Home About Seminars Keynotes Coaching Articles Materials News Photos Events Audience Industries Clients Testimonials Rationale Contact Need a dynamic speaker for your next event? Call: 312.282.0704 2007 Leadership Excellence Award	Perception Is Everything. Written by Lisa Rich. Did you ever watch a speaker and find yourself totally engaged or even entranced by their performance? Perhaps you caught an interview on television and accidentally hit the mute button. If you took a moment to watch the speaker and observe their appearance and demeanor, you may have found yourself intrigued. Chances are that you were drawn in by their smooth gestures, physical command of the stage, movements of their hands, eyes and body. When bundled together in a neat little package, these essential tools of public speaking constitute the way others perceive us. Like it or not, we are a visual society, predisposed to making split-second decisions about products as well as people. We watch and collect data at a rapid pace and our brains go into overdrive as we weigh our perceptions and determine an individual's overall appeal. While we were taught not to judge others, our world moves too fast to resist this tendency. We are conditioned to seek instant gratification in all aspects of life, so we cannot help ourselves from categorizing or labeling other people from the get-go. As the saying goes, you never have a second chance to make a first impression. And isn't it daunting to think that perhaps eighty percent of impressions form in the minds of our listeners before we utter a single word or phrase? If our material merely reinforces the audience's initial impression of us, our chance of attracting those we fail to engage on the spot is nearly impossible! If what we say represents just twenty percent of the audience's perception and approval process, the pressure to earn their favor with exceptionally relevant and engaging material increases exponentially. No matter how many brilliant ideas we have or how wonderfully articulate a presenter we may be, an audience that isn't interested in us will not hear or digest a single word we say. Our job as speakers is to gain the audience's favor. We must attract them with our physical presence; we must exude a sense of sincerity, warmth, positive energy and self-assuredness. We need to respect the audience by being genuine, and put forth the best which is within us. Feelings of insecurity, pompous know-it-all attitudes, a sense of resentment or an angry chip on your shoulder are evident to any and every audience. When you step on stage and otherwise interact with others, it's as if they can see through you, as if you are stripped bare before them. Call it what you will, but as human beings we are wired with an instinctive nature, a complex chemical composition and a host of souped up DNA molecules that time and again, interact with others before we do. We are simply unaware of the subtle signals flying toward us when we come into contact with others. Energy - positive or negative, reverberates off of one person and onto another. If you feel happy, we feel happy. If you feel nervous and self-conscious, we feel apprehensive and are less likely to have confidence in you. So the need to project a positive, uplifting attitude and to show an air of contentment and inner peace cannot be overstated. To speak with authority and have your message resonate with an audience is a challenge indeed. Yet often the real cause of a speaker's inability to connect with others lies within. Go to counseling, pray, meditate, do what you must to rid yourself of negativity and underlying emotional issues. Strive for optimism and free yourself from fear, pain or a bruised ego. If you are pure of heart and have made peace with unaddressed issues in your life, you will feel uplifted and your audience will too. Do this, and you will have done much the work required to be perceived well by others in person and on stage. Truly, the prospect of speaking in front of an audience is humbling. They have the power to accept or reject us, and when we're speaking live we know all too quickly and all too clearly where they stand. Their eyes are either on us, or away from us. They are either on the edge of their seats, eagerly awaiting our next word, our next gesture, or they are slumped in their seats looking bored or otherwise uninterested. Because content represents a small fraction of the audience's initial perception of us, we must pay close attention to our behavior and strive to make that great first impression. A few things we can do to encourage a warm reception include approaching the stage with energy and enthusiasm. Release nervous jitters by bouncing up the steps and lightly landing on the stage. Eagerly approach the emcee, purposefully stretch out your arm and shake hands firmly and with confidence. Make strong eye contact and smile, showing us how pleased you are to inform and entertain us. Use friendly, welcoming gestures and move your body gently, slowly, easily across the stage. Choose a starting position that is comfortably near the audience so you are not too close, yet not too are away. Plant your feet shoulder width apart and stand up tall, with your chest facing forward and your shoulders back. Next, rest your arms at your side, take a deep breath and pause. You are almost, but not quite ready to begin. Survey your audience by looking around the room and acknowledging their presence. Remember, they have taken time out to hear you speak and they want to hear what you have to say. You have value to them, and it is their sincere desire for you to perform well. There's no need to prove yourself your main goal is to be who you already are, and to share that which is authentically you. Show the audience you are delighted to be there and sweep them off of their feet before you have even begun to speak. Do this, and the words, phrases and ideas you share will serve to reinforce their already positive and glowing impression of you. Copyright © 2004 - 2007. Lisa Rich. Excellence In Communication, Inc. All rights reserved. Other Articles: • Take The Initative • Speakers Are Leaders
Copyright © 2004 - 2007. Lisa Rich. Excellence In Communication, Inc. All rights reserved.