Public Speaking Course

Public Speaking Course Programme

We tailor all our courses to reflect the needs of the delegates on the day. The course content may include many of the exercises listed below, and any additional material that the trainers feel is relevant.

Delegate Input

Delegates will give a brief summary of their public speaking experience.

Dealing with the Fear

We open the day by exploring what happens when you have to speak in public?

Your hands may sweat and your mouth goes dry. Your knees may shake and a quaver affects your voice. Your heart may race and those well-known butterflies invade your stomach.

When all that happens most people don't think of getting their message across in a compelling and interesting way; they just think of getting off the 'stage' as quickly as possible! The good news is that it's normal to be nervous and have a lot of anxiety when speaking in public. In a way, it's less normal not to have nerves or anxiety; in fact, to feel you have a phobia about public speaking.

Speaking to One person - Speaking to Many

Here we look at the differences between speaking to one person, then to 2 or 3 people and then speaking to a larger group.

Public Speaking vs Making a Presentation

A look at the differences between Public Speaking and Presentation Skills.

How to Build Confidence by Defusing Your Assumptions

Your audience can be your friend. Unless you know you're absolutely facing a hostile group of people, human nature is such that your audience wants you to succeed. They're on your side! Therefore, rather than assuming they don't like you; give them the benefit of the doubt that they do. We look at how mind reading assumptions are a confidence killer.

Public Speaking Stretching Exercises

A series of short exercises designed to stretch people's awareness and capacity

Presence

An exercise in audience contact that helps with managing the Fight or flight response

Connecting Without Words

Delegates explore ways of setting up a positive spiral of connection with an audience.

Public Speaking Dynamics - how it works

We can place so much pressure on ourselves when actually there are a great many things that we can rely on as a safety net to make sure that everything goes well. 

Location Location Location!

A brief discussion on the various arenas in which participants speak. This is to get a picture of some of the challenges that arise in certain settings.

Confidence by Numbers

These two exercises look at the power of instantly changing your confidence and sense of importance when relating to others.

Hot Starts

We practice ways of grabbing an audience’s attention from the start.

Everyday Objects

An exercise in overlaying an ordinary text with an extraordinary message

Simple Story

Delegates will practice using storytelling elements and structuring their stories around a universal simple story structure.

Speaking to Different Levels of Understanding

This exercise looks at assessing the levels of understanding within the audience and delivering information with varied emphasis, without appearing to patronise.

Symbols, Analogies and Metaphors

Delegates will practice using analogies and metaphors to explain complicated ideas.  Symbols will be used as visual aids to reinforce themes and make a point.

Tailoring Content to the Audience

Let’s face it, we all want to know ‘what’s in it for me?’.  An exercise in adapting content to suit the audience in order to hold their listener’s attention.

Keep Them AWAKE

The one thing you don't want is for them to fall asleep! But make no mistake public speaking arenas are designed to do just that: dim lights, cushy chairs, not having to open their mouths - a perfect invitation to catch up on those zzzzs.

Here we explore some sure-fire techniques to keep your audience engaged including working with story, metaphor, humour (where and when appropriate) the five key questions, body language and eye contact.

Prepared Speeches

The second part of the day is work on prepared speeches.

This is not intended to rehearse the actual speech but rather to use it to incorporate the principles worked on earlier in the day. As always the session is modified according to the level of the attendees.

Closing

Delegates will practice ways of making a lasting impression.

Big Upping

Delegates will practice ‘big upping’ one another while introducing the next speaker.

Before and After the Speech

Techniques for interacting with your audience before and after the talk.

How to make yourself available to as many people as you are comfortable with, and to join and leave groups with ease.

Staying relaxed and dealing with last-minute anxiety.

Preparation Before/ Managing / Reflection

Delegates will explore ways of preparing, managing themselves during a speech, and what to do after.

FINAL CHALLENGE

Delegates will select a topic at random and speak to it while incorporating the tools that they have learned throughout the day.

Opportunities to Practice

Getting better at public speaking is like building muscle. It takes practice!

From chairing a meeting, or toasting a beloved colleague at a leaving do, to delivering monthly financials to the board, we will identify all the opportunities there are to practice beyond the room.

Public Speaking Summing up and Personal Take Out

We will spend a short time reviewing the Public Speaking Course work.

Each person to identify and talk briefly about:

• What they know they will take from the day that they know they will use
• What support or development they need over the coming months
• What they need to do to ensure they practise.

We would highly recommend that people do some kind of presentation or public speaking event as soon as possible to reinforce the work of the programme.

Participants are given a web link to their videos from the course

They also have access to a course web page containing

• Handouts used during the course
• New supportive material
• Impact Factory PDF documents
• Recommended reading
• Links to our favourite videos
• Photos of the day

to help further their progress.

Public Speaking Course