I own this book and took these notes to further my own learning. Taking notes, publishing them and re-reading them allow me to flatten my forgetting curve. If you enjoy these notes, I highly encourage you to do the same, buy this book here and take your own notes.
- Confidence: explanation and manifestations
- A confident speaker is passionate and warmth
- Passion comes from enthusiasm and words used (“benefits”, “outcomes”, “change”,… move audience). Include adjectives to further excite and motivate. Before a talk reflect what excites you in the project, remind yourself of your motivation to be excited before the presentation. But also think about how your audience will benefit from your talk.
- Warmth comes from empathy and inclusivity (“like you, I once…")
- However, to display this confidence you need to understand anxiety issues you may have first:
- 1st job is to know the anxiety: 1) before speaking 2) the first minute on speaking, 3) the last minute of speaking. Choking, sweating, heart rate increase…. Body sensations that occur also when learning an amazing good new (you win 1million)
- 2nd job is how to solve this: 1) recognize that this sensation is a normal and typical response of your body 2) see the presentation as exciting: say out loud that you are excited by it, identify the exciting possible outcomes, visualize yourself being excited about the presentation starting 1 day or 2 before speaking. 3) use a trick to calm your body: reduce your core body pressure by holding something cold. Secretly squeeze your thumb and pointed finger together in your non-gesture hand to give your nervous energy a place to go
- What is behind fear? Context-based (front of 100 people)? Audience based (your boss)? Goal-based (speaking promotion/salary)?
- Anxiety sources and solutions
- BEHAVIORAL THEORY: you are nervous because you think you don’t have the skills to present. SOLUTION: learn books, attend PS classes, toastmasters, watch videos of good speakers. Learn how to breathe with your hand on your chest. For the presentation dress in an appropriate manner, consider the expectation of your audience, being comfortable and feeling awesome. Have your first words prepared: “thank you for inviting me”, “I'm really excited to be here at…”
- LEARNING THEORY: Pavlov effect associated with PS. SOLUTION: 2-3 days before the presentation imagine yourself waking up, feeling fresh, good, …. Everything works perfectly, you gave an amazing presentation, people laugh and understand you, …. Etc. Repeat this over the 3 days. At the end of a presentation, take note and document your success. Even for bad presentation try to find at least 2 contextual positive elements (good breakfast, etc.)
- BIOLOGICAL THEORY: hormones and chemicals that create and exacerbate our anxiety reaction. SOLUTION: Oxytocin + adrenaline/cortisol can reduce these chemicals. Shake hands before a presentation and act courageously just before presenting (volunteer to present first, ask a question of the previous speaker, introduce the speaker who presents before you.
- COGNITIVE THEORY: 1) Reframe the situation as a conversation. Use You, mention names of some of the people around, train yourself at dinner with friends. 2) Fight the negative self-talks: they often end as a self-fulfilling prophecy. Reverse this, and replace negative by positive affirmations ( I will teach them something, everything will be fine, enthusiasm, they are willing to listen to me and they want me to perform well…). Optimism reduces anxiety. 3) Take it rationally: write down all the fears that you have, what are the worst things that could happen, what is the likelihood of it…. I'll embarrass myself self and the audience will feel awkward, there is a 10% chance that I will forget my speech….
- EVOLUTIONARY THEORY: Try to focus on the present just before talking and not what will happen in the future with activities like the push-up, Tetris game, counting backward, tongue twisters, read, listen to music or something funny
- What does anxiety look like?
- SOLUTION= fake it until you make it
- Lack of eye contact = look at the spot in the middle of people's eyebrows
- Lack of hands gesture = stand tall, occupy space (it will release testosterone and less cortisol), move when doing a transition in your presentation(add variety to express a change), extend your arm like when shaking someone's hand, start by practicing descriptive gesture and then go with an empathic gesture
- Voice and Pacing problems = use emotive words (exciting, valuable, challenging), train your stamina, read out loud for 15 minutes (children book for more emotive words), use your phone and an APP during a presentation to record in live your tone and adapt it. Replace “I think” by I “believe/know”, “sort/kind of” by “one way”
- Observe good speakers and note their use of eye contact, their stance, movement, voice, and gestures
- Audience focus and connection
- It's never about what you want to say. Ask what my audience needs to know about this topic? How can I ensure they get the information that THEY need?
- Audience connecting technics: “with a show of your hands, how many of you….", “which side of my slides best represents your experience?". Ask the audience to visualize a situation or an outcome “Imagine what it would be if…". Reframe information as a question: “we saved $1M…” = “How did we save $1M…". Use Analogies.
- A GOOD COMMENCING: 1) foster focus (Interesting fact or state. A joke. Begin with a quote. Anecdote or story) 2) reveals relevance (So what ? Why should I care as an audience member) 3) clarifies your credibility 4) explains what can be expected (Reveal both plan + the tone of your presentation (“I'm really excited…"))
- Stand tall, step forward with your hand extended away from your body
- Structure and story
- Eat like before a sports competition, be fit and sleep well
- Learning your content in chunks. Studies showed better memorization when learning in multiple blocks (create your learning plan 3-4 days before your presentation)
- What to do when blank out? Focus on what you've said. Give a summary of your last content to remember what follows.
- Meaningful structure to your presentation will set you free: 1) Past present future (process idea) 2) Comparison contrast conclusion ((advantage of your position) 3) cause-effect results (the logic of your position) 4) problem solution benefits (influence other to support your idea) 5) what soWhat nowWhat (explaining an idea and relevance to the audience)
- Behaviors to avoid
- Procrastination: hack your procrastination by having incentives as a reward for achieving each of your milestones plans
- Practice, practice, practice: record yourself at least once
- PwP = avoid it
- Create your own PS plan
- CALM: Converse with the audience, affirm abilities, look confident, mindful focus
- BRAVE: Be present-oriented, rationally confront your speaking fear, address what your audience needs to know, visualize a successful presentation experience, Exercise
- Etc.
- QA
- ADD = Answer the question, Details a specific example, Describe the benefit explaining why the answer is relevant