As a public speaker, the mission is to reach and inspire the masses with your gifting. Many aspire to give talks to large groups. But for some, that very thought becomes a daunting feat. It takes an effective and connected speaker to hold the energy for a large audience and deliver with great aplomb.
Here are “5 Things You Need To Become A Highly Effective Public Speaker.” by Faith James
1 — Don’t Get Stuck on the “Me” in Message — Focus on your message– Period. Don’t focus on how you look or whether your suit is too blue or if your curls aren’t right. People aren’t there to evaluate you; they are there to receive inspiration and action steps. Lovingly tell your ego to have several seats and focus on the message you are there to deliver. The people are tuned into WIIFM – “What’s-in-it-for-me”. It’s about them – not about you.
2 — Get into a Spirit of Service — “I’m here to serve you.” — this is your mantra and posture. What do they want? — That is the question. Set an intention that everyone under the sound of your voice leaves feeling inspired. Your focus is ensuring they leave better off having heard from you. It’s not about you seeming important, it’s about you creating transformation.
3- Mirror Work — The mirror is your friend. Stand in front of the mirror and deliver your talk. When I was in advertising and working on the Liberty Mutual account, I had to deliver a 50-page report to the entire C-suite group. I practiced in the front of the mirror so I could see myself deliver it. Mirror work allows you to be more comfortable in your role as it helps you get into flow and work out any kinks. Billy Jean King says, “pressure is a privilege” and she’s right: it is a privilege to be a speaker and deliver a message that impacts the lives of others.
4- Get into Character — Using the methods actors use is key to getting out of your own way or hiding behind the story of “I’m shy”. Think about Beyonce; she has an onstage character called “Sasha Fierce” and when she drops into that character, magic happens. So you get to create your own character and get into the role. What is the energy of your character? Using improv methods is a great way to do this.
5- Believe — The idea of believing goes back to this Oprah Winfrey quote that I love: “What is true and what do I believe?” Do I believe I’m a successful speaker or that I’m not? Until you clean out and reset the computer that’s running, old thoughts are going to show up everywhere. This is when it’s time to do affirmation work to get back to the core truth of you: Believe you are enough; Believe you are well equipped and able Believe you are valuable. Believe what God says about you and He calls you a masterpiece. You get to have faith in you.