Alana Muller:
Welcome to Enterprise.ing, a podcast from Enterprise Bank & Trust that's empowering business leaders one conversation at a time. Each week, we'll hear from top business professionals about lessons on leadership and entrepreneurship that they've learned along the way. I'm your host, Alana Muller, an entrepreneurial executive leader whose primary focus is to connect, inspire and empower community. We at Enterprise Bank & Trust thank you for tuning in to another episode.
Hello, listeners. Welcome back to Enterprise.ing podcast. Today, I'm recalling a conversation I had with Shawn Tuma, Co-Chair of Cybersecurity, Data Protection, AI and Emerging Tech Practice at Spencer Fane, LLP. It was a fascinating episode in which Shawn shared how his experiences from law school paved the way to becoming an expert in cybersecurity law. He deftly explained the importance of staying alert in the digital world. He debunks common misconceptions and provides actionable advice to protect personal and business data. I really appreciated his insights on a subject I know very little about. That said, it was the portion of our conversation on a completely different topic that I want to highlight for today's episode. I often ask my guests about the good advice that they have received over the course of their careers. He told me about words of wisdom he received from his mentor, Peter. Take a listen.
Shawn Tuma:
I was terrified. I was scared to death to speak in public and I think what he just told me was, "It doesn't matter if you screw up because nobody knows what you're supposed to say."
Alana Muller:
That is exactly right. Go, Peter. I completely agree with him. No need for notes because nobody knows what's on the card anyway.
Shawn Tuma:
That's right. Yeah.
Alana Muller:
You know, listeners, I've given thousands of talks in front of audiences of all sizes. My standard topics include things like professional networking, executive presence, business etiquette, and the like. Though I sometimes coach clients in one-on-one settings on the art of effective communication, none of my presentations has anything to do with presentation skills themselves. Funny enough, during Q&A, I'm often asked where I picked up my own presentation skills. When asked, I usually tell people about my parents' stellar presentation skills. My dad, for example, is a professional speaker. My mom has mad skills when it comes to delivering a speech, which I grew up witnessing. Sometimes I share details on the youth summer acting camps my brothers and I attended. Other times, I talk about coaching I received from my pal, Eric Morgenstern when I was preparing to give my first TEDx Talk.
All that said, probably the most important thing I share is that I simply love conveying a message and connecting with the audience. Here are a few of my favorite public speaking tips to assist you with your efforts to drive audience engagement. Number one, I'm going to start with the same advice Peter gave to Shawn Tuma, “No notes.” I mean it, no notes. Don't type out your talk. Don't bring bullets along with you. Don't write little notes on the palm of your hand. Don't do it. You know what you're there to talk about. If you don't remember one line or one point or one joke, the only person who will know is you. If you need a gentle reminder to keep you and the audience on track, create a few simple slides. By simple, I mean very few words, perhaps one big image. The slide should simply be the background noise to the thing that you're currently talking about. Rather than reading to your audience, talk with them, wow them with your command of your topic. You'll be glad you did. They will be impressed.
The second tip I have for you is, “Be among the audience.” Is there a podium on stage? Ignore it. If you must use it, use it only as a place to keep a glass of water in case you need to wet your whistle during the presentation. Whatever you do, do not stand behind that podium. Instead, come out from around the podium and be among the people. In fact, unless you're presenting in an auditorium, in an expansive space or the audience is very large, skip the riser of the stage and be on the same level as your audience. Make them part of your presentation. Look them in the eyes. Walk around to be near them.
My third tip is “Use your hands.” In her 2017 TEDx London Talk, “You Are Contagious,” Vanessa Van Edwards shared her research on what makes TED Talks so memorable. She discovered that the more hand gestures, big movements that caught people's attention, the more viral the talk was. In fact, the speakers of the most viewed TED Talks used an average of 465 hand gestures in 18 minutes. It turns out that the first thing we notice about people is actually their hands, because we subconsciously look to the hands to determine whether someone seems trustworthy or not. So in terms of your presentations, keep your hands where your audience can see them. Show the audience your expertise by telling them with your words what you're going to say, and then emphasize the importance of those words by punctuating them with hand gestures. Your audience will be listening and watching for both.
With appreciation to Shawn Tuma and his mentor, Peter, for raising the topic, those are the public speaking tips I have for you today. By the way, Shawn's episode was chock-full of great information about cybersecurity. You should check it out. Visit enterprisebank.com/podcast, then scroll to episode number 71, “Navigating the Digital World and Modern Cybersecurity Threats.” I look forward to being with you next time on Enterprise.ing podcast.
Thanks for joining us this week on Enterprise.ing. Be sure to visit our website, enterprisebank.com/podcast to subscribe so you'll never miss an episode. If you found value in today's program, please consider leaving a review on Apple Podcasts or telling a friend about us. Enterprise.ing, powering business leaders one conversation at a time.
The views expressed by Enterprise.ing presenters or guests are those of the presenter or guests, and not necessarily of Enterprise Bank & Trust or its affiliates. All content of this podcast and any related materials are for informational purposes only. Enterprise Bank & Trust does not make any warranty, expressed or implied, including warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose, and specifically disclaims any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or usefulness of any information presented. Enterprise Bank & Trust is not under any obligation to update or correct any information provided in this podcast. All statements and opinions are subject to change without notice.
