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Effective
Speaker Introductions:: A good introduction
should be timed at 1- 1 1/2 minutes.
When introducing a speaker, keep in mind the following
T.I.P.S. outline: Topic, Importance to audience, Purpose
of speech, and the Speaker's credibility to speak about the subject.
Contact the speaker to determine if he or she is providing
a written introduction. If not, gather information and write out your introduction.
Compose a mini-speech (opening, body, conclusion) and
present it in a friendly, personal, and professional manner. If information
is printed on the program, choose other information for your introduction.
Rehearse.
Pronounce the speaker's name correctly. Smile at the
speaker as he or she approaches the lectern, lead the audience in applause,
and make a planned, smooth transition to your seat.
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The Art of
Facilitating
by Jim Gregg
At Nissan, issue resolution teams create greater efficiencies.
I facilitate these problem solving teams as part of my work. I also train other
facilitators.
I’m going to provide an overview of ten factors
associated with artful facilitation.
1. Preferred outcomes are essential. These should be
communicated to participants prior to the meeting, at the beginning of the meeting
or developed through an interactive process at the beginning of the meeting.
2. Clarifying participant expectations for process and
hoped for gains is an important step in the groups achieving its full potential.
I have participants share expectations during the introductions.
3. An icebreaker helps to ease the anxiety and begin
the rapport building process. During introductions I ask participants to Tell
us what theydo for fun.
4. Ground rules developed collaboratively increase trust. The following are
very common and are my favorites
“Hats at the door,”
“Safe haven” and
“Harmonious relationships”
5. A clear agenda is vital if a facilitator
is to transform a group into a team and help it achieve its goal. The agenda
should indicate steps in the resolution process, tools to be used and a rough
timetable.
6. Provide focus to insure that the team moves as thoroughly
and as quickly as possible through a problem solving sequence, including analyzing
the situation, understanding the contributing conditions or influential factors,
developing solutions and plans to impliment them.
7. Active listening skills are crucial if a facilitator
is to be effective. Being able to reflect to the speaker your experience of
what they have said keeps dialogue happening and enhances participant awareness.
8. Encourage discussion which pours more information
into
the pool of shared knowledge. This pool is a resource
to participants as they synergistically transform issues into solutions.
9. A neutral perspective is necessary. The facilitator
should not try to push a particular cause or solution on a team.
10. A facilitator manages a proven process and is the
process leader.
As you facilitate events for your customers, keep these
ten success factors in mind and weave them into your leadership style. They
will enhance your influence and effectiveness.
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TM Kurt DuNard (www.iihp.com)
offers the following suggesting
Why, a digital recorder?
It is a tool to learn a speech.
It can be used to improve a speech.
It can be used to keep a record of
creative efforts and past speeches.
Professional speakers use to to make
quality CD's to sell to their customers.
It can be used to make a database of
your stories on your computer.
With voice recognition software
(already in Windows XP) software, it can be used to a speech into a
chapter of a book, a newsletter, and an article for a magazine or a database
that can be searched for key words.
Kurt recommends the Olympus DS-2000 and a 128 Meg Media Card
(44 hours of recording time.) Look at Radio Shack for a good microphone to use
with the recorder.
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Tip No. 40901-215 Category:
Preparing your speech
How to know whether youčre ready to tell a touching story
by J.A. Gamache
3rd place 2001 Champion at Toastmasters International
World Championship of Public Speaking
To know whether youčre ready to tell a touching story, try
to answer the following question: can I keep talking even when I get
to the emotional part of my speech? If not, maybe itčs too soon to
tell the story.
When I went to the 2001 Toastmasters World Championship of
public speaking, I told an emotional story about my experience in
the minutes following the death of my grandfather, Avenant Gamache.
In the years prior to this particular competition, I would get
teary-eyed every time I recalled this scene during a speech contest.
My breathing would become erratic, and then I would have to stop
speaking altogether. Before I could start sharing this story in
public, I had to wait for closure.
I have one caution to give, however: resist the temptation to give a
therapeutic testimonial. If youčre using public speaking to share
your ordeals and solve your problems, youčre making a mistake. Heal
your wounds elsewhere than on stage! The audience loves a touching
story but resents a speaker making a public display and losing
control of his or her emotions.
If you suspect that you might become emotional in public, take that
possibility into consideration as you prepare your speech. Determine
first whether youčll be able to continue speaking when you get to
the emotional part of your speech.
I believe that the moment you can continue speaking even when youčre
feeling emotional, you can then tell your story in public. All you
have to do is learn how to breathe when your emotions surface.
However, even when your breathing is under control but a certain
part of your text still makes you lose your composure, itčs a sign
that the emotions attached to your story are still too strong. You
should therefore refrain from presenting that particular story for
the time being. That doesnčt mean you wončt ever be able to use it!
One day, the emotion will be easier to bear and youčll be able to
touch us with your story.
In conclusion, to find out whether you can tell a touching story in
your next speech, practice your breathing when youčre feeling
emotional. If you can still talk without having to stop to cry,
youčre ready to share your story in public. Otherwise, you shouldnčt
do it for the moment.
Happy speech!
J.A. Gamache
http://www.jagamache.com
©2004 J.A. Gamache All rights reserved.
P.S.:DO A FRIEND A FAVOUR!!!
Visit my web site at: www.jagamache.com
and subscribe your friend to this FREE Electronic Magazine.
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