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7 Ways to Become a Grade A Speaker
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Bill Lampton, Ph.D.
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You keep a checklist handy for many of your regular tasks — grocery shopping, scheduling your day and week, and creating a hyperlink, for example. Because your profession requires you to speak to groups frequently, you have often wished you could keep a speech preparation checklist handy, to remind you how to get ready to generate the results you want. You won’t have to wait any longer. Here is your checklist for top-level speech preparation.
Adopt an upbeat ATTITUDE.
This way, you won’t become excessively concerned about yourself — whether you are making a favorable impression and holding the group’s attention. Those self-directed thoughts can become obsessive, distracting you from your main purpose: helping your listeners understand and accept your message. And remember, audiences want you to succeed. Successful speakers make meetings and conferences enjoyable and productive. Audience members aren’t critics, they are your cheerleaders. Embrace them emotionally, even before you say your first word — then they’ll embrace you.
