65: How to Prepare a Speech Without Panicking

Many of the clients I’ve worked with over the years would rather skip presenting all together. That’s not reality if you want to advance (or keep) your career these days, so a lot of people begin presentation planning with panic. In this episode, I give you clear steps you can take to reduce the panic and lay groundwork for a truly effective presentation.

To prepare a speech without panicking…

Consider yourself honored

• Many of my clients in the past have been less than enthusiastic about speaking opportunities.
• Not speaking (and building your communication skills in general) can really harm your career.
• Must Have Job Skills in 2013 from the Wall Street Journal.
• If you can learn to speak at least reasonable well, you can influence your work, decisions, direction, and so much more.
• A lot of people fear speaking – but you can do it!

Stay away from the computer

• Don’t start with PowerPoint or Keynote when planning a presentation.
• You only make it more likely you will read from slides.
• It’s likely you’ll draft much of the presentation before considering the overall goal.
• Slides are NOT the presentation – they are just there to enhance it. YOU are the presentation…so start there.

Ask yourself, “What’s the purpose of this presentation?” Three likely zones – which pertains to your talk (might be more than one):

• Persuade
• Inform
• Entertain

Ask yourself, “What do I want someone in the audience to say about my talk at lunch?”

• It’s important for us to think through how we want our talk to be remembered.
• It’s also important that it’s memorable enough to be discussed later.
• We all have limited bandwidth these days.

Mind map

• Start the mind map with the answer to the previous question – and work backwards.
• Use paper, a dry erase board, or a tool like iThoughtsHD.

Examples, examples, examples, examples, examples…

• People remember examples, stories, evidence, demonstrations, experiences, etc.
• Don’t be fooled – content almost always trumps delivery (see CFL episode #38)
• Share stories whenever possible (see CFL episode #51)

Prepare to change the world…seriously.

• Stay home or get someone else to do it if you’re not game for this.
• Sin by Silence is a great example of a project (and speaking) where a few people have change the world.

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