“The foundation of confidence in virtually every field is preparation.” —Brian Tracy
Learning is not compulsory... neither is survival. - W. Edwards Deming
You've got great ideas trapped in you. You know the importance of public speaking and you want to use your speaking skills to make your audience's lives better. The problem is that if you aren't careful, what you say during your speech will just go in one ear and out the next. How can you make your next speech more "sticky"?
Everyone Loves A Good Picture
Considering how hard we speakers work to get our words right, you'd think that our audiences would have the common courtesy to develop the listening skills that will allow them to remember what we tell them, right?
Unfortunately, remembering words that we've been told is very hard for any audience to do. In fact, trying to remember a particular set of words when we've been hit with a bunch of different ideas during a speech can almost be impossible.
The good news here is that there is something else that works: pictures. Call it a fluke of evolution or whatever, but we humans do a much better job of remembering images than we do words. What this means for us as speakers is that we need to get better at creating mental images in our audience's minds.
You might be thinking that all you have to do is to find the right image to put on a PowerPoint slide and then you'd be home free. Well yes and no. Doing this can certainly help make your message more memorable; however, it's not where the real power comes from.
Instead, it's the images that your audience create in their own minds that will stick for the longest time. These are the images that they build upon hearing the words that you say. What this means for you is that you need to start to use words that will describe the image that you want your audience to be imagining. Talk about how things look, what they would feel like if you could touch them, what color they are, how big they are, and of course what makes them unique or memorable when you look at them.
If You Can Tell A Story, You Can Make An Idea Stick
Painting images in your audience's mind is a great way to start to make what you are telling them stick. However, you can take this one step further if you are willing to tell stories.
This is one area where you do need to be careful. Just telling any old story isn't going to be enough. Instead, you need to tell stories that are going to connect with your audience and you need to make sure that those stories relate to the points that you are trying to make in your speech.
The stories that you tell need to be memorable. In order for this to happen, you need to make them be both emotional and unexpected.
The reason that you want to make your stories emotional is because if you can appeal to your audience's emotions, then you will have found a way to make your story "sticky". Long after you are done telling your story, your audience will remember what you said.
The worst kind of story that you can tell is a boring story. This means that you need to make sure that your story contains unexpected elements. By doing this you don't allow your audience to become complacent and start to think that they know how your story is going to turn out. Keep showing them that they haven't heard this story before!
What All Of This Means For You
All too often when we give a speech, our speeches which appear to us to be fantastic are loaded with too much information for our audiences to absorb. What we say goes in one ear and out the other. Clearly something has to change here.
As speakers, we are always looking for presentation tips that will allow us to share the benefits of public speaking. Getting our ideas to stick requires us to use two presentation tips: creating mental images and telling stories. The images that we can build in our audience's minds are what will cause our key points to stick. We can enhance the "stickiness" of our message by adding stories to our speech. Long after the speech is over, the stories will be remembered and retold by our audience.
In today's busy, busy world, it is no longer enough for us to give a good speech. We need to take the time to add presentation tips such as mental image building and the telling of stories to our speeches in order to make them stick. Doing so will transform your next speech from forgettable to life changing!
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Dr. Jim Anderson
http://www.blueelephantconsulting.com/
Your Source For Real World Public Speaking Skills?
Do you give speeches today, but want to learn how be more effective? Dr. Jim Anderson believes that great business skills are no substitute for poor presentation skills. Dr. Anderson will share with you the knowledge that he has gained while working to improve the speaking ability of both individuals and teams of speakers for over 20 years. Learn the secrets of effective speakers and really connect with your audience during your next speech.
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He saved Harry's skin in "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban," and now Padfoot is in need of his own savior.
As pointed out by the Sunday Express (via the Daily Mail), the German Shepherd that played Sirius Black's animagus (or, animal form) is up for adoption in Britain, as his owner, stuntman Paul Thompson, can no longer take care of him. => http://huff.to/rawymq
The trouble with talking too fast is you may say something you haven't thought of yet.
Ann Landers
After having completed a week of studying the chapter called "Self-Confidence" in Napoleon Hill's 1925 edition of The Law of Success, I wanted to present a powerful tool for overcoming fear that was popularized in the latter part of the 20th Century. This tool is one anyone who can touch their body in any way can use. If you make diligent use of this simple little technique you will be able to overcome your fear of success or of failure. The result being that you will be able to achieve your goals.
First Step Is Complex Visualization
I'm sure you have heard of the importance of visualizing your goal to fix them firmly in your mind. Because the of the word "visualization," people think they only need to form an image. Most don't realize that fixing your goal firmly in mind also requires the incorporation of all your senses. For instance, if your goal is to have a loving relationship, form a scene in your mind of what that loving relationship would not only look like, but also the sounds, tastes, smells and touches involved. The most powerful addition to your image is your own personal feelings. Be sure and feel the emotions of love, acceptance, joy, desire in this relationship you want.
If your visualization is about money, form an image of all the sights, sounds, smells, tastes, emotions and physical sensations of what having money is to you. If being wealthy involves good food and drink, smell the aromas, taste the savory or sweetness of what you put in your mouth, hear the background sounds of wherever you want to be enjoying this meal, feel the texture of the money in your hand, see your bank statement, experience the feelings of security that come with your money.
Second Step is Color
As you can tell, forming your visualization can take some time and, if done with full activation of all your senses, can be rather complex. You gather your total experience and link it to a color. What color represents for you the scene you so completely formed? If you are color blind and can only see shades of grey, choose a part of your image, say a wine glass, tree or twenty dollar bill that can bring to mind the entire scene. See this color or image overlay the deep sensory image you have developed.
Third Step is Anchoring in the Scene
You want a very quick action that anchors in your complex visualization. Your body is an information transmitter. Put information in your body and it will hold it there for you. This is a type of cellular memory. Make use of this power of your body by anchoring in your complex and complete sensory scene you developed. Touch your body while the scene in your mind is at its height with the color or single image you have selected to represent the whole. Bringing your thumb and forefinger together of one hand is what most people use. If you experience paralysis that prevents you from moving your fingers, press your lips together firmly, move your tongue in a particular way or even squeeze your eyes shut. Once you combine the physical anchor with the color or symbolic representation and anchor this into your body with some sort of physical touch, you have what you need to eliminate fear.
Forth Step Is Using the Positive to Extinguish the Fear
Now you are set for a very simple process that, when used regularly, will assist you in get rid of your fear. Note I wrote "simple." I did not say this is easy. The simple process takes dedication and commitment.
Be sure you are not touching you body using your physical anchor. Now bring to mind your fear. Experience your feelings of fear. Now use your physical anchor, such as bringing your thumb and forefinger together. See the color or symbol you developed to represent your complex scene. Get in touch with all the sensory information of the scene that is positive for you. When the fear is gone, or at a very low level, release your physical anchor and repeat the process.
You can do this if you will make the time and effort to do so.
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Cathy Chapman, PhD, LCSW has her doctorate in Mind-Body Psychology. She assists people in achieving their dreams of health, wealth and abundance. Her blog provides you with thoughts and tools for growth and success. Subscribe to her blog at http://www.cathychapmanphd.com and receive your free gift "7 Methods for a Practically Impenetrable Immune System."
Game show music playing
Come on down! Today we are playing a quiz called Guess The Children's Author.
It's simple to play. I'm going to give you clues (hopefully not too obvious) to guess who the author is. The answers will be at the bottom of the page. My son and I were playing a similar game recently showing off our knowledge of movie stars. So let us begin. => http://bit.ly/nvx11k
The Maze Runner is by James Dashner, and was released on October 6th 2009.
When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his first name. His memory is blank. But he’s not alone. When the lift’s doors open, Thomas finds himself surrounded by kids who welcome him to the Glade—a large, open expanse surrounded by stone walls.
Watch the book trailer video
Speaking to a trade or professional group-or to a client's employees-is really quite simple. If you're not a professional speaker and want to become one, or are one and want to do it better, here are some shortcuts in one concise article. (And these rules apply to managers at meetings, executives at conferences, presenters at board meetings, and anyone else seeking to influence an audience.)
