Preparing for the podium
Today I'd like to talk about how you prepare for the podium. Now that your draft is done. Your edit-reading is also completed. Perhaps what you see is a little frightening, because once again you're dealing with the fear of unknown: I mean the reaction of the audience.
To date I practiced my speech in different places.
When I attended a sales meeting in the U.S., I had to make one presentation. That was a must. On the night before the speech, I hung up a dozen of Power Point slides on the wall in a hotel room. Using a pointer I practiced my speech by talking at the wall 10 times. My voice was loud enough to embarrass the neighbor in the next room, that a bell boy came up to me and said "Sir, would you mind turning the TV down?"
Back to Japan, I often go to a Karaoke bar to practice my speech before the toastmaster meeting. Wow, you could hear the sound of your own voice echoing. That made me feel like a real speaker at the podium.
If I have no time, I practiced my speech in the train. This is what I call "Secrest Shadow Practicing". The passengers sitting in front of you are to be the audience. Relying on your notes you'd memorize what you're going to say. The key here is look at them in the mouth or in the forehead.
Recently I found the best way for a final rehearsal. I practiced a speech in front of my domineering wife. I obtained some privacy and sat her down in a chair as far away as possible, so I can get the feeling of giving a talk from beginning to end without interrutptions. If I happened to fumble somewhere along the line, I just kept going. The idea is to give a complete performance. She is not good at speaking English, so she could not evaluate the content of my speech.
But she could say something about my postures. Too bad, I didn't stand up straight and leaned on the table.
To date I practiced my speech in different places.
When I attended a sales meeting in the U.S., I had to make one presentation. That was a must. On the night before the speech, I hung up a dozen of Power Point slides on the wall in a hotel room. Using a pointer I practiced my speech by talking at the wall 10 times. My voice was loud enough to embarrass the neighbor in the next room, that a bell boy came up to me and said "Sir, would you mind turning the TV down?"
Back to Japan, I often go to a Karaoke bar to practice my speech before the toastmaster meeting. Wow, you could hear the sound of your own voice echoing. That made me feel like a real speaker at the podium.
If I have no time, I practiced my speech in the train. This is what I call "Secrest Shadow Practicing". The passengers sitting in front of you are to be the audience. Relying on your notes you'd memorize what you're going to say. The key here is look at them in the mouth or in the forehead.
Recently I found the best way for a final rehearsal. I practiced a speech in front of my domineering wife. I obtained some privacy and sat her down in a chair as far away as possible, so I can get the feeling of giving a talk from beginning to end without interrutptions. If I happened to fumble somewhere along the line, I just kept going. The idea is to give a complete performance. She is not good at speaking English, so she could not evaluate the content of my speech.
But she could say something about my postures. Too bad, I didn't stand up straight and leaned on the table.
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