Earlier this summer, I had the honor of preparing and delivering a 3-minute speech for my son, Riku, who was celebrating his Prometheus camp confirmation. The path I took to accomplish this was as follows:
1. 10 days out I began brainstorming in the sauna while sweating, sizzling and having a few creative brews. Finding a quiet place is essential to organizing your preliminary thoughts on message and major points. I thought about the structure for quite some time.
2. To begin the speech, I wanted to tell at least 2 very short stories of Riku. One about his birth and the other about him at daycare when he was little.
3. Then I followed up with a snapshot of the fine young man he has grown up to be with a presentation of 2 personal traits that I admire the most.
4. In the meat of the speech, I explained that (1) Riku is charismatic with a special gift to entertain, perform and act; plus (2) Riku is outspoken with the ability to explain and convince and influence people.
5. I concluded with a toast to Riku with optimism towards his future life that hopefully focuses on one passionate thing he could pursue if he chooses, whether it be theater, drama or law.
6. Once I had the general structure and the content was 80% complete, I focused on practicing delivery. I practiced as often as I could. First, focusing on what to say, then on how to say, then on what I could do physically to enhance my message so that it is conveyed quickly to the audience. This means thinking about how I managed the stage, walked, stood and used hand gestures. Do I need to use large movements? Or can I keep it relatively natural and relaxed?
7. Then I practiced a whole lot more. Tweaking the words. Tweaking the rhythm and cadence. Making adjustments along the way. I also timed these sessions so I had a general idea on the 3 minutes or so that I felt was just about right. Not too long to lose the audience outside in the heat, but not too short that it sounded unprepared or rushed. I even recorded the audio of a few practice sessions to learn from a listener's perspective.
8. Fortunately, I had the chance to practice the speech in front of a live audience of family members while maintaining eye contact. In a very quick fashion of course, because they are accustomed to speaking over one another or becoming quickly impatient. Jokes aside, their feedback was essential. Bottom line, I received 8 thumbs up on my speech.
9. On delivery day, I remained cool, calm and collected despite the bright sunshine and warmth. It was Riku's celebration day and I knew it would be a nice outdoor event. I asked his mother a few days beforehand that as host she could welcome everyone to the event and then introduce me briefly before welcoming me to the stage. My Toastmasters experience came in handy.
10. When delivery began I reminded myself to speak a bit slower than normal. The audience was predominantly Finnish and not so international of which I am more accustomed. I forgot to mention a few minor details that were big hits during the test run, but everything turned out well. I am proud of Riku's growth and maturity, plus his gifts of charisma and outspoken nature, and that message was delivered effectively.
In summary, I hope that my short outline of my own personal process, helps those to understand the entire process of speech writing and delivery from start to finish. Public speaking opportunities don't come around often enough, but when they do, please take advantage of the chance to improve by accepting the challenge and setting a plan in motion that is part common sense, professional and sets your mind at ease. After all, the fear of public speaking is right up there with death, divorce and bankruptcy. But if you take the time to prepare, practice often and are eager to face your fear and do your best, you will be pleasantly surprised by the results.
If you have an important speech or presentation to deliver and you would like some advice on how to manage those butterflies in your tummy, please contact me and let's talk. Good luck in all you do.
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