Common Crucial Mistake when YOU begin Speech Presentation

A BIG "Selamat Datang" (means "Welcome" in the Malay language) to YOU!

Thanks for dropping by Speecom's Blog. Speecom short for "Speech and Communication" is a place of sharing tips and methods in improving your communication and leadership skills.

As the very first posting to this blog, let's look at "Common Crucial Mistake when YOU begin a Speech Presentation".

What do you think is the "Common" little but often overlook yet crucial mistake when you start a speech.

From my countless observations during public speaking and speech presentations, many people often make this mistake. Though it may appear subtle but nevertheless it proves damaging in presenting the speaker in the "right frame of listening" to the audience.

The "right frame of listening" refers to providing the right conditions that makes the audience wants to listen to you. You always want to start of the right note so that audience will be receptive to what you have to say.

So what is this Common Crucial Mistake which many people make (without realizing) when starting a speech.

The answer is .......... APOLOGIZING!

Yes, you hear me right, it's APOLOGIZING.

So often you hear of people saying "Sorry...I did not prepare... I did not really know... I wasn't sure or...Please excuse me for.." and variety of million different apologies whenever they start a speech.

STOP! Stop doing this. You don't need to apologize.

Apologizing is BAD.

You don't need to apologize. In fact when you apologize you are indirectly sending "waves" to the audience saying that you are going to present a "horribly bad" speech. (even though you may be a good speaker)

When you apologize, you're simply putting "invisible handbrakes" to an otherwise smooth and beautiful speech. You're also shooting down your own self-confidence and self-esteem when you apologize.

Why do you want to do that?

Let the audience be the judge after you have presented the speech and not before. If you have watched the show American Idol on TV -- during the singing audition, did you ever notice anybody saying "Hey I'm a terribly bad singer, so hear me out OK".

Bear in mind, the audience don't care less about your speech you say until you start saying it. They don't need to know whether you are 3 percent, 10 percent or even 101 percent prepared.

As long as start you telling the audience what you suppose to present, people don't need to know how 'bad' you are.

And if ever you want to do an introduction about yourself, do it by presenting the positive part of yourself.

Example: "Being a Toastmaster member since 1998, I noticed many speakers including veteran speakers making this mistake....".

Always position and highlight yourself in the positive light to the audience and not otherwise.

So the next time, you have the urge to "Apologize" when you start a speech -- just put A BIG FULL S.T.O.P to it!

(...unless of course you arrive late for your scheduled speech presentation)