My personality leans toward being more serious than funny. I have
my moments, but I have to work hard to get some laughs. I have concluded
that I will never be a stand-up comedian, but I have had more
fun with myself, and the audience, once I stopped putting so much
effort into being funny. I found all I had to do was remember to just
look around me. We are surrounded by humor.

Self-deprecating humor is always a winner and usually won’t offend
the audience. It can be fun to go back and remember funny and embarrassing
stories from your childhood, from school, or from work. You
may even begin to chuckle when you unleash the repressed memories.
How many times have you sat around the dinner table and rehashed
humorous stories with family and friends? After dinner, jot down
some notes to help you remember, and throw them in that folder or
file.

Look around you. Have you ever passed a sign that made you laugh?
I have learned that humor isn’t all about one-liners or long, drawn-out
stories. The simple stories can get a great reaction. For example, my
wife was driving down the road when my fourteen-year-old daughter,
at the time, asked her about an old building they had just passed. My
wife said that it was an old topless bar. This is the part in the story
where people start getting very concerned about appropriateness. You
can relax. My daughter asked, “What did they do when it rained?” We
are surrounded with funny life moments.

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

I used to do a monthly presentation at work for newer employees.
The topic was often financial fraud, which can be a scary or fascinating
topic, depending on how the audience relates to it. I tried to have fun
with it to ease the mood and hold the audience members’ attention.
I started to receive consistent feedback that I was funny and engaging
on this potentially complicated topic. I went home and told my
wife and she simply said sarcastically, in the way only a spouse could,
“You’re not funny.”

I have retold this story many times and always seem to get some
laughs. I do have my funny moments, and it is important to inject
humor into your presentations, when possible. Not every presentation
is required to have humor, but if you can find a way to appropriately
add it in, even during serious presentations, you will give your audience
a release and the chance to get more involved in the presentation.

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

Inspiration and motivation are often used interchangeably. As a
speaker, you must understand the difference in order to achieve the
full effect of what you are trying to convey.

An inspirational message typically takes the audience on a journey. It
often is a part of the individual speaker’s personal trials and tribulations.
The inspirational ride is driven primarily through an emotional connection
to the audience. However, motivational speeches carry with them a
take-away or a specific request of the audience. You’ll try to persuade the
audience to take some kind of action, whether to change their ways—
such as eating habits, for example—or to accomplish something, such as
running a marathon. Simply sharing your own personal successes with
an audience is not being specific enough to motivate them to join in.

If you want an audience to be motivated, you need to tell them or
ask them to take a specific action. Staying with the example of eating
habits, you may want to ask the audience to start reading the labels
when they get home, counting calories against the recommended
intake, and incorporating the appropriate amount of fruits and vegetables
into their diets. You must convey specifics if you truly want to
motivate a positive change.

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

Many inspirational messages start with hitting rock bottom or
some type of roadblock. We want the audience to experience the
downs and ups of the message with us. Even as we relate to the audience
with a phrase such as, “We have all experienced hard times or the
heartache of…,” we need to ensure we carry the audience back out of
the valley to the uplifting high point. It may seem obvious, but sometimes
the despair is deeper than we think. We must be conscientious
about holding the hand of the audience and pulling them along with
us to the final inspirational message.

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

Many presentations end with question-and-answer sessions. Here
are some of the basics to remember:
• Notice I said the end; outside of direct attempts to solicit audience
responses and intentional open-ended parts of the presentation, I recommend
saving questions for the end, to avoid jeopardizing the flow
and taking away from later material.
• Save your final key take-away points and/or message for after the
Q&A so you can dictate the final messaging.
• Repeat questions back to the audience to ensure they are understood
and for people who may not have heard them (this also buys you
some time to formulate answers).
• Avoid rambling; answers should be clear and concise. Yes, this
seems obvious, but it is a critical skill to master.
• Don’t guess. Offer to get back to the overall audience or to the
person who asked the question, or even look for a subject expert
in the audience who may be better suited to answer. It is better to
have the right answer than guess incorrectly. The credibility that
you earned throughout the presentation is still at risk during Q&A
time.
• Be an attentive listener. You should make every effort to not cut off
the question because you anticipate the rest of it. Give the person asking
as much courtesy as he or she has given you.

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

• 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 received Honorable Mention in the General Non-Fiction Category at the 2014 Paris Book Festival and Honorable Mention in the Business category at the 2014 New York Book Festival
• The Transformation of a Doubting Thomas: Growing from a Cynic to a Professional in the Corporate World received Honorable Mention in the Business Category at the 2012 New England Book Festival
• From Fear to Success: A Practical Public-speaking Guide received the Gold Medal at the 2013 Axiom Business Book Awards in Business Reference, Honorable Mention at the 2013 New York Book Festival, and Honorable Mention at the 2013 Paris Book Festival.

See “Products” for details on www.transformationtom.com.  Book and eBook purchase options are also available on Amazon- Please click the link to be re-directed: Amazon.com

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When you are moving from the introduction to the main body of
the speech and then to the conclusion, make sure you use warm transitions.
You can’t jolt the audience with an eye-opening introduction
about aliens landing on earth and then go into the body of your speech
as if alien landings are completely normal by sharing examples of how
the aliens are getting along just fine on this planet. I was working on a
speech about my shy daughter’s triumphant solo chorus performance.
The message was about how her bravery of stepping out on that stage
alone led me to alter my perspective of a special needs co-worker
based on how he bravely participated in the Special Olympics. Early
versions of the speech received consistent feedback from friends and
family that the transition from my daughter to the Special Olympics
athlete was too cold. I needed more character description to paint the
picture of him as an individual first, before jumping in with both feet.

You need to add some semblance of a transition that enables the
listener to go back in time and put all the pieces of the story together.
We can effectively go from the attention-grabbing introduction into a
smooth changeover into the body of the presentation. Back to the alien
example: if you add small bites for the audience to chew on, such as,
“After an exhaustive struggle, the aliens found common ground with
the earthlings by…,” the audience can find the connection. I sometimes
hear this referenced as getting the string and pulling it all the
way through. I actually found two effective transition versions that
worked on the Special Olympics speech. First, I used a pondering
open-ended question for the audience about potential catalysts for
change in their lives. Second, I added a simple phrase that said, “A
few days after my daughter’s triumph adjusted my lens on beauty….”
Both changes received positive feedback relating to a smoother transition.
With a warmer jump between topics, stories, and key points, the
audience will be able to follow the flow more easily. Smooth transitions
allow easier understanding of the organization and content of
the speech.

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

You can’t assume anything prior to speaking. You need to do your
homework, even if you are asked to give a “quick” status update on
a project to your manager and a group of his or her peers. You have
the right and obligation to ask how long you are expected to speak
for, who will be there, who else may be speaking, and if there will be
a question-and-answer session. Even though questions are typically
asked at this kind of event, it’s still worth checking. Wouldn’t it be better
to know ahead of time if the questions will be asked during the
presentation or after the presentation?

You must also confirm the time and place. I know it sounds obvious,
but I was embarrassed once when I showed up for a speaking engagement
at a local Kiwanis Club and saw that there was another speaker. I
had failed to re-confirm the time with the sponsor. The sponsor didn’t
reach out to me, but I hold myself accountable for assuming I was confirmed
after the first email I received. Even if you think you know the
answers, ask questions anyway to ensure that everyone is on the same
page. Clarifying and confirming are key tools in your speaking arsenal.

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

Toastmasters’ club meetings emphasize the importance of speech
evaluations and designate certain individuals to listen for proper
grammar and filler words. Personally and professionally, I knew
I needed to be a better listener, because I had a reputation for periodically
speaking over people as they spoke. The habit was not to be
disrespectful, but was often an attempt to rush out my own words
while they were fresh in my head. However, I had never correlated the
importance of public speaking with listening. With a larger group of
people, especially during question-and-answer sessions, Toastmasters
training gave me more restraint in the business environment. I began
to actively listen to the questions and then thoughtfully try to answer
them.

In addition to Q&A sessions, I started listening not only with my
ears, but with my eyes. My observation skills were becoming honed
because I needed to adjust to audience reactions during my presentations,
whether it was by seeing sighs, yawns, closed eyes, or even no
reaction at all. Altering presentation and delivery to adapt to audience
needs, even in mid-stream, helps not only with the present speech,
but with future versions of that same speech. Additionally, becoming
a better listener has made me a better communicator all around. This
more holistic communication approach, including speaking and listening,
has increased my confidence and made me more adept in the
business setting.

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

You have outlined and then written out the speech, and it is ready
to practice. I convinced myself that, as I was terrible at remembering
names and other things, I would also have trouble remembering
speeches without notes. It took plenty of practice and new tips
along the way, but now I feel confident in my ability to remember my
speeches. Below are some key tips:

• Go back and look at the outline to determine if the beginning, body,
and conclusion are logically arranged. I have found that some simple
re-arrangement of sentences can make all the difference in my ability
to memorize.
• Smooth out the speech to give it a more even flow if you find yourself
stumbling during transition points. The flow and rhythm are important.
• Don’t mumble the speech under your breath. You must be loud and
proud. Everything is a live rehearsal and will help your retention and
allow you to figure out better words to use. You will be surprised how
different your speech sounds from what you intended when you originally
wrote it.
• Learn in small increments. I begin by setting a goal of memorizing
a paragraph a day. Before work, I invest time going over the paragraph
to remember it. On my commute home from work, I try to recall the
most recent portion of the speech I worked on. By the end of the day,
I have the baseline of the paragraph down. The next day, I reinforce
the first paragraph and begin the second. I continue this progressive
approach until I remember the entire passage. You should note that
if you choose not to memorize the entire speech, you should at least
invest the time to know your material inside and out. Many experienced
people in the field of public speaking argue the wisdom of memorizing
entire speeches. Some argue that the presentation becomes too
acted or prescribed. I will leave it up to each individual as to how they
want to prepare their work. What is typically agreed on is the importance
of memorizing a strong opening and conclusion, with a laser
focus pointed on the key message and topics that must be stated within
the presentation to define the success of the speech.
• Visualize the speech in your head. With the small increments noted
above, you can begin to visualize the speech order based on key words
and sentence structures. Visualizing is slightly different from memorizing
because, to some extent, you are living the speech by thinking
about words, places you want to be on stage, and flow.
• Use gestures to accompany your words and use your body to guide
your mind. I have almost forgotten words many times but built strong
gesture routines and habits in which my arms and hands prompted me
with word memories.
• Incorporate alliteration. This shouldn’t be overdone, but it’s always a
great tool to throw in occasionally (e.g., helpless, homeless, and hurting…).
• Practice in different surroundings so you don’t get too comfortable
in one forum. For example, as noted above, I often practice while driving
home from work. Afterward, I am always shocked the first time I
stand up and practice it. I always seem thrown off simply by standing
the first time.
• Even if the speech isn’t perfect, practice with other people or a video
camera. This added pressure builds your concentration level.
• Use videotape to help underline some trouble spots for remembering.
This comes back to being able to visualize yourself on the stage.
• Then practice, practice, practice. You can never practice too much.

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