E2 2021 | Finding Your Voice: How to Present in the Classroom and Beyond!

Summary

In this meta talk, speaker Zia Hassan shares insights on delivering powerful presentations, emphasizing the importance of connecting with live audiences. He discusses overcoming internal distractions, mindful speech practices, and the art of storytelling. Hassan advises on slide design, using visuals effectively, and varying vocal delivery naturally. He also highlights the impact of a compelling title and the transformative potential of passionate public speaking, encouraging speakers to embrace their unique voices and share their stories.

Takeaways

• 🎙️ Embrace the live audience experience: The speaker emphasizes the importance of engaging with a live audience and the excitement of returning to in-person events.
• 💡 Start with a personal story: Zia Hassan shares his background in performing arts and teaching to establish credibility and connect with the audience on a personal level.
• 🧘‍♂️ Practice mindfulness to manage internal distractions: Developing mindfulness can help silence the internal narrator and prevent it from disrupting your focus during a speech.
• 🔍 Speak clearly and enunciate: Instead of slowing down, focus on clarity and pronunciation to ensure your speech is easy to understand.
• 📱 Record yourself to improve: Recording speeches and watching them back is a powerful tool for self-improvement and identifying areas for enhancement.
• 👥 Seek feedback from a test audience: A small, test audience can provide valuable insights into what parts of your speech are engaging and where attention may wane.
• 📉 Keep slides simple: Slides should be concise, avoiding paragraphs and focusing on enhancing the emotional transfer of your presentation.
• 🎈 Use passion to vary your pitch and pace: Let your enthusiasm for the topic naturally influence the dynamics of your speech, rather than forcing changes in pitch and pace.
• 🤹‍♂️ Be mindful of body language: Use hand gestures to emphasize points, but ensure they complement rather than distract from your message.
• 🔑 Find the right title to captivate your audience: A compelling title can significantly impact audience interest and engagement with your topic.
• 💡 Use stories to create movement in your speech: A clear narrative arc with a beginning, middle, and end helps to convey your points effectively and keep the audience engaged.
• 🔄 Adapt and play with your environment: When unexpected issues arise, use creativity to incorporate them into your presentation and maintain audience engagement.
• 🔁 Make dramatic recoveries from mistakes: If a mistake is made, use a dramatic recovery to regain audience attention and reset the energy of the presentation.
• 🗝️ The power of unlocking passion: Discovering the key that resonates with your audience can lead to impactful and life-changing public speaking.

Q & A

What was the speaker's initial idea for the talk before deciding to focus on delivering a powerful live talk?

The speaker initially planned to create a polished video with fancy editing and transitions, but then decided against it to focus on giving ideas about delivering a powerful talk to a live audience.

What is the significance of the speaker's background in theater and music in relation to public speaking?

The speaker's background in theater and music has ingrained in him the ability to manipulate emotions, influence the audience, and tell stories, which are crucial skills for effective public speaking.

How does the speaker suggest dealing with the internal narrator that can distract during a speech?

The speaker suggests developing a practice of mindfulness to quiet the internal narrator, by sitting down for a few minutes a day and listening to it without interacting.

What is the speaker's advice against the common advice of slowing down while speaking?

Instead of slowing down, the speaker advises to speak at a normal pace but to enunciate every word clearly, which naturally prevents speaking too fast.

Why does the speaker recommend practicing speeches in front of an empty room and recording it?

Practicing in front of an empty room and recording allows the speaker to watch the recording afterwards and identify areas of improvement, such as distracting mannerisms or parts that may be boring.

What two key questions should a test audience be asked to provide feedback on a speech?

The test audience should be asked 'Where were you most engaged?' and 'Where did I lose you?' to understand where the speech was effective and where it lost their attention.

According to the speaker, why should the slides in a presentation have minimal words?

Slides with minimal words prevent the audience from being distracted by reading while also trying to absorb the emotional transfer from the speaker, thus enhancing the presentation's effectiveness.

How does the speaker suggest varying pitch and speed in a speech naturally?

The speaker suggests getting genuinely curious and passionate about the topic, which will naturally cause the voice to vary in pitch and speed without sounding forced.

What is the speaker's advice on using hand movements during a presentation?

The speaker advises being reserved with gross motor movements and more flexible with fine motor movements, like hand gestures, while ensuring they do not distract the audience.

How does the speaker suggest creating an engaging title for a presentation?

The speaker suggests framing the topic with a question or an intriguing statement that sparks curiosity, as it can significantly increase audience interest compared to a straightforward title.

What is the speaker's experience with handling unexpected situations during a presentation?

The speaker shares an experience where an air conditioner's noise disrupted his performance, and he turned it into a magical gesture that won applause, demonstrating the importance of adapting and playing with unexpected situations.

What is the most influential speech the speaker ever heard, and why was it impactful?

The most influential speech the speaker heard was only 20 seconds long and was impactful because it resonated deeply with him, demonstrating that the passion and relevance of the message can be more important than the delivery style.

How does the speaker recommend warming up before a speech?

The speaker recommends interacting with people as a way to warm up, as it helps build rapport and practice interesting things to say in a low-stakes environment.

What is the speaker's technique for dealing with filler words during a speech?

The speaker suggests replacing filler words with silence, which allows the audience to digest the information and eliminates unnecessary verbal pauses.

How does the speaker suggest familiarizing oneself with the speaking environment?

The speaker suggests arriving early to the speaking environment to get a feel for it, breathe the air, and stand on the stage, which helps in becoming more comfortable with the space.

What should a speaker do if they make a significant mistake during a presentation, according to the speaker?

The speaker suggests making a dramatic recovery to bring back the energy and start afresh, rather than dwelling on the mistake, which can derail the rest of the presentation.