Public Speaking

Talking Points

Garth Beyer

In the moment of indecision, of wondering what people want to hear, in trying to please the boss in the room, we forget the talking points we are most moved by.

What happens in most presentations is they get filled with the expected.

Informative, sure, but expected.

The presenter goes through the motions and about three-quarters into the keynote, they’ve finally slid in a slide about what they are most passionate about. And you know what? That’s the most moving part of the presentation.

Not because of any build up to it, but because the energy of the presenter finally gets noticed.

People like Sasha Dichter and Simon Sinek aren’t phenomenal speakers because they practiced how to speak publicly. What makes them special is they’ve practiced how to speak publicly about points that completely move them, energize them, fill them with an incredible need to share. (That’s why Sasha paces and Simon uses so many hand motions and vocal influxes.)

Instead of putting the expected talking points in your next presentation, send them out earlier in an email and dedicate your presentation to what moves you most.

 

Stay Positive & Focus On Resonating, Not Feeding An Audience The Basics

You’re Not That Important, But Everyone Loves You

Garth Beyer

I’ve sifted through dozens and dozens of blogs, attended some productive, some not-so-productive meetings and listened to speakers all week. Here are some tips to spitshine your blog, your productivity and your speaking.

Blogging

  • Never start a blog post with anything that is similar to “it’s been awhile since I’ve written,” “I’ve been sooo busy and haven’t been able to write lately” and “I’m going to try and write more.” Nothing makes me cringe as much as seeing 165,000,000 results show up on Google
  • You won’t find that fine line between personal and professional until you write a lot under each.
  • I met with blogger Danielle Bruflodt who advocates planning out blog posts. I, on the other hand, never do. I argue that not planning forces you to observe more and keep a more open mind throughout each day to find something to write on. Both ways work.
  • What Danielle and I both agreed on: write daily.

Productivity (meetings)

  • Don’t let any meeting go past an hour.
  • Know who the leaders are and those that flat-out standout. Thank them for it.
  • Some meetings don’t need to be ran. Some meetings run themselves. Recognize this. Leading meetings that don’t need to be lead damages productivity and how people will view you as a leader.
  • If you’re not running the meeting, know more about the people who are than anyone else attending. It’s not creepy to know I completed National Novel Writing Month or stayed in Madison for Thanksgiving.

Speaking

  • Much like the que on how you start a blog post, never start speaking by giving an apology, no matter what you’re sorry for.
  • Not everyone loves cherries on their sundae’s, but everyone loves getting gifts when they get information. Give. Give. Give.
  • Handouts are your friends, but not at the start of your presentation. Let everyone know they are getting a handout outlining the presentation. What matters is that they focus on you, not on following an outline and not on taking notes the entire time.
  • No one goes to just listen to a speaker anymore. They go to speak to. Involve your audience, they expect it. There’s a reason it’s called a “speaking engagement.” Engage them in conversation.

 

Stay Positive & Do, Learn, Share

Garth E. Beyer

Your Fear Isn’t That Different

Garth Beyer

Dr. Margee Kerr is the staff sociologist at ScareHouse, whose website I don’t even like being on. In a brilliant article over the The Atlantic, I read her saying, “To really enjoy a scary situation, we have to know we’re in a safe environment.”

There’s an insurmountable truth to that.

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With that, I must ask, is standing up on a stage to give a three-minute speech any worse than running through a 30 minute haunted house? Is asking that girl you think is cute for her number scarier than being chased by a blood soaked 6’4″ man carrying a chain saw?

When you’re afraid to follow through with something, I’m unapologetically admitting that  it is because of you, not because the audience or those around you are making you feel unsafe. How could an audience that is just sitting there make you feel unsafe public speaking? How could a girl just doing her homework listening to music make you literally fear for your life?

There might be a scientific answer behind these questions, but I believe it is more of a subconscious inaction of realizing the state of fear that you’re in. Very few walk up on stage and after acknowledging that they are afraid, ask why.

On the flip side, let’s jump to a good explanation of why people are the first to raise their hands and face their fears.

“Lots of people also enjoy scary situations because it leaves them with a sense of confidence after it’s over,” said Kerr.

Just as Kerr has seen someone scream and jump and then immediately starts laughing and smiling, I have seen hundreds of people trembling, get up, give a speech and walk off the stage smiling and looking forward to doing it again. When asked if they are afraid to give another speech, the answer is “yes.”

It’s not just about public speaking either. It’s making that phone call you’re afraid to make, it’s putting your art out there for everyone to see when you’re afraid of the feedback, it’s sending in that letter, fearing you will get rejected. Those who do are what a call Confidence Builders. Those who do are no more afraid than you.

 

Stay Positive & Become A Confidence Builder

Garth E. Beyer

Photo credit Manipulation done by me

Encore

Garth Beyer

Is it at the back of your mind? When you’re selling a book? Playing on stage? Speaking in front of 15 or 1,500 people? Or just finishing your menial tasks faster than the rest?

Too often I have seen people judge their work by whether they get an encore.

What about the regular applause? Is that not good enough?

No. It’s not.

Because no one makes themselves vulnerable for applause, they make themselves vulnerable because they want to do it again. And since sooner is better, the best is when they get an encore.

 

Stay Positive & Truly, Every Moment Is Your Encore

Garth E. Beyer

Thanks Zig

Thanks Zig

Garth Beyer

 

Funny how that only two days ago I mentioned Zig. He’s been a part of my life for only one year.

I had just moved to Madison and was hired to do data entry. It’s a very monotonous task that didn’t take any thinking power. Podcasts were getting big at the time, so I decided to listen to a podcast while I was working. I’ve heard the name Zig Ziglar before because I reminded someone of him. Through my search, I found this.

I listened to every single pod cast at least three times, and some of my favorites even more. I still think to myself at times, “kick the cat.” When I began listening to Zig, my eyes were opened – No. My MIND was opened. From that day, when I listened to the first podcast of ol’ Zig talking, my life changed.

I listened, I applied what I listened to and I repeated.

I downloaded his Born to Win seminar and listened to that. I then caught wind that he and his son would be publishing his final book called Born to Win (different than the seminar I downloaded). It was between downloading the seminar and finding out about his new book that I also came across Seth Godin – who happens to look up to Zig as much as me.

Thanks for teaching me how to love a woman – redhead or not.

Thanks for teaching me how to move up in work, in life.

Thanks for the encouragement.

Thanks for all the laughs.

Thanks for making public speaking look easy.

Thanks for teaching me what school, my family, my friends could never.

Thanks for all the conversations you never knew we had.

 

Stay Positive & Rest In Peace Zig

Garth E. Beyer

Two Types Of Public Speaking Confidence

Garth Beyer

Confidence in public speaking goes much deeper than simply being prepared and excited to give a speech. Those who strike the audience with an unexpected amount of determination are those that create a balance of the two types of public speaking confidence.

Type 1: Confidence In What You Are Saying

To have confidence in what you are saying you have to do your research. You need to know the topic you’re speaking on inside and out. Depending on the topic of choice, you may even have to know ideas and concepts that do not support the outlook you are taking on a topic. For more a more simple term, you can label this Analytical Confidence. To acquire this confidence, which is vigorously sought after in all professional positions, you have to be able to analyze every aspect of your topic. For example, you know how most people only know how to sing the alphabet? Well, to have analytical confidence, you have to know how to say it backwards, say it in German, French and Gibberish, create it in Morse Code, have a hieroglyphic example and be able to sing the alphabet to rhythm of the Canadian national anthem. Those who have this type of confidence, are considered Mavens on the subject and are the most respected people and speakers in the world.

Type 2: Confidence In How You Say It

Knowledge is power when you are public speaking, but remaining shy and quiet renders your intellectual stature meaningless. You may know what you have to say, but are you saying it right? The one technique for putting the most confidence in how you speak is to fuel it with passion. When you deliver a speech on a topic you are passionate about, you somehow create just the right balance between remaining humble and being assertive. For example, a person can know everything they need to get the job they want, but they won’t get it unless they show their knowledge, passion and the combination of the two which is confidence.

Confidence in what you say is gained from preparation and research. Confidence in how you say it is accredited to the level of motivation and  passion you have with the idea. Combine the two and you have the everything it takes to be a world class public speaker.

Stay Positive & Take Control Of Your Confidence

Garth E. Beyer

Be A Human. Be A Fool. Be One Of Them.

Garth Beyer

CEO, Administrator, Associate, Client, Friend, or Acquaintance, it doesn’t matter what position in life you hold, the only way to get sponsors (referencing example from The Hunger Games), the only way to climb the success totem pole, and the only way to acquire all the support you need in life and on your success journey, is you have to get people to like you.

While this is fairly well known to anyone who is trying to improve themselves and are striving for success, there are still thousands of people going about it the wrong way, getting discouraged and giving up. They get to a point that they are putting forth so much effort to get the attention and help they need, that they burn-out and do more damage to themselves and the people they are pitching to.

The reason is that they are pushing perfection, creating every event to showcase themselves and quite simply, trying too hard to be what they think others want instead of remaining true to themselves. The need to make an adjustment to the process is why the following three variables are the keys to getting people to like you which is directly connected and influential on your attitude, your income, your daily reflection and above all, your success.

1. Get personal!

Despite all attempts to only focus on listening to others and holding our tongue it’s nearly impossible. In fact, I encourage you to not “just listen”. A conversation is an interaction and the connection you can make by replying to what you listened to is most crucial to getting the other person to like you. The problem is that people try to solve problems too much and tell others what to do after listening to them. The trick to make that acceptable and beneficial is to share personal stories. You can incorporate this throughout a conversation when something you hear brings back a memory or lesson and also at the beginning of a seminar when you tell the audience what you want them to learn. Make the story light and half-applicable to their situation and half-enjoyment. By opening yourself to others through storytelling, they will open up to you and thus you have a bonded personal relationship that will benefit your life success. Remember, the spread of new inventions through word-of-mouth is as strong and abundant as a reference for you and your character.

2. Make a fool of yourself!

We have all grown wise enough to pick out who is just extremely charismatic, and who is really charismatic because they are excited about what they have to share. Obviously, the latter is the best choice if you are trying to get people interested in you and what you have to say. But this component requires you to express your other emotions too. You need to show others, your audience, that you have made mistakes in life. In fact, make mistakes when you are interacting with someone. It shows that you are human and humans connect better to other humans rather than a robot that has never made a mistake. Laugh with the audience when you stumble or forget something. Enjoy yourself and your mistakes because it resonates perfectly with others. Misery loves company, but humility loves it more.

3. Participate!

Above all, you can’t make a connection with anyone if you don’t get involved with them. Keep a mental tab of the topics they discuss and questions they are asked or bring up for discussion and toss in your two cents. Quit acting like a mentor and begin discovering answers with them instead of teaching or answering them alone. Become socially and personally interactive with office conversations, phone conversations and any other daily interaction. Make a contribution to face time and always act as a student to everyone you meet because you both have a lot to learn. Even I have a lot to learn, so how are you going to participate with this? (You can leave comments below)

Stay Positive & Stay Human

Garth E. Beyer

This post was originally dictated for public speakers as a way to gain a connection with the audience, but as many lessons, they are prevalent throughout all areas.What do you plan to apply these three steps to?