Table of Contents
Introduction 9
Part 1 Public Speaking 101 11
Chapter 1 What Is Public Speaking? 13
Public Speaking, Defined 14
Why People Speak Publicly 15
What's Your Perspective on Public Speaking? 17
Knowing What's at Stake for Your Audience 19
The Problem with Perfection 23
Part 2 The Presenter 29
Chapter 2 Empowering Yourself Emotionally and Mentally 31
Confidence 32
Get Emotionally Centered by Focusing On Your Mission 34
Presence, Presenting, and Being Present 35
How to Get Out of Your Own Way 38
Tips for Effective Emotional and Mental Preparation 42
Nurture a Positive Mindset: Get Rid of Negative Self-Beliefs 43
Rewriting Your Worst-Case Scenario Public Speaking Stones 52
The Trick to Dealing with the "Center of Attention" Conundrum 54
Caring…but Not Too Much 56
Chapter 3 Empowering Yourself Physically 63
The Impact of Your Body Language 64
Which Body Language Options Are the Best for Public Speaking? 70
Focus On What You Want to Be, Not What You Don't Want to Be 74
How to Present When You're Sitting Down 76
What Do I Do with My Hands? 78
What Do I Do with My Feet? 80
Chapter 4 Empowering Yourself Vocally 85
Breathing 86
Vocal Variety 90
Avoiding Filler Words 102
Other Vocal Issues to Avoid 107
When You Have an Accent 109
Using a Microphone 111
Part 3 The Presentation 117
Chapter 5 Creating Your Talk-The Nitty-Gritty of Writing and Rehearsing 119
Who, Why, What, How, When 120
Understanding Your Audience 120
Add a Call to Action 127
Incorporate Your Own Style Into Your Writing 129
Be Sure to Avoid Jargon 140
Humanize Facts and Figures When Possible 142
Lists 142
Making Great Slides 143
Rehearsal 151
To Memorize or Not to Memorize 157
Soliciting Feedback from Friends, Family, and/or Colleagues 163
Chapter 6 Preparing 171
Planning 172
The Power of Visualization 175
Taking Care of Yourself 177
Clothing 180
Getting Comfortable Being on Camera 181
Specific Circumstances 185
Networking 205
Chapter 7 Presenting-Cresting an Experience for Your Audience 211
How Your Intentions Affect Your Interaction with Your Audience 212
How to Handle the Energy in the Room 219
When You Are Facing Opposition 221
Conveying Empathy and Gratitude 223
Land it Like a Gymnast 228
Capture Their Imagination-One Moment at a Time 228
Conclusion 234
Additional Resources 235
Acknowledgments 236
Index 237