Dizzy head. Pounding heart. Shaking limbs. Sweating body. Shallow breathing. Queasy stomach. These symptoms hold people back from what they really want — SUCCESS. Public speakers of all levels will resonate with the concise methods found in "From Fear to Success," an easy-to-read guide to overcome anxiety and relate to any audience on their journey to find their communication confidence.

75. Use Notes—or Don't (Audio of this chapter is available here.)

Can or should a speaker use notes—yes or no? The answer no one wants to hear is, "It depends," but that is the answer. The variables include the location, the room set-up, and the length of the presentation. If you are in a Toastmasters speech contest, for example, you will always lose points for even potentially distracting the audience with paper or note cards in your hands. If you are speaking from a lectern, it makes sense to have notes to reference. Notice that I said "reference," not "read verbatim." Even if you stand on the stage away from the lectern, you can always slowly move back when you need to reference some material or begin the transition to a new subject. Some speakers like to use smaller note cards. Note cards are fine as long as they are not too distracting or become a focal point. A lot of the reaction from the audience is contingent on how much and how often you use your notes. If you have a teleprompter, that is a different story, but it is still important to give the impression to your audience that the words are flowing and not being read.

Most speakers tend to shy away from full-size paper, since it typically makes noise when shuffled and can be cumbersome. I have heard of having an outline on a poster board or flip chart visible to the speaker but not to the audience (in the back of the room or off to the side). In fact, although I mentioned above not to use notes if in a contest, I once wrote a discreet key word that I kept forgetting on a prop (that could not be seen). Ironically, I never once referenced it in the middle of the contest, but knowing it was there boosted my confidence level. What's important is that the audience gets your message without the notes getting in the way. Never become fully dependent on, and read directly from, your notes (if you use them). However, you may be surprised to hear that most experienced speakers do use some form of notes for presentations typically over ten minutes. If you have prepared your presentation correctly, and you use your notes effectively, the presentation becomes more about bringing messages, stories, and facts alive than, "Did I say the exact words verbatim from the sheet or notes in front of me?"

76. Know Your Speech Rate (Audio of this chapter is available here.)

Do you know how many words you speak per minute or how long it takes you to get through a speech of single-lined text on a piece of paper? What is your typical pace? And, why are these questions relevant? Understanding how quickly you speak will assist you as you are writing out your presentation. It will help you as you move from your outline to the actual text to see if you have enough or too much material. Your speaking speed will vary once you start practicing out loud because you will build in strategic pauses, movement on the podium, and gestures that will impact your timing and speed.

I didn't realize early in my speaking career that I was inadvertently counting my words. I knew that for a five to seven-minute speech (based on the size-ten font I typically use), I could have a full page plus one paragraph on the second page and stay within seven minutes. This was early in my public-speaking experience, because I depended more on my notes. After learning to memorize similar-length speeches, I found I couldn't have that extra paragraph because I was getting better at responding to audience reactions and at using pauses for effect; the timing of my speeches changed based on my experience level. I have settled in to around 800 to 850 words for a seven-minute speech, after I also account for anticipated audience reactions (about 115 to 125 words per minute). There is obvious variation based on the topic and delivery, but I know instantly when writing speeches if I have too much or too little based on the allotted time. I now know that I need to eliminate thirty words to cut down my time by about fifteen seconds. Once you settle into a good routine, you will become very familiar with your speech-writing timing needs.

77. Memorize the Speech—or Don't (Audio of this chapter is available here.)

You have outlined and then written out the speech, and it is ready to practice. I convinced myself that, as I was terrible at remembering names and other things, I would also have trouble remembering speeches without notes. It took plenty of practice and new tips along the way, but now I feel confident in my ability to remember my speeches. Below are some key tips:

• Go back and look at the outline to determine if the beginning, body, and conclusion are logically arranged. I have found that some simple re-arrangement of sentences can make all the difference in my ability to memorize.
• Smooth out the speech to give it a more even flow if you find yourself stumbling during transition points. The flow and rhythm are important.
• Don't mumble the speech under your breath. You must be loud and proud. Everything is a live rehearsal and will help your retention and allow you to figure out better words to use. You will be surprised how different your speech sounds from what you intended when you originally wrote it.
• Learn in small increments. I begin by setting a goal of memorizing a paragraph a day. Before work, I invest time going over the paragraph to remember it. On my commute home from work, which takes about thirty minutes, I try to recall the most recent portion of the speech I worked on. By the end of the day, I have the baseline of the paragraph down. The next day, I reinforce the first paragraph and begin the second. I continue this progressive approach until I remember the entire passage. You should note that if you choose not to memorize the entire speech, you should at least invest the time to know your material inside and out. Many experienced people in the field of public speaking argue the wisdom of memorizing entire speeches. Some argue that the presentation becomes too acted or prescribed. I will leave it up to each individual as to how they want to prepare their work. What is typically agreed on is the importance of memorizing a strong opening and conclusion, with a laser focus pointed on the key message and topics that must be stated within the presentation to define the success of the speech.
• Visualize the speech in your head. With the small increments noted above, you can begin to visualize the speech order based on key words and sentence structures. Visualizing is slightly different from memorizing because, to some extent, you are living the speech by thinking about words, places you want to be on stage, and flow.
• Use gestures to accompany your words, and use your body to guide your mind. I have almost forgotten words many times, but built strong gesture routines and habits in which my arms and hands prompted me with word memories.
• Incorporate alliteration. This shouldn't be overdone, but it's always a great tool to throw in occasionally (e.g., helpless, homeless, and hurting...).
• Practice in different surroundings so you don't get too comfortable in one forum. For example, as noted above, I often practice while driving home from work. Afterwards, I am always shocked the first time I stand up and practice it. I always seem thrown off simply by standing the first time.
• Even if the speech isn't perfect, practice with other people or a video camera. This added pressure builds your concentration level.
• Use videotape to help underline some trouble spots for remembering. This comes back to being able to visualize yourself on the stage.
• Then practice, practice, practice. You can never practice too much.

78. Listen Better (Audio of this chapter is available here.)

Toastmasters' club meetings emphasize the importance of speech evaluations and designate certain individuals to listen for proper grammar and filler words. Personally and professionally, I knew I needed to be a better listener, because I had a reputation for periodically speaking over people as they spoke. The habit was not to be disrespectful, but was often an attempt to rush out my own words while they were fresh in my head. However, I had never correlated the importance of public speaking with listening. With a larger group of people, especially during question-and-answer sessions, Toastmasters training gave me more restraint in the business environment. I began to actively listen to the questions and then thoughtfully try to answer them.

In addition to Q&A sessions, I started listening not only with my ears, but with my eyes. My observation skills were becoming honed because I needed to adjust to audience reactions during my presentations, whether it was by seeing sighs, yawns, closed eyes, or even no reaction at all. Altering presentation and delivery to adapt to audience needs, even in mid-stream, helps not only with the present speech, but with future versions of that same speech. Additionally, becoming a better listener has made me a better communicator all around. This more holistic communication approach, including speaking and listening, has increased my confidence and made me more adept in the business setting.

79. Assume Nothing (Audio of this chapter is available here.)

You can't assume anything prior to speaking. You need to do your homework, even if you are asked to give a "quick" status update on a project to your manager and a group of his or her peers. You have the right and obligation to ask how long you are expected to speak for, who will be there, who else may be speaking, and if there will be a question-and-answer session. Even though questions are typically asked at this kind of event, it's still worth checking. Wouldn't it be better to know ahead of time if the questions will be asked during the presentation or after the presentation?

You must also confirm the time and place. I know it sounds obvious, but I was embarrassed once when I showed up for a speaking engagement at a local Kiwanis Club and saw that there was another speaker. I had failed to re-confirm the time with the sponsor. The sponsor didn't reach out to me, but I hold myself accountable for assuming I was confirmed after the first email I received. Even if you think you know the answers, ask questions anyway to ensure that everyone is on the same page. Clarifying and confirming are key tools in your speaking arsenal.

80. Avoid Cold Transitions (Audio of this chapter is available here.)

When you are moving from the introduction to the main body of the speech and then to the conclusion, make sure you use warm transitions. You can't jolt the audience with an eye-opening introduction about aliens landing on earth and then go into the body of your speech as if alien landings are completely normal by sharing examples of how the aliens are getting along just fine on this planet. I was working on a speech about my shy daughter's triumphant solo chorus performance. The message was about how her bravery of stepping out on that stage alone led me to alter my perspective of a special needs co-worker based on how he bravely participated in the Special Olympics. Early versions of the speech received consistent feedback from friends and family that the transition from my daughter to the Special Olympics athlete was too cold. I needed more character description to paint the picture of him as an individual first, before jumping in with both feet.

You need to add some semblance of a transition that enables the listener to go back in time and put all the pieces of the story together. We can effectively go from the attention-grabbing introduction into a smooth changeover into the body of the presentation. Back to the alien example: if you add small bites for the audience to chew on, such as, "After an exhaustive struggle, the aliens found common ground with the earthlings by...," the audience can find the connection. I sometimes hear this referenced as getting the string and pulling it all the way through. I actually found two effective transition versions that worked on the Special Olympics speech. First, I used a pondering open-ended question for the audience about potential catalysts for change in their lives. Second, I add a simple phrase that said, "A few days after my daughter's triumph adjusted my lens on beauty...." Both changes received positive feedback relating to a smoother transition. With a warmer jump between topics, stories, and key points, the audience will be able to follow the flow more easily. Smooth transitions allow easier understanding of the organization and content of the speech.

81. Manage Q&A Basics (Audio of this chapter is available here.)

Many presentations end with question-and-answer sessions. Here are some of the basics to remember:

• Notice I said the end; outside of direct attempts to solicit audience responses and intentional open-ended parts of the presentation, I recommend saving questions for the end, to avoid jeopardizing the flow and taking away from later material.
• Save your final key take-away points and/or message for after the Q&A so you can dictate the final messaging.
• Repeat questions back to the audience to ensure they are understood and for people who may not have heard them (this also buys you some time to formulate answers).
• Avoid rambling; answers should be clear and concise. Yes, this seems obvious, but it is a critical skill to master.
• Don't guess. Offer to get back to the overall audience or to the person who asked the question, or even look for a subject expert in the audience who may be better suited to answer. It is better to have the right answer than guess incorrectly. The creditability that you earned throughout the presentation is still at risk during Q&A time.
• Be an attentive listener. You should make every effort to not cut off the question because you anticipate the rest of it. Give the person asking as much courtesy as he or she has given you.

Stir Emotion

82. Live in the Present (Audio of this chapter is available here.)

With dread, I waited in the lobby an hour before the biggest speech competition of my life. For the first time, I had the opportunity to compete against seven other speakers for the chance to represent our district in the Toastmasters World Semi-finals International Speech Competition. Unfortunately, I hadn't learned yet that the words "fun" and "public speaking," could be used in the same sentence.

I asked Joey Grondin, the eventual contest winner, what he did to relax. He simply said, "Live in the present." He went on to say that this moment would never come again, so why not enjoy it? If you grasp hold of the now, then the audience will get caught up in the moment, too. So, I stopped worrying about making mistakes and basked in the moment I had on the podium. When I did, in fact, make a large mistake by having an awkward pause while I tried to remember what I wanted to say next, I watched the audience feel my emotions and provide the encouragement and support I needed to ultimately have the most fun I ever had in my early speaking career.

83. Leave the Audience with the Upside (Audio of this chapter is available here.)

Many inspirational messages start with hitting rock bottom or some type of roadblock. We want the audience to experience the downs and ups of the message with us. Even as we relate to the audience with a phrase such as, "We have all experienced hard times or the heartache of...," we need to ensure we carry the audience back out of the valley to the uplifting high point. It may seem obvious, but sometimes the despair is deeper than we think. We must be conscientious about holding the hand of the audience and pulling them along with us to the final inspirational message.

84. Know the Difference between Motivation and Inspiration (Audio of this chapter is available here.)

Inspiration and motivation are often used interchangeably. As a speaker, you must understand the difference in order to achieve the full effect of what you are trying to convey.

An inspirational message typically takes the audience on a journey. It often is a part of the individual speaker's personal trials and tribulations. The inspirational ride is driven primarily through an emotional connection to the audience. However, motivational speeches carry with them a take-away or a specific request of the audience. You'll try to persuade the audience to take some kind of action, whether to change their ways—such as eating habits, for example—or to accomplish something, such as running a marathon. Simply sharing your own personal successes with an audience is not being specific enough to motivate them to join in.

If you want an audience to be motivated, you need to tell them or ask them to take a specific action. Staying with the example of eating habits, you may want to ask the audience to start reading the labels when they get home, counting calories against the recommended intake, and incorporating the appropriate amount of fruits and vegetables into their diets. You must convey specifics if you truly want to motivate a positive change.

Related links:

• Chapter 1: Step into the public forum

• Chapter 2: Find the sources of stage fright

• Chapter 3: Tame the beast

• Chapter 4: Understand that success is possible

• Chapters 5-14: Road to success, the anxiety

• Chapters 15-24: Road to success, don't let personality be an excuse

• Chapters 25-34: Road to success, paint the picture

• Chapters 35-44: Road to success, set your stage story

• Chapters 45-54: Road to success, appreciate the audience’s diversity and differences

• Chapters 55-64: Road to success, brainstorm, the friends-and-family effect

• Chapters 65-74: Road to success, grab attention with your opening

Tom Dowd has spoken at many of the Midcoast Rotary, Kiwanis and Lions clubs, is a member of the U.S. National Toboggan Championships Committee, and announcer of the event. He lives in Camden with his wife and three daughters. To read his full biography, click here. He can be contacted at transformationtom.com or tomdowd@roadrunner.com. Follow Tom on twitter: @TomDowd4; connect on Facebook at Thomas Dowd Professional Development & Coaching; and on Linkedin, listed as Thomas B Dowd.