This YouTube video introduces ten tips for better communication:

Communication Skills: Confident and Clear Speeches

Do you get nervous at the thought of public speaking? If you do you are in good company. A study by the National Institute of Mental Health indicated that over 40 % of people have a fear of public speaking. The good news is that no matter who you are, there are some scientifically proven, simple things you can do to improve your skills and become confident when communicating.

So here are ten top tips to help you improve your speaking skills, develop your communication skills and bolster your confidence.

For more information, follow the link to the full article:

10 Top Tips for Speaking More Fluently and Confidently in Public

Do you get nervous at the thought of public speaking?

If you do you are in good company. A study by the National Institute of Mental Health indicated that over 40 % of people have a fear of public speaking.

The good news is that no matter who you are, there are some scientifically proven simple things you can do to improve your skills and become confident in public speaking. By boosting your ability to speak in public you are also bolstering your leadership skills and influence.

10 Ways to Improve Your Public Speaking Skills

So here are ten top tips to help you:

1. Prepare Thoroughly

One of the biggest sources of anxiety in public speaking is the fear of forgetting what to say. The more prepared you are, the more confident you will feel. Research your topic thoroughly, outline your speech, and then edit and refine it. Familiarity with your content will help you deliver your speech smoothly and reduce anxiety.

2. Practice, Practice, Practice

Repetition is key to building confidence. Start by reading your notes out loud and then progress to practising in front of a mirror. You can also record yourself, or rehearse in front of friends and family. Pay attention to your tone, pace, and body language as much as your content. The more you practice, the more comfortable you’ll become with your material, and you can free yourself from just reading your notes.

3. Engage Your Audience

Understanding your audience can help tailor your speech to their interests and needs. Consider their background, level of knowledge on the topic, and expectations. But remember, no matter what titles they have, they are just people like you. So, engage the audience with questions and relatable experiences to build rapport and boost your confidence. Storytelling is great because stories are memorable for you and the audience.

4. Use Positive Visualisation

Visualisation is a powerful technique to boost confidence and performance. Before your speech, close your eyes and imagine yourself delivering it successfully. Picture the audience smiling, nodding in agreement and applauding. This mental rehearsal can help you feel more prepared and optimistic.

5. Work on Your Body Language

Confident body language can enhance your presence on stage. Stand tall, maintain good posture, and use open gestures. Avoid crossing your arms or fidgeting, as these can make you appear nervous. Instead, place your hands lightly together at your front between waist and chest level. Making eye contact with your audience can also establish a strong connection and exude confidence.

6. Control Your Breathing

Nervousness often leads to shallow breathing, which can affect your voice projection and clarity. Practice deep breathing exercises before going on stage. Take slow, deep breaths to calm your nerves and ensure steady speech delivery. You can also couple this with visualisation.

7. Start with a Strong Opening

The beginning of your speech sets the tone for the rest of the presentation. Start with a compelling quote, a thought-provoking question, a surprising fact, or a personal story to capture the audience’s attention. A strong opening will boost your confidence and make you feel more in control.

8. Embrace Pauses and Speak Slowly

Many nervous speakers tend to speak too quickly. Slow down and use pauses to emphasise key points. Pausing not only helps you collect your thoughts but also gives the audience time to absorb your message. Pauses can feel long when you are speaking but don’t worry, a good pause makes you appear and feel confident.

9. Turn Nervous Energy into Enthusiasm

It’s natural to feel nervous, but you can use that energy to your advantage. Instead of seeing it as anxiety, reframe it as excitement. Channel your nervous energy into passion for your topic, making your speech more engaging and dynamic. If you are feeling too much nervous energy before speaking then doing some light exercises beforehand can help. You can then use deep breathing to reduce your heart rate. 

10. Accept That Mistakes Happen

No speech is ever perfect, and mistakes are part of the process. If you stumble over a word or forget a point, don’t panic. Take a deep breath, pause, and continue. The audience is usually more forgiving than you think.

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Putting it all together

Confidence in public speaking doesn’t happen overnight, but with practice and the right mindset, you can improve over time. By preparing thoroughly, practising regularly, and embracing positive thinking, you can become a more effective and confident speaker. Remember, public speaking is a skill—like any other—that gets better the more you use it!

If you found this helpful then you might also be interested in reading:

How to Improve Your Public Speaking Skills

How to Overcome Your Fear and Learn to Love Public Speaking

Awesome Work Presentations in Seven Simple Steps

As a leader, I often have to speak, at short notice, to various groups of people. This might be in the context of a meeting, while facilitating training, or even at a social function where I might be asked to “say a few words”. When this happens, I have a simple hack that helps me prepare, even if I have just a few seconds. That hack is the rule of 3.

Using the rule of three I quickly come up with three main points that become the structure of any impromptu public speaking. Equally, when I write an essay or article, I start by identifying three core arguments or facts. And again, when decision-making, I generate three courses of action before making my choice.

So, the rule of 3 can be used in many different contexts, but why three? What makes us use trios of information?

What is the rule of three and where does it come from?

The rule of 3 is very simple. Any time you use a triad of information in your communication you are using the rule of 3. A lot of the time we do it unconsciously but there is a long history of using the rule of three to structure stories, speeches, and teachings.

Caesar exclaimed “Veni, Vidi, Vici!” (I came, I saw, and I conquered) but even before that,  Aristotle recommended the following three-part structure for successful rhetoric:

1. Ethos –first establish credibility and character
2. Logos – then bring in the rational argument and facts
3. Pathos –then engage the emotions and connect with an audience

Why are threes so powerful and memorable?

So, history demonstrates that there is something about triads that connects with us on a psychological level and supports effective communication. The rule of 3 certainly encourages clarity, brevity, and memorability.

More recently, neuroscience research has shown that we can generally only remember 3-5 pieces of information. The more complex the information the harder it is to recall all the elements, so it is no surprise that psychologically we fixate on threes. We also forget huge amounts of information, and the attrition of data happens almost immediately (as shown by Ebbinghaus’ Forgetting Curve). Therefore, using a clear structure as with the rule of 3 encourages better recall.

How do you use the rule of three?

The rule of 3 is most associated with writing and is one of the easiest modes to practice using the method. Authors use it at the micro and macro scales and you can too. At the small level, a sentence might include a trio of associated words, clauses, or points (as I have just done here).

In stories, it is common to have triads of characters such as the three bears in Goldilocks. Equally, you can also have three significant events such as the houses of straw, wood, and brick in the three little pigs (which is also has a trio of characters).

In more formal writing, the structure also often falls into threes. The most obvious is the idea of having a beginning, middle and end. This can be further broken down into threes. For example, in an essay, you might have the introduction, the main body and then a conclusion (a three-part structure). Then, the main body could involve three main arguments, each of which might have three supportive points. Of course, it does not always end up this way, but it can be a great way to start a writing project or to create an essay plan.

On a larger scale, many books come in groups of three or start as trilogies. Here The Lord of the Rings, The Hunger Games (Suzanne Collins) and His Dark Materials (Philip Pullman) are obvious examples.

Three Acts in Plays and Trilogies in Movies

The rule of 3 extends into other writing such as scripts and screenplays. Modern plays and movies often have three acts that internally follow this structure:

1. The Protasis (exposition) where we meet the main protagonists
2. The Epitasis (complication) where things take a turn and don’t go to plan
3. The Catastrophe (resolution) where the story finds closure – happily or not

Furthermore (similarly to novels), movies are often released in threes. For example, the Star Wars saga, which was originally a trilogy, became a trilogy of trilogies (under George Lucas’ production). And this is often the case. Literature and films are often envisioned as trilogies but then stretch beyond that due to popularity (e.g. Indiana Jones, The Matrix or the Bourne Trilogy).

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The Rule of Three for Public Speaking, Publicity and Persuasion

We have already seen that the rule of 3 extends back to the public speaking advice of Aristotle and the ancient philosophers. More recent and well-known advice for public speaking is:

“Tell them, tell them again, then tell them what you said.” 

Anon

When you consider how little people remember then this is very good advice indeed for any communication.

Simon Sinek, when talking about effective communication, recommends using the ‘Golden Circle’ structure of:

1. Why – to explain the motivation behind something and engage the emotions (through the limbic system and older part of the brain)
2. How – to explain how this will help people
3. What – to cover the benefit in logical terms (engaging the neocortex or rational brain)

This premise is explained in his bestselling book Start With Why and reflects his background in advertising. Sinek knows what makes something catchy or sticky (in marketing terms). You will also notice that there are similarities to Aristotle’s advice, even if there is a difference in order.

The Rule of Three: Absolute Rule or Just a Guideline?

The rule of 3 is not really a rule. As with any conceptual model, it is an aid to thinking, not a set of firm laws we must adhere to. In the words of Captain Barbossa (from The Pirates of the Caribbean), “The (rule of 3) is more what you’d call ‘guidelines’ than actual rules.”

Even within this article, I have demonstrated just that. When drafting this post, I did initially utilise a three-part structure. That structure has evolved and becomes less obvious as I have edited the writing. There are still various examples of triads in the sentences that you can pick up on.

So, do use the rule of 3 as a tool to help you. Play with it and experiment, but don’t feel constrained by it. Next time you have to write an email, construct a meeting agenda or have a telephone conversation, jot down three things to start. It will really help!

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If you would like help developing your communication skills, or those of your team, do drop me a line via the Contact Page.