Executive Speech Coach

MAY 16, 2012

I suggest you do not use a lectern. Standing away from the lectern exposes your full body to the view of the audience. How Can You Use a Lectern Effectively? The problem is most speakers hide behind lecterns thereby greatly constraining important body language. Notes are essential only when you must read a prepared speech, or give a presentation in a foreign language. Lecterns do make things look official. Judges always hide behind a lectern.)

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Lectern Body Language 2012 Microphone 48

Speak Schmeak

AUGUST 20, 2008

Following up on my post about where to put your notes , here's my quick tip about using a lectern: Don't. But using a lectern is problematic for several reasons. It's too tempting to lean on the lectern or grasp its sides for comfort. A lectern is great for holding your notes or hiding your props. What about those times when the only microphone is attached to the lectern? If you must use a lectern, follow these tips: 1.

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Lectern 2008 Podium Microphone 100

The Eloquent Woman

JULY 30, 2014

"How do you wean yourself from the lectern?" Leaving the lectern and making a closer connection with the audience was among my recommendations. Lecterns accomplish many things, from providing a platform for your notes and technology to hiding most of you from the audience, useful if you''re in fight-or-flight mode. Return to the lectern and your prepared remarks when you''re done. All of these tactics take practice before your actual talk.

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Lectern 2014 Projector Rehearse 71

Manner of Speaking

SEPTEMBER 4, 2010

Always ask yourself two questions before you begin to prepare a speech or presentation: (a) What is my key message? (b) L – Lectern. I think that the poor lectern has a bit of a bad rap these days as being a “barrier&# between the speaker and the audience. There are times when it will be perfectly appropriate to use a lectern when speaking. Did the lectern create a barrier between Steve Jobs and his audience in this speech ? A - Audience.

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Public Speaking 2010 Publications Publicity 177

Manner of Speaking

JANUARY 22, 2012

Practice with a timer. Prepare two versions of your presentation, one long and one short. Prepare a detailed handout. a) If you are speaking at a lectern, or have a table to which you will return during the talk (for e xample, to pick up a prop) place your watch on the lectern or table with the face up so that you can quickly check it. (b) Only use a smartphone as a timer if you can place it on a lectern or table.

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Manager 2012 Lectern Keynote 219

Manner of Speaking

JANUARY 22, 2012

Practice with a timer. Prepare two versions of your presentation, one long and one short. Prepare a detailed handout. a) If you are speaking at a lectern, or have a table to which you will return during the talk (for e xample, to pick up a prop) place your watch on the lectern or table with the face up so that you can quickly check it. (b) Only use a smartphone as a timer if you can place it on a lectern or table.

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Manager 2012 Lectern Handout 151

The Eloquent Woman

AUGUST 13, 2015

They gripped them like safety blankets, splayed them on top of tables holding demonstration equipment, occasionally wielded paper alongside an iPad, or propped them up on lecterns and music stands. Madrigal does a useful description of his process for memorizing, and notes something that good coaches know: Practice and memorization will make your talk better over time. From the article: All the live practice began to reshape the talk itself.

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2015 Practice Ad-Lib Panel 71

The Eloquent Woman

AUGUST 27, 2010

My checklist to prepare the whole speaker is one of this blog's most popular posts of all time. The principle behind it remains the same: To succeed as a speaker, you need to prepare the whole speaker for your presentation, not just one or two parts of yourself. This type of preparation is great for all speakers, but utterly essential for introverts to feel more comfortable when speaking , be it in a meeting or a major speech. Do I feel prepared? more practice?

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Preparation 2010 Extemporaneous Clothes 67

The Eloquent Woman

NOVEMBER 10, 2008

Calling someone a "practiced speaker" is a compliment that recognizes the work involved in becoming a smooth, eloquent presenter, interviewee or speaker. But even speakers who invest in training need to spend time practicing on their own. With holidays approaching, here's a wish list for some tools and gadgets that can help you practice on your own to reach specific speaking goals: I need to keep my remarks brief or fit them into a specific amount of time.

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2008 Listing Practice USB 40

Fripp THE Executive Speech Coach

MARCH 27, 2010

  7 Public Speaking Timely Tips for Pre-Presentation Preparation. How will you reach the lectern? Is the light on you instead of the banner or the lectern if you are not standing behind it. Hand-held, lavaliere, or Lectern? Practice talking into it, the proper placing is chin level for a handheld. Public Speaking Advice. By Patricia Fripp CSP, CPAE. The big day has come. You are ready to deliver your presentation.

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Lavaliere CPAE CSP Lectern 43

The Eloquent Woman

OCTOBER 11, 2009

Do I need to prepare a presentation or remarks, or is this more of a roundtable with the moderator asking questions? What's the panel setup--table with microphones or each of us taking a turn at the lectern? Related posts: 4 stepping stones to get speaking practice (including panels) Everything in moderation (for panel moderators) 5 ways to renew your speaking skills Speakers: 7 reasons I want you to talk more.

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Practice 2009 Lectern Handout 43

Green Room Speakers

OCTOBER 26, 2011

In this week's NYT, Michael Shear and Ashley Parker describe how Mitt Romney's speaking got much better once he stepped away from the lecturn: When Mitt Romney crammed for the Republican presidential debates four years ago, he went all out: The campaign built a stage with four lecterns and used senior staff as stand-ins for his rivals, John McCain and Rudolph W. This month, when Mr. Romney prepared for his seventh debate of the 2012 campaign, at Dartmouth College, there were no lecterns.

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Podium New Hampshire 2011 2012 47

The Eloquent Woman

MAY 24, 2009

Do you really need video practice to speak well? That seems to be the assumption I've encountered in a couple of recent workshops I've led on communications skills and speaking, where several young women have noted on their feedback forms that they didn't find the video practice useful "because I'll never be on camera in my work." But I'd say to any would-be speaker: Take any opportunity you can to practice on video, even if it's on your own.

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The Eloquent Woman

OCTOBER 30, 2009

Readers chose the tips and treats they found on this blog in October, and I'm happy to share them with you in this monthly roundup of our most popular posts: Should you use or lose the lectern? The focus of week 7 of our Step Up Your Speaking online coaching included this popular post with 3 video examples of women speakers demonstrating best practices, with or without a lectern. You can see online trainee Stephanie Benoit's thoughts on speakers and lecterns here.

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Baltimore Eye Contact 2009 Online 40

Speak and Deliver

DECEMBER 16, 2011

The preparation, so everyone knew what they were doing. The strong transitions from President to Toastmaster to Evaluator to Speaker, etc, that come from repeated practice. When transitioning from one participant to another in front of the room, work to be consistent in what you do, whether you meet people halfway or make them come to the lectern. The key factor in both routine and interpretive choreography is planning and preparation.

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2011 Concert Humorist Lectern 66

Can You Hear Me Up the Back?

AUGUST 20, 2009

Barack Obama is human, Kevin Rudd… well, you can practically hear the whirring of the tiny servo-motors and sophisticated vocal synthesis circuits that make his performances so reasonably human-like. It’ll break you away from your pre-prepared answers and give things a more relaxed feel. Leave The Lectern. Lecterns block all of that from view, leaving you as just a head poking up out of a box. “Good morning and welcome, ladies and gentlemen.&#.

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2009 Circuit Anecdotes Breaks 40

The Eloquent Woman

JUNE 16, 2011

For some speakers, the dangers of a speech lurk in the preparation. They over-prepare for speeches , focus on the writing, or worry about potential pitfalls. Practice your opener several times, so that you can do it without referring to your notes and make early eye contact with the audience. You want to be able to stand in a relaxed stance, without swaying or hanging on to the lectern, to look most authoritative--and to keep attention on your words.

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2011 Lectern Ideas Eye Contact 67

Sandra Schrift - Executive Speech Coach

MAY 18, 2008

Visualize your success at the lectern. Practice, Practice, Practice your speech beforehand. Those who fail to prepare are preparing to fail.' (C)2008 Here are some tips to reduce speech anxiety that I have gleaned from working with professional speakers over the last 24 years. When you visualize your success, you will be successful.' Arrive early and become familiar with the room in which you will give your presentation.

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2008 Audio Visual Lectern Visual 100

Succeed Speaking

JANUARY 7, 2013

You’re standing on a podium behind a lectern giving a speech to a packed house and you’re hands start shaking ever so slightly. Practice Really Does Make Perfect. If you know you have a big presentation at work or you are the guest speaker at a seminar, the best thing you can do — besides being well-prepared and having your speech memorized — is to practice on family and friends. I am really well prepared. A Guest Post from Catherine Joyner.

2013 156

2013 Public Speaking Lectern Podium 156

Manner of Speaking

DECEMBER 30, 2011

I will prepare. I will practice. I will speak without using a lectern. Some ideas to help you take your public speaking to the next level in 2012. In no particular order: 1. I will have a clear message. I will be able to distill every speech and every presentation into a single sentence. I will always ask myself: “Why should the audience care about my message?” ” 6. If I cannot answer that question, I will find a new message. Or a new audience.

2011 219

2011 Public Speaker Linkedin Publications 219

Manner of Speaking

DECEMBER 30, 2011

I will prepare. I will practice. I will speak without using a lectern. Some ideas to help you take your public speaking to the next level in 2012. In no particular order: 1. I will have a clear message. I will be able to distill every speech and every presentation into a single sentence. I will always ask myself: “Why should the audience care about my message?” ” 6. If I cannot answer that question, I will find a new message. Or a new audience.

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2011 Public Speaker Linkedin Publications 217

Speak Schmeak

APRIL 19, 2010

Stage There was a large screen in the middle of the stage, and the speaker was off to the side in a small spotlit area next to (or behind) the lectern. This doesn't guarantee that the emcee will practice your introduction or have any measure of polish, but at least you can choose the words. I felt that the emcees lacked preparation and were winging the introductions, one more noticeably than the other.

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2010 Emcee Auditorium Venue 109

Speak Schmeak

APRIL 19, 2010

Stage There was a large screen in the middle of the stage, and the speaker was off to the side in a small spotlit area next to (or behind) the lectern. This doesn't guarantee that the emcee will practice your introduction or have any measure of polish, but at least you can choose the words. I felt that the emcees lacked preparation and were winging the introductions, one more noticeably than the other.

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2010 Emcee Auditorium Venue 100

The Eloquent Woman

DECEMBER 7, 2009

I've got a growing pile of new books to review on public speaking and am just starting them, but wanted you to know right away about what's on my new-book shelf: Scott Berkun's Confessions of a Public Speaker takes a different approach to writing about speaking: It takes you behind the lectern and shows you what Scott has experienced, with lessons woven into a more-narrative-than-tips book. Tags: speaker preparation books we like Twitter

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Lectern Social Media 2009 Public Speaking 40

Manner of Speaking

DECEMBER 30, 2011

I will prepare. I will practice. I will speak without using a lectern. Some ideas to help you take your public speaking to the next level in 2012. In no particular order: 1. I will have a clear message. I will be able to distill every speech and every presentation into a single sentence. I will always ask myself: “Why should the audience care about my message?” ” 6. If I cannot answer that question, I will find a new message. Or a new audience.

2011 157

2011 Public Speaker Linkedin Remote 157

The Eloquent Woman

FEBRUARY 17, 2009

For some speakers, the dangers of a speech lurk in the preparation. They over-prepare for speeches , focus on the writing, or worry about potential pitfalls. Practice your opener several times, so that you can do it without referring to your notes and make early eye contact with the audience. You want to be able to stand in a relaxed stance, without swaying or hanging on to the lectern, to look most authoritative--and to keep attention on your words.

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Lectern Ideas 2009 Eye Contact 40

The Eloquent Woman

APRIL 27, 2017

Everyone can tell that I didn't prepare. If I prepare, I will seem too forced and unnatural. If I prepare a lot, my presentation will go better. If I don't prepare, no one will notice. I don't need to prepare. I need a lectern. And if the lack of data is because you didn't practice and try something new, try that approach first.

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2017 Mic Panel Lectern 62

Speaking about Presenting

FEBRUARY 10, 2010

Danah had prepared a new presentation for the conference and she was working from a script. She was initially rattled by the set-up: a flat lectern, a Twitterstream displayed on the screen behind her, and bright lights blinding her. And then you can get straight back into your prepared content. If you prepare your presentation as a number of discrete modules you’ll find that adjusting your content to audience feedback will be much easier.

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Manager 2010 Exclusive Lectern 158

The Eloquent Woman

DECEMBER 11, 2013

Help your speaker practice and promote her talks with a Sony Bloggie Touch , the same ultralight camcorder I use in group training workshops for speakers. She can plug it into a laptop to watch her practice sessions, project the video, and later, when the final result is recorded, share it to social media sites and via email. Give your speaker a practice advantage with a portable presentation lectern.

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2013 Remote Certification Lectern 74

The Eloquent Woman

APRIL 2, 2015

How much preparation do you want to do? Preparing a formal speech or talk is a lot of work. That''s why you so often see celebrities doing Q&A format on stage--the organizers can then make the invitation easier to accept, because the famous person need not prepare as much. I''d recommend preparation for an interview format as well as a formal speech, but it''s a different level of prep.

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2015 Q&A Lectern Discount 61

The Eloquent Woman

MARCH 9, 2017

Some speakers get out from behind the lectern, but give their regular talk, loaded with slides and no storytelling. You'll learn how to plan, write, time, practice, and deliver a talk or presentation that really meets the level of TED quality. This workshop is suitable for both speechwriters and speakers, and you don't need to have a talk prepared for the workshop--instead, you'll learn what you need to do to prepare it effectively.

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2017 Panel Nonprofit Lectern 57

The Speaker Point

JANUARY 4, 2011

April 12, 2011 Posts Comments The Speaker Point Helping you master public speaking and communication skills Home Delivery Speech Analysis Making Money Preparation Reviews About 4 Skills We Can Learn From Obama’s Speech January 20, 2011 By Alex Cequea View Comments On January 11 th , president Obama addressed a congregation in Tucson Arizona in the wake of the tragic shootings.

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2011 Tucson Arizona Prompter 100

The Eloquent Woman

APRIL 9, 2014

We focused this time on giving practical tips to clients, something that would figure in the week ahead for me. At the Victoria and Albert Museum, I kept coming across examples of lecterns, essential in times when the prayer and choir books were large in format and too heavy to hold unassisted. Both examples are a far cry from today''s popular plexiglass lecterns, intended to disappear and take away any sense of a barrier between speaker and audience.

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2014 Lectern Charlotte Speechwriter 69

The Eloquent Woman

JULY 24, 2013

If someone''s preparing a text for you to speak from, clue them in to any pronunciation issues you may have. Practice aloud to make sure you''re not going to stumble over how to say something, and make changes as needed before you get up to speak. Check the distance from your face to the lectern. You''d think all lecterns were standardized, but they''re not--and neither is the height and vision of the speaker.

2013 69

2013 Lectern Extemporaneous Speechwriter 69

The Eloquent Woman

APRIL 5, 2011

While one person is at the lectern speaking and the rest of the panel is waiting to speak, I train the video camera not on the person speaking, but on the waiting panelists. It's one more reason to embrace video practice (and my list of what to look for when you're recorded as a speaker ). Practically speaking, it means you can better inform your own remarks. You'll lower your tension level, stay calm and feel better prepared once your turn comes up.

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2011 Lectern Email Practice 70

The Eloquent Woman

JULY 30, 2015

(Editor's Note: Talk About the Talk is a series in which speakers I've worked with share their experiences preparing and delivering major talks. When I was practicing and timing myself in my hotel room, I also realised it was too long - Denise had said, aim for 100-120 words per minute – I had written too many words so I had to cut some bits. Even the “casual saunter” back to the lectern to refer to my notes (s ee photo) wasn’t as embarrassing as I t hought it would be.

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2015 Panel Mic Skype 82

Speak Schmeak

DECEMBER 24, 2009

It’s practically here!” The little Who lecterns all stood in a row. These lecterns,” he grinned, “are the first things to go!” Maybe speaking, he thought, just needs good preparation. He brought back their lecterns, their curtains, their lights, He brought back their flipcharts, exhibits and mikes. Huge thanks to John Zimmer for his creativity and brilliance in revising this classic for us speakers. View it on his site for the accompanying images.

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2009 Prompter Flip Chart Lectern 100

Speak Schmeak

DECEMBER 24, 2009

It’s practically here!” The little Who lecterns all stood in a row. These lecterns,” he grinned, “are the first things to go!” Maybe speaking, he thought, just needs good preparation. He brought back their lecterns, their curtains, their lights, He brought back their flipcharts, exhibits and mikes. Huge thanks to John Zimmer for his creativity and brilliance in revising this classic for us speakers. View it on his site for the accompanying images.

2009 100

2009 Prompter Flip Chart Lectern 100

Max Atkinson

AUGUST 17, 2010

There are a lot of men who are so uninterested in fashion and so uncertain about what style of clothes to wear that they are prepared to pay for professional advice and reassurance. Are Lecterns and Tables Barriers to Communication? A lectern stood between the person reading the lesson and the congregation, but it never once occurred to me during all those years that it was a barrier, or that it was somehow reducing the effectiveness of the reader’s impact.

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Body Language Lectern 2010 Clothes 59

The Eloquent Woman

MAY 14, 2014

Lose the armor: Truly killer presentations get the speaker off the platform and out from behind the lectern. Stand next to the lectern at first, or move behind and away from it. I use the Coco Chanel method to gauge what''s "too much" in a presentation I''m preparing. We practiced using alliteration and analogies to make the three points even more memorable, using them to create versions of one participant''s message. Slam the door.

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2014 San Diego Lectern United States 70

The Eloquent Woman

OCTOBER 22, 2012

My checklist to prepare the whole speaker is one of this blog's most popular posts of all time. The principle behind it remains the same: To succeed as a speaker, you need to prepare the whole speaker for your presentation, not just one or two parts of yourself. This type of preparation is great for all speakers, but utterly essential for introverts to feel more comfortable when speaking , be it in a meeting or a major speech. Do I feel prepared? more practice?

2012 65

2012 Extemporaneous Clothes Plug 65

The Eloquent Woman

SEPTEMBER 10, 2014

But into each speaker''s life some panels will fall, so you may as well be prepared.) Do I need to prepare a presentation or remarks, or is this more of a roundtable with the moderator asking questions? What''s the panel setup--table with microphones or each of us taking a turn at the lectern? (Editor''s note: Since this post appeared in 2009 , my own views on panels have shifted quite a bit.

2014 62

2014 Panel Introduction Lectern 62

The Eloquent Woman

JANUARY 27, 2011

How can you look confident and relaxed, instead of pinned to the lectern? It's a small-group, two-day intensive training that will show you how to get ready, relaxed and resilient in dealing with all kinds of speaker situations--while looking and feeling more prepared and confident. Most valuable: practicing with feedback from Denise and the other participants."

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DC Gig Discount 2011 46