We’ve been running public speaking training in the UK for 34 years.
From Stornoway to Southend-on-Sea, from Lerwick to London.
Often it’s a very different experience to what we see in the United States, Europe or Asia.
Here are the 5As of public speaking to help you excel.
“I just sound like a tractor driver.”
I heard that on my first ever public speaking training in 2011 in Bristol.
“Just stop using the silly accent then”, I offered, in a nervy attempt at humour.
For a small country, we have an incredible array of accents.
I’ve spent evenings in Aberdeen, less than 150 miles from my home in Glasgow, where I’ve been unable to understand a word that’s been spoken by the locals.
I ran a training in Chester where the English were unable to fully understand the Welsh, and vice-versa, despite only living either side of the border.
The reality is this.
All accents are understandable if the speaker slows down and annunciates.
Focus on sounding out ev-e-ry sin-gle sy-lla-ble.
Phrases like “knowwaddamean?” should be “do you know what I mean?”
Names and job titles are notoriously rushed through at the start of the presentation.
Slow down to the point you feel you’re speaking backwards and your audience will get every single word.
The number one crime in parts of the UK is to come across as arrogant.
Every year we hear candidates on the BBC’s The Apprentice say things like:
“I am unquestionably the best salesperson of all time.”
“Everything I touch turns to sold.”
“My biggest weakness? Probably the fact I have so many strengths.”
It’s horrible and we all agree we want that candidate to fail spectacularly and get booted out in the first week.
In contrast, most of us underplay things.
We’ll start our speeches by saying:
“Hopefully this will interest some of you.”
“I’ll try and make this brief.”
What do hopefully and try say to your audience?
They suggest doubt or failure.
They reflect on your effort and professionalism.
Instead, use the Language of Leadership, which shows genuine confidence, rather than arrogance.
“I’m determined to…”
“We’re committed to…”
“I firmly believe that…”
Now you’re able to offer strong opinions with weight behind them.
In our experience, audiences in the UK respond very well when they hear that strength of language.
Assertiveness is a related problem.
In short, we hate saying ‘no’, but it’s vital in asserting control.
If someone offered you a double whisky in the morning, or asked for your phone number inappropriately, what would you say?
You’d say no, and perhaps offer a reason.
“No thanks – I’m driving.”
“No – that’s inappropriate.”
So why do we struggle to say no to people asking for discounts, or putting more work on to our plate?
We feel awkward.
Use ‘no’ with a positive tone, before moving on to offer an alternative solution or a sound reason.
“No – that’s the price and we need to be fair to other clients.”
“No – I have lots on already but I’ll be happy to get it done next week when I have more time.”
Assertiveness means you get what you want while maintaining or enhancing the relationship.
Get used to saying ‘no’ to take you one step further towards it.
When we’re public speaking, we enter fight or flight.
The adrenaline pumping round our body makes us do all sorts of strange things.
We pop our hands behind our back as if we’re in a line to meet the King.
We bounce around on stage from one side to another as if we’re crossing the English Channel.
Or we speak at a million miles an hour, and lose our place.
One solution is better than any other to slow the release of adrenaline.
Practice.
Ideally, practise in the venue you’re speaking, the day before or the morning of the event.
You’re turning the perceived threat of an unknown situation (which prompts the physiological reaction of fight or flight) into a more familiar one.
Foe into friend.
And as a result, your heartbeat will slow down, as will your pace, and you’ll begin to look and act like you want to be there.
Many of us ‘get through’ a speech or presentation without stumbling, or losing our place, and see that as the measure of success.
We have a different measure.
Were your audience motivated to act upon your message?
If so, they must first have understood and agreed with it.
That’s why it’s vital to speak in simple and persuasive language.
But what about action?
If you want your audience to come with you, you need to show them the way.
So tell them: sign up here.
Come and speak to me after the conference, my name’s Andrew.
Arm them with the tools to act.
We plan on offering public speaking training for many years to come.
What will the landscape look like in 34 years? It’s hard to tell.
Some things are certain: there will always be a need for human contact, for presentation skills and for public speaking.
And now’s a great time to study to achieve your very own 5As.
Andrew McFarlan runs Pink Elephant Communications.
Read more about him here.
Public speaking training UK blog written by Andrew McFarlan.
Public speaking training UK blog edited by Colin Stone.
All photos in Public speaking training UK blog by Pink Elephant Communications.
18th October 2023 Featured in: Blog, Public speaking training blogs By: Pink Elephant
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