Taking Stage to Give a Speech Doesn’t Have to Be Frightening

TEC Worldwide is an international organization of more than 7,000 business owners, company presidents and CEOs. TEC members meet in small peer groups to share their business experiences and help one another solve problems. The following questions and answers are based on recent TEC meetings in Southern California.

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Q I’ve been asked to be a keynote speaker at an industry association convention, and I’m petrified. I have no trouble addressing small groups, but this time I’ll be on stage in front of nearly a thousand people. What can I do to quell my nerves and sound like I know what I’m doing?

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A Going on stage in front of very large groups can be unnerving, even for those who normally feel comfortable speaking in public. To enhance your stage presence, says Jonathan Gordon, president of Jonathan Gordon & Associates in Oceanside, Calif., take a few tips from the pros: Stand tall with your weight evenly balanced on both legs. Correct posture gives you more energy and presence and projects an aura of confidence.

Make eye contact with the audience. Focus on one person for three to five seconds at a time and then move on to someone else. Avoid letting your eyes drift to the ceiling or roam around the room.

Move with purpose. Purposeful movement creates energy and holds the attention of your audience. Look first, then move to the target listener. Never wander around the stage. Use descriptive gestures to illustrate what you are talking about. When not gesturing, allow your arms to rest at your side.

Smile. A warm, friendly smile establishes an immediate connection with your audience. It also conveys your enthusiasm and passion for the topic.

It helps to arrive early and check out the situation in advance. Will you be standing behind a lectern or have freedom to move around the stage? Will you have a lapel mike, a hand-held mike with a cord or a fixed mike attached to a lectern? Will you exit immediately after your presentation or will you be expected to field questions from the audience? If possible, practice using the sound system before the program begins.

To get rid of the butterflies, warm up your voice before you go on. Take slow, deep breaths to relax the mind and body. Avoid ice-cold drinks (they tighten the vocal cords) and large amounts of caffeine (it can make you jittery). Mentally rehearse your opening and remember that the audience is on your side. Above all, relax and be yourself. Never try to imitate someone else’s presentation style.

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Q In the five years since I founded my company, I have never been away from the business for more than a few days at a time. My first child is due in August, and I want to take at least three months’ maternity leave to care for my baby. Obviously, I don’t intend to cut off all contact, but I don’t want to be running into the office every day to put out fires. Any suggestions?

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A As the ranks of female entrepreneurs continue to grow, your situation is becoming increasingly common. When motherhood and the demands of running a company go head to head, something usually has to give, at least for the first few months.

Those who have gone before you report that their ability to care for and bond with their newborns is directly proportional to their level of trust and confidence in their management teams. So anything you can do to strengthen your management team’s ability to run the company will allow you to rest that much easier at night--at least as much as your child will allow.

If you believe that your managers can do the job with occasional input from you, then it becomes a matter of working out communications and expectations. First determine the method by which you and your management team will communicate with each other. This can include written reports, e-mail, faxes, phone calls and on-site visits from you.

Be very specific with each key manager about when, where, how and how much information you want to receive regarding that person’s particular function or area. Test your communication process before you go on leave to make sure it meets your expectations.

Next, define what kinds of issues the management team members should bring to you and which ones you expect them to handle on their own. In particular, be very clear regarding what constitutes an emergency and what does not need your immediate attention.

Set up a time once a week when you can talk (by phone or in person) about important but nonemergency situations. If you’re not using key indicators to keep tabs on the company’s performance, now’s a good time to start. Work with each senior manager or department head to come up with three to five performance measurements. When you go on leave, have each manager deliver a one-page key-indicator report at the end of each week.

Inform all constituents who might be affected by your leave--bankers, accountants, key customers and vendors, etc.--how long you will be gone and how the company will be run in your absence.

Avoid any major changes--such as launching a store or hiring a senior-level manager--just before your departure. This is not the time to shake up the status quo.

Finally, start making arrangements for day care as soon as your child arrives. The last thing you want when you return to work is the constant distraction of worrying about your child-care situation.

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If there is a business issue you would like addressed in this column, contact TEC at (800) 274-2367, Ext. 3177. To learn more about TEC, visit https://www.teconline.com.