Helping Staff and Board to Blossom
Put aside the fancy videos and the slick brochures. Nothing more effectively tells the story of your non-profit than a few heart-felt words delivered effectively by a staff or board member. However, not everyone is trained in public speaking. Indeed, many an excellent administrator is a mediocre public speaker. Similarly, there are board members who can drone on and on. Hosting a few private work sessions on public speaking can help both staff and board members become better ambassadors for your non-profit. Contact us if we can help with that. In the meantime, here are a few tips to pass along to anyone who is about to deliver a message on behalf of your organization:
Keep it brief. Research tells us that audience members generally remember 3 facts from any speech. Pick those three facts wisely, itemize them verbally, so that your audience can follow along, and then repeat them using slightly different language. While it is tempting to tell the world about the full range of wonderful things your non-profit is accomplishing, it is much more powerful to keep that list short. Which three pieces of information do you want people to remember? Write your remarks around them.
Tell a story. We humans love a story. Even if (and I would say, particularly if) you are giving a speech that is data-heavy, work to convey the drama behind the data. Use story lines that make the information relatable. What is the narrative behind your mission? Why should people care?
Be authentic and connect. If you are naturally vivacious, bring that energy to the podium. If you are not a jokester, then do not try to be flippant here; being serious-minded and sober can be just as powerful as being a comedian. Stand up straight, look your audience members in the eye, and make that critical person-to-person contact as you convey information. An audience may look like a big dark mass, but it helps to think about it as a group of individuals who have gathered to hear what you have to say.
These tips are products of my own experience. I used to loathe public speaking. I never raised my hand in class or asked a question at a lecture. Eventually, I grew tired of this personal limitation so I set out to get over my fear of public speaking. I started small, and I certainly fumble some of the speeches I give, but with each one I learn a new trick, and something new about myself. I know to practice, practice, practice and edit, edit, edit. Now I look forward to trimming my script to be as tight and as brief as possible. I have fun telling stories and I love connecting with the audience and seeing that “aha” moment as they light up.