Dear readers, I have been trying to bounce back from a horrible case of the flu I had last week, hence the lack of posting on this blog lately. I’ve had to focus my time preparing for several speaking engagements I have coming up in the next 2 months on the next generation of nonprofit leadership. Public speaking, for me, is a killer. I admit that I’m a great writer, hell I was an English major, but when it comes to conveying my ideas in front of an audience, it scares the hell out of me. I’m an extreme introvert by nature (and according to Myers-Briggs), so interacting with a hundred people in one day can be exciting, but incredibly draining for me. I’m not a natural, so I probably overprepare for each time I have to speak in front of folks. But I’ve come to realize how important this skill is. If you want to lead, you have to be willing to put your ideas out there in public forums. A good speech or presentation can turn the tide on a public issue and reframe the debate in a way that folks hadn’t looked at an issue before. Take Barack Obama’s amazing speech on race he delivered this week.

Phenomenal. Here he tells a story about race in America that we all know, but we only tend to look at the issue in divisive terms. The beauty of Obama’s speech is that it makes you think about the issue of race in a different way, a more hopeful way. And that’s so powerful.

Leaders have to be willing to be that powerful, to step out so far away from the status quo so that it’s refreshing to people, that it’s inspiring enough for people to believe in you and take action. In an age of media bullshit and constant spin by politicians and our top decisionmakers, people want to see who you are. They want to know your truth. But the fact is, good public speakers aren’t born, they’re made. So what am I doing to prepare myself? Of course, being the academic I am, I took a class. Here’s some of what I learned, and some resources I’ve been using to craft my own message to take around the country about the need for the nonprofit sector to support emerging leaders in our organizations.

Good public speakers…

• Use metaphor
• Tell stories
• Are authentic
• Speak honestly
• Have passion
• Maintain confidence
• Use varying tone/inflection/timing
• Have a strong physical presence
• Speak clearly and succinctly
• Use empathy
• Maintain good body language

Andy Goodman gets it right every time. He’s teaching the rest of us how to give a great presentation in Why Bad Presentations Happen to Good Causes. I read the entire PDF in one sitting. Amazing tips for creating effective PowerPoints and incorporating stories into your presentations. Also Presentation Zen shows off some of the best speeches and gives resources on how to replicate their style. Cliff Atkinson’s Beyond Bullet Points is pretty useful, too.

I’ve got to admit that I have all the passion in the world, but unfortunately that alone doesn’t make me a good speaker. It’s something I know I have to work at, and I’m taking this bull by the horn one day at a time. I have a lot to say and I want to share my perspective as a young leader, but to be successful at engaging others, I had to recognize it as a personal challenge and look at public speaking as an ongoing stretch assignment for myself. The good news is that I can only get better with practice and preparation. Does anyone have any tips to add to this list? I could use all the help I can get!

Related Posts

• Join Me March 3 on Philanthropy.com: How Young Nonprofit Workers Can Get Ahead of the Competition
• Is it Time to Reset Your Life?
• 10 Ways to Become a Better Nonprofit Leader in 2009
• The Best Way to Get Ahead is to Fail