Tricks to Up Your Public Speaking Game
Being able to speak in front of a large crowd and host meetings is an essential skill in the MICE industry. You are expected to do it, and do it well. If you find the thought of public speaking intimidating, you are not alone.
Mark Twain puts it into perspective for us: “There are only two types of speakers in the world. 1. The nervous and 2. Liars.” By identifying that you have a fear of public speaking, you are already taking the first step towards solving it. Here are some of the tricks recommended by industry experts to improve on your public speaking skills.
Be, or Act Confident
Like a predator stalking its prey, the audience is able to sense the emotions of the speaker. Thus, it is very important to keep your emotions in check when you are presenting your ideas to the crowd.
Amy Cuddy, famous social psychologist who gave a Ted Talk on power of posture did a study that showed that power-posing is able to make us feel more confident.
In fact, just the action of smiling, lifting up your chest or putting your hands on your hip alone is able to evoke a sense of confidence that leads to a better presentation. We can harness this confident feeling to deliver a better speech.
A powerful posture also makes your audience perceive you as being more confident than you really are.