*Speaker Coaching

*Keynote Speaker

*Communication Skills Training

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PUBLIC SPEAKER COACHING – The individual help you need to: overcome obstacles, define your style and strengths and increase your understanding and abilities – Available worldwide in person or by audio/video review.

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KEYNOTE SPEAKER – Chris provides keynotes on a variety of topics including: “The art of engaging and informing”, “Public speaking tricks and techniques”, and “Beyond jokes: how to use humour effectively”. With over 20 yrs. experience as a comedian his keynotes are always entertaining as well as informative.

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COMMUNICATION SKILLS TRAINING: A flexible program that covers the entire spectrum of communication techniques and how to use them in different situations and with different types of people: personal interaction, speaking, the art of the meet and greet, delivering clear messages, handling stress and hostility etc.

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CHRIS IS PROUD TO BE A COMMUNICATIONS SKILLS COACH FOR THE COCA COLA OLYMPIC TORCH AND OLYMPIC SITE TEAMS FOR THE 2010 WINTER OLYMPICS IN VANCOUVER/WHISTLER

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“An amazing, positive group and a truly unique event”

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VIDEO - Keynote \”Using Humour Effectively\”

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My goal is to provide you with easy and effective methods to help you improve your public speaking style and technique and learn to use humour in a way that works with your own approach and message. Whether it’s a combination keynote and workshop at your next convention or a convenient  and productive video review we can help you make changes in yourself, your group or your workplace. Laugh Learn Lead strives to be be an interactive site  - there is a blog with advice on different aspects of public speaking and humour and we are always happy to answer any questions you may have – stay in touch!

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UPCOMING PUBLIC SPEAKING WORKSHOPS

Vancouver  - Sunday, July 25th

A full-day workshop that provides a complete examination of your own personal style of public speaking. Small class size (max.10) provides one-on-one coaching that will show you the specific factors that define you as a speaker and explain how to take control of them and make the most of your skills.

• How to overcome fear and/or shyness

• How to write a speech that suits your character

• How to find your “voice” and take control of it

• How to use humour naturally and effectively

SUNDAY, JANUARY TWENTY FOURTH – 11 A.M. – 5 P.M.           COST: $100

LOCATION: JOHN BRAITHEWAITE CENTRE – NORTH VANCOUVER

FOR DETAILS AND REGISTRATION:

TEL: 604-628-3466 E-MAIL: INFO@LAUGHLEARNLEAD.COM

Take a look around the site and if you have any questions drop me a line at info@laughlearnlead.com or call 604-628-3466

Thanks!

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It’s nigh on impossible to deliver a successful speech if people don’t understand what you are saying and are straining to hear/understand you (I invite you to picture their squinting, confused faces) In addition your crowd will certainly not be put into a mindset that is favourable to you if you put them in this position. All the effort put into mastering your subject and organizing your materials will be wasted. There are several factors that can contribute to your clarity in a presentation but I would like to focus on just one at the moment: pace.

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Speaking too quickly is a fault that is not limited to people who are feeling nervous and pressured. Even the most relaxed and confident speakers can fall into it’s trap, in fact, sometimes it is their relaxed nature that gets them into trouble. The relaxed speaker can have the habit of speaking as they would in casual conversation and social speech and presentation speech are related but they are not identical twins by any means. When you are speaking to somebody one-on-one you are very aware of the exact level of attention that you are recieving and it is generally fairly high. As a result you can still be well understood even if you speak more quickly, and in a manner that is generally more slack in it’s tones, shifts and emphasis (more on those in the next blog-post). If the same technique is employed with a large group of people the results will often be less than satisfactory because you are dealing with varying levels of attention and comprehension. Then, of course, there is the tense, speaker whose nervous energy inevitably manifests itself in a quicker pace, which in turn makes the speech that much more difficult to deliver.

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Now, I can hear you saying (at a moderate pace) “well then, I guess it’s a good idea to slow down a little”, but unfortunately that does not sum up the solution, only the idea behind it. If you know that you have a speed problem you can simply tell yourself to slow down when delivering a speech, but this probably won’t be much help. Typically what happens is that people in this situation begin at a good pace but then “forget to remember” to slow down, or lose track of where they are for a moment which increases their level of stress and speeds them up. When their pace starts picking up they notice the increase and that is, in itself, stressfull, which causes them to speed up and the ugly cycle continues it’s merry spin.

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The problem lies in the fact that “slowing down” is just an idea and people need something more tangible and immediate to help them. If there was a screen in front of you that had your words per minute rate on it, that would be likely do the trick but I don’t foresee the installation of such screens in conference rooms any time soon. Fortunately there is an internal method that you can use that is even more effective and far more portable. The trick is to enunciate just a little bit more than you do in casual speech – it’s that easy. Now, this has to be done within limits. You don’t want to sound like Captain Picard at every meeting. What makes enunciation different from simply telling yourself to slow down is the fact that enunciation is something that you can actually feel: it is physical. The way you shape and move your mouth is altered when you enunciate. Your mouth can set itself to work in a specific way and your mind knows exactly what this way is through physical memory.

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Try it the next time you speak. Just give a pinch more enuciation as you go through your speech and you will see how it slows your pace. In fact try it right now……try at this very moment to say this sentence really quickly and with profound enunciation….. I think you will see (and hear) my point; your pace is naturally slowed. The obvious benefit that occurs along with the slackening of pace is the fact that you are actually saying each word more clearly when you enunciate, so ironically, if you want to speak more clearly you should speak more clearly. Have I made myself clear?

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http://twitter.com/chrismolineux

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Much of the coaching I do involves helping people to learn skills and techniques to help them improve as public speakers but sometimes it happens that unlearning things shows itself to be more of a challenge than learning them. Let me explain.

There are a vast array of products and services available to people who wish to improve their public speaking ability and many of them are very good – I offer a heartfelt thanks to all those people who provide them. Much of what is available, however, is limited, misguided or flat-out bad. The main complaint I have to lodge is that these products and services create a style of presentation that while, efficient and practical, is ultimately empty and inhuman; a kind of “success-speak”. This style of speaking lies somewhere between a radio dj and the stereotype of a used-car salesperson. These people know how to engage a crowd, how to put their points across and are frequently successful in business as a result. The question you might well ask is, “if it works, why do you have a problem with it?”

Alright, let’s cut right to the chase. I do not coach people to help them earn more money, I coach them to give them a better understanding of what factors define the way they put together ideas and express them and then help them to take control of those factors and become better communicators. If they choose to use this power of expression to earn more money, which they certainly can, that’s fine, if not, that’s fine too. There are many other avenues they could explore relating to their creative aspirations and personal life as well. In fact, it may just be that by becoming a better communicator you will finally have the ability to express the fact that you truly hate the life that you live with your high paying job.

Going back to my original point of “unlearning”; I find it is often far more difficult to get people to drop the robotic “success-speak” habits than to teach them new information. A good rule to remember for most situations is to make sure that your speaking style is not that different from the way you would speak privately to good friends, not in content, but in tone and sincerity. We have enough technology to master in our lives without turning ourselves into robots, so down with “success-speak” and up with the expressive person you really are.

http://twitter.com/chrismolineux

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One of the greatest gifts that a speaker can possess is to be themselves; to speak in their own voice without being burdened by a constructed or artificial style. For some people this comes naturally, for others it takes time to define and learn to control the factors that define how the construct and deliver a speech. One interesting problem that I sometimes see is people who are comfortable and relaxed when they speak but so much so, it has actually created problems for them. What I’d like to do is briefly examine some of the advantages and disadvantages of using a casual style when public speaking.

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THE ADVANTAGES:

The advantages of a casual style of speaking are fairly well documented and many people spend a great deal of time trying to perfect this approach.

A casual style:

1 - shows that you are comfortable and relaxed and puts your audience at ease.

2 - allows you to communicate in a genuine manner

3 - can help to diffuse tension and/or discontent in your audience

4 - means that the crowd feels as though they are listening to a real person and not just a factoid pitchperson

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THE DISADVANTAGES:

The disadvantages vary from person to person depending on how they demonstrate a “casual” style but here are just a few possible pitfalls.

A casual style:

1 - can often be delivered in a manner of speech that’s slightly faster and looser – and therefore content and emphasis can be lost.

2 - often ignores important devices that can be used to make your point – (eg: repetition, lists etc.)

3 - can cause you to lose your sense of authority. While you seldom want to push a crowd around, you do want to put across that you are an authority on your subject.

4 - can lead people to misinterpret your opinions or emotions. Sometimes people will see a casual attitude as one belonging to someone who does not really care about their topic.

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In the end it is important to remember that while your audience does want to see “the real you” they also want to hear a well delivered speech so there is far more too it than just settling in and getting comfortable. Getting the full benefit from a more casual approach can only be achieved if you are meeting the broader objectives of your presentation so bear them in mind and try to maintain the best balance possible.

Thanks – let me know if you have any questions and …. stay loose,

Christopher

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End your fear of public speaking – part 3 – memory

Memorizing your material is one of those obstacles that simply cannot be avoided without actually reading it directly from the page or screen, but there are ways of making the process a little easier. How easy or difficult a speech is to remember often has a great deal to do with the methods that have been used to put it together. As was mentioned in the previous blog   -

“End your fear of public speaking – Part 2 – “Tricks”

determining and using the connections to the material that you have and the style that fits you best will help you to recall things more easily. In particular the use of the experiential is a tool of memory – telling stories and relating characters. People who have greater difficulty with memory-work are well advised to lean on this style of speaking because it involves recollection rather than remembering. You are not learning something new, you are merely relating something that you aleady know and have simply put into a specific context to make the points you need to make. I have done quite a bit of work with people with different cognitive impairments including ADHD (ADD) who have struggled with memory work, especially in a logical framework, but can tell stories with great ease.

Aside from this stylistic angle there are some specific tactics that you can employ that can be very helpful:

1 – Audio recordings

Recording yourself practicing a speech and then listening to the recording is also an effective aid to memory. The recording is remembered in a completely different way than the written words and this will also give a sense of which words and phrases are most effective, how your voice sounds, and if your points are being made clearly. Digital audio recorders are readily available, small, cheap and easy to use, take advantage of them. Once you have the recorder you can then use it to record the speeches that you make which is useful to continue to improve the speech and sharpen your skills in general.

2: Conversation

You can also take parts of your speech out for a walk before you actually deliver the speech, meaning, try to weave some of it into some kind of conversation. I realize that this isn’t always possible if you deal with highly technical subjects and such, but often it is possible and you should try it. It helps to get you more comfortable speaking on the subject, delivering specific lines/ideas and also gives you some insight into how they might be received. This will help to give your speech a more natural and less “written” style and there is also the additional benefit of hearing other peoples opinions of the topic –  you may even get some new phrases or ideas from them.

3: Reference card

Having a full copy of your speech is a good idea for most people but trying to actually remember it word for word can be torture. It’s a good idea to become really familiar with the speech as a whole and then get a cue card and write down a list of the main points in the correct order. If you can memorize that list then even if you lose your way and forget a sentence or two you will never actually be lost, and it’s not that hard to remember a list of a dozen or so words. If you want you can write the “bow tie” that was discussed in the previous blog down on a second card. These two cards have all the most important information – you can carry them in your back pocket and refresh your memory at any time.

I hope you find these tips helpful – please let me know if you have any questions and, while we are on the subject of memory, please don’t forget that I am always happy to shop up and do keynotes/workshops for your event and I can do coaching for anyone,anywhere by reviewing your video footage and script(s)

www.laughlearnlead.com

http://twitter.com/chrismolineux

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End your fear of public speaking – Part 2 – “Tricks”

In the last blog I covered some of the things to consider before you even start writing your speech – things that will help you to determine how to write a speech that will really suit your own style and personality and…..be easy to remember. One thing that was covered was the fact that it is important to define the points that you need to make – I’d now like to move on to a few simple tricks that you can use when you are actually writing a speech that will help make those points clearer, stronger and yes…. easier to remember. The idea is to make a speech that you really connect with so you have greater confidence in it, can deliver it with conviction and can retain and relate it with ease.

It is interesting to note that I use the term “easy to remember”. There is single word that can be used instead of a phrase: memorable, but memorable seems to have a different connotation that “easy to remember”. Memorable seems to refer to the point of view of the listener while easy to remember refers to the person delivering the speech. There is a value to be gained from the association between the two. While a speech that is easy to remember may not necessarily be memorable, a memorable speech is usually easy to remember and if you design your speech to be memorable you’ll have an easier time remembering it. It’s a win in two directions.

Trick #1 – Points and Themes

While this may sound like basic structure rather than a trick but the trick lies in not in the use but the emphasis – pay real attention to the points and themes in your speech and then push them when you are actually delivering the speech. At all times your audience is asking, consciously or sub-consciously “what’s your point?” So make sure you always let them know what your point is. If you are giving out a long list of facts, or telling a long story, tell them why. A theme is basically a substructure that can contain one or many points. Some types of themes include:

a) Analogies – great for providing clarity and a fresh perspective

b) Stories – good for engaging crowds and giving context

c) Referring to characters – not for everybody, but this can be very effective

d) Catch-phrases – a perennial favourite for good reason

e) Summarized ideas – e.g.: things run in cycles

Trick #2 Repetition

At first it might seem like repetition is something you should avoid in a speech. You don’t want to sound like you are just repeating yourself over and over, or appear as though you forgot that you just said the same thing a moment ago. Repetition, when it’s used deliberately can be very useful. Think of some of the most famous speeches in history, most of them relied heavily on repetition.

“ We will fight them on the beaches, we will fight them with growing strength and growing confidence in the air, we will fight them in the fields and in the hills ……”

Identify some of the places in your speech that really deserve emphasis and then determine which word or phrase to repeat. Sometimes you can go one step further with this and use trick #3.

Trick #3 Catch-phrases and monikers

Aside from providing structure for themes catch phrases are great things to use in general. They stick in peoples minds, lend themselves to repetition and can also provide a pinch of humour every now and then. You don’t have to be any great wordsmith to come up with a catch phrase, don’t be afraid to use something that’s well known, (use it or lose it, let sleeping dogs lie etc.) the cliché is permissible when used as a catch phrase to put a point across and if you have followed the advice in the previous blog you will have a genuine connection with your material which is the most important thing. Having said that, if you can create something really original, even better… go for it. A moniker similar to a catch phrase but is a substitute name for something. You might not use the word moniker but you use monikers – “the head honcho” is a moniker. A good moniker can be memorable and also sum up the essence of something

Trick #4 – The Bow-tie

The bow-tie refers to the summary that occurs at the end of a speech that brings together all the main points that you want to leave your audience with. It should be more than just a summary though. Really pay attention and put some extra effort into crafting this section because it will serve not only as a reminder to your audience of all your main points but also as a reminder to you. When you are practising your speech make specific reference to really remembering this section because if you have that solidly in your mind you can always refer to it and it will connect you with all the most important parts of your speech. A good bow-tie is also advisable because it gives some polish to a speech and can make you look like a real pro – at the crucial point, right at the end.

These are just a few ideas to take note of. They may just sound like common sense but pay attention to them and they will pay real dividends providing you with a presentation that is both memorable and….. easy to remember.

www.laughlearnlead.com

http://twitter.com/chrismolineux

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End your fear of public speaking – part 1

I had quite a bit of interest in my blogpost “The imaginary fear of public speaking” where I addressed the subject in a general way.I would now like to start a series that covers some practical solutions to this all too common concern.

One of the greatest fears that people have regarding speaking in public is forgetting what they are going to say. To be standing up in front of a group of people and not having a clue what the next word, the next sentence, the next idea, is supposed to be. Just standing there silent and frozen …… nobody wants that. The standard method people have to deal with this is to write their script and then try desperately to remember it word for word. This process is often a real trial and made all the more difficult by not considering certain aspects of the way that the speech has been put together. There a few simple strategies that will help you produce a speech that is easier to remember and truer to your own personality and views.

There are two sources of knowledge that you can draw on to ensure that you are never lost in the middle of a speech: knowledge of the material and knowledge of the script.

While I can’t teach you how to improve the knowledge of your material I can point out that understanding the nature of your knowledge of the material will help you with the process of writing and delivery. The first step of this process is all about defining your connection with the material. Some people are fortunate enough to speak about subjects that feel truly passionate about, but not all of us are that lucky. Quite often we find ourselves speaking about dry subjects that we are sick of hearing about ourselves. To a certain degree it’s unavoidable, but you can make the best of a bad situation.

Start of by clearly defining the exact information that must be put across and the exact message(s) that this information is intended to convey. Strip it down to the essentials and if you are still information heavy, consider transferring some of the details to powerpoint or printed material that your audience has at their table. Once this is done you should then think about the connection(s) that you have with the material at hand.

a) Is there an underlying idea or concept behind the information that you can point out, sum up or even attach a catchphrase to? If so, write it down and then harness that potential in your speech. Repetition of main points and the use of monikers and catch-phrases make material more memorable to both you and your audience.

b) Are there aspects of it that you feel more strongly about? Even the driest subjects usually involve some emotional content, even if it is just feeling passionate about an idea or technology involved. Some people communicate very well by drawing on their emotional attachments to a subject, if you feel you are one of those people then summarize your emotional attachment to the material and bear it in mind while you are writing your presentation.

c) Have you had experiences that relate to the ideas and subjects at hand? If so, consider using them. People have a natural tendency to organize a speech with a purely logical framework: get the information/ideas – explain them logically to the audience. The problem with this is, that not all people communicate most effectively in a logical framework. Some people relate things well through experience which can involve telling stories, or referring to characters. When relating stories, make sure to be careful to stay very close to the point you are trying to make – is it relevant or is it gone – but consider the use of stories/experiences. Think about whether you like relate to things through stories when talking to friends, if you do, then consider how to use this in your presentations. Define your strengths and work with them.

These is just a rough outline of a few beginning steps – I will be back with more on the blog soon, and I am always more than happy to work with individuals or groups in greater detail – stay in touch and …. thanks!

www.laughlearnlead.com

http://twitter.com/chrismolineux

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On January 20, 2009 1.8 million people gathered on the US Capitol grounds, the National Mall, and the parade route in Washington D.C. for the inauguration of the 44th president of the United States, Barack Obama. Nearly 38 million Americans watched inauguration coverage on television, the most popular Inauguration Day on TV since Ronald Reagan took office in 1981 which drew 41.8 million viewers. In describing the event beforehand, the media likely used the word “historic” more times than at any other point in American history since the moon landing in 1969. The centerpiece of the proceedings was the inauguration speech, and this article is written in specific reference to this speech, rather than about the speaking style and technique used by President Obama in a more general sense.

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In the days following the inauguration, there was much discussion about the event and about the speech in particular. One comment I saw that referenced the speech was on a social networking site and was responding to a small business owners question about how to improve his public speaking skills. The comment recommended that the person should watch and learn from President Obama’s speech because that was great public speaking. At first glance, this may sound like good advice, but on closer examination it is of little use to someone who has to address small business groups. President Obama’s speech was made by a specific man, for a specific crowd on a specific occasion and to use that particular speech as a model for all one’s own speeches would lead to both tragic and comic results.

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To make the point at a simple and ridiculous level I could say that just because President Obama wore an overcoat for his speech, doesn’t mean that you should wear one for yours. This (joking aside) would actually be a valid piece of advice. What can be learned from this approach, however, goes far beyond such a trite example and because this particular speech is so well known, it provides a framework to put forward some valuable points to a large number of people. When coaching people in public speaking, it is important to emphasize that, though modeling other people can be effective, one cannot rely on any one style or system. Instead, it is more important to have a thorough understanding of one’s own style and abilities, combined with knowledge of the material in question, the points that need to be made, the nature of the crowd, and the environment they are in. Technically, I suppose, these are illustrations rather than reasons, but the title “Five aspects of the inauguration speech that illustrate why most people shouldn’t speak in the majority of situations the way Barack Obama did in this one speech ” seemed a bit wordy. At this point I shall be examining the specific style and techniques employed by President Obama in his inauguration speech and by doing so I will, hopefully, shine some light on how to make the most of your own speeches.

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1 – Don’t stand behind a wall, a bullet-proof barrier and a lectern.

A speech is about far more than just speaking; movement and body language can help to transmit a great deal of mood and information to your audience. While it is not very often that we have to deal with the first two items in question, the third is not uncommon. A lectern is not without its place; they can be most effective in providing a more serious air to a speech and are quite handy for a script or notes but the majority of presentation situations require a more comfortable and communicative face. It is preferable to be seen from head to toe and, of course, to learn how to express yourself effectively through gesture and movement. While there are some basic do’s and don’ts, each person has their own style of movement. Some people can move around and gesture a tremendous amount and look very comfortable, while others would look horribly nervous doing exactly the same thing. Find out what factors define your own style of movement and learn how to use them to their greatest advantage.

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2 – Smile at least once every twenty minutes.

Unless you are at an event that demands an extremely subdued mood, there is no reason to turn your speech into the dour hour. In moderation, smiling helps to put people at ease and creates a more positive mood. How broadly and how often you should smile depends on a number of factors but certainly it is important to consider your subject and your crowd and take into account your own appearance. Some people have a naturally happy look and others possess a natural severity. If you have a face that seems to smile all the time, you don’t have to reinforce it by smiling a great deal and, conversely, making a real effort may be very helpful to someone with a more sour countenance.

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3 – Don’t write a speech with constant historical references.

When you are making a business presentation your audience wants to know what has just happened, what is happening now, and what could happen in the near future. While some background can be useful to provide context, boost morale, or illustrate a point, talking too much about the civil war will just make you look as though you are ignoring what is important. In this regard, also be mindful of the make-up of your audience. As a general rule, the older the crowd, the more they will relate to the referencing of the past and a younger crowd tends to be more interested in hearing about the future.

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4 – Make eye contact with at least one person in the audience.

Eye contact is a powerful thing. While people tend not to like being stared at, they do appreciate, during a speech, an occasional look to give them the feeling that they are being included. To stare outward in the direction of the crowd, but not actually make contact with any one single person will only work against you. Eye contact can also be used in very specific ways during a presentation. If, for example, you have one table or group that is not paying attention, make solid eye contact with one member of the group; consciously or subconsciously this will help to focus all of them. Eye contact should seem natural and not in a pattern or on a schedule and with some people, it can be balanced with a “thoughtful” absence of eye contact which effectively brings people in.

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5 – Don’t try to stir emotions and then pause for applause too often.

In small weekly boardroom meetings it’s probably best not to do it at all. Taking oneself too seriously is a quick route to looking foolish and structuring a speech that assumes too great an importance to its statements, especially in front of an audience that is either too small or too casual for it to be appropriate will rob you of all credibility. Humility can be a valuable tool, and genuine consideration of opposing viewpoints can help to give clarity to your point and silence the critics who may be present. To stand rigidly with your chin up and your face stern repeatedly making grand pronouncements is something that should be done only with the greatest of care. For some people, dignity and command are fundamental aspects of the character they always present, for the rest of us, much better to work well with the tools with which we have been provided.

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I hope that you have found some valuable information in this little list and are able to put it to good use when making presentations in the future. Defining and refining your own style and technique in public speaking is an involved endeavour but with continued observations and efforts it can definitely be done … best of luck!

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http://twitter.com/chrismolineux

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