If I asked you to think about the best speaker you ever witnessed, who would that be? More importantly, what did they do to make them your favorite? Now, think about the worst one you ever saw? What is the one thing they did that turned you off? At SuccessWorks, we’ve been conducting this research for over 30 years – asking audiences everywhere these same questions. Overwhelmingly year after year, the results remain the same. The number one terrible turn-off for an audience is a monotone presenter. Likewise, the number one thing participants want from a speaker is enthusiasm.
Not a Cheerleader
Showing enthusiasm does not mean you have to pull out the pom-poms and show the level of energy and excitement you would expect of a cheerleader. In fact, having an overly enthusiastic style can come across as fake, which is also on the list of turn-offs for an audience. As a speaker it is important to be authentic. Recently, I was asked for advice by one of our Speakers Training Camp® certified instructors on how to help someone show enthusiasm. The camp participant felt like he was being fake when trying to express excitement about his topic. Here’s the advice I shared:
- Remember, it’s about the audience. Your expressions and tone show how much you care or do not care about a topic. Your audience won’t be interested in something about which you seem unenthusiastic.
- Find and share your personal connection with the topic. Ask yourself, “what do I love or like about this topic” and “How can I show others that I really do like it”.
- If speaking in a more animated way seems unnatural to you, practice it until it becomes a habit and becomes natural. You don’t have to be over the top to convey enthusiasm.
- Use words like “excited”, “what I love about this topic is…”, “I really care deeply about…”.
- Use larger gestures to emphasize your enthusiasm.
- Most importantly – smile with your face and your eyes.
Imagine you see a small child running towards the street just as a car is about to pass. Would you say in a bored and disinterested way, “stop” or would you take off running while yelling loudly and excitedly, “STOP!!”? Even the most laid-back people show passion and enthusiasm when they care about and feel connected to the topic. Finding a connection to your presentation topic will help you naturally convey enthusiasm.
What If You Don’t Care
My advice – dig deep and try to create that personal connection with the topic. Ask yourself, “why does this topic matter to my colleagues?” and “why should this topic matter to me?”. Even if we can’t find that inner link to the subject-matter, we can often find a personal association to our audience and their needs. Once we understand why it matters to them, we can focus on becoming enthusiastic about helping attendees have the best experience and learn the information that is vital to them.
If you are a professional speaker, unless you can build that inner connection and purpose for your topic, I would advise you to pass on speaking engagement. Speaking IS your career. When you feel dispassionate, you are likely not to deliver your best speaking performance, and your professional speaking reputation could suffer the consequences.
#presentations #presentationskills #enthusiasm #whataudienceswant #speaking #speakingwithimpact
The Research
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Previous Posts
For more tips and advice check out our previous posts.
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