Comments on: 6 Tips For Speakers to Better Engage Their Audience

By: Barb Bickford

Barb Bickford — Sun, 31 Oct 2010 00:31:57 +0000

Our agency’s trainer says that the three levels of competency for public speaking are 1)concern about how I look 2) concern about the content 3)concern about connecting with the audience. You’ve fleshed these out very well, Steve. I would add only one thing to the part about connecting to our body: relaxing neck and shoulders and allowing energy to flow to them by breathing IN would help men. That doesn’t work for me. I get more out of relaxing my heart and gut by breathing OUT and feeling “I’m safe”.
Thanks again for your clear tips and encouragement!

By: davissm

davissm — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 19:37:56 +0000

It’s funny how what used to be holidays are now “slow workdays.” Thanks to computers, our work is always there isn’t it? But fortunately, it’s not terribly strenuous. Thanks for reading about my overlay, or underlay as the case may be I’m glad that and my metaphors resonate with you. Please share freely!

By: Selma Sahin

Selma Sahin — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 19:23:27 +0000

How nice to have a rare “slow” workday that allows me to catch up on some of your blogs/articles, etc. Now that I’ve read a bit about your spiritual overlay, I understand even better why I like your energy & content — things we have in common.
Had a good laugh at your “information obesity” metaphor — I plan to borrow it. Loved your advice to “make experiences”, “show first”, and “connect”. So now I have a handful of key words to remind me when preparing for a presentation. Some things I already do well, whereas others are improvement opportunities, e.g. behaviour I admire in others yet haven’t made my own yet.

By: davissm

davissm — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 18:21:13 +0000

Thanks Melanie and Julia for your thoughtful comments. And great example Julia of a masterful “presentation” with out a presentation. I love that! This kind of presenting takes courage and a willingness to not know. Good God, not knowing?!! In the modern world, addressing a crowd as an expert and not knowing is a major taboo. No wonder this approach isn’t all that popular

By: Julia

Julia — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 11:06:18 +0000

Having sat through countless technology or process improvement presentations at conferences, can honestly say that the very best ever was the one where the presenter had no slides at all, a clear title and we had the liveliest discussion with 150 people in the room! OK the presenter was an expert in his field, but his humulity to recognise that the audience would benefit more from him listening to their concerns and offering advice or facilitating a connection with another participant, together with his confidence in his own knowledge and where the boundary of that lay, was truly inspiring.
But this is group facilitation, right?!! I think we should be teaching kids these skills along with the 3Rs!!!!

By: Melanie McGhee

Melanie McGhee — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 23:41:57 +0000

So glad to see someone articulate this. As a speaker, writer and coach, I have consistently experienced audiences as participants and then wonder, “Shouldn’t I just be speaking??? That’s what others seem to do.” And, then I find that at the heart of it all, I prefer to be in conversation and facilitate discoveries rather than just speaking. So, WOOT! Way to go, Steve. Again, I appreciate your clarity and am glad you’ve joined the blogging world.