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A mini-thread on the value of rehearsal for public speakers. #speaking
If you are a speaker, practice your talk! Knowing not only the subject matter but the flow of your talk will help you if anything goes wrong on the day.
If you are a speaker, practice your talk! Knowing not only the subject matter but the flow of your talk will help you if anything goes wrong on the day.
I gave a talk this morning and no matter what we did, we couldn't get my slides to share (thanks @MicrosoftTeams!) Since I had practiced my talk several times I knew it well enough that I could give it without slides and adjust the content on the fly for the audience.
I learned this from playing in bands. We rehearsed our songs hundreds of times before playing them live. Knowing them so well, a broken string, a busted microphone, a drunk audience member climbing on stage... we handled it all while focusing on the experience for the audience.
If you are nervous to speak, knowing your talk well will give you confidence. The butterflies in the stomach disappear quickly as you get into the talk and it feels familiar.
When practicing, you should try different ways to say the same thing and see which works well. It isn't about memorizing your talk and saying it the same way every time. It is about understanding and tuning the flow and remembering that.
Understanding the flow gives you the freedom to play, adapt, and interact with the audience without worrying about getting lost or losing the thread of the message.
I'd love to hear from other speakers about how they prepare, how much they rehearse, and maybe other techniques they've found to be helpful.
