Do You Have These Questions About Public Speaking?

1. How do you control yourself if you are on stage and you start shaking?

Shaking is a sure sign of nervousness.  It happens to a lot of speakers, even the ones who appear super-confident.  But you can control it.

Breathe in slowly and deeply.  The extra air will calm you and make your voice sound stronger when you open your mouth to talk.  Then smile.  If it’s because you’re in a room with unfamiliar faces, relax.  Believe it or not, most people in the audience want the MC or speaker to succeed so you have the majority on your side even before you say a word.


2. What should you do when you are speaking on a topic and you realize your audience is not so excited about it?

You are responsible for getting your audience excited about your presentation.  Maybe you are reeling off a list of statistics or dry facts?  Boring, boring, boring.  Who is going to be interested in that?

Tell a story related to the topic.  You can actually start off by saying “Once upon a time…” and launch into your story.  People think in pictures so make sure your story is full of striking images and appeal to the other senses of hearing, taste, touch and smell.

You could also ask your audience a question or tell them to repeat a phrase after you – these are ways to engage them in your talk.


3. What are you supposed to do when you walk on stage and get nervous?

Tell yourself you are going to do a great job and your audience is going to be entertained.  Think in terms of excellent customer service – satisfying your audience and speakers.  Focus on them and that will take your mind off yourself.  Remember, it’s not about you; it’s about the speakers and the audience.


4. If you pronounce a word wrongly and the audience starts laughing, how should you deal with this situation?

Laugh with them, crack a quick joke and move on.  Don’t make too big a deal out of it.


5. What are some of the qualities you need to become a very good Master of Ceremonies?

You need to have high energy levels and a great sense of humour.  You also need to think on your feet and anticipate potential problems in order to maintain the flow of the event.  It also helps if you like people because you need to get along very quickly with the people who you will be working with to put together a successful show.


6. As an MC, is there dress code you should follow?

Dress code is straightforward:  for every event, make sure you dress at par with or more formally than your audience.  Remember the C in MC stands for ceremony which implies that the event is a special one.  You want to look the part.


7. Can you create a brand for yourself as an MC?

Absolutely.  Being a brand means you differentiate yourself from the competition, making you a personality MC instead of a commodity MC.  A friend of mine called Ken Carbonoo specializes in playing the keyboard and singing customized songs as well as MC’ing – he’s the only one who MC’s like this.  Ken is a brand and as a result, he’s got zero competition for the type of work he does.  Wouldn’t you love to be in Ken’s position?  Then develop your brand.


8. How is MC’ing for parties and weddings different from that of a talk show?

Parties and weddings are relatively more formal events.  There is a running order to follow and speakers to introduce.  As a party or wedding MC, you will be on your feet coordinating with other people (caterer, DJ, band) to manage the flow of the event A talk show is really just a conversation between friends.  Presenting a talk show requires advanced questioning skills and you normally sit down to conduct it.


9. In my presentations, I normally make gestures with my hands but I often use my left hand.  How can I develop a new way of using my right hand more?

As long as your hands don’t get in the way of your message, it’s really not a problem.  Just make sure you don’t point with your left to a member of the audience, especially in Ghana, because of the negative cultural associations with the left hand.


10. What are some of the things that you should not do as an MC?

Don’t arrive late to the event.  It only puts pressure on you and the event organizer.  And you may never be hired again because of your unprofessional conduct.  Be ahead of time by at least half an hour.

Don’t make fun of the audience or the speakers.  It’s disrespectful and it can ruin the event.  I know of one wedding MC who made a bad joke about a particular ethnic group and caused the bride’s father to storm out of the reception.  Remember a joke is truly funny only if everybody finds it so.  Don’t risk alienating anyone.

Don’t spend too long in making a transition from one part of the show to the next.  You are not the star of the event; your job is to make the event flow.  Your motto should be “Less talk, more action!”