2-Minute Tip: Practice in Real Shoes
When we have a big presentation on the calendar, we may be tempted to pick up a new outfit and new shoes to feel all shiny and new, and to imbue us with more confidence. And that’s great. It’s also important, though, to practice in that new outfit.
If half way through the presentation, you discover those new shoes are pinching your toes or rubbing your ankle raw, you’ll have the opposite result of what you intended. Instead of feeling fresh, you’ll feel pain. Instead of feeling focused, you’ll feel distracted. Instead of feeling empowered, you’ll feel weakened.
Make sure you know before the big day just how well those shoes will actually work. uncover any issues while there is time to fix them. You don’t want to learn about the problem while on stage.
Post Tip Discussion: Be a Great Audience Member
As a speaker, you know how important the audience is. Audience behavior can impact how well your audience receives your content and how well you deliver it. To help make the experience better for everyone, it’s important for us to be the kind of audience members we want in our audiences.
The are 5 reasons to be a good audience member:
- You can learn from the speaker’s content.
- You can learn from the speaker’s technique.
- You can be seen as more professional.
- You can form an ally.
- It’s just the right thing to do.
Here are 5 behaviors you can engage in to be a good audience member:
- Be attentive.
- Take notes.
- Participate.
- Ask appropriate questions.
- Limit side conversations.
Call To Action:
- What makes a good audience member? Let us know in the comments below.
- Be the audience member you want in your audience.
- Practice in the shoes you’ll actually present in.
- Help a friend or colleague subscribe to 2-Minute Talk Tips on their phone or mobile device.
- Don’t get best…get better.