practice

SIMPLE TIPS FOR WRITING A SPEECH

It’s often said that death is the only fear greater than being forced to speak in public. Fortunately, most people only die once, but you may face multiple occasions in your career or civic activities in which you’re forced to get up and speak.

There are many folk cures for reducing the anxiety associated with speaking. Some recommend that you pretend your audience failed to dress themselves. My Midwestern upbringing means the thought of speaking to a large group of naked people only makes me more nervous, so I had to find a better way to overcome those fears. And I did.

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PRESENTATIONS: PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE

Too many people think the secret to a great presentation is a dazzling PowerPoint presentation. Not quite. Whether you’re an occasional presenter or a seasoned pro, the answer is the same as the punch line to that tired joke: “How do you get to Carnegie Hall?”

It’s practice, practice, and more practice, pure and simple. The people who deliver presentations that seem to be so natural and casual are usually those who have practiced the most.

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