Public Speaking - Tips For Reviewing Your Speech
In the past I've talked about techniques for preparing yourself for a presentation.
Now I want to give some tips on what you should do after you talk.
Hit Record: I highly recommend that whenever you speak, you try to have an audio record of your speech.
Small digital recorders or even cell phones can get the job done very discretely.
The goal is to have a recording you can critique.
You'll likely find that you are your worst critic and your best advisor.
Why review your work? While repetition of any task will lead to improvement, true mastery requires review and analysis.
When I worked in TV news, I would videotape myself and watch it later.
I'd sit with a legal pad and rate how well I communicated.
I, like a lot of people, don't really enjoy this process but I knew it was necessary for my professional growth.
Did I Say That: Here are some quick tips on things to listen for as you review your work.
Do you say, "um" or "ah" a lot? These words tend to sneak out more than we think.
They are also a sign that you may not be as comfortable with your material and need to practice some more.
What's the speed of your words? Do you race through your talk or speak as if you're paid for dragging out each syllable? Your message must be easily digested by your audience and poor delivery will make that impossible.
Celebrate the Unexpected: Besides listening for what went right or wrong, see if something unexpected happened.
Sometimes when you're giving a talk you might ad-lib something that illustrates your point better than you ever could have scripted beforehand.
But these kinds of moments are lost if you don't capture them.
Also find out what received the biggest reaction from the audience.
What did you do that worked and can it be duplicated in other parts of your talk? Most people don't do this kind of self evaluation.
But is it any wonder that most people don't speak very effectively?
Now I want to give some tips on what you should do after you talk.
Hit Record: I highly recommend that whenever you speak, you try to have an audio record of your speech.
Small digital recorders or even cell phones can get the job done very discretely.
The goal is to have a recording you can critique.
You'll likely find that you are your worst critic and your best advisor.
Why review your work? While repetition of any task will lead to improvement, true mastery requires review and analysis.
When I worked in TV news, I would videotape myself and watch it later.
I'd sit with a legal pad and rate how well I communicated.
I, like a lot of people, don't really enjoy this process but I knew it was necessary for my professional growth.
Did I Say That: Here are some quick tips on things to listen for as you review your work.
Do you say, "um" or "ah" a lot? These words tend to sneak out more than we think.
They are also a sign that you may not be as comfortable with your material and need to practice some more.
What's the speed of your words? Do you race through your talk or speak as if you're paid for dragging out each syllable? Your message must be easily digested by your audience and poor delivery will make that impossible.
Celebrate the Unexpected: Besides listening for what went right or wrong, see if something unexpected happened.
Sometimes when you're giving a talk you might ad-lib something that illustrates your point better than you ever could have scripted beforehand.
But these kinds of moments are lost if you don't capture them.
Also find out what received the biggest reaction from the audience.
What did you do that worked and can it be duplicated in other parts of your talk? Most people don't do this kind of self evaluation.
But is it any wonder that most people don't speak very effectively?
