The Art and Science to Becoming an Effective Public Speaker
By: Elizabeth Kasujja
Tags: Mental Health, Personal Development, Public Speaking, Life Lessons, Psychology

I still get crazy anxious whenever I have to speak but I no longer feel immobilized for it. In the past year, I have dramatically improved my public speaking skills. I am still learning, and growing, and improving. I want to share some tips I have learned from coaches and mentors that really help, so, let’s get to it.

1. Embrace the adrenaline rush

One of my mentors, Laura Kinnard, in a helpful session during my time as a Mandela Washington Fellow told me that whenever you have to make a presentation, remember that the fear you feel comes from the exact same place as excitement. So you can fool your mind into believing that what it perceives to be fear is actually excitement. This works. Sometimes.

It helps to remember that even experienced speakers feel the blood racing before they go on stage. It is a natural body response. I have learned to appreciate the adrenaline rush as a reminder that I have a message to share with others. I interpret it as an opportunity to focus on directing my energy towards the audience in a way that will make the message resonate more with them.

2. Tell stories

Since time immemorial, stories are the way humans are wired to remember important details and create an emotional connection. That is why all your favorite movies and books are weaved into some form of story (food for thought). So try to wrap your point into a story. For example, telling you about my personal experience with the anxiety and panic I suffer before giving a public speech is more likely to keep you reading, as opposed to me quoting statistics about Glossophobia — the fear of public speaking. A whopping 75% of the world population, by the way, suffers from Glossophobia. That is almost 6 billion people. You are not alone. A tale of your product through the eyes of one single user often brings to life the problems the product solves. Tell stories.

3. Do the research and develop a central theme

You need to know 3 to 4 times as much content as you are going to speak about. Do the due diligence and background research for your content. I speak about mental health and wellness, and of recent I have realized people really want to learn how they can better take care of themselves or their loved ones to be able to cope with psychological stress. Having a central theme such as mental health self-care, or personal development, or finding meaning in life, etc, helps to serve as an organizing principle. I then organize stories around that depending on how much time I have been allocated. It is important to arrange the stories of choice as a journey that circles the main point. Explore the main point such as self-care, to share what I think about self-care, but take it a little further than it has already been taken.

4. Your personal experience is king. Utilize your problems

We all have problems, man. It comes with the territory of being human. Talk about what you know and use your personal experience because that is something you are a master of, your personal story. You may bring in other material but it has to be tied to the real world through your own experience. Otherwise, it is not real. I was so afraid of sharing my personal story because I thought the fact that I suffered depression and suicidal tendencies made me seem weaker as a mental health professional. On the contrary, it helps you connect with your audience better. It makes you more human. Talk about the problem, and then talk about the solution or your thoughts regarding the problem. Your audience will feel more connected to you as a result.

Brene Brown’s Ted Talk on the Power of Vulnerability has been watched over 45 million times, she says that connection is why we are here, it is what gives purpose and meaning to our lives. That is just how we are neurologically wired and vulnerability gives you the ability to connect with others.

5. Listen to your audience, and adjust accordingly

Listen to your audience. Silence is good. Personally, whenever I would realize that my audience was quiet, I would get really nervous because I was worried I had bored them. However, according to psychology, silence is good because it means people are listening to what you are saying. It is also very good to speak directly to individuals in audience. Look at one person, focus on them, talk to them, and check if they are following along. You need to identify with your audience as individuals. If you are going to be a spectacular speaker, you have to think on your feet.

6. Map your talk

Have a map or plan. What (am I going to talk about), so what (should my audience know from what I have shared), now what (what is the key takeaway for my audience). You are less likely to forget and helps your audience also remember what you shared. The talk should be a journey that you are taking the audience a long on. It is the same way of reading a great novel. It is not plodded out from beginning to end, the author is taking himself and you on an adventure through character development. The characters need to be given time to express themselves and to grow.

7. Be scared, and do it anyway

In conversation with Prince Harry. Photo Courtesy of the Queen’s Young Leaders Program

“ My secret is — believe it or not — I get incredibly nervous before public speaking, no matter how big the crowd or the audience and, um, despite the fact that I laugh and joke all the time I get incredibly nervous, if not anxious, actually, before going into rooms full of people when I’m wearing a suit… And now that I’ve confessed that, I’ll probably be even more worried that people are looking at me.” — Prince Harry

No, he did not actually say these words to me. It is, however, extremely comforting to realize that someone I admire so much also struggles like me when he steps on the podium. And yet he remains one of the most inspiring and memorable people I know.

8. Practice

Regarding public speaking, Carnegie reportedly said,

“There are always three speeches, for every one you actually gave. The one you practiced, the one you gave, and the one you wish you gave.”

If you are uncomfortable with public speaking like I am, you need to allow yourself to learn how to become comfortable. Practice, Practice, Practice! Practice makes Perfect. We are not shooting for perfection per se, but if you are going to improve at all you need to practice! Get some close friends or family to help evaluate you, or record yourself on video and play that back to yourself and keep improving. I just stare at myself in the mirror just so I can get more comfortable with having eyes on me in real time. Find what works for you and practice. Practice makes better.

9. Breathe

Breathe. You need to breathe so you can stay alive, anyways! :)