We have all had an argument, we have all made mistakes, and we
have all been nervous. We all share some common ground, whether
it’s our background, stories, or situations. When you share those
moments, they will resonate instantly with lots of audiences. Many
inexperienced speakers are too cautious in their approach to sharing
their vulnerabilities and mistakes with the crowd. In my early speaking
career, I kept things at a high level; I could have almost been described
as vanilla in my early speeches. They were surface only and didn’t dive
into who I really was. It was only after I started to open my soul and
share personal stories that I began to hold the interest of my audiences.

I have seen speakers who have hung on tight to intimate details
that would most likely hit home with the audience. I know that these
speakers had something poignant to be shared, but it remained bottled
up. If the topic made sense, and it was still appropriate to share in
order to connect with the audience, why wouldn’t they? We are sometimes
too self-conscious to let it all out, but your success with the audience
almost depends on doing so. You may even find a little therapy for
yourself—at least I did. I have obviously included in this book many of
the mistakes I have made as a speaker; what you should also see is the
journey and learning that followed. Lead your own audience through
to your final destination—your takeaway message. An effective way
to get there is with moving, personal, relatable stories that leave you
exposed enough to hit the audience right in their hearts and head.

Thomas B. Dowd III’s books available in softcover, eBook, and audiobook (From Fear to Success only):

• Now What? The Ultimate Graduation Gift for Professional Success
• Time Management Manifesto: Expert Strategies to Create an Effective Work/Life Balance
• Displacement Day: When My Job was Looking for a Job…A Reference Guide to Finding Work
• The Transformation of a Doubting Thomas: Growing from a Cynic to a Professional in the Corporate World
• From Fear to Success: A Practical Public-speaking Guide received the Gold Medal at the 2013 Axiom Business Book Awards in Business Reference
• The Unofficial Guide to Fatherhood

See “Products” for details on www.transformationtom.com.  Book , eBook, and audiobook (From Fear to Success only) purchase options are also available on Amazon- Please click the link to be re-directed: Amazon.com

Write speeches that are well-matched with your personality,
your education, your style, and your comfort level. I consider myself
oversimplified in some cases, and that’s the way I like it. When I have
attempted to sound smart or use big words, I have found a growing
sense of discomfort and unease during the presentation. As speakers,
we should make every effort to use descriptive words that paint the
picture of what we are trying to say, but our word choice shouldn’t
deviate too far from who we are normally. Newscasts or effective writing
on the Internet intentionally uses shorter sentences with simple
words to grab the most attention (funny how I almost used “garner”
instead of “grab”—that would have been too ironic). Your credibility
comes from people getting to know who you are as a speaker personally.
If you start using words that don’t typically come from your
mouth, they will sound forced and fake, and potentially will hurt the
the credibility you are working so hard to gain.

Thomas B. Dowd III’s books available in softcover, eBook, and audiobook (From Fear to Success only):

• Now What? The Ultimate Graduation Gift for Professional Success
• Time Management Manifesto: Expert Strategies to Create an Effective Work/Life Balance
• Displacement Day: When My Job was Looking for a Job…A Reference Guide to Finding Work
• The Transformation of a Doubting Thomas: Growing from a Cynic to a Professional in the Corporate World
• From Fear to Success: A Practical Public-speaking Guide received the Gold Medal at the 2013 Axiom Business Book Awards in Business Reference
• The Unofficial Guide to Fatherhood

See “Products” for details on www.transformationtom.com.  Book , eBook, and audiobook (From Fear to Success only) purchase options are also available on Amazon- Please click the link to be re-directed: Amazon.com

Manage Your Time—Don’t Let It Manage You

MP3 Downloads of “From Fear to Success:  A Practical Public-speaking Guide” are available at Apple iTunes, Amazon, Rhapsody, Emusic, Nokia, Xbox Music, Spotify, Omnifone, Google Music Store, Rdio, Muve Music, Bloom.fm, Slacker Radio, MediaNet, 7digital, 24-7, Rumblefish, and Shazam “From Fear to Success” MP3 on CD Baby

Your voice has variety, so use it. Whether you are trying to project
volume or are making soft-spoken points to reach the hearts of the
audience, you can use the full range of what your voice has to offer. I
have been watching the growth of one of my Toastmasters club members.
In a speech about a scary movie, he described himself, “Screaming
like a little girl.” When he first started practicing, his squeal was
soft and constrained. He was coached to let it all out with a mighty,
high-pitched noise. His new approach was uninhibited and achieved
his purpose. The audience reacted with a jolt.

You can use various pitches to put yourself in the moment and even
use different voices if you are speaking as a character or a third party
for further impacts. You don’t have to be a full-blown actor or actress
to spice up your presentations with different emotions brought to life
with your voice. Additionally, you can use pace to your advantage to
convey the urgency of a story or slow it down to set the stage for the
audience. For example, audience members will almost feel themselves
getting exhausted when they hear you breathing heavily as if you have
just run a marathon. Use your voice as a tool and watch your own
effectiveness soar.

Thomas B. Dowd III’s books available in softcover, eBook, and audiobook (From Fear to Success only):

• Now What? The Ultimate Graduation Gift for Professional Success
• Time Management Manifesto: Expert Strategies to Create an Effective Work/Life Balance
• Displacement Day: When My Job was Looking for a Job…A Reference Guide to Finding Work
• The Transformation of a Doubting Thomas: Growing from a Cynic to a Professional in the Corporate World
• From Fear to Success: A Practical Public-speaking Guide received the Gold Medal at the 2013 Axiom Business Book Awards in Business Reference
• The Unofficial Guide to Fatherhood

See “Products” for details on www.transformationtom.com.  Book , eBook, and audiobook (From Fear to Success only) purchase options are also available on Amazon- Please click the link to be re-directed: Amazon.com

Some speakers wander the stage with what seems like no purpose.
They walk back and forth across the front of the stage or simply
meander from place to place. This can distract the audience. In fact,
early in my speaking career, I paced back and forth to get rid of my
nervous energy. This wasn’t a bad idea, considering how much my
legs would shake, so I wasn’t sure if I could stand in one spot, anyway.
I was given some feedback recommending that I cut back on
some of my movements. I misinterpreted the feedback and stood in
the same spot. I no longer distracted the audience, but I appeared
even more upright and uptight than when I was pacing. I needed to
find a happy medium if I wanted to get my messages across to the
audience.

I began to study other speakers’ movement. I found out that the
effective ones casually walked the stage but were not pacing. They
stopped on key points and the movement had a nice, even flow. They
always seemed to know how to navigate the stage without distracting
the audience or enabling us to predict their every move. The nature of
the walk was the fundamental difference. The movement had purpose
but remained as natural as walking down the street. The casual-walk-with-
friends approach solved my need to walk the stage to release my
nervous energy, and at the same time made me appear as if we were
just having a conversation while walking the dog.

Thomas B. Dowd III’s books available in softcover, eBook, and audiobook (From Fear to Success only):

• Now What? The Ultimate Graduation Gift for Professional Success
• Time Management Manifesto: Expert Strategies to Create an Effective Work/Life Balance
• Displacement Day: When My Job was Looking for a Job…A Reference Guide to Finding Work
• The Transformation of a Doubting Thomas: Growing from a Cynic to a Professional in the Corporate World
• From Fear to Success: A Practical Public-speaking Guide received the Gold Medal at the 2013 Axiom Business Book Awards in Business Reference
• The Unofficial Guide to Fatherhood

See “Products” for details on www.transformationtom.com.  Book , eBook, and audiobook (From Fear to Success only) purchase options are also available on Amazon- Please click the link to be re-directed: Amazon.com

Using quotations can be complex. When, where, and how to
effectively incorporate them into your speech can be tough. When it
becomes tough, try to determine whether you are forcing it for the
sake of a quotation that you like. Ask yourself a few questions: Will the
audience like it as much as I do? Does it have a connection to the message
I am sending? Is it simple enough to say in a couple of sentences?
I have seen too many speeches in which a quotation was too complex
for the simple message being delivered. In some cases, I have
heard quotations that were hard for the audience to keep up with. One
of my favorite quotations is, “Change is inevitable, growth is optional,”
by John C. Maxwell. I first saw it taped up in my office. This quotation
has stuck with me for many years. It resonates as a strong business
quote, especially in an ever-evolving corporate environment. It is
simple and easily relatable to many audiences. The impact can be felt
in so many places.

The most effective quotations seem to be the most straightforward.
“Many people die with the music still in them,” by Oliver Wendell
Holmes has its own effortlessness that can be applied in multiple
scenarios. Take the audience on a journey with you by using quotations.

Make the message memorable and simple—simply make sure
the timing is right and that your quotation fits just so. Recognize that
quotations should be used to set the tone or reinforce your message.
You should try not to jam them into a presentation because you feel
obligated. Keep a list of attention-grabbing quotes. Keep a folder of
your favorites for future presentations. When you are looking for the
right words, go back and reference the folder, to see how a favorite
quotation can spice up your presentation.

Note: Whether you are using a quotation, comic strip, music, or anything
else that is not your own material, be sure to cite the source
and originator for appropriate credit. Please also ensure you are not
infringing on copyrights or protected material.

Thomas B. Dowd III’s books available in softcover, eBook, and audiobook (From Fear to Success only):

• Now What? The Ultimate Graduation Gift for Professional Success
• Time Management Manifesto: Expert Strategies to Create an Effective Work/Life Balance
• Displacement Day: When My Job was Looking for a Job…A Reference Guide to Finding Work
• The Transformation of a Doubting Thomas: Growing from a Cynic to a Professional in the Corporate World
• From Fear to Success: A Practical Public-speaking Guide received the Gold Medal at the 2013 Axiom Business Book Awards in Business Reference
• The Unofficial Guide to Fatherhood

See “Products” for details on www.transformationtom.com.  Book , eBook, and audiobook (From Fear to Success only) purchase options are also available on Amazon- Please click the link to be re-directed: Amazon.com

Have you ever watched an inspirational speaker whose sole ability
to inspire seemed to come from his loud voice? As you flip through
television channels you are bound to land on a station where someone
is trying to sell you something or “inspire you” to give away your
money somehow. Much of this is driven through the volume and
urgency of the voices saying, “Do it now!” The urgency of the “now”
builds the excitement, and that excitement often raises the volume
of the speaker. I’m not saying that the loud voices are yelling; they
do have a constant tone and pitch that often maintains this sense of
urgency through the higher volume.

I have been in situations when I know that the speaker’s goal was
to motivate or inspire me, but I felt more discomfort—or in some
cases boredom— since there was too much constant volume. Many
times in these cases, I have found very little vocal variety, so the speech
becomes monotonous. In some cases, a speaker’s inspirational message
is simply about repeating the same words or phrases over and
over. Although some repetition is encouraged to ensure the message
sticks with an audience, using the same boisterous tone may get old
without any vocal variety. I find my mind starting to wander when the
loud voice gives me a feeling of being talked at, as opposed to being
talked to or talked with.

Inspiration can come from different types of speakers. Many speakers
have caught and kept my attention by effectively varying their voice
and pitch. Some spend a lot of time in the higher-volume state, and I
am all right with that because they periodically bring it down. Most
importantly, they have a message that has connected with me and has
maintained my attention, not simply because they had a loud voice.
Loud may get your attention, but will it maintain that attention?
Whether you are introverted, extroverted, loud, or soft, realize that
inspiration can come from all types of speakers. The delivery is one
factor to ensure your effectiveness, and having an important message
for the audience to take away is another. Have you captured the hearts
and minds of the people you are interacting with? You can connect in
so many different ways with the audience. Just be confident in knowing
that you are connecting.

Thomas B. Dowd III’s books available in softcover, eBook, and audiobook (From Fear to Success only):

• Now What? The Ultimate Graduation Gift for Professional Success
• Time Management Manifesto: Expert Strategies to Create an Effective Work/Life Balance
• Displacement Day: When My Job was Looking for a Job…A Reference Guide to Finding Work
• The Transformation of a Doubting Thomas: Growing from a Cynic to a Professional in the Corporate World
• From Fear to Success: A Practical Public-speaking Guide received the Gold Medal at the 2013 Axiom Business Book Awards in Business Reference
• The Unofficial Guide to Fatherhood

See “Products” for details on www.transformationtom.com.  Book , eBook, and audiobook (From Fear to Success only) purchase options are also available on Amazon- Please click the link to be re-directed: Amazon.com

Some gravitational pull may have led you to this book. Whether
you felt your stomach drop in an important business presentation or
you have a pending proposal you need to make, regardless of the reason,
you have dedicated yourself to improving your public speaking.
You have taken an exciting step toward your ultimate success.
You should be cautiously optimistic that your journey is just beginning,
regardless of your level as a public speaker. Remember that even
when your important presentation is over, the public speaking is not. The
event may be over, but the process continues. The art of public speaking,
and your progress, is ever-evolving. The learning process needs constant
attention and refinement. It does not happen overnight, but it does happen
when you continue to take action. You have already made the tough
choice to improve—that was an action. Now, you should make sure that
your commitment is strong. Continue to build long-lasting habits that
will become your foundation and baseline to work from.

Learning is a process, not an event. Some of you may have some
natural ability, and some may not. However, the ability to move forward
and improve only happens after you cross over the threshold past
the inertia, and then keep your advancement toward success alive.

Thomas B. Dowd III’s books available in softcover, eBook, and audiobook (From Fear to Success only):

• Now What? The Ultimate Graduation Gift for Professional Success
• Time Management Manifesto: Expert Strategies to Create an Effective Work/Life Balance
• Displacement Day: When My Job was Looking for a Job…A Reference Guide to Finding Work
• The Transformation of a Doubting Thomas: Growing from a Cynic to a Professional in the Corporate World
• From Fear to Success: A Practical Public-speaking Guide received the Gold Medal at the 2013 Axiom Business Book Awards in Business Reference
• The Unofficial Guide to Fatherhood

See “Products” for details on www.transformationtom.com.  Book , eBook, and audiobook (From Fear to Success only) purchase options are also available on Amazon- Please click the link to be re-directed: Amazon.com