TechSpeakers/Tips

Tips on Giving Feedback

• Focus on what to do, not what not to do. Find a replacement behavior.
• Agree on feedback guidelines for your group!
• You can only talk about yourself/your own experience, don't judge others' experience.
• Give examples of positive feedback

Tips for Things to Listen/Watch for in Your Speaking

• Listen for strength of the bottom lines
• Listen for breaks/distinction in the modules
• Listen for the pacing and speed of your speech.
• Volume: quiet vs loud -- modulate your volume to reflect the intent of your words.
• Facial expression - does subject match tone delivery? Congruence!
• Body language/posture/hand gestures - this comes with recording - capture whole body/or back up the camera.
• Purposefulness of what the presenter is doing - notice it in yourself.
• How to replace um/uh? - "Just stop" only works when you are self-aware!

Tips for Breaking a Tough Habit

• Listen for your ums and uhs, or any other idiosyncratic fillers, build the awareness and you will self-regulate!
• If you don't hear them, try this: Speak so slow, that there's room to hear what's going on.
• Everytime you say an um put your finger in the air. Physical acknowledgement happens!

Tips for Communicating Through Your Content

• Watch out for use of metaphor - does it help get the point across? Is it cross-culturally understood?

FAQ

• How do I make a better bottom line?
• Can I have some tips on starting strong?
• How should I do Intros and Outros?
• How can I create Drama!
• In story telling, how far is too far?
• What are some good ways to set up a demo?
• What to do when I get lost half way through?
• I'm nervous, now what?
• Where can I find better visuals, and how should I use them?
• I keep having the same vocal problems and people can't understand me or are distracted. How can I break through?
  • Extreme over-enunciation - Focus on each individual sound coming out of your mouth. Repeat this a bunch of times.
  • Super Slow Down - When practicing, try speaking extremely slowly. No really, slower. Slowwwwwwerrrrrrrr.
  • Say Less - If you say less, more gets through. It forces you to get to the heart of the content.