I am back with more pointers on how to be a better speaker, straight from the CASA Acapella Summit.

4. Focus on your strengths and minimize your weaknesses
This is pretty much a reiteration of my post on the importance of awareness. Click here Know your strengths. Perfect them. Know your weaknesses. Cover them with your strengths. But I have a question: Should a speaker stick to one style (that he/she is known for) or experiment new styles? (Will tell you more when I get some answers)

Share This

Last month, I attended the Acapella Summit with a group of music lovers. And in one of the workshops, they taught singers about stage presence. And interestingly, I found these tips very applicable to speakers too. Here’s what I have jot down. Let me share with you the first three.

1. Find the floor and ground yourself

Share This

(Blogger’s Note: I apologize for such a long delay. It has been quite a busy (and exciting) week for me. Continue watching the space!)

The Third A: APPLY!

Now for the final step! *Pause for dramatic effect* (Like one week of silence isn’t enough…)

APPLY APPLY APPLY! That’s right. It is a simple step. Experts have said it repeatedly. You find them in books, blogs and lately e-books too. As you may have realized, this is no secret. But here’s the thing. How many of us really put this into practice? Now this is what separates the real experts from the amateurs. Real experts practice non-stop. They find every occasion to hone their speaking skills. As we all may have heard it: Practice makes Permanence. If you want to keep your present skills, you gotta keep practicing else they will just be skills you USED TO HAVE.

Share This

The Second A: ASK!

Now that we have appreciated the importance of awareness, what’s next? Simple, you ASK for feedback. That will be your second step in deepening your awareness of your public speaking skills. Yet this is a step that most people - read egomaniacs - have problem with. (grins)

Share This