Does the thought of speaking in front of a crowd send you into sweats? "You can't hide behind another person," says Holly Lomheim, '94 MScSLP. "All eyes are on you." She's clinic director of the University of Alberta's Institute for Stuttering Treatment and Research. In 2011, she and her colleagues wondered if techniques they used to help clients who stutter might be useful for the general population. Here are some tips from ISTAR's public speaking workshops.
Manage expectations
"People put pressure on themselves to be this wonderful speaker," Lomheim says. Instead of worrying about whether the audience will like you, she says to focus on getting your message across clearly.
Slow down
"Speak slower than when you're having a conversation," Lomheim says. Normal speech is quicker than an audience can process. "Give people time to absorb, decode and think about what you're saying." Lengthen the vowels to decrease your rate, for example: " 'Alberta' becomes 'Aaaaaalberta.' " It helps preserve the cadence of natural speech.
Practise a lot
It's hard to be scared by something that is totally familiar. Lomheim says there's no substitute for the power of practice.
Start small
"We start with people giving presentations to one person, then two, then three, to get people more comfortable," she says. ISTAR also has a virtual reality system that allows people to practise speaking in front of virtual crowds.
Think beyond words
Consider the non-verbal side of communication, too. Everything from facial expressions to posture to eye contact can improve your performance.
For more information, email istar@ualberta.ca.
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