When a Good Speech Goes Bad
It happens to all of us – we plan the speech of a lifetime
only to have something go wrong. Now it
feels like the failure of a lifetime. What are we to do?
The first thing to remember is that our perceptions are not
as objective as we might think – in fact they are extremely subjective. There have been numerous times when I have
made blunders and thought that the audience would never forgive me. After the speech I found out that they
completely missed the errors, or didn’t think they were that significant.
The next thought is to remember that the enemy of a ‘good
job’ is not a bad job, but an attempt at a perfect job. This is true for every aspect of our lives,
not just public speaking.
How often do we make the decision that if we can’t do
something perfectly then we’re not going to do it all. I actually think that this is why many people
avoid public speaking. They’re afraid
that they might make a small mistake in front of a lot of people. Their sub consciousnesses are busy asking how
they could possibly deal with that level of scrutiny.
The truth is that none of us are perfect. The worst ones for expecting perfection is
ourselves. Remember, our audiences
aren’t looking for perfection – they are looking to be informed, moved, or
perhaps entertained. Do a good job at
that and they will be pleased.
If something happens during a speech, don’t let it shut you
down. Don’t give up because perfection
was missed. Instead be flexible and work your presentation around it as best
you can. If your audience even notices
then they will be understanding and appreciate you for doing so.
One particular memory of a speaking competition comes to mind. Now if there is ever a time when you are
trying to hit perfection, it’s during a competition.
I was in my element – speaking with the eloquence of Winston
Churchill himself. I had my audience’s
rapt attention. As I flawlessly transitioned
from my first to second point I thought to myself, “I have this one nailed.”
That rather self-indulgent attitude lasted for about five
seconds. It was just as I began my
second point that I realized that I had forgotten something very
important. I had not addressed my
audience. By not addressing the audience
I mean that I had not said something like, “Ladies and Gentlemen”. In this case it was a Toastmasters
competition so it should have been something like, “Mr. Contest Chair, Fellow
Toastmasters and Welcome Guests.”
What was I to do? I
was way beyond the introduction. There
was no turning back now. This was a
competition, so I was aiming for perfection. One moment I thought I was achieving it, and the next I realized that I
have missed by a huge margin.
Fortunately I had the presence of mind to keep
speaking. I had practiced my speech
enough that I was able to continue while I searched for a solution. I continued speaking but still didn’t have a
solution as I transitioned from my second to my third point. I was starting to think that I might just
have to conclude the speech without solving the problem and live with the
consequences. In reality that wouldn’t
have been so bad. I had after all done a
reasonably good job of the rest of the speech.
I was concluding my third point when I suddenly realized
that I had an opportunity. Instead of
using my rehearsed transition from the third point to the conclusion I used,
“And so Mr. Contest Chair, Fellow Toastmasters and welcome guests, in
conclusion…” and then went into my conclusion.
I learned an important lesson. It wasn’t perfect, but it was good. It worked for the audience and the
judges. In discussing it after, no one
had really noticed what I had done.
In our society we get carried away with the illusion of
perfection. I believe that it’s those
who take risks and deal with the bumps along the road that really make an
impact on others. I also believe that
you’re one of those people – I know that because you are taking the time and
making the effort to conquer your fear of public speaking. Well Done! I know that your audience will be impressed as you ‘do a good job’ and
handle problems as best you can.
In upcoming issues we will examine a few specific problems
and how you can deal with them gracefully in front of an audience. ________________
What To Do When Good Humor Goes Bad
It’s a speaker’s worst nightmare (other than the fear of speaking itself for some), to tell a joke and not have the audience respond. Now this isn’t really a problem to be solved once it has happened – rather we want to change the way we present humor in order to avoid it in the first place.
One Way to Handle a Disinterested Audience
A few years ago I was asked to give a motivational speech at
a local community center. It was their
annual general meeting and the director asked me if I would speak about the
importance of community involvement. I
eagerly accepted the engagement. I composed and practiced the speech using the skills that I
have shared with you. When it came to
the presentation however, I ran right into a brick wall. During the actual presentation I discovered
that no one in the audience was interested in my speech…
What do you do if lose your place during a speech?
It is not uncommon for a speaker to lose her/his place
during a presentation. I’ve had it
happen to me a number of times. Although
it may seem like the worst thing that could possibly happen, it is actually manageable
- the key is, not to panic. That will
just cause you to have more difficulty recovering.
What if after all Your Planning, There are Still Problems?
That’s very similar to public speaking. I have never given a speech were there wasn’t
at least one problem. It was how I dealt with those problems
that made the difference to the audience’s experience.
You are granted permission to reproduce and distribute this article provided that all of it (including these notices) is included. Copyright © 2007 David Mudie All Rights Reserved Visit http://www.EffectivelySpeking.com to get your own free newsletter subscription and start overcoming your fear of public speaking. The author and publisher of the website have used their best efforts in preparing this material. The author and publisher make no representation or warranties with respect to the accuracy, applicability, fitness, or completeness of the contents of this website.
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