Tag: public speakers

The Attributes of a Great Public Speaker

presentation tips

public speakers

public speaking

public speaking tips

Jun 28, 2017

Since time immemorial, humans have taken to the stage so that they could be seen and speak their hearts out. With each word, they captivate and mesmerize people. With every breath, these speakers commanded the language like no other, making crowds stay and listen, and even wanting for more.It’s not like history has a shortage of outstanding public speakers. Those who have rhetoric skills, who have etched their names in eternity, along with the long list of heroes, villains, sinners, and saints, are remembered long after their time, immortalized by their craft in history books and the Internet. From legendary Roman spokesperson Cicero and Greek general Pericles to author Susan Cain and former Apple CEO Steve Jobs, the world has seen its fair share of public speakers who can dominate the stage and fascinate their audiences with their piece or with whatever they present.But what a public speaker so endearing? How do they command the charisma that inspires listeners to their cause? Is there a trick to their success? Are they magic? Through simple inspection, the most obvious commonality among them all is their ability to move the emotions and opinions of their audiences.Today’s age doesn’t have much of the oratory events that the ancient times had; the closest in modernity, and arguably the biggest, is the annual TED Talks. Apart from the leap in technological levels and different preparatory techniques, though, is there any other difference between then and now in terms of oration?If anything, what’s most intriguing are the speakers. From then up to now, time has tried and successfully proven that the very attributes that made names like Cicero, Pericles, and Demosthenes legendary are the very same benchmarks of a great public speaker today. In short, when you exhibit and emulate the following traits, then you can be one of the greats of this era. What are those characteristics? The following infographic will fill you in.

Resource:

Inzunza, Victor. “History’s Greatest Speakers and Their Greatest Speeches.” Pencils.com. December 3, 2012. www.pencils.com/historys-greatest-speeches

Every Breath You Take: Presentation Breathing Techniques

breathing exercises

Breathing Techniques

presentation tips

public speakers

public speaking

Rick Enrico

SlideGenius

Dec 23, 2015

Whenever you get nervous before a presentation, you’re told to breathe. It sounds like common sense, but has it ever crossed your mind to consider how you breathe? Different ways of breathing can affect your presentation differently.There’s such a thing called speech breathing, which humans have developed somewhere along our evolution. Speech breathing is a presentation technique that comes from a long line of evolutionary advancement to modern language. Here’s how you can use it to your advantage:

Pre-Speech: Breathe In

Compared to normal breathing, speech breathing is very different. Shallow breaths prove to be ineffective during presentations. Dr. Gary Genard, public speaking trainer and founder of the Genard Method, elaborates on the benefits of diaphragmatic breathing on his site. As its name suggests, your diaphragm is the key component of diaphragmatic breathing.This happens when the lungs expand and flatten the diaphragm. It’s also the proper way of ‘taking a deep breath’. According to Genard, taking a deep breath before your presentation slows down your heart rate and provides oxygen to your brain, easing nervousness and assisting your thought process.

In-Speech: Breathe Out

How you breathe affects how you communicate with your audience. Using diaphragmatic breathing for your posture involves pushing out your abdominal muscles, keeping you upright. Conversely, starting out with good posture before speaking lessens the strain on the organs vital for your speech.Keep your feet shoulder-width apart and avoid hunching up before trying out some presentation breathing techniques. Speech coach Jezra Kaye writes in Speak Up for Success the importance of breathing out. Kaye encourages speakers to breathe out and relax the upper part of their torso (chest, mouth, throat, and jaw).A relaxed demeanor makes you appear more confident and allows you to speak better. Breathing out as you talk also releases the right amount of oxygen needed for a powerful speech, preventing an overly high or low-pitched tone.

Mid-Speech: Relax Your Larynx

Anxious speakers often talk too fast, forgetting to take breathing breaks. In such cases, the presentation ends up sounding like a long run-on sentence. Presenters who speak without breathing wear out their larynx, resulting in a strained tone.This curtails their rapport and hinders them from relating their message properly. A speaker in a hurry misses key points and fails to engage the audience. Learn how to pace your speech by breathing in between. Pausing also helps emphasize important ideas by giving your listeners time to digest and think them over.

Conclusion

The next time you’re told to breathe for your presentation, don’t dismiss the thought. When done right, it can be beneficial for your public speaking skills. Deep breathing before your presentation helps build confidence.Stand straight, relax, and establish a connection with your audience. Pausing strategically between your presentation’s main ideas emphasizes their importance and rests your voice. This lets you prepare for the next bout of speaking and expounding that comes after the pause.Need help with your presentation? Contact our SlideGenius experts today and get a free quote!Featured Image: “nice breath” by Joana Coccarelli on Flickr.com

SOS! Presentation Disasters and Survival [Infographic]

board presentations

business presentations

Corporate presentations

effective professional presentations

powerpoint preparation

powerpoint presentation

presentation preparation

professional public speakers

public speakers

public speaking

Oct 14, 2015

Presentation disasters can happen to anyone.No matter how much you prepare for your big day, there will always be a few obstacles that’ll appear, ones that you never expected would come up during your speech.Unfortunately, nobody’s perfect, and even the best professional public speakers run into these occasional hitches.What makes these people stay ahead of the competition is how they handle problems that suddenly happen without prior notice.If you’re not careful, your discussions can turn into complete presentation disasters… even more so if you can’t handle unexpected events.After all, Murphy’s Law became well-known because it’s been proven time and time again.“Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong.”You can’t anticipate these moments like a psychic, but you can always cope with sufficient preparation and a calm demeanor.

Preparing for Possible Presentation Disasters

What are some good tips on handling presentation disasters?All you need to do is to implement some simple back-up plans in case something goes wrong.Before anything else, keep calm.As soon as you’ve assessed the situation, start planning your response to the emergency.Make sure you have presence of mind and you’ll have no problem overcoming any possible hitches during your big moment.Here’s a short infographic on applying disaster preparedness to problem-proof your presentation.https://www.slideshare.net/SlideGenius/how-to-survive-presentation-disasters

A Shot in the Arm: How to Improve Your Healthcare PowerPoint

healthcare powerpoint

physicians

Powerpoint

public speakers

Jun 17, 2014

Improving a healthcare PowerPoint presentation requires clarity, engaging design, and credible data. Here are some tips for giving your healthcare presentation a much-needed “shot in the arm” to make it more effective:

1. Simplify Complex Information

  • Why it matters: Healthcare topics are often loaded with technical terms and complex data. Simplifying this information ensures that your audience can follow along and retain key points.
  • How to improve: Use bullet points, infographics, and diagrams to break down difficult concepts into digestible pieces. Limit text on each slide and explain complicated terms in layman’s language, especially if your audience isn’t highly specialized.

2. Leverage Visual Storytelling

  • Why it matters: Healthcare is a data-heavy field, and charts or graphs filled with numbers can overwhelm the audience. Visual storytelling helps transform data into compelling narratives.
  • How to improve: Use data visualizations like bar charts, line graphs, and infographics to illustrate trends in patient outcomes, research findings, or budget reports. Use icons and illustrations for processes like patient care pathways or treatment protocols, making them easier to grasp visually.

3. Use Real-World Case Studies

  • Why it matters: Real-life examples help connect theoretical data to practical applications in healthcare. Case studies can make your presentation more relatable and impactful.
  • How to improve: Include success stories or case studies about patient care, healthcare technology implementations, or medical breakthroughs. For example, discuss how a particular intervention improved patient recovery rates, or how technology helped streamline hospital workflows.

4. Data Accuracy and Credibility

  • Why it matters: In the healthcare field, providing accurate and up-to-date data is critical for maintaining credibility with your audience, whether they are doctors, nurses, or healthcare administrators.
  • How to improve: Always cite reputable sources, such as government agencies (CDC, WHO), peer-reviewed medical journals, or established healthcare organizations. Present clear data points and avoid overcrowding slides with too much information.

5. Focus on Patient Outcomes

  • Why it matters: Healthcare presentations often deal with patient-centered care, which means emphasizing outcomes that improve the quality of life for patients.
  • How to improve: Highlight metrics related to patient outcomes such as recovery rates, patient satisfaction scores, and reduction in hospital readmission. Use visuals like before-and-after graphs or case-specific improvements to drive the point home.

6. Maintain Consistent Branding and Professionalism

  • Why it matters: A professional design builds trust with your audience and ensures that your presentation looks polished and credible.
  • How to improve: Use consistent fonts, color schemes, and branding that aligns with your hospital, clinic, or organization. Avoid using too many colors or fonts, and stick with a clean, easy-to-read design.

7. Add Videos or Animations for Engagement

  • Why it matters: Multimedia elements like videos or animations can bring your healthcare message to life and increase engagement, especially for demonstrations of new medical procedures or equipment.
  • How to improve: Include short videos that demonstrate medical procedures, new technologies, or patient testimonials. Use animations to guide the audience through complex processes or data, but keep them minimal to avoid distraction.

8. Incorporate Actionable Takeaways

  • Why it matters: Your audience should walk away with actionable insights that they can apply in their professional roles.
  • How to improve: Conclude your presentation with clear recommendations or next steps, whether it’s applying a new healthcare policy, implementing a patient care strategy, or adopting new technology.

By focusing on these strategies—simplifying content, enhancing visual appeal, maintaining data integrity, and incorporating real-life examples—you can create an impactful and engaging healthcare presentation.