Khalid Aziz explains how you can become a more confident and effective public speaker.
Managers typically rise through the ranks due to their technical expertise and ability to communicate within their company, so can often find themselves ill-equipped when it comes to communicating with the public.
Many prefer the behind-the-scenes analysis and planning aspects of the job to a place in the spotlight. My consultancy is contacted regularly by successful and intelligent managers in senior positions who are seeking ways to bring their communication skills up to the same level as their technical abilities.
Fear of public speaking occurs to managers at all levels in every sector. Our recent survey of business leaders found that 71 per cent were nervous about addressing a large conference and 80 per cent were similarly concerned at the prospect of a television interview. Almost half (42 per cent) of bosses claimed that speaking in public was the most daunting aspect of their jobs and 34 per cent said that they’d had at least one bad experience of public speaking.
But people in senior roles need to be able to speak with confidence, whether this involves giving presentations and media interviews or speaking in key meetings. Managers have to lead their teams and they often need to be the public face of their company, both internally and to the wider world. It is ironic that you can be promoted for your technical know-how, but are likely to use these skills less as you rise through the ranks and your communication skills more.
Unfortunately, people who worry that they aren’t commanding their audience’s full attention may well be right. Three quarters of the bosses we surveyed admitted that they often spent presentations wondering how much longer the speaker would go on for, while 73 per cent worried about the work waiting for them back in the office.
Most of us have witnessed enough lacklustre presentations to be all too aware of the pitfalls of public speaking – boring the audience, failing to handle difficult questions and so on. Unfortunately, this knowledge may cause a speaker to panic, which will simply make matters worse. But everyone has the potential to become a confident and eloquent public speaker. If your organisation offers a formal training programme, you are lucky and should take advantage of it, but there many ways to improve your presentation skills without professional help.
Start by identifying opportunities to practise your public speaking skills in a low stress environment. Many managers find that they use these skills most often to address employees at informal gatherings or meetings. Use these as a training ground: prepare a few words in advance and practice until you know your opening by heart. If you want to use notes, put them on small cards (no more than five words to a line and five lines to a card) so that you can glance at them while still maintaining regular eye contact with your audience.
Get a couple of colleagues to watch your performance critically and ask for feedback on your delivery speed, voice pitch and body language, as well as on the content of the speech. Bear their comments in mind and next time you give a talk ask whether your friendly assessors noticed the difference.
With this experience under your belt, you can move on to more formal situations. Next time you are speaking at a meeting with clients or senior colleagues, think carefully about the message you want to send.
Consider what your audience is interested in hearing. Identify areas of common ground and focus on these, at least initially. For example, if you are reporting to the board on your department’s results, decide what the directors will want to hear first, such as figures relating to the bottom line. You can back this up with extra information as needed.
This technique is equally effective when planning the opening of a speech or presentation. If you’re unfamiliar with your audience, gather as much information as possible about their interests and their level of knowledge in the area you’ll be discussing.
Tailor your message accordingly. Do not leave your audience wondering what the crux of your presentation will be. It doesn’t matter whether you are announcing a success, putting the case for a budget or asking for feedback on a project – you must mention this first. It will put your audience at ease and they are much more likely to maintain an interest in your speech if they understand your objectives.
Draft a clear introduction and use it to discuss the purpose of your presentation.
You should tell your audience what you are going to say, say it, and then tell them what you have said. This is an old formula, but it works. Generally, audiences can assimilate a maximum of three main pieces of information from a presentation. Think hard about what your three key messages are, mention them in your opening, explore them in the presentation and return to them at the end. Using buzzwords to identify these three points will help to keep them in the audience’s minds and will establish a theme throughout the presentation.
Lastly, bear in mind that your audience will take in much more than what you say. Many people start gabbling when nervous, so think about slowing down and don’t be afraid to pause. Think of Tony Blair: you may not agree with him, but he is an excellent communicator who uses pauses to impressive effect.
Contrary to received wisdom, great communicators are made, not born. Even Sir Winston Churchill had to learn the rules and rehearse. Nerves are a natural part of presenting and can be channelled to create infectious enthusiasm. Structured rehearsals and preparation are the key tools that can turn a potential nightmare into a skill that you can use to win friends and influence people. You may even come to enjoy it.
Blarney trouble
If you have had a bad experience of public speaking, you’re not alone: a third of the respondents to the Aziz Corporation’s survey have suffered as well. Here are some of their more hair-raising moments:
- "I dropped all my papers and gave the speech totally out of sequence. I was so nervous that I fell off the stage halfway through, too."
- "I'd been asked to present to a ‘small audience’, but when I arrived I found that about 200 people were there."
- "I tripped over, tore my suit and got a nosebleed – but it certainly made my presentation memorable."
Five top tips for public speaking
- Breathe. Before you begin speaking, take deep breaths, establish eye contact with your audience and pause until you have their full attention.
- Start with a strong and relevant opening. The first 30 seconds are crucial. Ensure that your opening is relevant and rehearse it until you know it backwards.
- Stick to the allotted time. Running late will irritate your audience. Allow two to three minutes for each slide and leave time for questions at the end.
- Simplicity is the key. All information should be presented in a clear and simple manner. Assume intelligence, but don’t expect your audience to be as familiar with your facts and figures as you are.
- Bring them on board. Wherever possible, use inclusive language to engage your audience. Using the word “we” instead of “I” is a simple way to do this. Other techniques include making sure your eye contact takes in the whole audience. Using phrases such as “I’d be interested to hear your opinions on this later” will keep your audience on the ball and make them feel part of the presentation.
Khalid Aziz is chairman of executive communications consultancy the Aziz Corporation (
www.azizcorp.com). This article was sourced from Financial Management, the magazine for CIMA, The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants. Visit www.cimaglobal.com
