Discover the secrets of great Public Speaking with Luke Hannan
Anxiety and stress can severely impair your ability to think clearly. When you’re feeling anxious or stressed, your mind can go blank, and you may struggle to articulate your thoughts. Practice box breathing, a technique used by Elite warriors, sports professionals and great speakers, to reduce anxiety and enhance focus. This simple yet powerful technique involves inhaling for four counts, holding for four counts, exhaling for four counts, and holding again for four counts.
Develop Deeper Knowledge
Building a deep understanding of your subject area is crucial for thinking and speaking quickly. When you understand the underlying concepts and principles, you can respond to questions and engage in conversations with confidence. To build this understanding, read books, articles, and online resources. Familiarize yourself with critical concepts, frameworks, and terminology.
Simplify Complex Ideas
Using structured frameworks can help you convey complex ideas clearly and quickly. One effective framework is the 3-2-1 method: three steps, two types, and one thing. This framework helps you break down complex information into digestible parts. For example, when someone asks a loaded question, you can quickly decide to share three steps to address their query, two types of solutions, or focus on one key takeaway.
Breathe to Speak
Proper breath control is essential for speaking quickly and clearly. When you’re speaking, you need to take deep breaths and control the release of air. Practice taking deep breaths and producing a prolonged “S” sound until you run out of air. This exercise helps you gauge the right amount of air to expel while speaking.
Find Your Flow
Measuring your speaking rate can help you identify areas for improvement. Read a 300-word story aloud, timing yourself for one minute. Count how many words you managed to read and calculate your words per minute. Aim to increase your speed incrementally, focusing on clarity and comprehension.
Loosen Up Your Lips
Tongue twisters are a fun and effective way to improve your speech mechanics. Practice reading tongue twisters five times in succession, increasing your speed with each attempt. This exercise helps you develop muscle strength in your lips and tongue, enabling you to speak more quickly and clearly.
Practice, Practice, Practice
Start with short exercises and gradually increase the duration and difficulty as you become more comfortable. You can also incorporate these skills into your daily activities, such as speaking more quickly during conversations or trying to summarize complex information in a concise manner.
By incorporating these practical public speaking training tips into your daily routine, you can improve your ability to think and speak faster, communicate more effectively, and achieve your goals. Remember to practice regularly and focus on clarity, comprehension, and confidence.
About the Author
Luke Hannan is one of Australia’s most Experienced, Energetic and Engaging Professional Conference and Event MCs who truly understands what it takes to keep the atmosphere electric.
He is a renowned Communications Coach and shares the wisdom from over 500 live and virtual events in his bespoke, In-Person and Online Self-Paced Communications Masterclasses and Public speaking Training courses. These help companies, teams, and Individuals to unlock their inner voice, connect with audiences & speak with confidence.
Across his career Luke has partnered with clients such as Westpac, Google, IBM, BUPA, CPA Australia, Dell, Oracle, SAP and Citrix to deliver over 500 seamless live and virtual events spanning Financial Services, Marketing, Health, Government, Construction, Mining and Sport.
Luke has an MBA from the University of Technology Sydney plus held Senior Project and Risk Positions in a Banking & Finance Career spanning more than 20 years. He travels from Sydney where he lives with his Wife and 3 Children and loves Trail Running, Playing the Piano, and Motorsport.
