Speak with Impact

by Allison Shapira

  •Decide which type of microphone to use. At a conference, you can usually choose between a handheld and a hands-free mic. I choose a hands-free microphone, such as a lavaliere/lapel mic or an earset mic, so it doesn’t disrupt my natural hand gestures. Avoid using the mic attached to the lectern, because it prevents you from walking around to engage the audience. If you must use the lectern mic, adjust the mic height in advance; you can also move the mic to the side of the lectern and stand on the side so it’s easier for people to see you.

  •Do a sound check to test battery and volume in advance. There might not be a sound technician available to help you; always check the battery and volume level before you walk onstage. You can say something like, “Testing, testing,” or, “Check 1, check 2,” instead of, “Um, is this thing on?”

  •Decide where to put a lapel mic: If you’re wearing a suit, you can clip the lapel mic to your lapel (hence the name), near the top of your button-down shirt, or on your tie about six inches from your face (the distance depends on how much sound the mic picks up); clip the transmitter on the back of your belt loop. Ladies, if you’re wearing a dress without a belt loop, you could clip the receiver on the top back of your dress; it’s a little uncomfortable, but you will get used to it. Wherever you put the mic, ensure that it isn’t covered by hair or clothing, as that affects the sound quality. And if you know you’ll be using a mic, wear clothing that you can easily attach the mic to. Note: Attach the mic before turning it on; when you are done, turn the mic off before taking it off.

  •Cough away from the mic. It happens: sometimes we have to cough or sneeze onstage. Remember to turn away from the mic; otherwise the entire room will resonate with your booming sneeze.

  •Know how to hold a handheld microphone. Ask the sound technician whether the microphone is omnidirectional (picks up sound from all sides) or directional (you have to speak directly into it) so you know how to hold the mic. As a general rule, hold the mic about two or three inches from your face, just under your mouth, at a 45-degree angle. When you move your head, move your hand with it so that your mic follows your mouth. Use your free hand to make hand gestures.

  •Speak with a strong, clear voice. Don’t try to yell, and don’t assume that it’s okay to whisper. The microphone amplifies the voice itself; make sure it’s amplifying a strong, confident voice.

  •If the mic stops working, don’t panic. Sometimes there will be a problem with the sound. Relax and don’t let it overwhelm you: pause and breathe. You could pick up a nearby mic, speak without the mic, or, if appropriate, take a five-minute break to address the issue. The more relaxed you are, the more relaxed the audience will be.

  •Assume the mic is always on! Sometimes the sound technician will tell you that the mic has been turned off, but if you are wearing a mic, always assume that others can hear your conversation or activities. Act accordingly.

  Rather than be intimidated by it, look at the microphone as an opportunity to amplify your message. Remind yourself why your speech subject is important to you and use that energy and enthusiasm to fuel your passion when speaking. The mic is there to make your job easier.

  CHAPTER 10

  Prepare for the Unexpected

  How to Speak Off the Cuff and Answer Questions

  EMBRACING IMPROMPTU SPEAKING

  I know what you’re thinking. I’m fine giving a speech when I have time to prepare. But a lot of my speaking happens extemporaneously at a meeting. Indeed, speaking off the cuff is a different kind of skill from prepared speaking. Regardless of your industry or job, all of us speak off the cuff every single day. Let’s look at the difference.

  A prepared speech or presentation is something you learn about in advance: you accept an invitation (or you don’t have a choice), you are put on the agenda, and (hopefully) you spend time preparing.

  An impromptu speech or presentation is when you are given little to no prior notice. During a meeting, your boss asks, “So, what do you recommend?” in front of your colleagues. You’re on a call and the client asks you questions you didn’t anticipate. You’re at a rally or demonstration and are so overwhelmed with purpose that you take the mic and start speaking from the heart while the cameras are rolling.

  Why is impromptu speaking so important? In many organizations, your bosses will assess your leadership readiness based in part on how you speak up during a meeting. When you don’t speak up, many people will assume you have nothing to say. I realize that’s a false assumption; and for those introverts who prefer not to speak in a meeting, you’re fighting a battle against those assumptions.

  The more senior you become in an organization, the more time you spend communicating the messages of the organization and the more your words guide the actions of others. Each time you speak, even when you are unprepared, your words carry incredible weight and power.

  I remember one of my most painful impromptu presentations. I was a young public diplomacy officer at the Israeli Consulate, attending a community meeting on behalf of a diplomat who couldn’t attend. I showed up ready to listen to others and take notes. But at the start of the meeting, the host turned to me and said: “Allison, we’re so glad the Israeli Consulate is represented here today, and we’d love for you to start the meeting with a few remarks, especially in light of what happened this morning in Israel.”

  Gulp. What? Guess who didn’t check the news that day? So I did what anyone in politics would have done; I bridged. I said, “What happened this morning in Israel only further reinforces what the foreign minister said last week.” To this day, I look back at that experience and cringe. It reinforces the importance of preparation before every meeting.

  Why is impromptu speaking so hard? One of the biggest causes of public speaking jitters is not having enough time to prepare. Impromptu speaking is, by definition, speaking without any preparation. Of course you will be nervous! In addition, people don’t necessarily have a framework for handling impromptu speaking, so they simply say whatever is on their mind, for better or worse. The good news is, there are frameworks for speaking off the cuff and you can practice being in those situations. I’ll show you how—and this kind of practice is going to help you every single day.

  How to Approach Impromptu Speaking

  Prepare for it. One executive I worked with was deathly afraid of public speaking early in her career. She decided to make progress slowly. One particular step she took was to come to every single meeting prepared with one or two points she would make. When she spoke up in the meetings, she sounded thoughtful, eloquent, and, ironically, spontaneous.

  As you can tell from my cringeworthy story above, you can prepare for those situations. If you’re attending a meeting or conference, ask yourself: “What is my goal for this meeting, and what would I like to say? Who is going to be there, and what issues might come up?” Jot down a few ideas and practice them out loud. Talk through these ideas with a colleague who knows the context. And if your job involves current events in any way, please check the news!

  One executive I know regularly “cold-calls” people during her internal leadership meetings. If she’s asked a question she doesn’t have the answer to, then onstage in front of two hundred people she will point at someone in the audience and confidently ask, “Would you speak to that? I know you’ve been working on that issue.” When my team and I coach her leadership team on their impromptu speaking, we always ask them, “What should you be prepared to say when your boss calls on you in the upcoming leadership meeting?”

  Practice it. Practicing impromptu speaking is one of the most entertaining parts of our workshops. We do improv exercises to help people think and laugh on their feet. We ask people questions in front of the audience and have them respond in one minute or less. We give people random photos and ask them to give a persuasive speech inspired by that photo. Want to practice being unprepared? Partner up with a colleague and have them pepper you with questions and give feedback on your responses.

  Take notes in th
e moment. When I go to a conference, I like to ask a question in nearly every session. It’s a way to deepen my knowledge and also increase my networking contacts. As I sit in the audience and listen to a panel, I start to think of a question if I haven’t already come prepared with one. I jot down a few notes and, when the moderator asks for audience questions, I raise my hand tall. I feel confident because I have the question written down right in front of me.

  The PREP Formula

  My favorite framework for public speaking, I learned from Toastmasters International and have used ever since. It’s easy to learn and easy to use in nearly any professional or personal setting. It provides a quick framework for getting to the point and staying on point. It’s called PREP, which stands for: Point, Reason, Example, and Point.

  Point: Make one point. I believe that . . .

  Reason: Provide an explanation of your belief. And the reason I believe that is because . . .

  Example: Tell a story or anecdote that illustrates that point. For example, just last week . . .

  Point: Conclude by restating your point. And that is why I believe . . .

  Let’s look at an example of PREP in response to the question How do you feel about living in a big city?

  Point: I love living in a big city.

  Reason: And the reason is because you can walk everywhere instead of driving.

  Example: For example, last week I finally sold my car because my new office is a thirty-minute walk from my apartment. I get fresh air every single day.

  Point: And that is why I love living in a big city.

  Easy, right? You can use that framework for any subject, from talking about your favorite color to opining on multilateral trade negotiations.

  Transition Phrases

  You can also use a transition phrase to give yourself time to think of your answer. There are different types of transition phrases:

  Summary: Thank you, I’d be happy to talk about my views on living in a big city.

  Praise: You raised an important point.

  Redirect: Actually, let me tell you why I hate living in a big city.

  Bridge: We’re not here to talk about cities, we’re here to talk about the urban/suburban divide in our country.

  These transition phrases help you transition from the question to your answer. They give you time to think, and they prepare your audience for your answer. When we discuss handling questions later in this chapter, we’ll come back to these transition phrases.

  You can use PREP without using the exact language “I believe” every single time, though it does provide guidance to keep you on track. Some of our clients work in environments where the words “I believe” are frowned upon, so they replace that language with “our view is,” or they simply state their position without any preface.

  You’ll notice that the PREP framework works well for questions around belief and opinion, not questions like “What happened in the meeting last week?” For all other types of questions that PREP can’t answer, there are a few points to keep in mind.

  Develop an internal timer. When you speak off the cuff, pay attention to the passage of time. When we are unprepared, we tend to ramble as we constantly think of better ways to say the same thing. Develop an internal timer so that you become aware of when you’ve been talking for too long. If you feel you’ve been rambling, use “And that is why I believe” to restate your main point and quickly conclude.

  Focus on one key message. When you speak off the cuff, you don’t have time to list (or remember) multiple points. Choose one key message and then unpack it with an example. You can add a counterpoint as well to demonstrate multiple sides of an issue, but stick to one main message.

  Come up with a few “go-to” stories or quotes. When speaking off the cuff, it can be helpful to have a few stories or quotes that you can easily refer to for inspiration. They should be relevant to the point you’re trying to make and can help you fill time. What are your “go-to” stories? If you’re the CEO of a company, maybe it’s the company’s founding. If you’re the executive director of a nonprofit, maybe it’s a success story of someone your organization has helped.

  Here are a few delivery tips to keep in mind when speaking off the cuff:

  Make eye contact. When thinking on your feet, your tendency is to look up and away or down at your feet while finding your words. It’s okay to look away while thinking, but don’t look away while talking. Your eye contact builds a connection with the audience and makes you look confident and purposeful. It’s as important when speaking off the cuff as it is when giving a prepared speech.

  Watch out for fillers. When you speak off the cuff, you’ll tend to use more filler words because you are thinking of the next thing to say. Remember to pause and breathe instead, which makes you appear more thoughtful.

  Watch out for nervous body language. The extra nerves you get from speaking off the cuff normally come out in your body language as well: repetitive hand gestures, playing with jewelry or clothing, or rocking back and forth. Use the breathing techniques you learned in Chapter 7 to calm your nerves and stand tall.

  Smile! When you’re nervous, you tend to withhold your smile while you concentrate on choosing your words. As long as it’s appropriate to the conversation, let yourself smile while speaking. As we discussed in Chapter 6, a smile both makes you look more confident and makes you feel better.

  How Do You Interrupt Someone?

  This is a question I am often asked. A client will comment, “If I wait for someone to call on me, I’ll never get a chance to speak!” Knowing when to speak up is just as important as knowing how to speak up.

  Picture this: You’re at a client meeting with a few of your colleagues. The client asks a question, and one of your colleagues starts to answer it, but you can tell that he has misheard the question. You observe the client pursing her lips with a slight frown on her face as she realizes she is not getting the information she needs. Your colleague is oblivious and continues talking. You silently think, “Are you kidding me?” and try to build up the courage to speak. In one week, two of my clients reported that exact same situation—and they weren’t at the same meeting.

  In some cultures, if you don’t interrupt, you don’t get a chance to speak. In other cultures, it can be interpreted as rude—especially if you are interrupting someone more senior than you. Here are some ways you can interrupt in a diplomatic way; adapt it according to your context.

  Wait for the person speaking to take a breath. He has to breathe sometime, right? When he breathes, jump in. A strategic filler word like “so” or “actually” can help you wedge yourself into the conversation.

  Build or bridge. Either compliment what the previous speaker said or bridge to a different direction, something like I’m glad Steve brought that up—or—Let me build on what Steve said and come back to your original question.

  Be concise. Keep it brief and concise; otherwise you wind up making the same mistake that Steve did. And remember to speak with a calm, confident attitude. Don’t disparage Steve (though you may be doing so internally) and don’t disparage yourself by second-guessing what you have to say.

  Applying This Book to Impromptu Speaking

  Everything you have learned so far in this book will help you with impromptu speaking. Recognize that impromptu speaking requires a few new skills, and practice using them every single day. The effect will be greater confidence in yourself and a more positive influence on others. Even impromptu speaking provides an opportunity to speak with impact.

  Impromptu Practice. Find a colleague with whom to practice your impromptu speaking skills. Ask each other both fun and work-related questions, and try to keep your responses to one full minute, using PREP where appropriate. Provide feedback on how well the other person responded. And before each meeting or conference, come prepared with a few points you can make.

  ANSWERING QUESTIONS FROM AN AUDIENCE

  You’ve just delivered a beautiful speech or presentation.
You spoke with passion and eloquence and inspired your audience. You concluded with a powerful call to action. But all of a sudden, you realize there’s a question and answer (Q&A) session that you forgot about. So you look at your audience and stammer, Um, so, you don’t have any questions, right?

  Handling questions in front of an audience of any size—from a single client to a packed auditorium—can be a nerve-racking experience. Sometimes it’s easier to just give the speech or presentation and go home. I’d like to make two main points about handling questions.

  1.It doesn’t have to be painful.

  2.You don’t have a choice.

  Your willingness to answer questions reflects your openness and confidence about an issue and your relationship with the audience. In a meeting, if you just present your pitch and leave, you miss the opportunity to truly understand your client.

  Imagine you’re the leader of an organization and have a difficult message to impart. You have to make some painful budget cuts in the coming year. Some people in the audience will lose projects, and others will have to fire some of their direct reports. The audience is skeptical and anxious.

  Which is better?

  Option 1: You give your speech, explain the issue, and then get on your private jet and leave.

  Option 2: You give your speech, explain the issue, and then say, “I’m going to stay here and take your questions, and I won’t leave until every single question has been answered. We’re a team, and we’re going to get through this together.” That is the kind of leader I want to be.

  You may have to answer questions from clients or colleagues, from the board of directors, from members of the media, or from both supporters and detractors. Regardless of your industry, sector, or country, the more senior you become, the more people expect answers from you.