Add Spark to Your Speeches.

By dispelling the five myths of speechmaking, you can ignite your audience's interest--and respect.

It's no secret that your members' perception of you as a leader is directly related to how you come across in public. Yet if you've struggled with speaking assignments, you are not alone. Many people describe public speaking as their biggest fear. It's no surprise that association leaders, too, sometimes resist making it a priority to tackle the skills necessary to speak more effectively. In your new role as chief elected officer, however, you'll often be called upon to speak to the board, association members, and external constituency groups. So it's best to be prepared.

The good news is that with a little knowledge and practice, you can learn to speak better than many professional speakers do. And it's well worth the time and effort it takes to improve. Speaking opportunities are a powerful way to enhance your credibility with an audience. Purposeful presentations can persuade and motivate your board, members, and staff. And a dynamic speaking presence can greatly enhance your status and effectiveness as a leader.

By dispelling some of the myths about public speaking, you can overcome many of the obstacles that may hold you back from taking the platform with confidence and delivering a message that listeners hear and are inspired to act on.

Myth 1: Successful speakers have natural speaking voices. One of the most widely accepted myths of public speaking is that a speaker must perform during a speech by taking on a different persona. Nothing could be further from the truth. Average people with natural speaking voices can deliver outstanding presentations.

While it is true that you may have to make some modifications in your speaking style, don't attempt a dramatic change or try to model yourself after someone you consider a successful speaker.

The best speakers are those who connect with an audience by being themselves and speaking conversationally. You don't need to perform or put on an exhibition. Simply speak naturally to each audience member, use eye contact, smile, and target your message to make that personal connection.

I have found when working with chief elected officers that you can enhance your natural speaking style by modulating the speed and tone of your voice, pausing between sentences, using silence, and eliminating verbal distractions or fillers like "um" or "you know." Use these suggestions in combination with your own comfortable style, and stay with it.

Myth 2: Good speakers do not have a fear of speaking. Every speaker, experienced or inexperienced, feels anxiety before a presentation. Even well-known actors undergo extraordinary episodes of stage fright immediately before their first cue. These performers have learned that they must calm themselves before a presentation or the performance will suffer.

Speaking anxiety can be reduced through relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, exercise, and visualizing positive results. Remember that your presentation doesn't need to be "perfect" to be effective. Even if you forget a portion of the talk, fumble for a few moments, or ask for a moment to collect your thoughts, all is not lost. In fact, a little self-deprecating humor about your lapse can actually improve your rapport with an audience, and your presentation will still provide value.

Ask yourself before a presentation, "What's the worst that could happen?" You could trip on stage, forget a sentence, freeze, stammer, or tremble. None of these occurrences is fatal to your message.

Myth 3: You should begin your presentation with a joke to loosen up the audience. How many times have you heard a speaker begin a talk with an irrelevant joke that brings some laughter but has nothing to do with the presentation? While humor is an important component of any speech, it must have relevance to the topic under discussion. If you can weave the humorous story throughout your presentation, use it. If not, forget it.

In any case, start your presentation with a bang. Don't begin a board meeting report in a dry monotone voice. What you say in the first 30 seconds sets the tone for your presentation. You can make even the most routine presentation come to life with a little effort and ingenuity. For example, you might begin by presenting some little-known but relevant statistics to get the discussion going: "Estimates show that nearly 40 percent of individuals entering our profession in the year 2000 will be women and minorities. So how are we going to respond to this change in demographics?"

On the other hand, if you are conducting a program for an outside group that opposes your position on a subject, get those hostilities out into the open immediately. Consider starting by saying: "I understand that many of you are opposed to our position on this new legislative proposal. Let's begin by collecting your questions at the start so that I can address your concerns in the time allotted. What are your issues? I'll write them down now and answer them as I go through my talk."

By taking this proactive approach instead of launching into your discussion, you'll defuse much of the hostility in the room. This technique involves the audience immediately, allowing you to learn what is foremost on their minds rather than what you have identified as priorities. Now you have a better chance of presenting your position to a more receptive group. Plus, you gain their respect by acknowledging their issues immediately.

Myth 4: Effective speakers do not use notes.

Notes provide a tool that, if used properly, can contribute to an outstanding presentation. Skilled speakers have found ways to use notes without distracting from their message. For instance, when you use handouts at board meetings, you can annotate your speaker's copy and refer to it frequently without appearing distracted.

If you do not provide a handout, you can still use notes and make your presentation from a lectern, using those notes as your guide.

First, write out your presentation word for word as if you were planning to read your comments. Now go back and make an outline of the speech. Finally-and this is the most important action you can take--create a second outline of keywords in 18-point type that will remind you of the full concepts designated by the keywords. When you follow this three-step process, you will be amazed at how a single keyword will remind you of a point that originally filled a paragraph.

As you make your presentation from your keyword outline, you will look down for a moment and see the next keyword, and then look up immediately to move ahead. It is absolutely critical that you keep your eyes on the audience when speaking. Don't look down at your outline and speak.

Some excellent speakers are concerned that they will freeze up at the beginning of a presentation and forget the first words. To alleviate that concern, I've suggested at workshops that these speakers write Out the first sentence or two of their presentation and then use their keyword outline.

Myth 5: Excellent speakers are spontaneous.

While effective speakers may appear as though they are speaking extemporaneously, they continually rehearse their presentations. They may even memorize the entire speech, but their delivery is so smooth that the audience is unaware of the fact.

For most of us, memorization is unnecessary but practice is essential. The more familiar you become with your material, the more the words flow with passion. The more comfortable you feel with your words, the more naturally you present your speech. Good speakers practice...and practice again.

In your role as chief elected officer, you have the opportunity to influence others. Well-executed presentations persuade, motivate, and teach. Learning the techniques of effective speaking can help you take advantage of your new position.

Rob Sherman is an attorney in Columbus, Ohio, and author of Sherman's 21 Laws of Speaking: How to Inspire Others to Action, due out in February 2000, Cedar Creek Press.