Find Your Voice

Have you ever felt like crying or paralyzed because you had to address some people? Have you ever wished somebody else could speak instead of you?

All human beings communicate

All healthy human beings communicate. We do it from birth and use whatever means we have available to do so. Communicating occupies a huge part of our days, in spite of which, we’re barely ever taught how to do it with confidence and even less often given the tools to convey what we truly want to say.

We all need to speak in public sometimes

We all need to speak in public. Some of us will do it in front of big audiences, others maybe just in their local communities. The fear and the limitation can be as overwhelming.

Speaking, be it in public or in private, is one of the most important acts in the life of a person. Doing it properly should encompass a clear understanding of ourselves, the message we wish to transmit, the recipient and the means to be used to convey the information. In spite of which, we’re still not taught how to do it with confidence and ease.

Like everything else, though, it CAN be taught and learned. Let me offer you a few basic tips in this short article today.

1. IDENTIFY THE KEY MESSAGE: decide what it is that you wish your audience to remember after listening to you. If your speech is longer than a few sentences, make sure to offer this message at the beginning and at the end.
2. KILL THE FEAR: fear is always in the future. Don’t waste your time worrying about it now because that worry won’t make it any easier; it serves no purpose. Focus instead on these 5 tips and work hard on them, so hard, that you have no time for fear. That will kill it.
3. CHOOSE YOUR MATERIALS: will you need some additional materials to help you convey your message? Sometimes an image is worth a hundred words, people say. Could you use any pictures or objects to help you stress, support or clarify your words?
4. KNOW AND UNDERSTAND YOUR AUDIENCE: talking to a group of 10 year-olds is not at all like talking to a professional audience, is it? What do your listeners want to know? Who are they? What is their level of previous understanding? Adapt your message to them. Don’t expect them to follow your words just because they’re listening to you.
5. REHEARSE, REHEARSE, REHEARSE. In front of a mirror or, even better, a camera. I can’t stress this tip enough. If you need to speak in front of an audience (no matter how big or small) practice your presentation in front of a camera at home. Say the words, use the props, repeat it completely, measure your time (so you don’t go over the limit if there is one) and then let it sit for at lease half a day. Then watch the recording and look for improvement. Repeat at least 3 times.

These few basic tips should help you improve your public speaking skills and style. There’s more, plenty in fact, if you wish to really polish your content, conquer your fear and improve your overall performance. There’s tricks and techniques to be used to convey a more convincing message or any specific feeling or emotion you wish to transmit. But that requires a bit more work. Do you need that level of performance? Then you’re very lucky because we created a program just for your. 7 modules filled with:

• More than 30 practical lessons
• Tool booklet
• Online group support sessions with professionals from IIH
• Exercises and follow up
• Additional materials

Contact us for further information: info@instituteofhumanology.com

Everything can be taught and learned if the right tools and methods are used. Don’t let fear and limitations guide you. Be in charge of your life!

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