Being a public speaker can be tough. When it comes to being a successful speaker, the stakes become even higher. A successful public speaker knows what works for him/her and has honed those qualities to ensure that all his/her speeches are seamless and the engaging. Most articles mention qualities that successful public speakers possess. But what are some of the things they tend to stay away from?
Below are some of the top things that successful public speakers stray from:
Making Your Audience Feel Insignificant:
Dont be the name dropper. We all know the person who needs to make it apparent how many famous people they know or all the luxuries they are afforded. Those people are irritating in real life and most of us don’t enjoy them. Make sure you don’t fall into the trap of sounding overly confident which can come off as more of a brag than actual knowledge of the subject. Make sure to stick to factual information and insert personal touches where necessary. No one needs to know what 5 star hotel you stayed at unless it’s relevant to the subject.
Don’t Be The Know It All:
Arrogance is a surefire way for people to lose interest in what you’re saying. Being egotistical can come off annoying and confusing. Stay away from overly complicated explanations that can be more baffling than clarifying. Don’t use insider references that your audience isn’t familiar without bothering to explain what it is. And when an audience member makes a comment that you don’t agree with or isn’t necessarily correct, don’t be quick to shut him/her down with a rebuttal. Answer in a more professional manner such as “I may see a little things differently.“
Don’t Apologize:
Never apologize for being nervous, and don’t make excuses for a lack of preparation. Don’t do anything that will immediately lower your esteem in the eyes of your audience. Chances are that your audience won’t notice it to the extent that you do, and they may not even notice it at all. Apologizing will only guarantee that you bring it to the center of their attention.
Mishandle the Question and Answer Portion:
If there is a certain time period for the question and answer portion, be sure to have a moderator who does a good job of handling the time and making sure questions stay at appropriate lengths. Don’t add a definitive number of questions (i.e. – we will only take 5 questions). If the audience doesn’t have that many questions, you don’t want to come off as uninterested. That can be embarrassing. When you are ready to end you question and answer period, just end it. No need to announce it.
Never End a Speech With a Question :
Always end your speech on a definitive note. Don’t open up the possibility of being unsure or leaving the audience confused.
For more related articles and news updates follow the Twitter page of Dominic Carter.