This site is the website of motivational speaker Craig Harper. A constantly updated, one-stop information, inspiration, education and motivation station. Unlike many similar sites, it is a totally free resource for anyone who is serious about moving from mediocre to amazing in any area of their personal or professional life. With hundreds of articles covering a wide range of subject matter, great interviews with cool people and inspirational video posts, there's more than enough brain-food to keep you busy for hours. Okay, days!! Enjoy.
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Craig Harper is Australia's leading
motivational speaker
and educator (according to Google Australia). He is a highly
sought-after corporate coach and is considered to be
a leader and pioneer in the areas of personal and
professional development.
Working with hundreds of
teams, companies and a wide variety of organisations
on numerous continents over the last twenty years
has given Craig a unique insight into, and
understanding of, human performance and all its
variables. Craig has an ability to educate, inspire,
challenge and make people laugh all at the same
time!
Public speaking is a curiosity; most people either love it... or are absolutely terrified of it.
Some people are physically ill just saying their name in front of a group... while others will wrestle you to the ground to rip a microphone from your hand.
Over the years I have done somewhere over three thousand presentations nationally and internationally (including corporate stuff, educational stuff, sporting teams, schools and fitness industry stuff).
And at least five of those talks were good.
Alright, three.
I get emails every day asking me how I got to do what I do and what advice I might have to offer the would-be public speaker.
So rather than re-writing the same reply nineteen thousand times over the next ten years, I thought I might make my life easier and formalise my thoughts on the matter with a post.
Okay, pens poised. (or printers turned on).
Here we go... Public Speaking 101:
1. Decide what kind of speaker you want to be: Find your public speaking niche; what are you good at? What are you suited to? What are you passionate about? Who do you want your audience to be? What is your key message; your mission? Do you want to do it professionally?
Are you an educator... "Okay class, let's take a look at the physiological benefits of progressive resistance training for the elderly"
Are you a motivator... "I'm not interested in your comfort or enjoyment, I'm interested in results... now stop whining, stop bleeding and get up off the floor!!" (Mmm... maybe that's a masochist!)
Are you an entertainer... "hey guys, a funny thing happened on the way here tonight... "
2. Have a U.S.P. In business we want something which separates us from our competitors; we call this a Unique Selling Proposition. If you want a successful career as a speaker then you need to give people a reason to want to utilise your services. People always have options... so we want to be the best option (eventually)... or a better option at least.
3. Spend significant time writing, preparing and committing your presentations to memory. You need to (1) have great content (fresh, interesting, challenging, stimulating, confronting, funny, relevant) and (2) you need to know your stuff inside-out. The better you know your material, the more relaxed you will be in front of your group.
Looking at notes repeatedly while you speak... not cool.
4. Practice often. In the car. In front of the mirror. To your dog, cat, rabbit... plants! Recruit an audience... your family perhaps.
5. Get feedback. When you do any presentation (even if it's a dry run in front of friends or family) ask for constructive feedback. Don't be precious and consciously work on your weaknesses.
6. Film your presentation. Want some real perspective?... watch yourself on film. The first time I saw myself on video (it was the 80's) I was totally weirded out by all of my little public speaking idiosyncrasies and habits... I repeated myself, I spoke too fast, I spoke with my back to the audience (as I wrote on a board), I kept rolling up my sleeves in this kind of unconscious nervous little ritual thingy (embarrassing) and my finish was about as exciting and empowering as porridge.
I hated watching myself.
But what it did was let me see what everyone else sees. Not a particularly comfortable process but a valuable one. I instantly became a better presenter after that. (I didn't want to put anyone through that pain again).
7. Do freebies. Every public speaker has done hundreds of freebies along the way. You can only develop a skill... by practising that skill. Reading about, talking about and thinking about public speaking doesn't improve your actual skills.... public speaking improves your public speaking skills.
8. Be able to present on different topics... or at least variations of the same topic. If you can speak (competently) on a broad range of subject matter, you are more likely to be in demand.
9. Study other speakers. Next time you watch another (quality) public speaker, take a look at the process through the eyes of a student public speaker; you will learn a bunch. Watch how they engage their audience, their timing, their use of (appropriate) humour, how they dress, how they incorporate their audio-visual stuff, how they start, how they conclude.
10. Create opportunities "So Sam, tell me a bit about yourself..."
"Well I actually do a bit of public speaking in the health and fitness area..."
"Hey that's fantastic... how would you like to talk to my team of fat sales execs?"
11. Join a public speaking organisation There are some great organisations (like toastmasters) who get like-minded people together and help them develop their public speaking skills and careers.
12. Don't be impatient. If public speaking is something that you might want to do long term, don't be impatient. Spend adequate time learning, watching, researching, practising and developing before you rent your first ten thousand seat auditorium. Be ambitious. And realistic. And patient.
13. Know your audience. Research the company, organisation, group that you're speaking to. What kind of group are they? Will there be thirty or three hundred in the audience? Are they corporates, are they truck drivers, are they predominantly male or female, are they kids, are they students... have they been presented to before? Talk to the organiser (the person who gave you the gig) and get some insight into your audience.
14. Use audio-visual aids when appropriate and relevant. The occasional well-placed video or slide can be a valuable addition to a presentation and can provide you with a nice opportunity to re-group, collect your thoughts and take a look at your crowd. This concept is not to be confused with the mindlessly-boring presenter who feels compelled to base his entire presentation around a series of slides, photographs, charts and statistical tables. (all high-lighted with his laserpointer gizmo).
If I see you doing that, I'll hurt you.
15. Don't rush your material. Don't talk too fast, don't try and present too much information and don't have too many slides (if you are doing a power-point presentation). Not too long ago I sat in a presentation where the speaker had over forty slides for a forty minute presentation. It was a disaster and it hurt my brain.
16. Have a great finish. Leave them inspired, challenged, excited, curious and impressed.
There you have it; Craig's mini-seminar on public speaking. I hope you found it interesting and valuable.
Let me know your thoughts, ideas, feedback and stories.
Click on the comments thingy, don't be a chicken and let us know where you're from.
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