Be Human, Perfection is not the Goal

Part 1 of a 2 Part Series on Public Speaking
By Angie Kellen, Director of Client Services. Open Sky Communications

Few things can raise the anxiety level like these two words: Public Speaking. But don’t worry, while this blog is about public speaking, it is designed to dispel a common myth and source of panic for many. The myth, “I need to be perfect.” The reality
is that perfection is NOT the goal.

If perfection is not the goal, why do I need speaker training? If you are engaged in public speaking, your listeners and audience will be made up of human beings. Since humans are inherently not perfect, don’t aim for perfection. Rather, focus on mastering the elements of human communication to create the best human connection and effectively reach your audience.

In part one of this blog, I will provide insight on the importance of making a human connection in your public speaking. In part two of this blog, I’ll go over several tips that can quickly reduce static and enable you to communicate more effectively.

As a speaker trainer, I have worked with a variety of people, from domestic and international C-level executives to sales teams in high tech companies. I’ve worked with mid-level employees presenting to the company’s C-level executives and even a police sergeant preparing for an oral exam as part of the city’s promotion testing. Everyone chose to engage in speaker training to improve their skills to become a better communicator, whether it was to earn a promotion or have more confidence and polish when speaking to company employees or the media. Regardless, the goal was always to make a human connection with the audience.

We are all human beings and as much as we may want to believe it, we are not perfect. My personal training style is to work with each individual to be the best communicator that they can be. The key is to communicate with your audience, not at them. Whether your audience is one person or several hundred, remember, communication is a two-way street. You might be wondering how can there be two-way communication if I am presenting to a large group?

There are several ways in which we communicate with one another. Our first impression comes from the speaker’s body language, second is the voice or vocals, and lastly (speechwriters hate this part) the content or what is actually said. Yes, your body language speaks volumes and represents about 70% of the information you are communicating. The focus of work in speaker training is to ensure that your body language, vocals and content are all in alignment. It’s learning to speak the same language or in ways that your audience understands. If you are delivering a sad point while you are smiling, gesturing madly and shouting at the audience, they are not effectively understanding your message. We call this static in communication and it’s the topic of part two of this blog.

The human connection is very important. A speaker that makes eye contact with his/her audience and acknowledges their reactions to the messages—via body language or vocals—has developed a human connection. The audience response to you is part of the communication process. Being able to observe the way an audience receives your words can only be accomplished if you’re talking with them rather than tossing out memorized words.

Being human is being yourself and not trying to imitate or be someone else. After all, your audience came to hear you. Being yourself is being honest with your audience. This includes speaking with enthusiasm, emotion and being relatable and real. Memorization doesn’t allow for this type of expression because your passion and heart are not involved in your delivery. If your mind is doing all of the work, your presentation can be perceived as cold and indifferent.

Don’t get me wrong, you need your mind involved in the process! But if your heart isn’t in sync, there is no human connection and your messages will be lost. To ensure your audience listens, accepts or agrees with your messages, the most important element of dynamic public speaking is the human connection. Aim for connection, not perfection.