Gotta Present With Little Time? Here's How To Prepare FAST!
We dread speaking publicly so much, we often avoid any preparation at all. As a result, we get up, fumble, go off on tangents, and have what can sometimes be a traumatic experience. We're relieved when it’s over, but leave feeling like we want to crawl under a rock, vowing to do whatever we can to avoid going through that ever again.
The problem is that avoiding public speaking holds you and your career trajectory back.
It holds your company back. You can’t share your ideas, you can't show confidence with clients, and you can’t lead and inspire your team. Factor in the challenges facing younger millennials and Gen Z staff who have grown up with technology that pulls them away from face to face communication, and the problem is further amplified.
So, what can you do? Incorporate the 5 X rule. Anytime you’re going to be speaking in front of anyone, speak through your content at least 5 times out loud.
Take this example: Your manager has just asked you to give a 2 minute update on a very complex project you're leading at the next all hands meeting. The meeting is in 30 minutes.
Define what's relevant to your audience. Think in 3's. In this case, maybe current state, impact, next steps.
Speak out loud using key words/concepts you've made note of (avoid reading verbatim full sentences).
Run through it out loud four more times. Clarify. Reiterate each time. Boom. You're done!
The beauty is that it doesn’t have to take all that much time. If you have a little more lead time, you can practice out loud in the shower, on the treadmill, or on the commute to work. Just pretend you’re on the phone, like everyone else walking around speaking into their AirPods. By the fifth time through, you’ll have cut away all the fat, clarified your point, AND feel more confident because you've actually had some out loud rehearsals under your belt.