Do You Have These Questions About Public Speaking? (II)

11.  Should you be selective about accepting invitations to speak?

Absolutely.  From a business point of view, you want to be seen and heard at events that enhance your company’s brand and values.  For example, it makes sense for top executives in Ghana to speak on the Springboard Road Show which focuses on personal and professional development in young people.  The Springboard audiences (the kind of people those executives could one day employ) will associate the speakers with the positive work Springboard is doing, a perfect illustration of ‘show me your friends and I’ll show you your character’. 

12.  What is the relationship between speaking and temperament?

Do you remain calm even under pressure?  Can you analyze your mistakes and draw lessons from them?  Would you describe yourself as a positive, upbeat person?  Are you sensitive to the moods of people you talk to?  If you answered yes to these questions, you have the kind of temperament which, with determined effort, would turn you into an effective speaker.  And what if you think your temperament falls short of the ideal?  No worries; just as people can go from being shy to being confident, you can work on your temperament to make it more suitable for public speaking success.

13.  Is it advisable to answer questions from the audience immediately after you have spoken?

It depends on the kind of speech you have been asked to deliver and the format of the speaking event.  If you are the guest of honour or keynote speaker, you will most often not answer any questions at all from the audience.  You speak, they applaud, and you sit down. 

Some conference organizers may give an individual speaker an amount of time which includes time for questions immediately after the talk.  Others prefer to have all speakers deliver their addresses one after the other and then take questions at the end.  Make sure you know well in advance what kind of structure you will be working with.

14.  What is the difference between a moderator and master of ceremonies?

A moderator manages a discussion or a debate involving two or more speakers often with different perspectives on a particular subject.  The moderator introduces the speakers, sets the guidelines for the interaction, asks questions of the participants and if the format permits, invites questions from the audience.  It is important for a moderator to have a probing mind as well as good grasp of the issue being discussed.

The main responsibility of a master of ceremonies (MC) is to ensure that the event has energy and flows smoothly from beginning to end.  The MC works with the event organizer to manage the contributions of various people who are key to an event (venue owner, security, entertainment providers).  It is not enough as an MC to know how to introduce speakers well; you must have solid managerial skills and be able to plan for unexpected changes to the programme.

15.  What do you do when the electricity goes out?

If there is a generator, be calm as you wait for it to kick in.  If there is no generator, get closer to your audience and speak louder. 

You are not responsible for a power failure but your reaction to it is within your control.  I recall a garden reception where no provision had been made for backup electricity. We tackled the lack of illumination by convincing guests to shine their car headlights all around the venue.  Problem solved.

16.  As a master of ceremonies (MC), are you responsible for the kind of music that is played at a function?

The MC is part public speaker, part event manager and as such is responsible for a host of things including the music (see Question 14).  On more than one occasion, I have had to suggest that a DJ adapt his music selection to suit the occasion (for example, no songs of marital infidelity at a wedding).  The trick is to get on friendly terms with the DJ before the event begins.  When you have to step in to change the music, do it in a non-confrontational manner and offer 2 or 3 alternatives.  You objective is to help create a great ambience at the event, not disrespect the DJ by trying to tell him how to do his job.

17.  What can you do to prevent regular clearing of your throat?

Avoid eating or drinking anything which has is made from dairy products because it will produce excess phlegm.  So that means no yoghurt and no milk.  Drink room temperature water.  Cold water will only irritate your vocal cords and cause you to cough in order to relieve the scratching sensation.

18.  What do you think about co-MC’ing?

Event organizers generally prefer male-female combinations when they need hosts for awards and fundraising events.  I have had the pleasure of working with Jocelyn Dumas, Kokui Selormey and Ofie Kodjoe, all very professional MC’s.  In all cases, the formula for success was simple; introduce the event together, take turns in handling the ensuing segments and end the event together. 

Co-MC’ing becomes a nightmare when both hosts want to speak at the same time or when one wants to hog the limelight.  The art of co-MCing requires smooth co-ordination, preferably at a pre-event meeting.

19.  How do you deal with eye contact from a particular person in the audience?

If the eye contact is friendly, that should be good news for you; it means someone is interested in your speech and so from time to time, you should look at that person.  If the eye contact is indifferent or unfriendly, you should not be overly concerned.  It is unreasonable to assume that 100% of your audience will be following your address.

Eye contact is an important part of public speaking as your audience will connect better when you look at them as you talk.  Here is one technique I use for maximizing eye contact with my audiences.

Imagine the room as one big square.  Now divide it into four equal squares.  Start your address by looking down the middle line of the room as if you were addressing the person at the point where all the 4 squares meet.  Shift your eyes to the bottom left square and deliver one idea or point to those seated there.  With subsequent ideas, concentrate your eyes at those in the top right corner, then top left square and then bottom right square.  Return to the middle and repeat the process making sure you end your speech in the middle where you started.  This technique will ensure that you do not starve any audience member of your eye contact.

20.  Should you answer your phone when you are on stage?

No. 

Put your phone on silent mode or turn it off before you get on stage.  Your audience deserves 100% of your attention, don’t you think so?