Practice, Practice, Practice? No Way!

We often hear that "Practice makes perfect", and think that the same rule applies to speaking. Well, not quite...

"Practice" can include going through the text of your speech in the shower, while driving to work, while exercising, or in many other environments that are not at all like those in which you will be delivering your speech. A better method is:

"Rehearse, Rehearse, Rehearse!"

The difference between practicing and rehearsing is that when rehearsing you are presenting your speech exactly as if in front of a real audience -- with a full voice, complete inflection, varying speed and pitch, broad gestures, and full use of the space.

Rehearsing is the best way to perfect the timing between the words you are saying and the gestures which emphasize them so that they look natural. It's also the best way to make the full use of the stage flow smoothly as you speak, so that you don't have to figure out where to stand "on the fly" and lose your place in your speech while you're thinking about it.

I recommend finding a quiet room at home or perhaps an empty conference room at work in which to rehearse your speech several times before delivering it before a real audience. Yes, I've given several "speeches" to empty conference rooms where I work. With flipcharts, no less... I've found it especially helpful for any speech involving props, even props as simple as flipcharts. (You can figure out what to do with the paper sheets as you tear them off in rehearsal, or you can be told in your evaluation that throwing them all over the floor was "distracting". Your choice!)

Try rehearsing your speech a few times and you'll be amazed at how much difference a few rehearsals will make!

-- Mark Schroeder