7 public speaking mistakes to avoid to sound more confident
The opinions expressed by entrepreneurs contributors are their own.
Two words often scare even the most confident: public speaking. For some, it comes naturally. But for others, it's something they have to overcome. For everyone, public speaking is a skill that can be improved over time.
To become a more confident public speaker, there are some common mistakes to avoid. From there, it's all about getting out of your comfort zone and practicing enough to find your rhythm.
Related: 7 Powerful Public Speaking Tips From One of TED's Most-Watched Speakers
1. Being too scriptedWhile every public speaker wants a fleshed-out idea with a strong beginning, middle, and end for their presentation, a speech that is overly scripted or rehearsed loses the emotion needed to capture the audience. It's best to create an organized flow of how you want to present your material to set the tone and pace and limit any tendency for improvisation, which can quickly derail a presentation.
Start with an overview of the main points, add facts and statistics as needed, then leave space where you can express emotions naturally throughout the conversation. Having reference bullet points keeps the narrative in check and keeps it compelling simultaneously.
2. Rely on filler wordsEvery speech class teacher or consultant will scold you whenever a filler word is used. These include – uh, so, like, you know – and other words that connect thoughts without thinking. Adding these filler words in public speaking takes away the impact of the message and highlights nerves or inexperience. A brief pause to let one thought sink in before moving on to the next isn't always bad. This allows you to set a steady pace for your speech rather than rushing to the end.
A useful trick to help eliminate filler words from your speech is to pause whenever one appears. Record yourself practicing your presentation and note how often you rely on filler words. On the next reading, replace the fillers with a pause or determine if any changes need to be made to that part of speech. However, if a few fillers slip out here and there, avoid reacting or apologizing when talking live. Go with the flow.
3. Use Question Inflectionsas a public speaker demonstrates itself by saying rather than asking. You control the narrative, so adding a questioning inflection to a statement makes you sound unsure of yourself. This can happen especially during presentations when rates are discussed or when there are less than comfortable moments.
In a pitch, a safe way to approach pricing discussions is to say directly, "The price for my X services is X dollars." Say this sentence out loud as a statement and a question and see how the tone changes. If you are unsure of the request or the information provided, the recipients will also doubt it.
4. Rocking or standing too stillIt's hard for people to concentrate if you're rocking nervously, a way you're probably doing unconsciously to avoid standing too still. Movement during a speech isn't automatically an inconvenience, but make sure it doesn't detract from the presentation itself. Hand gestures, for example, can emphasize points, and moving from one side of the room or stage to the other can make you feel comfortable.
Yet pacing, playing with your hair or clothes, and standing still without moving is the type of situation that shows a lack of confidence and comfort, two things you don't want when standing in front of the others to talk.
5. Avoid eye contactEye contact in today's video conferencing era is important. Some presentations can be done virtually, so you need to capture the audience's attention without being in the same room. But how do you establish eye contact through a screen if several people are connected simultaneously? Look at the camera and scan faces from time to time. Avoid looking directly at yourself and clear any distractions from the room before you begin. Once you've broken eye contact with your virtual audience, they'll also feel inclined to disengage.
Related:
The opinions expressed by entrepreneurs contributors are their own.
Two words often scare even the most confident: public speaking. For some, it comes naturally. But for others, it's something they have to overcome. For everyone, public speaking is a skill that can be improved over time.
To become a more confident public speaker, there are some common mistakes to avoid. From there, it's all about getting out of your comfort zone and practicing enough to find your rhythm.
Related: 7 Powerful Public Speaking Tips From One of TED's Most-Watched Speakers
1. Being too scriptedWhile every public speaker wants a fleshed-out idea with a strong beginning, middle, and end for their presentation, a speech that is overly scripted or rehearsed loses the emotion needed to capture the audience. It's best to create an organized flow of how you want to present your material to set the tone and pace and limit any tendency for improvisation, which can quickly derail a presentation.
Start with an overview of the main points, add facts and statistics as needed, then leave space where you can express emotions naturally throughout the conversation. Having reference bullet points keeps the narrative in check and keeps it compelling simultaneously.
2. Rely on filler wordsEvery speech class teacher or consultant will scold you whenever a filler word is used. These include – uh, so, like, you know – and other words that connect thoughts without thinking. Adding these filler words in public speaking takes away the impact of the message and highlights nerves or inexperience. A brief pause to let one thought sink in before moving on to the next isn't always bad. This allows you to set a steady pace for your speech rather than rushing to the end.
A useful trick to help eliminate filler words from your speech is to pause whenever one appears. Record yourself practicing your presentation and note how often you rely on filler words. On the next reading, replace the fillers with a pause or determine if any changes need to be made to that part of speech. However, if a few fillers slip out here and there, avoid reacting or apologizing when talking live. Go with the flow.
3. Use Question Inflectionsas a public speaker demonstrates itself by saying rather than asking. You control the narrative, so adding a questioning inflection to a statement makes you sound unsure of yourself. This can happen especially during presentations when rates are discussed or when there are less than comfortable moments.
In a pitch, a safe way to approach pricing discussions is to say directly, "The price for my X services is X dollars." Say this sentence out loud as a statement and a question and see how the tone changes. If you are unsure of the request or the information provided, the recipients will also doubt it.
4. Rocking or standing too stillIt's hard for people to concentrate if you're rocking nervously, a way you're probably doing unconsciously to avoid standing too still. Movement during a speech isn't automatically an inconvenience, but make sure it doesn't detract from the presentation itself. Hand gestures, for example, can emphasize points, and moving from one side of the room or stage to the other can make you feel comfortable.
Yet pacing, playing with your hair or clothes, and standing still without moving is the type of situation that shows a lack of confidence and comfort, two things you don't want when standing in front of the others to talk.
5. Avoid eye contactEye contact in today's video conferencing era is important. Some presentations can be done virtually, so you need to capture the audience's attention without being in the same room. But how do you establish eye contact through a screen if several people are connected simultaneously? Look at the camera and scan faces from time to time. Avoid looking directly at yourself and clear any distractions from the room before you begin. Once you've broken eye contact with your virtual audience, they'll also feel inclined to disengage.
Related:
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