In this episode of the Revenue Accelerator Podcast, we have invited Margaret Romney. She is a Public Speaker and Communication Consultant who has been speaking, stumbling, shaking on the stage, navigating communication blocks, and discovering better ways for her clients to express themselves for 25 years. Margaret has been creating groups and one-to-one programs to develop speaker-leaders since she started coaching TEDx speakers in 2014 and has supported dozens of teams of speakers to higher levels of confidence, clarity, and connection with their audience. Today, she talks with us about how we can become better speakers and impact our audience.
Speaking Off the Cuff
[1:52]
You all have to go off the cuff. You all have to raise your hand in a meeting. You don’t know exactly what you’re going to say. It’s not a prepared presentation. But the more you can prepare, the more you can know beforehand that you have the skills to go off the cuff. You will have a better chance of being a confident person. So be in a room leading your listeners to where you want to go.
Keep Practicing
[4:43]
In public speaking, you need to practice your skills constantly. Even with all of your experience and interactions, you still need to practice because there are still parts of you that you can improve. If there’s a TEDx speaker on the stage, the more they practice, the more connected they can be in with their audience. They become clearer on where they want the audience to be.
Leadership and Inspiration
[7:12]
For Margaret, it depends on what you mean by the word “inspiration.” She thinks that leadership relates with vision. You need to know where the audience is going. You need to see the idea of the world you’re building. Figure out what picture of the world you strive for that would be impossible to achieve in your lifetime. But it should be worthy. Your life is dedicated to it.
Communication Impact
[10:17]
You need people to act. Sometimes, you need to have an impact on communication. When you’re asking an audience to shift or change, you need to paint the picture for the “End of the World” and “Paradise.” You also need language and visuals around. Explain to them why your picture is the end of the world and what will happen if they don’t move forward.
Persuasion and Connection
[14:08]
You need to be on the same page, have a shared experience, and let other people relate. You need to empathize with who they are and understand that you can’t make anyone do anything. But also know that you have a chance to invite. If you feel that connection, understanding, and empathy right from the beginning, then you gain their trust.
The Three Elements of Storytelling
[15:55]
The elements of storytelling are Context, Character, and Conflict. If you have to set that Context, you have to get in the same world as your speakers. If you’re on stage giving a presentation, the very first thing you should do is to create a shared experience. Create something where your brain and the audience’s brain are in sync.
[17:57]
With Character, it’s where you are along with other teachers, performers, mentors, etc. Conflict is pretty much solution-oriented. It’s where a situation is finding the correct answers.
Rallying around the Same Message for a More Impactful Speech
[19:21]
If everybody’s on the same page, then you can all move forward together. But if there are people left behind, haven’t complied, or don’t say, “Yes, I agree with this,” they almost overtake one another.
[20:15]
A “priming event” is when we get a heads up of what’s going to happen later. Our brain sets up that scaffolding of what topic is going to be tackled—having a priming event before the meeting is a chance for people to work out the kinks or know where they stand. So you can hit the ground running faster. Sometimes that’s done through a plan or marketing and advertising. With your questions and wording, your audience can understand more about the topics you are talking about.
[22:26]
There’s often a gap in understanding the skills around professional speaking. Many established leaders feel frustrated and confused with newer leaders. Sometimes those new people just haven’t been around long enough to know the language. So you got to dress within these parameters.
Things to Consider about your Audience
[24:25]
Know that it’s not one speech whenever you are public speaking. There is so much you can learn by doing one or more speeches. You will learn the principles of communication through great public speaking. But you still have to modify it depending on your audience.
[25:44]
One technique for learning the different modes of speaking is to practice them in other places. When you’re sitting down having a conversation with a person, notice that it’s the place to try out other things. That is a good way to know your authentic speaking style.
Finding Safe Spaces to Explore and Learn New Things
[27:24]
Knowing and accepting that you are practicing whenever you’re speaking is what you’re practicing. It’s that commitment to getting better at what you want. You can’t get better at it unless you practice it. Eventually, you will fail and think of not doing it, but it’s all in service of becoming a better version of yourself through mastering your craft.
[29:36]
Just own it. Take your hands and put them on the steering wheel of your speaking or leadership. Own it wherever you are and say to yourself that “This is who I am.”
Learn more about Margaret Romney:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/margaretwattsromney/
Website: https://margaretwattsromney.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/margaretromney