{"id":1347,"date":"2020-08-21T20:11:14","date_gmt":"2020-08-22T00:11:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/lucindaatwood\/?post_type=chapter&p=1347"},"modified":"2021-06-02T20:43:30","modified_gmt":"2021-06-03T00:43:30","slug":"speaking-presenting-skills","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/lucindaatwood\/chapter\/speaking-presenting-skills\/","title":{"raw":"Speaking & Presenting","rendered":"Speaking & Presenting"},"content":{"raw":"

Being able to grab and hold your audience's attention increases your confidence and effectiveness. In this section you'll learn how to speak clearly, confidently and successfully.<\/span><\/h1>\r\n

Why are speaking & skills important?<\/h1>\r\nWhat you have to say may be fascinating but must be delivered in a way that holds the audience's interest, and makes the content clear. If you've ever watched someone who's confusing, or who speaks too fast, you know how hard it is to pay attention. It's the same if they speak in a monotone \u2013 your brain wants to shut off.\r\n\r\nSpeaking clearly and confidently is a huge part of successful communication. You must engage the audience and hold their attention while still being yourself. You have to speak loud enough for the people in the back, and those with hearing challenges. You can vary your volume and speaking pace to add interest, and use pauses for emphasis and anticipation.\r\n\r\nThe other part of great speaking is well-organized, easy-to-follow content that informs and engages your audience. If you make it easy to follow, and link your key points together well, your audience is more likely to pay attention and agree with your thesis.\r\n\r\n
\r\n\r\n

3 Simple Tips<\/h2>\r\nHere are some simple tips to looking and sounding professional whether you're speaking to one person or a group.\r\n\r\n[h5p id=\"49\"]\r\n\r\n
\r\n\r\n

Voice & Body Language Skills<\/h2>\r\nThese videos show you how to look and sound professional when presenting, even if you've never presented before and are very nervous!\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n[embed]https:\/\/youtu.be\/DOlouDLTkyg[\/embed]\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n[embed]https:\/\/youtu.be\/MeyZCj8Ca-8[\/embed]\r\n\r\n\r\n
\r\n\r\n

Creating Presentations<\/h2>\r\nThe easiest way to build a presentation of any length, from elevator speech to keynote, is to outline what you're going to say. Simply make a point-form list of these 8 items:\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
<\/th>\r\nElement<\/th>\r\nDescription<\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/thead>\r\n
1<\/td>\r\nOpening statement<\/td>\r\nAn interesting sentence that gets the audience's attention.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
2<\/td>\r\nThesis statement<\/td>\r\n1-2 sentences describing what you're going to talk about\r\n<\/em><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
3<\/td>\r\nSelf-introduction<\/td>\r\nMy name is ___. I'm a [your title] and [credentials that connect to your topic]\r\n<\/em><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
4<\/td>\r\nKey Point 1<\/td>\r\nThe first key point and evidence to support it<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
5<\/td>\r\nKey Point 2<\/td>\r\nThe second key point and evidence to support it<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
6<\/td>\r\nKey Point 3<\/td>\r\nThe third key point and evidence to support it<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
7<\/td>\r\nSummary<\/td>\r\nSummarize the most important parts of the 3 Key Points<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
8<\/td>\r\nCall to action<\/td>\r\nDescribe what you want the listener or viewer to do<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n\r\n

Your Outline is Your Notes<\/h2>\r\nDon't write a script \u2013 you'll sound unnatural and awkward. Use brief notes that are large enough to see at a glance. Just copy each outline item onto a separate cue card, like this:\r\n\r\n\"\"<\/a>\r\n\r\n
\r\n\r\n

\u00a0 Self-Assessment\u00a0 <\/span><\/h2>\r\n[h5p id=\"73\"]\r\n\r\n
\r\n\r\n

Shame Waves<\/h1>\r\nRead the article below or listen to the audio<\/em>\r\n<\/span>\r\n\r\n[h5p id=\"53\"]\r\n\r\nYou just gave the best interview ever. You were calm, confident and engaging. The interviewers loved you!\r\n\r\nBut then you sit down. Flooded with adrenaline, your brain works quickly, evaluating your performance\u2014your dreadful, awful performance. In high resolution, your brain replays the errors, the omissions, the failures. Moments ago you were proud, now you\u2019re embarrassed.\r\n

What happened?<\/h2>\r\nYou\u2019ve been hit by a Shame Wave. It may feel like you\u2019re drowning in shame, but you can and will survive. Hang on\u2014I\u2019ll get you back to shore and show you how to stay safe.\r\n

What\u2019s a Shame Wave?<\/h2>\r\nA Shame Wave is a strong, sudden tidal wave of shame and embarrassment that slams into many people right after they do something in public, whether it\u2019s giving a presentation or speaking up in class. Shame Waves attack beginners and experts alike.\r\n

Craving for Community<\/h3>\r\nHumans are social creatures. We crave community. To be part of a community depends on that community accepting us.\r\n\r\nOur brains try to protect us from getting kicked out of our community by stopping us from doing things the community may not like. Our brains use embarrassment\u2014the painful shame felt when we stand out for a bad reason\u2014as a tool to keep us acceptable to our community.\r\n\r\nEmbarrassment keeps us safe, but too much can cause a Shame Wave.\r\n

Learning<\/h3>\r\nIt\u2019s human nature to evaluate our own performance. This helps us learn and improve. But used unskillfully it can generate Shame Waves.\r\n\r\nMany of us learn by focusing on the negative. Reviewing our performance, we tend to remember only mistakes and problems. Even if 99% was perfect, our brain focuses on the 1% that wasn\u2019t.\r\n\r\nTry this simple perspective trick. Hold your hand at arm\u2019s length. How big is it? Now hold it right in front of your eyes. How big is it? Huge, right? It\u2019s the same with self-evaluation; if we focus on the 1%, it feels like\u00a0everything<\/i>\u00a0was terrible. This feeling can generate Shame Waves.\r\n

Why are Shame Waves bad?<\/h3>\r\nShame Waves are destructive. Not to be confused with useful feedback, Shame Waves are mean. Useful feedback is gentle, timely and appropriate. Shame Waves are violent, inconsiderate and hateful. At best they inhibit learning, at worst they drown your self-esteem.\r\n
    \r\n \t
  • Shame Waves damage your self-confidence.<\/li>\r\n \t
  • They also damage your learning-confidence\u2014the belief that you can improve at something.<\/li>\r\n \t
  • Shame Waves can make you give up.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n

    Shame Waves and failure<\/h3>\r\nAlthough their intentions are good\u2014to protect us\u2014shame waves drown us in powerful negative messages. Shame Waves tell us \u201cfor our own good\u201d that:\r\n
      \r\n \t
    • You\u2019re not perfect at this<\/li>\r\n \t
    • Because you\u2019re not perfect, you\u2019re a failure<\/li>\r\n \t
    • Failure is bad<\/li>\r\n \t
    • Winners never fail<\/li>\r\n \t
    • Failure never leads to success<\/li>\r\n \t
    • If you fail you should quit immediately<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nThose messages are evil! Failure is a normal, necessary part of learning. We do very few things perfectly the first time\u2014almost everything you\u2019ve learned in your lifetime took more than one attempt. If you refuse to do things you\u2019re not good at, you won\u2019t learn. And you need to be a lifelong learner to have a great life.\r\n

      Grab a board and enjoy the ride<\/h3>\r\nWe need coping strategies to support ourselves. Good coping strategies are like surfboards that help us ride Shame Waves to safety.\u00a0Good strategies can\u00a0decrease the number of waves that hit, and the amount of damage done.\r\n\r\nCoping strategies can be simple, like taking a few slow breaths. They can be complex, like retraining our thoughts.\u00a0Here are some useful coping strategies:\r\n

      Coping strategies<\/h3>\r\n
        \r\n \t
      1. Plan ahead for Shame Waves. Brace yourself and reduce the impact.<\/li>\r\n \t
      2. Remind yourself that your brain\u2019s being mean but its intentions are good. Thank your brain and tell it to be nicer.<\/li>\r\n \t
      3. Expect to be imperfect, and to make mistakes. Focus on what you learned from the experience.<\/li>\r\n \t
      4. Think about next time: What will you do better next time?<\/li>\r\n \t
      5. Meditate. Do nothing except sit with the shame. Allow it to wash over you. Don\u2019t try to fix it. Just sit and feel shame\u2019s heat. Let it blaze and rage until it burns itself out.<\/li>\r\n \t
      6. Breathe. A long, deep, slow breath in through your nose, then out through your mouth. Relax.<\/li>\r\n \t
      7. Tell someone you trust about your Shame Wave. Talking can help weaken its power. And you\u2019ll probably discover that you\u2019re not alone.<\/li>\r\n \t
      8. Practice the 10-10-10 rule: How important will this be in 10 hours? 10 weeks? 10 years? Adjust as necessary.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\nYou\u2019ll find that some of these strategies resonate with you and some don\u2019t. That\u2019s fine. Find what works, and make your own surfboard of strategies. Next time a Shame Wave hits, grab your board and ride to the Beach of Success.\r\n\r\n
        \r\n\r\n

        \u00a0 Canadian Workplace Quiz\u00a0 <\/span><\/h2>\r\n[h5p id=\"58\"]\r\n\r\n","rendered":"

        Being able to grab and hold your audience’s attention increases your confidence and effectiveness. In this section you’ll learn how to speak clearly, confidently and successfully.<\/span><\/h1>\n

        Why are speaking & skills important?<\/h1>\n

        What you have to say may be fascinating but must be delivered in a way that holds the audience’s interest, and makes the content clear. If you’ve ever watched someone who’s confusing, or who speaks too fast, you know how hard it is to pay attention. It’s the same if they speak in a monotone \u2013 your brain wants to shut off.<\/p>\n

        Speaking clearly and confidently is a huge part of successful communication. You must engage the audience and hold their attention while still being yourself. You have to speak loud enough for the people in the back, and those with hearing challenges. You can vary your volume and speaking pace to add interest, and use pauses for emphasis and anticipation.<\/p>\n

        The other part of great speaking is well-organized, easy-to-follow content that informs and engages your audience. If you make it easy to follow, and link your key points together well, your audience is more likely to pay attention and agree with your thesis.<\/p>\n

        \n

        3 Simple Tips<\/h2>\n

        Here are some simple tips to looking and sounding professional whether you’re speaking to one person or a group.<\/p>\n

        \n
        <\/div>\n<\/div>\n
        \n

        Voice & Body Language Skills<\/h2>\n

        These videos show you how to look and sound professional when presenting, even if you’ve never presented before and are very nervous!<\/p>\n

         <\/p>\n