Speakers Weekly Tune Up: How To Improve Your Speaking Skills Every Day by Madeline Frank, Ph.D., DTM

Every person has a unique story to share with a particular audience. For instance when I was asked to speak at a teachers conference I shared the following true story with them: I had finished giving my last exam of the day at a College in Virginia and was in the parking lot getting into my car when one of third year education student’s ran over to me and said, “Dr. Frank you can’t leave, I need your help!” I got out of my car and asked, “How can I help”? She said, “My friend is going to be thrown out of the college. Her professor says she’s not talented enough to be a teacher. They are having a meeting in the auditorium right now to determine her fate! Can you go in and help her?”   This student was hard working and honest. I asked her to show me where the meeting was taking place. I went into the auditorium raised my hand and asked the faculty committee, “the men’s club”, as I was the only women present- “if I could address them.” They agreed. “I asked th...

What “Motto” or “Affirmation” will you ask your audience to repeat to help them to step up and solve their problems? When I gave a speech on how to solve your problems, I retold my story of struggling as a child of 8 with learning disabilities. I’m failing out of school. I can’t read. I persevered with the help of my Momma and Mr. Whitson, the violin teacher she found who taught me to read the musical notes on the page and to ultimately read the words printed in a book. I also share Prime Minister Winston Churchill’s story of staying strong for his country during the darkest days of WW II  and uniting Great Britain with his battle cry, his   “motto”. “Never give in. Never give in. Never, never, never, never—in nothing great or small, larger or petty-- never give in, except to convictions of honor and good sense....” After my story on turning failure into success our motto became “Never, Never Give Up!” (On Solving Your Problems). I put out my hands and ask the audi...

Before you begin your speech remove all barriers between you and your audience . That means remove the podium and anything else that is blocking you from your audience. When you speak to your audience you want to be able to make eye contact and connect to them as you re-live your story. Nothing should be in your way! I learned this the hard way! I recently gave a speech at my Toastmaster club and did not move the table sitting in the area I was speaking in, which created a barrier between my audience and me. The Toastmaster who evaluated my speech “reminded” me to remove all barriers before speaking. Please share your thoughts and comments about this blog. Until next week remember before you begin your speech or presentation remove all barriers between you and your audience to make your story memorable and visual. Madeline Frank,  Ph.D., is  a 2014 Certified World Class Speaking Coach. She has been coaching and mentoring business professionals to be champion...

When you have a long presentation to make, give your audience a map to follow during your speech presentation. Craig Valentine, World Champion of Public Speaking and one of my coaches , calls this a “Road Map” for your audience to follow: For example in my speech presentation on “Connecting with Others” I will introduce my “Road Map” by saying,   “And this comes to you in the form of the 4 Ls, for “Levels of Conversations”. 1) How you can begin your first level of conversation with “Small talk”. 2) Then you’ll pick up your second level for “Fact disclosure”. 3)   You’ll then pick up your third level for how to connect your conversation with ‘Viewpoints and opinions”. By giving your audience a “road map” to follow, in three steps, your presentation will be clear, concise, and meaningful to your audience. Please share your thoughts and comments about this blog. Until next week give your audience a “Road Map” to follow during your speech pres...