Public Speaking: The Agony and the Ecstasy

Mary-Wynne Ashford, MD, Ph.D.

Physicians for Global SurvivalApril 17, 2009

Getting your message across

• Your image• Your presentation• Your impact

Your image

• Dress for credibility• Prepare for cameras

– Where can a lapel mike be fastened?– Make-up?

Care about your audience

• Focus on their comfort:– Microphone– Light– Temperature– Time

Your presentation

• Stories are the most powerful teaching tools we have

• Visuals should enhance the story• Practice, practice, practice

Target your message

• Right message• Right audience• Right time • Again and again and again

More images, fewer words

Examples

• Presentation by Dr. Bill Williams, MAPW Australia– How do the slides draw us into his

viewpoint?

His Excellency informed me that we were to proceed to Botany bay, to bring away two natives as prisoners; and to put to death ten … we were to cut off and bring in the heads of the slain; for which purpose hatchets and bags would be furnished … against this tribe he was determined to strike a decisive blow, in order at once to convince them of our superiority, and to infuse an universal terror…”

Watkin Tench, Captain of Marines, Sydney Cove,1790

“these people mixed with ours and all hands danced together” Lt. William Bradley, 29th January 1788

“Although the uranium mining at Ranger is taking place on Mirrar country, overall we have not truly benefited from the mine. Mining and millions of dollars in royalties have not improved our quality of life”

Yvonne Margarula

The fabulous fifties

“Most of them were well built, and some of them were outstandingly good specimens… all were well nourished, and their babies were fat…”

Dr John Hargrave 1957

Writing your presentation

• What four points do I want my audience to remember tomorrow?

• Arrange them in order: King Jack Queen Ace

Warm up exercises

• Neck rolls • Yawn• Sing• Walk with book on head• Read newspaper exaggerating lip

movements

Project energy

• Stay rooted, yet calm and alive• Think of the needs of the audience

instead of yourself

• Make eye contact• Think “beats”• Vary your pace

Enhance your message

• Paint a picture• Find the emotion• Be personal

Your impact

• Up to 93% of the feeling-impact of a speech is delivered through vocal cues and facial expression

• 7% is delivered by the information

• Oh dear

• The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any. Alice Walker

• The marvelous richness of human experience would lose something of rewarding joy if there were no limitations to overcome. The hilltop hour would not be half so wonderful if there were no dark alleys to traverse. Helen Keller