Eddie Francis Speaker Training

The importance of being an event M.C.

2011-10-19T13:01:00.001-05:00

"...No mistakes allowed, 'cause to me, M.C. means 'move the crowd'..." Eric B. & Rakim "Eric B. for President" (1986)

I take my gigs as an event master of ceremonies veryseriously. It is an honor and a great opportunity forany speaker to play a vital role in the success of an event. The mosteffective event M.C. is entertaining, organized, accommodating, and even humble. The M.C. realizes that he or she must keepthe audience’s attention while yielding to those who are the real stars of theshow—the people on program.

What makes a great M.C.?

Preparation. The M.C. has to know the situation before ashow begins. The most embarrassingmoment I’ve ever had on stage was during a comedy show where I served as boththe host and the opening act for a nationally known comedian. I did one of my signature A-List bits about afast food restaurant, which I mentioned by name because of its relevance to thebit. Not good. I found out after I got off stage that the restaurant was the showsponsor. In my excitement about opening fora major national act, I completely failed to ask if there was a major sponsor connected to it. Also, the M.C. should understand how the show is going to flow, who mayshow up, who may not show up, and definitely how to pronounce names.
RoomCommand. The M.C. must immediatelyuse energy and vocal projection to grab the audience’s attention. Nothing makes life difficult for people onthe program like walking into a situation where the audience is unprepared forthem.
Humility. I have seen hosts who have utilized theiropportunities to steal shows. It maywork for about one minute, but anything beyond that is annoying to theaudience. The audience most likely isn't there to see the M.C. Even if the M.C. is the best thing going, he or sheneeds to understand when to do the big build up and (literally) step back forthe person or people the audience came to see.
DamageControl. Sometimes people bomb, and it's nothing short of heart-breaking to watch. So, imagine being the one who screwed up on stage. It’s a harsh reality ofperformance, and the M.C. has to stand ready to win the audience back whenthings don’t go well. The M.C. shouldnever do this at the expense of the speaker or the act, however. The last thing the M.C. should do is appearopportunistic about grabbing the spotlight at the time of one’s untimely stagedemise. The M.C. may even have to playpsychologist to the victim.

It's not left to the M.C. to control a show so much as it is left to him or her to manage the flow of an event. Even if the program is unorganized, the M.C. should still maintain a focus on management as opposed to control. The better the M.C. is at managing the event, the more organizers and event planners recognize his or her value.

Why public speaking is important

2011-10-12T01:25:00.000-05:00

We speakers can sometimes take our talent, skills, and passion for public speaking for granted. It's nothing for us to jump on a stage in front of masses of people and deliver a message with unbridled enthusiasm and clarity. Many of us cannot figure out why so many fear public speaking. Statistically, most people who are surveyed rank public speaking as their number one fear. As a great speaking colleague of mine, Chris Scheeren would say, "That means more people would rather be the subject of a eulogy than deliver one."

Public speaking, however, is also a fantastic tool for individual growth. What can public speaking give you?

Effective interpersonal communication. Great public speakers have great eye contact with their audiences, for example. Mastering that skill automatically translates to effective eye contact, especially in situations such as job interviews or even conversations with close family and friends.
Structure and organization. Speakers whose thoughts are unorganized get quickly exposed in the worst place--in front of an audience. Public speaking teaches folks to break thoughts down by bullet points or segments. That way, the audience finds your concept much easier to follow.
It helps you focus on WHO you are. Just as I mentioned in point #2, a speaker who is not genuine gets quickly exposed. Having been a consistent high school speaker since 2000, I learned very quickly that teens are like sharks. One drop of blood and your butt is theirs. In other words, as soon as they detect any weakness in a speaker, his/her speech is pretty much over. What weakens a speaker most is coming across as a phony or, even worse, a con artist.
Articulation. This is the most fundamental skill of oral communication. If a group can understand every word you say, you will "wow" individuals with your articulation in small group or one-on-one settings. Trust me.
Leadership. A great speaking coach named Ron Arden once said, "He or she who speaks, leads." It's as simple as people paying attention to the person who has the floor in a meeting. Public speaking gives one the opportunity to express a vision, a directive, and influence others.
Stress management. I'm totally at peace when I speak because I expend lots of energy. Every single ounce of stress pours out of my body with my energetic delivery. There are also other stress management tools that speakers employ such as breathing, voice, and body language exercises.
Confidence. Nothing makes a person happy like delivering an effecitve speech. You don't have to be a public speaker in order to experience the elation of well-articulated words in front of a group. Most of us desire some form of appreciation, and what happens most of the time when people finish speaking? Applause. But even when applause isn't the end result, just getting from point A to point B in a speech gives the speaker that feeling of "mission accomplished."

Telling a great story versus telling a good story

2011-08-29T19:14:00.000-05:00

I don't care how many times you have told a great story, it's a different ball game when you embed that same story inside of a speech or presentation. It's one thing to sit around with family and friends, and tell stories in an environment where you feel uninhibited. It's different, however, when you have an audience that's hanging on your every word.

Practice is the key. It may make some of us say, "Duh!" but others learn the hard way. I'm not going to point anyone out (pointing to myself), but trying to go with the flow in a speech can be a mistake. I found out, the hard way, that a messed up story can lose the audience. I found this out when I did a speech and thought it would be cute to tell a story without even thinking of how to put it together. All I knew, at the time, was that it was a cool story. I launched in with a smile, stuttered, forgot a part, went back to retrieve the part I forgot, and verbally limped to the end of it. The lesson was learned. Ever since that minor disaster, I have used the same method to tell a story, especially in my stand-up comedy routines.

First, I concentrate on telling a smooth story. Consider the audience the passengers as you take them on a verbal journey.

Second, choose a story that has a beginning, middle, and end. The audience has to feel that they are going somewhere and will wind up somewhere that made the journey worth while.

Third, make sure that every element is in its place. There's nothing more embarrassing than having a great flow then realizing you left out a key point. The audience hates to hear, "Wait, I left something out." It's like being on a plane, waiting for take-off, and hearing the pilot announce that you're going back to the gate because some paperwork wasn't filled out. Yes, I've been on a plane that did that.

Finally, and most importantly, deliver the story as if it belongs in the speech. Big build-ups such as "This is a great story" actually ruin the experience. After all, you wouldn't include a story if it weren't great, would you? Saying things like "Don't worry, there's a point to this" comes across as if you're apologizing for nothing. If your story has twists and turns, that's great! Allow the audience to be your riding buddy on this great journey. Don't try to make them enjoy it.

Use effective speaking techniques with stories, too. Since it is a specialized part of your speech or presentation, slightly pump up the eye contact, smiles, vocal dynamics, and use pauses to your advantage. A great story is a result of a great approach to telling it.

Handling meal speech hell

2011-08-15T16:18:00.001-05:00

I am NOT a fan of speeches during meals. Advice for anyone or any organization who wants a speaker during your breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner--please don't ask anyone to speak during the meal.

I just saw a speaker who did a presentation in a college dining hall while the audience was eating lunch. On top of not having a microphone, he had a large room with two large groupings of tables. I felt bad for the guy, especially since his organization sponsored the luncheon and he felt compelled to get as much information about his organization out as he could. To make it worse, the audience was kind of rude.

Here's what you can do if you cannot get the organizer's to move your speech out of the meal window:

Wait as long as possible for people to get toward the ends of their meals. It's better to shorten your speech or presentation for a more attentive audience than to fight with the clangs of silverware and table conversations.
Even after the meal, the audience will be engaged in table conversations. If they are still "chatty" while you're introducing a speaker or, if you're the guest speaker, folks are still talking through the speaker introduction, let them see you at the podium for about a minute. Most times, audiences will quiet down when they see someone in the ready position for a speech or presentation.
Acknowledge that folks' enjoying their meals and assure them that you will be brief.
If you say that you are going to be brief, then BE BRIEF. Let the organizer know, ahead of time, that you may shorten your speech due to the distractions among the audience. You don't want to make things worse with your fighting to be heard while they fight to maintain their conversations.
If you have specific pieces of information to give to the group, repeat the information at least three times and let them know that you will be available to take questions after your presentation.

To organizers, always budget enough time to schedule your speakers after folks have eaten. If you're serving plated meals, keep tabs on when the last meals in the room are served. If there is a buffet, keep tabs on the last few who get their food, then watch the progress of the meals.

No, you're not crazy for rehearsing for your dream broadcast interview

2011-06-24T17:12:00.001-05:00

Before I knew it, it happened. I had been booked for my first-ever broadcast interview. I was a 21-year-old student at Loyola University New Orleans where I had landed the lead role in a play called "Rain. Some Fish. No Elephants." So, there I was sitting in the studio for WWOZ-FM. The air personality who was supposed to interview me didn't show up. Instead, a personality who had no idea that there was even an interview showed up. What complicated matters is the fact that "Rain.", as evidenced by the title, is a strange piece of work. Therefore, there was lots of "splainin'" to do. The poor guy launched into his break completely clueless! So, I sat there, ready and nervous, listening to this poor guy fumble around for the words to even introduce the interview.

All I could do is answer his questions, the first of which was, "So, tell me about this play . . . and who are you?" I'm pretty sure I remember almost sneering at the dude. "Rain." is a play that has all of these social themes running at the same time packaged into an odd apocalyptic piece. Not only did I have to explain that the themes of racism, gender inequality, the environment, and class ran throughout this thing, but the guy even asked some off-the-wall question about nuclear war. I think he had some "Mad Max" thing going through his head, but we didn't have the kind of budget to do that kind of production. That day, I learned when it comes to any kind of interview to always be prepared.

Business owners, music artists, actors, social advocates, politicians, and many others cannot wait for the opportunity to get on the airwaves to be interviewed by someone the caliber of Larry King. The problem is many of us are caught flat-footed when the TV camera is on or the radio microphone is open. That's normal. You have to be ready to discuss business, so here are some tips that I think can get you ready to shine:

Prepare that elevator pitch! Most broadcast interviews last about 3 to 5 minutes. With that kind of time, the interviewer only has so much time to help you tell your story or your side of an issue. Prepare 30 seconds which will give the audience an idea of where you're coming from, even if the questions don't go straight to your point.
Find an off-the-wall practice buddy. I've been in radio for many years and I can tell you that we don't have it all . . . up there. There is a real possibility that you'll be prepared to talk about your next great event, but the interviewer will have other things in mind. This is especially true with print journalists, who are very intelligent and will not hesitate to write a story that has almost nothing to do with your interview. An off-the-wall friend or family member will help you stay on your toes, so that you figure out how to keep the conversation where you want it. And have a sense of humor, because you'll need it.
Record yourself. It's important to get an idea of what you sound like. Even a television interview is more about how you sound rather than how you look. Recording yourself gives you an opportunity to adjust the sound of your voice, the pace of your speech, your articulation, and your grammar.
Try to do some homework on your interviewer. With today's technology, there's a good chance that you will be able to find a video of a television personality or a podcast of a radio personality online. Get an idea of this person's interview style. Also, read up on him or her. There may be something in his or her background that can give you an idea of why he or she interviews a certain way or has a certain view. For print journalists, take a look at their writing styles. Get an idea of whether or not the writer has a tendency to editorialize instead of simply report.
Write it down! This is probably the most important point. Even after being interviewed dozens of times, I still dropped the ball during a very important recent online radio interview. I was so focused on making profound statements and storytelling in the 15 minutes I had, that I completely missed out making a major point. For radio and print, referring to written notes is OK. For television, however, you need to remember that or those written points because looking down on TV is a definite no-no.

Now, that we know how to get ready, let's talk about the kinds of folks who may interview you:

The smart one. We all like to get interviewed by smart people. Even when they ask you questions that trip you up, you appreciate that someone with something between his/her ears did it. But when you have it together and she or he has it together, it makes the both of you look awesome.
The questioner. Some interviewers are obsessed with "getting to the bottom of things" so they either ask really long questions (at least 10 seconds) or they don't let you finish the last answer in order to ask the next question, which may have nothing to do with your last answer. Sometimes, these are folks who are really into themselves.
The nervous one. Rookie broadcast interviewers can be painful to talk to, because it's their big chance and they have a hard time keeping it together . . . on your time. It's OK. Make a new friend by smiling throughout the interview to put him or her at ease. It may be your key to a bigger interview or more frequent interviews down the line.
The hype man or woman. You usually have these folks in entertainment radio or television. Their energy is through the roof (or they're under the influence), and you're there to talk about raising money for disease research. It just gets weird. Simply be yourself, have a sense of humor, and give the information with a smile. If you try to match the energy, you may come off sounding really goofy and trying too hard to keep up.
The flirt. This is more of a problem for women, usually, but don't sleep on a flirtatious female interviewer. The thing here is to stay the course in answering questions. Smoothly deflect flirtatious comments and keep it moving. NEVER resort to being rude. No matter how justified you may be, you still come off sounding or looking like the villain.
The attacker. Some interviewers are desperate for that Pulitzer Prize or Emmy Award, and you are in the middle of a nice, juicy controversy. You are that interviewer's big chance for prominence! This is where you stick to your points, get firm, and don't take things personally. There's a chance that after you leave the studio in a flustered state, the attacker will have a nice laugh at your expense, anyway.

Public speaking pet peeve

2010-08-26T21:16:00.000-05:00

Take that friggin' phone off your hip and that Bluetooth out of your ear during a speech!!! Are you waiting for a call from your agent???

Just had to get that out.

And you're telling us this . . . why?

2010-08-15T19:44:00.000-05:00

As I sat at a workshop, the presenter decided to passionately tell the story of a child who almost died in an auto accident. He told the story almost perfectly, at a great pace, with awesome vocal inflections and intense body language. I loved his delivery, liked the story, but hated the moment. As show-stopping as his moment was, his story didn't have that much to do with our workshop. To be fair, his point was that the impossible is possible in life, but we were in a workshop that had nothing to do with parenting, odd auto accidents or Divine Intervention. It was a stretch.

It's important to tell relevant stories when speaking. A great story serves the purpose of wrapping your logic or philosophy in a neat package. This may be a "duh" point to some, but too often, I have heard speakers tell a story because of its dynamics or because they are simply outstanding storytellers.

Dynamics and delivery, as important as they are in public speaking, can be nothing more than temporary highs. What lasts is the point of the story. Even if the story is told poorly, the audience gets more out of the point. Even those who prefer dynamics over content later admit that the content means more than the bells and whistles.

So, how do you tell an effective story?

Tell one that relates directly to your topic. 'Nuff said.
Make sure it has a beginning, middle and end.
Use your eyes, hands and voice when delivering it. I never said dynamics don't matter.
Be concise. It's easy to get lost in sidebars and meaningless details. It only makes the story unnecessarily longer.
The more dynamic or moving the story, the closer it should go toward the end of your speech.
Try to avoid the lead-in "That reminds me of another story." Torture!

Comedy is subjective, and that creates more opportunity

2010-05-11T22:03:00.004-05:00

Stand-up comedy is a funny thing. *cymbal crash* No, really, it is. I started doing comedy in 1995 as a member of a sketch group, and broke into stand-up in 1996. In 2008, I finally figured the game out.

Stand-up comedy is risky business. The success of the comic is based on an immediate reaction from the audience. If he or she doesn't get that reaction, there is no need to question that comic's effectiveness. A silent audience tells you everything you need to know.

At that point, the comic is faced with several questions:

"Is it my delivery?"
"Is it my timing?"
"Do they understand what I'm saying?"
"Am I talking too fast? Stuttering?"
"Is my fly open?"
And of course, *tapping my imaginary microphone* "Is this thing on?"

When a joke fails, it seems like it takes forever to get to the next punchline. You feel like the loneliest person on Earth. Some of us want to crawl into a hole, pray that there's a drink in there (or more for some individuals), and curl up with it like it's the significant other we've all dreamed about.

Sure, a failed joke is most likely the comic's fault, but there is another distinct possibility. He or she could simply be performing in front of the wrong audience. I've been "booed" off the stage twice in my modest career. The common denominator in those jeering sessions was the audience. Neither audience had the patience to hear what I had to say. Were they bad groups? Nah. They just weren't my groups. They were not of the same mindset. I then realized that I had to find my audience, and also better define who I am and what I am.

Stand-up comedy is an intimate craft. Those laughs that all of us comics hope to hear signify that there is some connection between us and our audiences. A sense of humor is predicated by one's attitude, habits, personality, and outlook on life. Therefore, it is up to the comic to locate an audience with whom he or she can connect. A blue collar comic needs a blue collar audience. A storyteller, like yours truly, needs an audience that enjoys the journey from the set-up to the punchline. An intellectual comic needs a high-minded group, and so on.

Conventional thought may tell you that this really limits the comic. Not so much. It actually widens opportunities! When a comic can truly identify himself or herself, that comic can figure out where to find his or her audience. In essence, the comic is getting smaller in order to get bigger. People enjoy being around like-minded people, and that becomes the key. In fact, the comic figures out everything from the best way to dress for a show to finding sponsorship opportunities. Understanding the audience means understanding what that audience consumes. ;-)

Gives new meaning to "It's not what you know, it's who you know." Know thyself, and have a cold one to celebrate that killer set.

Not so loud! Amplification doesn't necessarily make your speech better.

2010-04-01T21:28:00.000-06:00

So, I'm at a training and the 354th speaker is up. OK, there weren't that many speakers, but it sure felt like it. When he opened his mouth, this booming, resonant, majestic sound filled the room . . . and he was as loud as an F-16. I think my ears bled at one point, the guy was so loud. And he was sans microphone. Just imagine if he had one. Eesh.

What irritated me to no end is that the audience did everything but clasp their ears while he was belting out whatever message he was trying to deliver. At one point, I wanted to get up and say, "DUDE, we can hear you." In his attempt to be dynamic, he turned everyone in the room completely off.

Yes, we are all taught to project our voices in public speaking. There is a difference, however, between projection and just being plain loud. Projection comes from the diaphragm. Learning to project exposes the richness of a speaker's voice. When the voice's most irritating qualities take center stage, that's loud. There is a lot that goes into learning how to properly project. In fact, some people work on projection for weeks and months.

Loud speakers think that they are fully engaging the audience with volume when they are really just . . . yelling. Proper projection takes training. I advise any speaker with volume issues to get some sort of formal training, namely from a vocal music coach, to boost his/her projection. Until a speaker is able to get that kind of assistance, how can he/she be heard without coming across as obnoxious?

1. Open your mouth. As you speak, make sure that you open your mouth widely enough to let all of the vowels come out. No, don't do a "Jaws" imitation, but make sure that your lips are separated enough so that people see your teeth when you speak. Also, smile at parts of your speech that may call for a smile or a positive note. You will be amazed how much volume you produce with a smile.

2. Make eye contact. It's amazing what happens when you lock eyes with your audience. One of the great things that happens is that they pay much more attention to you. Therefore, they even hear you better.

3. Direct your voice. OK, now is your chance to start your new career as a ventriloquist! Not really. Actually, a helpful trick is to pick a spot in the room, and speak toward the spot as if you want every word to hit that very target. Your volume will naturally increase as you concentrate on where the sound of your voice is falling.

4. Make an audio recording of yourself. This is the biggest favor you can do for yourself. Forget about how you look. People respond more to how you sound. Remember those folks putting their hands over their ears? You may look great, but being too loud was the deal-breaker. Speaking of the audience . . .

5. Pay attention to your audience. If they start to make faces or pull their heads back like they're dodging a Floyd Mayweather, Jr. jab, they are trying to escape the noise coming out of you. Without yelling at you that you're too loud, they're showing you.

Stop abusing the poor pronouns

2010-03-23T09:02:00.001-06:00

English has always been my favorite subject, but I rarely touch it in my speaker training blog. Today, I have to, because I just can't take it anymore! This morning I listened to one of my favorite radio shows, and I cringed when one of the hosts said, in quoting Tiger Woods, "That is between Elin and I." No, Tiger Woods has nothing to do with this. Do you see the real mistake? Do you see it, do you see it, do you see it? It's pronoun abuse, people! The poor pronouns.

In public speaking, correct grammar is a must. I don't touch grammar often, but I have to right here. This mistake is not only common, but it is almost worse than poor subject-verb agreement to me. I have heard so many national broadcasters fall into this trap over the past few years. OK, the guilty parties are normally sports broadcasters. It is a mistake that has grown nonetheless. In the case mentioned above, it would be correct to say "between Elin and me." Although it sounds correct (to some) to say "between Elin and I", that is absolutely wrong.

Here's the explanation. The pronoun, in this case, is the object of the preposition. We use the pronouns "I", "he", "she" and "we" when they are subjects in sentences. Remember, also, that we use the pronouns "me", "him", "here" and "us" when they are objects in a sentence. Names and pronouns which follow prepositions are objects. I found a great web page on the proper use of pronouns on the Towson University's web site.

So, please, be kind to your pronouns. That's been on my chest for a while. I feel better.

I'm learning from stand-up comedy?

2009-12-28T08:47:00.005-06:00

From 2001 to 2008 I tried to convince myself that stand-up comedy just isn't that important to me. It was during that time that I took a hiatus from an art that I jumped head-first into in 1996. Now I feel like such a "foowell". I LOVE stand-up! It's a high-risk, high-reward discipline; but the training I receive in both public speaking and conducting business, via comedy, is invaluable.

First, it is some of the best public speaking training that I've had.

People have to understand what you're saying. You have to be articulate.
They have to hear you. How you use your voice makes quite an impact . . . or not.
Body language can either make or break your routine.
The eyes have it. How you use your eyes, even though you may not be able to see the crowd under the stage lights, greatly impacts how your audience will react to you.

Second, stand-up forces you to think fast. I can't stand hecklers, but they have a place in the world (besides the a-hole list).

Third, you are forced to become a business person. Even if you participate in the weekly "open mic" at some bar, you soon realize that the success of the event depends on adopting solid business practices. Think about this:

No one likes performing in front of 2 people in a 100-seat venue. This is especially damaging in comedy, because your success is measured by decibels of laughter. Yes, we appreciate those two belly laughs, but we need at least 98 more. Therefore, you immediately find yourself discussing event promotion with the organizer of the gig.
You learn how to effectively promote. Honestly this only works for comedians who are actively working toward a goal. For example, my material only works for a certain audience. Somebody who likes crass, profanity- and obscenity-driven material will find me rather boring. And let's be honest, some Black folks feel that I try to make my material "too White". Seriously. My audience appreciates storytelling, philosophy, a conversational style and diverse topics. So, I started angling my promotional materials toward diverse adults from the ages of 25 to 54 who are mostly (but not exclusively) college-educated or business-minded. I learned what kinds of images and language to use on my promotional materials. Trust me, this tends to be more of a science than an art at this point.
Practice makes perfect. Even spontaneous moments in a show are sometimes rehearsed. Each comedian has his/her own way of preparing for shows, but those of us who are serious know that we have to have some measure of preparation when it comes to quality delivery on stage.
Ya gotta write! I say this to novice comedians all the time. Once you stop writing material, you might as well put performing on hold. Writing is the lifeblood of comedy. Writing is also a process. If a joke or bit doesn't work once, that doesn't mean it will never work again. Just like anything else in life, the most successful comedians have a lot of self-discipline (at least when it comes to the art). There are those who survive on raw talent; but they eventually fizzle out if they don't maintain the critical discipline of writing.
Customer service counts, even in stand-up. The first time I started a show on time, I was ELATED. It was yet another step in my providing New Orleanians with a quality entertainment experience. It also gave me the opportunity to get closer to audience members. I truly believe that I have the best comedy audience in the New Orleans metropolitan area; because they provide me with repeat business, they spend money on the venue, and they appreciate the shows. In return, I do my best to book acts who will resonate with the audience, and I continue to add elements to make sure that their dollars are well-spent.
You learn to concentrate on the quality of the actual show. No disrespect to my colleagues, but these midnight 15-comedian marathons with no performer walking away with even $1 more than they entered the venue with has got to stop . . . if they want more. I take calculated risks on who I put on stage, because I want to see what kinds of acts stick. At the same time, I want my audience to feel as if what they saw was truly for THEM. As a Black comedian, I have a natural proclivity to book other Black comedians, but diversity is the stuff of life in my book. So I continue to try to book comedians of other ethnicities to increase that "one love" vibe in the room.
You learn to work toward goals that work for YOU. Bill Cosby said it best, "I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody." He was soooooo right. New Orleans, in particular, provides a challenge here; because New Orleanians tend to act on their feelings, not their thoughts. For example, my thinking, which is based on trial and error, tells me that only certain acts will work in my shows. But other comics feel slighted. This is where you realize that truly business-minded folks develop a thick skin. Success doesn't mean sparing people's feelings. It means sparing yourself meaningless headaches.

Interesting, isn't it? Stand-up comedy has become a tremendous teacher for yours truly, but it originates from that love I have for the craft. At the end of the day, you can do what you love for a living (or as part of a living in my case), but you have to ask yourself whether or not it is time, energy and money well-spent.

Getting started as a speaker

2009-12-24T08:17:00.005-06:00

It is the question that speakers are asked most frequently by those take an interest in public speaking---"How do I get started?" The answer is as plain as the nose on your face. It begs the question, though, how many of us spend time noticing our noses when we're not looking in the mirror? Hmmm. I digress.

That question is normally accompanied with the question of how yours truly got started. My journey began about 35 years ago as a little one. My brother, sister and a very close first cousin will gleefully recall performances I put on for my family and friends at 3 or 4 years old. I would sing, dance, act out arias from operas, and end each performance with a bow and "Thank ya much." Later, as a teenager, I found myself doing readings at St. Peter Claver Church in my beloved Treme neighborhood in New Orleans. Later on, I enjoyed an awesome experience as a member of the St. Augustine High School Speech & Debate team. So, I've always loved an audience.

Therefore, I think the best way to start speaking is to get in front of people! Here's whatcha do . . .

Get comfortable. It's great to start speaking to a room full of friends and family because they can be your greatest critics. Get any hint of discomfort out of your system right away.
Speak! Express what is on your mind. Read a newspaper article that blows your mind to a group of people. Tell a joke. Get used to the sound of your voice as it permeates a room, and hits the ears of others.
Write. After you've gotten comfortable with saying what you have to say, organize your thoughts on paper. Writing a speech is like writing a composition for school. It has an overview, a body and a summary. The operative word, however, is organize.
Choose. Decide to whom you want to speak and why. Developing a target audience (i.e. culturally diverse Christian teenagers, ages 15 to 19, from the South) will help you figure out what you want to say, why you want to say it, and how you want to say it. Ironically, having a laser focus on a particular group helps you expand your audience reach, because that will help your audience maintain a focus on your very important message, as well.
Critique. Getting feedback from family and friends is good, but a recorder is the most powerful tool a speaker can have. Play your speech back and ask, "Do I believe me? Am I moved by what I'm saying? Do my thoughts and my delivery match?" Video is great, but audio recordings are most powerful. The reason is many people are more tuned in to how you sound rather than how you look. Example. Remember the last time you attended a lecture, comedy show, or sermon, you looked away for a few seconds; and something the speaker said made you snap your head back to him or her? Our words and voices are truly more dynamic than we realize!
Pursue. Start creating contacts! The best way to start is with family, friends and maybe even co-workers. Ask for a mere 5 to 10 minutes to address the group you want to address. If you know a speaker, ask him or her if you can tag along on gigs to observe. And take notes!!! What will help you is taking notes on what that speaker does. Hopefully, he/she will want feedback (most speakers do). That way, you can get into a healthy discussion that will help the both of you improve.

Notice that I haven't approached the topic of money . . . yet. What's most important in speaking is to establish yourself. You want to get yourself "in shape" first. You want to know that (1) you can do it, and (2) you actually enjoy doing it.

I have to warn you that speakers speak, because we looooove to speak. If you ask any one of us, to a man or woman, we will tell you that we have an unfettered passion for what we do. You will often catch us saying that we would do it for free just about any time or any place. But time is money, and we don't forget that, either. ;-)

You ready? SPEAK!

6 sloppy speech habits

2009-01-06T10:42:00.003-06:00

Once again, my people from Monster.com have come through with a nice piece of advice for your (and my) career edification. This one is very basic but gives nice info on avoiding certain speech habits to increase opportunities.

by Diane Diresta
Monster Contributing Writer

You may look good on paper or in your suit, but if you're looking to nail your big interview, looks aren't everything. How you sound is often more important. But many job seekers let careless speech habits sink their chances of landing that plum job.

Here are six common language mistakes and how to keep them from sabotaging your interview:

1. Non-words
Filler words such as "um," "ah," "you know," "OK" or "like" tell the interviewer you're not prepared and make you sound like a Valley Girl (or Boy). A better strategy is to think before you speak, taking pauses and breaths when you lose your train of thought. Everybody utters an occasional "um," but don't let it start every sentence.

2. "Up-Talk"
A singsong or rising inflection at the end of every sentence creates a tentative impression and makes it sound as though you're asking a question instead of making a definitive statement. You need to speak with conviction when selling yourself in an interview. Bring your intonation down when ending a sentence to avoid talking up.

3. Grammatical Errors
The interviewer may question your education when you use incorrect grammar or slang. Expressions such as "ain't" "she don't," "me and my friend" and "so I goes to him" aren't appropriate. Be sure you speak in complete sentences and that tenses agree. The interview is not the venue for regional expressions or informality.

4. Sloppy Speech
Slurring words together or dropping their endings impairs the clarity of your message. To avoid slurring and increase understanding, speak slowly during an interview. Make a list of commonly mispronounced words, and practice saying them into a tape recorder before the interview. Some common incorrect pronunciations include "aks" for "ask," "ath a lete" for "athlete," "wif" for "with" and "dree" for "three."

5. Speed Talking
While everybody is a bit anxious during an interview, you don't want your information to fly by like a speeding bullet. A rapid speaking rate is difficult to follow, and speed talkers are seen as nervous. Slow down your racing heart by doing some breathing exercises before the interview. To avoid rushing, listen to the question, and then count two beats in your head before answering. When you finish a sentence, count two beats again before continuing. Don't be afraid of silence. Pausing is an effective communication technique. The interviewer needs a few seconds to process what you just said anyway.

6. Weak Speak
Wimpy words modify or water down your conviction and in the end your position. When you pepper a conversation with "hopefully," "perhaps," "I feel," "kind of" and "sort of," the message you convey is a lack of confidence. Use power words such as "I'm confident that," "my track record shows," "I take the position that," "I recommend" or "my goal is." The language you use gives the listener an impression about your level of confidence and conviction.

The Bottom Line
You don't have to study elocution to speak well. Simply slow down, take time to pronounce all the syllables, and leave slang at home.

Companies want job candidates who are well-spoken and articulate, and recruiters won't represent a job candidate if they don't match the client's profile. According to Lori Zelman, vice president of human resources at Strategic Workforce Solutions in New York City, "The people most highly sought after are the ones who are succinct in the explanation of their work experience."

[Diane DiResta is the author of the public-speaking best-seller, Knockout Presentations: How to Deliver Your Message With Power, Punch, and Pizzazz, and the president of DiResta Communications Inc., a New York speech coaching and training firm.]

Maintaining vocal health

2009-01-02T15:35:00.005-06:00

Vocal health is a key factor in effective public speaking. My late father, Nelson J. Francis, was an outstanding vocal music teacher whose private voice lessons helped produce fine, quality singers. I am sure that he would have loved the way this article from Radford University outlines keys to vocal health.

One more note. Although this essay is geared towards vocal musicians, speakers should take heed of these great tips considering the intense use of singers' voices.

David Otis Castonguay
Radford University

For many school-aged singers, the choral director is the only significant source of professional instruction and advice they willever receive about their voice. The choral director is their first line of defense for vocal health. A conductor's skill at diagnosis of vocal faults must be matched by a willingness to refer students to the proper health care professional. This is a copy of a handout presented to students in choral conducting and vocal pedagogy classes at Radford University. In addition to the sources cited in the bibliography, and my own experience, this material is drawn from the work of Van Lawrence, M. D., Otolaryngology and Paul Brandvik.

1. Try your best to maintain good general health. Avoid viral colds (a regimen of washing hands has been shown to reduce the transmission of cold viruses). Some advocate vitamin C and zinc lozenges, while I find these effective I would recommend their use these only after the student has consulted a physician.

2. Emotional and physical stress both contribute significantly to vocal distress. Exercise regularly. Using your major muscle groups in jogging,etc. is an excellent way to diminish stress. NOTE: extensive power weight lifting will place some wear on the vocal folds, this should be avoided during times of extended vocal use or vocal fatigue.

3. Eat a balanced diet. At times of extended vocal use avoid large amounts of salt and refined sugar, spicy food such as Mexican, Szechuan Chinese, as well as excessive amounts of food and/or alcohol. One may note hoarseness in the larynx or dryness of the throat after drinking significant amounts of alcohol, caffienated, as well naturally or artificially sweetened beverages. The body needs water to metabolize these foods and beverages, excessive consumption of these items will reduce the amount of water available to hydrate the voice.

4. Maintain body hydration (7-9 glasses of water a day) and avoid known dietary diuretics such as caffeine and alcohol. Moisture is a necessary lubricant of the vocal folds. When one's body is dehydrated laryngeal lubrication diminishes and wear takes place at a much greater rate than normal.

5. Avoid dry, artificial interior climates. Laryngologists recommend a humidity level of 40-50%. Much body moisture is lost while breathing air in low humidity climates, i.e., air conditioned or heated rooms (routinely 10-20% moisture), cars, buses, etc.

6. Avoid smoking cigarettes, cigars, pipes. These are bad for the heart, lungs, and vocal tract of not only yourself, but others around you as well. Avoid other irritant inhalants, i.e., marijuana. In addition to the debilitating effect on the vocal tract, you need your head on straight when you sing.

7. Avoid breathing smoggy, polluted air, i.e., car exhausts, smoky bars and lounges when you are vocally tired.

8. Avoid the use of local anesthetics when you are singing. The anesthetic effect masks any signs of injury, therefore encouraging further abuse of the folds. Additionally, singing under their influence is like playing the piano with gloves on (Chloroseptic, Parke-Davis Throat Discs, etc.).

9. Question the use of progesterone dominant birth control pills. These cause a virilization of the female larynx and a decrease of range in your upper register. There may be no other solution for your particular situation, however. The treatment of endometriosis often includes pharmaceuticals which cause permanent vocal changes. Inform your doctor that you are a singer if you are undergoing treatment for this disease.

Vocal Use Practices
1. Avoid hyperfunctional use of your voice, i.e., learn to use your voice with as little effort and tension as possible. A high school or collegiate singer in training should be able to sing for 3-4 hours per day (when healthy) without debilitating the next day's singing activity. If one cannot sing for this length of time without some disablement, then one should consider a reevaluation of present singing or speaking habits.

2. Keep in mind that the degree of individual vocal conditioning and innate vocal capacity to endure wear and tear relate directly to the amount of singing or speaking one can do each day.

3. Avoid singing in a tessitura which is continually near the extremes of your own range (both high and low). Carefully pace the use of register extremes (such as pushing the chest voice into the upper range for effect, i.e, belting). MISUSE OR OVERUSE HERE CAN BE VOCAL SUICIDE.

4. Before singing or using the voice in unusual ways (public/dramatic speaking), do some vocal warm-ups. As in any physical activity, the warm-up should proceed from general stretching through less strenuous to more strenuous usage. Loud volume and high range are the most strenuous of usages,therefore, begin in the mid-range with easy production. At every stage along the way, evaluate your present day vocal condition, and adjust your rehearsal activity accordingly. Every voice is different, but 7-10 minutes of warm-up is usually the minimum.

5. Reduce general voice use prior to a concert. While riding the bus to the program, have a quiet period when everyone can conserve energy for the task that is at hand.

6. Avoid shouting, screaming,loud laughter, and heavy throat clearing. Necessary coughing and sneezing should be as gentle and as nonvocal as possible.

7. If it feels bad, don't do it.

Common Signs of Significant Vocal Abuse
1. Throat is tender to the touch after use.
2. Voice is hoarse at the end of singing.
3. Throat is very dry, with a noticeable "tickle" that is persistent. Check dehydration.
4. Inability to produce your highest notes at pianissimo volume.
5. Persistent hoarseness or an inability to sing with a clear voice after 24-48 hours of vocal rest.

Treat your voice and body sensibly when you feel vocally run down. This necessitates the development of accurate perceptions by the singer of why the voice is feeling tired. Accurate self-evaluation will lead one to therapeutic practices which will return you to vocal health in the shortest period of time. In doubt? seek professional help.

Fear of public speaking

2009-01-02T14:42:00.006-06:00

This entry was taken from 2knowmyself.com.

Do you fear public speaking? Does your heart shake when you are about to make a presentation? Do you wish that the lights go off or that the presentation gets cancelled so that you don’t have to speak in front of everyone?

You are not alone
If your answers were yes, then don’t worry, because after going through this section you will know how to conquer your fear of public speaking. First of all you should know most people have got fear of public speaking, some people did even rate it the as the number one fear, even before fear of death!! Although this is bit ridicules yet fear of public speaking surely resides in the top five feared situations.

What causes fear of public speaking?
After all you can’t fight an invisible enemy; in order to know how to get over fear of public speaking you should first know what causes it. Usually you will fear public speaking because one of the following reasons:

1. You are afraid to get embarrassed, to forget what are you going to say or that you mispronounce some word.

2. The second reason is just a conclusion that is based on the first one, you are afraid that people will laugh at you, whisper to each other while you are talking or get bored of what are you saying.

3. You are afraid that people may notice that you were afraid and shaky while talking.

4. You are afraid that people will think that you are not a good public speaker, not a confident person or even not a worthy person in case you didn’t perform well.

5. You are afraid that people think that you are less confident than you used to appear.

Off course those are not all the reasons that cause fear of public speaking but we can say that those reasons can be the root cause to most of the other reasons. At the time you are speaking you will find that convincing your self by logic that there is no need to be afraid will never work, simply because your subconscious mind is the one who launches this fear mechanism automatically and it is almost impossible to control it manually.

Being a microphone fiend

2007-12-24T20:12:00.003-06:00

Coming from a theater background I love to use my voice. When I was with Making It Count, I noticed that we got speakers who often prided themselves on the same. Therefore, they wouldn't be crazy about using a microphone. Some we had to actually talk into using the thing.

The microphone is your friend. I had to learn this just as much as anyone else. The microphone is there to not only amplify one's voice but it is also an enhancer. It allows a speaker or a singer to showcase his or her vocal dynamics. This is why comedians are so great with microphones. They are almost experts as using the mic for the sake of vocal variety and dynamics!

But you can't rely just on the microphone. It is up to you, as a speaker, to give the audience a taste of everything that you have. Even without a microphone, the audience deserves to hear different levels of volume and also varied inflections, pitches and tones. The microphone makes that much more alive.

Here are my tips for when using any microphone:
Test it! This is vital. If you have time before any presentation or speech make sure the mic will be your friend. This is the opportunity to adjust its levels or figure out its quirks.

Pick your poison carefully. The vast majority of speakers love to use lavaliers (lapel mics) because lavs allow them the opportunity to gesture more. If your presentation has that much going on then go for it! BUT . . . the problem with a lav is that you can't "play" with it the same way you can play with a hand-held mic. You also have to make sure that your clothes or jewelry won't rub against the lav. Note that there are other wireless hands-free options, like head sets, that may be at your disposal.

Consider having your own equipment. This is tricky. There are portable units, including a mic and amplifier set, that you can look at. But if you have a system that needs to be patched in to a venue's existing system, SCHEDULE A TIME SLOT SPECIFICALLY TO TEST YOUR EQUIPMENT. You can't try to set up about 30 minutes prior to your engagement and expect top-notch results.

Listen to yourself. As you're doing your presentation, listen carefully to how you sound. If you're too loud the audience will get annoyed. If you aren't loud enough, the results are obvious. Don't be shy about asking the audience if the volume needs to be adjusted. This is where developing a relationship with the sound person comes into play during that sound check.

Remember, make the mic your friend.

How do I connect with the kids?

2007-09-04T20:08:00.003-05:00

I spend the majority of my speaking time addressing teenagers. I have addressed all ages, literally, and I am convinced that the toughest group is the teenage population. What serves as a source of high anxiety for many speakers is how to address young audiences.

Let's start with teens since they are the toughest. Someone once told me that teens "have about 50 people living inside each of them" and I agree wholeheartedly. I believe that this group is the toughest because of their emotional instability. Teens are physically and emotionally growing at a rate that they cannot control. So they really have little control of their actions sometimes.

And THAT is why you and I are the adults! The worst way to address teens it to try to "be down" or speak their language. There's no using the slang of the day, doing the dances of the day or referencing the trend of the day from an adult. An adult will die an ugly public speaking death when he/she does that! Hey, bless you if you really are down. But if you're not, leave it alone!

What teens want is authenticity. You could be the biggest dork in the world. Lord knows I have lots of dork in me! But as long as you are your own dork, they respect it. Yes, they will make fun of you but being who you really are is what works the best.

Children from the ages of about 8 to 12 are tough but can be managed if you have full control of yourself. The irony of this group is that they are really tough but can be quickly controlled. It takes being really firm and really prepared to take action on those who act out the most. One more thing. One adult should never have to deal with this group. Matters are best managed in teams. But once you deal with the ring leaders in these groups, the rest will follow you.

The easiest young group for me is the toddler group. The reason is that I am naturally an animated speaker. I love doing story time! Eat your bananas and have your energy drinks before you deal with this group. It's all in the smiles, the physical movements and vocal variety. I promise you that you will be tired after you finish with them but it will be well worth it.

So what do you do when your audience gets really active?

Pause when there is too much noise. Wait for the noise to die down because you cannot continue unless they are quiet. When the speaker goes silent they know something is wrong.

Be patient! After all, they are kids. And to expand on that, NEVER threaten an audience or audience member unless you are prepared to carry out the threat. Be aware that you may be dealing with some kids who have no clear code of behavior or what one of my high school teachers used to call "home training."

Be firm. Let your authority speak for you. Here is where I like to implement the KISKIM rule---"Keep It Short, Keep It Moving". If you have to say something to your audience simple phrases such as "Excuse me" or "I'll wait" will do. If you feel the need to address the audience beyond that, DO NOT go into a separate speech focusing on their bad behavior. Instead, make reference to the value of continuing your presentation or session with them. And, by the way, don't "shush". That's aggravating.

Be courteous. I had to learn this one because I had always been in highly disciplined situations between my parents and attending Catholic schools. There IS no such thing as courtesy in these situations. However, when you're in public settings, courtesy wins the day. Saying "please" and "thank you" go a loooong way, especially for kids who aren't used to courtesy.

Be fair to the kids who are being good. ALWAYS thank them for their cooperation.

Be aware of your body language. A firm stance speaks of your competence, confidence and authority. Out-of-control movements such as standing on one hip or dropping your arms in frustration tell your young audience that they have had their way with you.

USE YOUR EYES! This is the x-factor in speaking to young audiences. Teenagers, especially, fear eye contact. It's like kryptonite! Always, look your audience in the eyes.

Smile. A smile tells a story of your confidence and competence. I gave it a separate bullet because many of us forget to smile when we get frustrated with a group. Even if your session has been the worst ever, leave with a smile on your face.

Remember that dealing with a young group is all about self-control. The more in control that they see you, the more they respect you.

I just don't feel right in here!

2007-07-16T09:02:00.003-05:00

I walked into the arena at the University of South Alabama and had to get used to it. I love speaking at South because the orientation director and the vice president of academic affairs are both pretty cool. Also the audiences have always been great audiences---attentive, alert and responsive.

But the first time I walked into their new basketball arena to do a presentation I had to take it all in. So I stood in one place, closed my eyes and listened to the voices. I did so because the first thing that concerns me about any venue is the sound of the place. I have to take in those acoustics. An arena provides a special challenge because it is a huge place where the sound bounces around. THIS arena is dark.

So I focused on a few specific things. First, I looked at people's faces to get used to seeing their eyes. Second, I listened to their voices to get accustomed to hearing them. Third, I walked around to get a feel for my presentation area. Lastly, and most importantly, I tested the microphone everso quickly to get a feel for its volume. Every speaker should remember that a mic can be his/her best friend or worst enemy.

This is exactly why sound checks and rehearsals are so important for an stage performer. The same goes for athletes and teams who have to practice in a particular facility before their games. Before plays I would go out to the stage and lie on it for about 5 minutes in the dark.

Countless times I have seen and heard from speakers who just walk in and start. The biggest problem I have seen some of them have is that they have a hard time getting comfortable because they are not used to the area in which they are working.

Feeling out of sorts is to be expected when you are in a new or different facility. But the most successful speakers are the ones who take the time to take it in.

How do I make myself funny?

2007-06-20T07:50:00.003-05:00

I was once told by my radio mentor, C.J. Morgan, that there is a difference between comedy and humor. Comedy is making a situation funny. Humor is revealing the comedy in a situation. Sometimes it's much better to be humorous than a comedian.

I've often run across speakers who want to make people laugh when they are doing a speech or a presentation. Cool. Laughter really is the best medicine. You could make a lot of mistakes but laughter seems to make folks forget that you screwed up. One of the most common mistakes, however, is that some speakers try too hard be comedians.
Never work too hard to create comedy. Instead let the humor reveal itself and reveal it to your audience.

You see, humor is a bit more complicated than some realize. When someone tries to emulate his/her favorite speaker or comedian that's bad news. For instance a speaker will try to crack the same joke that he/she heard another speaker crack or the speaker will try to impersonate his/her favorite comedian during a speech or presentation. The worst is when a speaker tries a joke, it doesn't work and the speaker tries it four or five more times (still with no success)! And don't EVER deliver someone else's joke if you don't find it funny, yourself.

Humor is like a dessert. You serve it up as a sweet complement to the points you are making to your audience. Humor saves the day when you tell a great funny story as opposed to a good joke sometimes. A funny story doesn't come with the same expectation as a joke.
But here's the irony. Humor normally comes in a speech at times when we least expect it. You know, like when you screw up. Enjoy the moment, correct the mistake and move on. Nothing puts an audience at ease like your ability to laugh at yourself. Teens, especially, appreciate it when an adult shows that he/she is human.

And here's more irony about successfully inserting humor into a speech. It works best and may even come off more spontaneous when you rehearse it. Don't tell me that you thought that funny speakers just ran their mouths without thinking or rehearsing!
Now that's comedy.

Why me? I don't know what to say!

2007-05-21T17:22:00.002-05:00

I was once at a family gathering and was asked to say a few words about a relative. It threw me completely off because I didn't know as much about her as I would liked to have known. I accepted the charge with a bit of trepidation but also with honor.

Three things occurred to me. One was that I was asked to speak because I do it for a living. Two was that they showed a measure of respect for me that I had no idea even existed. Three was that I didn't have to try to "wow" the group. All they wanted was for me to communicate and set the stage for others to express themselves. If you get stuck in that kind of position, remember that you are being asked because folks are confident in what you will communicate. It's not about saying "the right things."

There's another way to think of it. You're leadership skills are being respected. I had the pleasure of having a private coaching session with the great speaking coach Ron Arden. For the rest of my life I will remember his saying, "He or she who speaks, leads."

Public speaking gives one the opportunity to display his/her leadership qualities in the form of words. It can be an unnerving experience but take the invitation as an honor. At the same time, use the opportunity to recognize everyone else's value in your life!

So the next time someone asks you to "say a few words" graciously accept the invitation to simply communicate things that you value about the person or subject. After all, they trust you.