Before, during, and after presentation tips for speakers
SoftServe PMO and PM Community are rich in people who perform both internally & externally. And we appreciate their intake. Today, we’d like to share some hints from the SoftServe speakers: how to prepare for the speech, what to pay attention to during the presentation, and what to do right after the speech is over to become a better speaker.
Before the speech
Denys: The best way to prepare is to design a story from A to Z with all the main statements you plan to share. The discussion might make things slightly different from how you imagined that (and, in most cases, it does). But having at least where you start from and what final idea you want to deliver (with logic in between) helps you stay on the topic and give what needs to be provided.
Svitlana: Ask for help. From one point of view, you are great and might not need any assistance with your speech. However, even if you are an extremely experienced speaker with excellent feedback and self-confidence, you can sometimes feel less confident due to the so-called impostor syndrome. So, ask for help. Where? Use your network; people are willing to help but need to know that you are seeking assistance. It could be an entrusted person, as was Anna from PMO before PM Day I performed at. Share with them the high level of your presentation.
Andrii: Before the speech, accept that feeling anxious is normal. Even experienced speakers are nervous; you are not unique in your feelings. Your tremble will likely vanish in 5–10 minutes after you start; if you are still uneasy, I advise you to engage with the audience to relax. Use icebreakers. Because there is a direct connection: when the audience feels relaxed, the speaker feels the same.
Svitlana: Check/define your sources. It is fantastic if you have experience with a specific topic and prepared material/presentation/speech. It is pretty easy to share the same presentation at different events. But time flies, people change, technologies change, and you must make a reality check. Afterward, you define the sources of information and collect as much data as possible regarding your speech.
Before the speech, just accept that feeling anxious is normal. Even experienced speakers are nervous; you are not unique in your feelings.
Svitlana: Practice your powerful beginning. Your start should radiate power; show your strength. Yes, you could be joyful and friendly, but it may not work when you are on stage, especially when you understand that your audience could be skeptical about your topic. Instead, the powerful beginning could be a self-introduction. Omit dry self-intro with dates and a list of certificates you have got. Then, remake it into the story. Story-telling rocks!
Andrii: Prepare the text of your speech thoroughly. I’m printing it on paper and put on file. I knew what to talk about, but I could peek at printed or written notes.
Andrii: Timeframe is critical. When I started to practice my speech before the last event, it took me an hour to share all my thoughts. But the time limit was 30 minutes, and I started to think about what to delete, etc.
Andrii: Find listener. It is excellent to practice the speech to somebody. If there is no listener, just set the timer on your phone and speak to the mirror. And check the timing of your presentation. The win-win case is when you record your speech and revise it afterward. That’s how you can control the speed and check whether the way content is valid or not. I’m lucky because my girlfriend is an experienced journalist with 14 years of practice and advises me a lot.
During the speech
Andrii: Know yourself. Some people could be easily destroyed, for instance, by their own mistake or misspelling. On the other hand, it could be crucial for some speakers. I’m a person, who is not easily destructed by the environment, but in case I forget some critical thesis or say the wrong fact, I could make myself destabilized. It could be “cured” by the detailed description of the information you are about to share in your speech.
Svitlana: Manage your stress. Before speeches, I had a lot of stress, and I understand it is easy to say: “Manage it!”. But the truth is a bit different. So, if you can’t cope with nervousness, apply the technique: fake it till you make it. Amy Cuddy once presented a speech on this topic. Psychosomatic works this way: when you have stress, you can become sick. But when you make a powerful pose, you become a bit bigger because your back is straight and the shoulders are broadly spread; it fuels your strength. My daughter, in University the exam decided to go to the corridor to make a powerful pose (I’m great, I’m a star!) and set up the right mood; she saw another girl doing the same.
Denys: The most crucial part of the speech is avoiding boredom and losing an audience’s attention. You should make them interested in listening to you and be willing to talk to you.
Andrii: It is essential to keep people focused. Add some questions to the audience, and add some jokes (if appropriate), but not those that are unfunny. What could keep people interested? A personalized story is critical. People are less motivated to listen when the speaker shows a familiar graphic from the book and shares its pros and cons. What is more interesting is the fact of the way to use this graphic personally and why explain why it “clicked” for you. Tell listeners about it.
Svitlana: Your speech is not a theater performance. It is communication. Find the person in the audience and speak to them. It will keep the sense of touch and give you some extra confidence because the listener might nod their head as a sign of appreciation and agreement with your statements. Find sympathetic listeners and focus on them from time to time.
Andrii: Know your main message. What benefits will guests get from your story? Your speech aims to enrich people and bring them your core message. It would be great to understand it. Afterward, you’ll be able to figure out how to get this message to people.
Svitlana: Easy physical exercises. Start with couch push-ups when you don’t work with all your weight. Then, do something else: jump.
Andrii: Pay attention to your presentation. You need to adjust the type of presentation by the audience you are speaking to. In case it is a specific audience, create a detailed presentation. On the other hand, create an overall presentation with shared ideas, statements, and eye-catching things if it is a large audience.
After the speech
Denys: I often review recordings from my speeches to reflect on what worked well and what could be improved. Warning: listening to your voice could be painful but helpful.
Svitlana: Prepare for the questions:
- Tricky ones: write them down, make a list, and do a thesis on how you’ll answer them. Prepare several organic cliches: “Interesting question…” or “It was unexpected for me to hear that…”, “what an interesting point of view, I haven’t thought about it…”. It is hard to prepare those questions. The best improvisation is thoroughly prepared improvisation. There are no random questions; you can prepare for them. “Thank you for your question” or “I haven’t thought about it, and what is your opinion regarding this issue?”.
- Unknown questions: you can’t know everything, and if you have a question you are unaware of, you can say: “I’ll investigate it and add it to my next speech.”
- Irrelevant questions: once, the listener asked me: “Aren’t you a teacher?”.
