Welcome to this 184th edition of Rachel's Reflections, the number one Internet publication to help you develop your emotional intelligence and communication skills and gain greater clarity, calm and confidence.
Written and published by Rachel Green.
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In this edition:
- Handling the pressure of public speaking.
- Latest news: Future newsletters will be links.
- Top tips on how to handle the pressure of public speaking.
- How you can learn more at home or work, immediately: Last chance - two for the price of one offer.
- Feature E-book: A Master of Ceremony.
- Laugh your socks off.
1. Handling the pressure of public speaking.
I'm in the process of preparing for a very big event - a multi-cultural, international, big conference. I am compering the whole 2 days. This is going to involve a great deal as, unlike most conferences, there are no concurrent sessions: it's all going on with everyone in the same auditorium all the time. I'm quite excited about it! But working incredibly hard to make sure it all rolls along really, really well. Most people I've spoken to think of standing in front of up to 1,000 people for 2 days, daunting or even terrifying. So how can you handle the pressure of public speaking? It's not that it comes automatically - there are quite specific steps to take to help you. Read on to the tips section to find out what they are.
2. Latest news: Future newsletters will be links.
We're trying hard to stop getting so many newsletters bounce back to us each fortnight. The problem is a serious and expensive administrative problem for us at this end. And many of our readers they don't receive the newsletter they have personally subscribed to, for administrative reasons at their end. So this is what we are going to try for the next issue. We will send a short e-mail to you, in plain text. In the e-mail will be a link to the newsletter on our website. All you have to do is to click the link and the newsletter will be there.
We will then welcome your feedback to tell us how this was for you. And we will monitor the number of bouncebacks we get before deciding our next steps. If you have any feedback, concerns or questions about this now, please let us know.
One of my friends died of breast cancer today: she brought rays of sunshine into the lives of many. Please, those of you in Western Australia support Purple Bra Day run by the Breast Cancer Foundation on 2nd June. And spare a thought for the people who have died in the Indonesian earthquake and all who suffer around the world. Some days I wonder why the rest of us complain so much or about anything. Today bring rays of sunshine into other people's lives, smile and be compassionate to everyone you meet. Tomorrow you may not be alive to do it.
3. Top tips on how to hande the pressure of public speaking.
Tip A. Prepare.
Prepare. Prepare. Prepare. When you know exactly what is meant to happen, when you know your powerpoint slides work, or what your key points are, or exactly how you're going to start, it will help you be confident. I started preparation for the conference about 3-4 months ago. Not in a big way but by getting familiar with the conference programme, visiting the conference centre, finding out who the speakers are and so on. As it gets much closer, the amount of preparation is increasing. I'm attending lots of long meetings, doing Google searches, reading books the speakers have written, talking to the conference convener, the conference co-ordinator - talking to anyone who has anything to do with the conference. By the time we start I hope to know it backwards, upside down and inside out, so that I can be unscripted (mainly!) and go with the flow. Preparation sure does help boost confidence.
Tip B: Don't talk yourself down.
If you hear yourself talking negatively to yourself, then catch it and let it go, and substitute it with something helpful. At one stage, for example, I found myself telling myself how "daunting" the task was. Was this helpful? No way. It could quickly send me into a flat spin. Where was the value in telling myself that? So everytime I caught myself thinking that I substituted it with an image of myself walking out on the stage looking dazzling! It helped me feel much better and now all I say to myself is, "it will be okay." We cover ways to do this in the feature course of the fortnight, Public speaking made easy.
Learn how to handle the pressure yourself
click here to book now.
Tip C. Rehearse.
Rehearse by going to the venue and talking out loud to someone. Stand on the stage or wherever you'll need to be and talk from there. Take a friend with you and sit them in the back row. Then talk to them until you get really comfortable interacting in that way. I've been down twice to the auditorium already, and the day before I'm going to be there most of the day and have a 2 hour rehearsal with some of the people I'll be introducing and thanking. It should be fun.
Tip D. On the day don't get ahead of yourself.
One of the things that has helped me the most to cope with the pressure of public speaking in the last few years, is staying present in each moment. By this I mean - not thinking about what can go wrong ahead of me, not panicking about what may happen, but instead, doing whatever I need to in this moment, then the next moment and then the next. This has dramatically improved my ability to cope with anything while public speaking - even when things are not going well. They say every journey starts with just one step. And so it is with public speaking - just take one step at a time and you'll come out the other end!
4. How you can learn more at home or work, immediately.
Be a winner at dinner: How to chat and network with confidence and skill.
If you've ever run out of things to say when you meet people at BBQs, networking functions or client events, or you've got stuck feeling bored, or you've missed out on meeting new people, then take hope! These 3 CDs and booklet give you the essential keys to overcoming all these problems. You'll learn how to make interesting conversations, talk easily to people, including strangers; and to exit politely. Never be lost for words again - build up a brilliant network and be well connected.
Order now! Only Au$75.00, with no extra for postage, world-wide.
Special Bonus: If you are a subscriber to Rachel's Reflections and you order and pay for these CDs no later than 7th June 2006, then you will receive a FREE copy to give to a friend. It's worth Au$75. To be eligible for the free copy you must order through our On-line Book and CD store and when you fill in the order form add under the comments section, "A free RR copy thanks." Don't miss out - hurry as this offer closes 7th June 2006.
(To those of you in the USA, Canada and the UK and similar places - your CD's may need to be sent surface mail because 2 sets takes us into the extra high postal costs.)
5. Featured Electronic book (E-book) of the fortnight:
A Master of Ceremony: The beginner's guide to being a brilliant MC.
Everything you need to know about being a Master of Ceremony for anyone who isn't experienced in doing it. There are sample introductions, checklists on what to prepare 14 days, 7 days and 1 day before; sample thank-yous, practical exercises on script reading, tips on using a microphone, advice on how to use humour, tips on how to write good introductions and much, much more. Only $25 Australian.
Order now and receive it immediately.
6. Laugh your socks off.
Thanks to Rachel's Reflections reader, Vaughan McCue from Heart Photography, for this joke.
One night, torrential rain soaked Bunbury during tropical cyclone Alby. The next morning the resulting floodwaters came up about 6 feet into most of the homes there.
Mrs. Harris was sitting on her roof with her neighbour, Mrs Jones, waiting for help to come.
Mrs Jones could not help but notice a lone baseball cap floating near the house.
To her amazement she saw it float far out into the front yard, then float all the way back to the house; it kept floating away from the house, then back in.
Her curiosity got the better of her, so she asked Mrs. Jones, "Do you see that baseball cap floating away from the house, then back again?"
Mrs. Harris said, "Oh yes, that's my husband; I told him he was going to cut the grass today come Hell or high water!"
If you have some clean jokes we can use, please send your contributions to
May your heart stop fluttering in front of an audience and your confidence soar.
Until next fortnight,
With kindness,
Rachel.
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Disclaimer: The information in this newsletter is of a general nature and may not suit everyone or every situation. While every care has been taken to ensure it is useful and appropriate, no responsibility can be taken for the results gained from its implementation. Please seek individual professional guidance for any difficulties you may have in your communication, inter-personal or people skills. Thank you.
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