Talk tips in Packrat

I gave a presentation yesterday and am here to tell you what not to do! haha Seriously, I’ve done only two presentations after being so sick a few years ago, and both were this year. While I still remember things, my brain seems to need a warming up period, and I have to reach a bit more back into my brain to find what I want to say, and sometimes I don’t remember while I’m giving my talk but I kick myself over what I forgot when I realize I forgot something.

1) You know what you want to say, so you know what you forget. No one else is privy to what’s in your head, so they don’t know that anything is left out.

2) What worked before may not be as effective now, so change accordingly. I used to give talks frequently and never needed index cards or notes. Once I made out a series of index cards and placed them on the podium, not to look at them again at any other time except when I threw them away.

Now I need the prompting. I always “wing it”; now I should prepare, going over an outline and/or preparing one for use in my presentation.

Depending on the type of talk, you could incorporate your prompt in your presentation. When I participated in a Chautauqua one of the other presenters, who portrays historical figures and gives presentations for a living, said he still gets nervous. He portrays Thomas Jefferson most of all and always carries a book when presenting. The book fits the character, but in it he keeps his notes, and it fits in the presentation for Thomas Jefferson to read from a book.

Another presenter who also does this for a living said portraying an historical figure is “edutainment” - education and entertainment. His trick is to have a glass of water on stage with him so he can pause for a drink, thereby allowing himself a few seconds to think about what next to say.

3) Breathe. I tend to talk too fast, especially in a presentation; it’s as if I’m trying to get ALL subject matter out at the same time. It’s been worse in the last two presentations because I’m afraid I’ll forget. One, I’m not in any hurry so should adopt a steady pace. Two. how long can the average person talk without breathing and having the lack of oxygen take effect?

Yesterday I did a lot of coughing and my voice trembled, all because I wasn’t allowing myself to breathe or talk more slowly.

4) You’re your own worst judge. I felt I failed miserably, but several people complimented me and thanked me, both in person and through emails. My brother told my mother I did a good job and that even more people had commented to him that they liked my presentation; he also felt satisfied that I brought up what cooks do in traditional ceremonies, that I’d been “a hammer”. He didn’t tell me any of that, but it’s good to know.

If you feel you could improve, identify your weak spots and work on those. Mine is memory; I’ll use cards. I’ll practice. The glass of water presenter taped his presentations so he could learn from them. (He taped one for me, but I can’t bear to see it, although my mom loves it. I’m her kid, even at 51.) The coyote was a champion dancer; he taped himself and others in his category to improve.

5) Have fun. You’re there because you have something to share.

I remind myself that I have Irish blood and that I don’t need to kiss any stone to be fluent in blarney! :)

Last updated November 25, 2014