need to Prepare Ahead

By: Carole McMichaels
Submitted: 2007-01-17 16:43:05
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Well, maybe. However, here are 6 great tips to take the pressure off, and make your short-notice speeches winners.

Long, long ago I was often in the position of being called upon to speak with very short notice. It may have been that I stepped in when another speaker had to cancel abruptly. Sometimes I had to rustle together a workshop on a topic familiar to me.

By that time in my career I had successfully overcome my fear of speaking in public, and the "rescue factor" lent the situation a yeasty excitement; I greatly enjoyed these occasions. And I'm sure my audiences cut me some slack because I had stepped in at the last minute; audiences are generally gracious that way.

I would probably have gone merrily on indefinitely, not worrying about the lapses and occasional lack of progression had not a teenager come up to me after a talk I'd given and asked me, "Why did you say ___? What did it have to do with ___?"

As I struggled to give her a concise answer, I realized, with a sinking feeling, that I had omitted an entire section of my argument--the section that connected facts I had given with the theory I offered. And, without that connection, there was no logic to my theory--and absolutely no reason for anyone to take the action I had urged!

That was a shocking wake-up call which left me with a feeling of humiliation that I had been so glibly unprofessional. It made me willing to spend the time to prepare myself for the unexpected. When I knew I was going to give a speech or workshop I'd have everything organized for every eventuality. Yet, because enjoyed speaking extemporaneously, I hadn't felt the need to be prepared when I was called to do so. And I had to acknowledge that I had thought of myself as being such an interesting speaker that I didn't have to worry about ordinary preparation. Whoops!

Here’s how you can prepare for your “spontaneous” talks:

Set up cue cards for three lengths of talks: 10 minutes, 20 minutes, 45 minutes. (I use different colors for each of my topics, so I don't accidentally pick up the wrong set as I dash out the door!)

For each, write whichever of these points is appropriate for your topic:

  • The ACTION you want your audience to be moved to take. (I write only this on my last cue card, in large, bright-colored letters.)

  • Your CONCLUSION or THEORY which would validate that action. (Again, I use only one cue card, but this one I write in black, so I don’t confuse it with the Action card.)

  • The SEQUENCE OF STEPS ? which ? lead to the ? conclusion. (I prompt my memory by using a single word, if possible, for each step, with an arrow leading to the following step, as I’ve done here.)

  • The FACTS which support your entire thesis. (I bullet these and put several on a card.)

  • Prompts for your OPENING.

  • THANK YOU’s or Acknowledgements.

    • You'll observe that I did this in reverse order. I find it easier to prepare for different lengths of speeches when I do it this way; I don't accidentally leave out important connections, as I did for my Wake-Up call.

    I believe you will find, as I have, that spending time to think through and jot down your Reminders, takes the pressure off speaking spontaneously, and will make you more likely to accept those spur-of-the-moment engagements which can yield substantial monetary and professional rewards. And they’re fun!

    Carole McMichaels, Speaker, Musician, Therapist, Coach, Author: Fearless Public Speaking: How to Get Rid of Your Stage Fright and Prepare and Deliver a Winning Presentation, invites you to join her free newsletter on speaking in public. You may also get your free report, "7 Valuable Tips on Writing a Mind-Gripping Speech". http://getridofpublicspeakingfears.com/

    Article source: Expert Articles

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