Speaker Savvy By Linda Talley

Take Away

I Can See What You’re Not Saying

Before they take the stage, your organization’s leaders might benefit from some pointers on conveying the right non-verbal messages

Thepresidentofyour organization isgiving the opening remarks at your annual meeting, and you know he is not a good presenter. He fidgets, says “um”too often, and is glued to the lectern during his entire speech.Agreat leader, yes.Agreat speak- er, no. This year’s convention is tight in terms of budget and attendance.You want tomakecertain that your president delivers a strongmessage. His script can be prepared and polished. But

what aboutwhat he doesn’t say?Youmightbe sur- prised byhowmuchthe audience picksupfromhis body language. When speakers give a mixed message—the

mouth saying one thing and the body saying another — the audience will usually call into question the words, while believing the body lan- guage. The problemis that usually the speaker isn’t

ing breaths, your speaker will be pausing enough to give the audience time to absorb the information. 2.Handsoff—This includes fidgeting with ties,

jackets, rings, buttons, cufflinks, jewelry, or hair, and straightening clothes or the papers on the lectern. Remind your speakers to refrain from crossing their arms or legs, covering their mouth when talking (unless making a point by doing so), and putting their hands in their pockets or behind their back (the audience will wonder what they’re hiding or why they seem so superior). 3. Lectern do’s and don’ts — Hugging the

lectern is a sign of nervousness and uncertainty.On the other hand, the lectern should not appear “hot” to the touch. If speakers do touch it, they should do so in away that shows confidence, con- trol, and ease.

A script can be polished. But you might be surprised by how much the audience picks up from a speaker’s body language.

aware of the two being at odds. After your presi- dent speaks, an attendee might approach him and say, “Do you really think the outlook is that bleak for our industry?”He would likely respond: “That’s not what I said.Weren’t you there?” Well, yes, attendees were there—and they saw

that his body language spoke volumes. Here are five pointers to help your organization’s leaders get across the right non-verbal message. 1. Breathe—Many speakers get nervous and

become short of breath. Put a Post-It note on the lectern or insert a reminder into the written script to keep breathing. Your speaker will be more alert, fresh, and focused on the audience. By tak-

4.Powerposition—Suggest thatyour speakers

move to either side of the lectern and stand in the “powerstanding” position, witharmsbent ata90- degree angle whileholding a clicker or pen. Letting thearmshangstraight at the sides isokay, too. Sug- gest that they standwithfeet in an“A”position— onefoot slightly in frontoftheother,formingan“A.” Puttingonehandonthe lecternandthe otherhand at their side orontheir hip isagoodwayto takeup more space and be viewed asmorepowerful. 5. Look ’em in the eye—Making eye contact

withmanypeoplein theaudienceandgenuinely smil- ing says, “I see you,” and “I validate you.” That’s whataudiencememberswant fromtheir leaders.

ON_THE_WEB: To improve performance through advanced communication skills, read Linda Talley’s body- language blog at http://lindatalleysblog.blogspot.com.

16 pcma convene March 2010 ILLUSTRATION BY GREG MABLY

Commit It To Memory Reading a speech is a big no-no. It can come across as insincere, stilted, or give the audience the impres- sion that your speak- ers didn’t invest the time to make their comments their own. Coach your speakers to refer to their notes, but to memorize the first and ending parts of their speech. Encourage them to be bold, to be confident —and to let their body show it.

These tips should be used for informational purposes and should not be considered legal advice.

Linda Talley is a Houston- based professional speaker, body-language expert, executive coach, and con- tributor to the 2010 Pfeiffer Annual: Training and the 2009 edition of the PR News Media Training Guidebook. She can be reached at linda@ lindatalley.com.

The National Speakers Association (NSA) is the leading educational organi- zation for professional speakers. NSA’s 3,500 members include experts in a variety of industries and disciplines, who reach audiences as trainers, educators, humorists,moti- vators, consultants, authors, and more.As a service to meeting professionals, NSA provides resources and information on finding and working with speakers. Visit NSA’sWeb site at www.nsaspeaker.org.