Sunday, August 30, 2009

Speaking Notes

With the conference looming and my own workshop shaping up, I've found myself thinking more about my presentations skills. Fortuitous timing indeed to have this tidbit drift through my LinkedIn notices. While I've made significant progress in the last few years, I'm still a chronic sufferer of 'Aack, people' syndrome. I've found the enunciation trick in the past is very helpful for maintaining pace, especially with some thoughtful pauses strategically placed to allow me to gather my wits before proceeding. With proper pacing comes a certain degree of calm.

There's also the 'Ummm' phenomena that I've seen take down some presenters hard; which Paul has thoughtfully provided some advice on. What else do people run up against when in front of crowds, and what solutions are available?