japanese technology: 8 Seeds to Sow for Your Speaking Growth | Malachi Talabi

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There is law that governs the world ? some call it ?karma?, I call it ?seed time and harvest?. It?s very simple: if you sow an apple seed in the ground, no matter what weight, height, colour or gender you are, that seed will grow and eventually produce apple fruit.

In the same way, if you want to grow as a speaker you?ll have to sow seeds ? not just any seeds, but the right seeds. Some people think joining a speaking club is the only seed to plant to become a better speaker; yes, this is a good seed you will grow as a result, however if you are thinking of growing to become an unforgettable speaker, you?ll have to sow more seeds.

In the last 18 months, I have grown phenomenally as a speaker. I started as a complete novice and ended up as a speech champion ? this didn?t just happen; I believe there were eight seeds in particular that I sowed to make this possible which may work for you too:

Seed #1: Joining Toastmasters

In July 2010 I stepped into a Toastmasters club as a novice speaker. I was not shy or scared, however I didn?t know anything about speaking ? I knew that I should move on stage but I didn?t know how to move on stage; I knew I needed to make eye contact but I didn?t know how and why to make eye contact.

Toastmasters gave me a foundation for good public speaking and the training manuals challenged me to create and deliver different types of speeches. The environment was nice, the people were very supportive and I am still a member today. If I didn?t join Toastmasters I wouldn?t be writing this blog!

Seed #2: Reading speaking books on storytelling and humour

Why do you like your favourite speaker? If you stop and think it is probably because they are funny and they tell great stories. Whether the stories are dramatic or inspirational, they often leave the stage and enter your soul.

The best speakers consciously work on building their funny bones and story bones. In my early days of speaking at Toastmasters, I was blessed enough to meet a lady at a meeting who after hearing me speak, came up to me and said, ?Malachi, you are great speaker. Have you read any books on storytelling and humour? These are the two pillars of public speaking.?

This lady then gave me book list and since then I have been in the storytelling and humour gym working on becoming a speaker that audiences want to hear. Here are two books in particular that have helped me in these areas:

People love stories that are told well and humour makes a speaker more likeable and a presentation more interesting. When you build these two areas of your speaking, you will become unforgettable.

Seed #3: Watching speech contest videos

During my preparation for the international speech contest last year, I watched many past speech contest videos so I could learn the art of using a big stage and see how the best speakers connected with their audiences. I learnt so much and I grew so much in the process.

These videos really helped to refine my rawness as a speaker ? I would watch a video and try to implement the delivery tools that I observed at the next opportunity. You don?t have to be in a contest to watch ? just watching great speakers in action is enough to enhance your own speaking, contest or not.

Seed #4: Recording myself in practice and watching the recording back

When I was practising my winning speech, Keep on Walking, I recorded myself 90% of the time. I?ve always liked being on camera and I really wanted to see what my audience could see. Through the recordings I discovered my bad habits; I also uncovered ways that I could improve ? such as adding a gesture, a pause, a facial expression? I became my own evaluator and made adjustments where necessary.

I found doing this helped my speech to improve and helped me to edit my delivery ? in fact, one of the problems I had in my delivery that I didn?t discover until I saw a recording was that I didn?t smile enough when I spoke! I adjusted this and it strengthened my speech. Watching yourself shows you what you audience will see when you speak ? the good, the bad and the ugly. If you don?t like what you see in your recordings, neither will your audience!

Seed #5: Getting coached

I believe that every champion needs a coach ? I only discovered this after I won the UK and Ireland International speech contest and received coaching from champion speakers Jim Key and Phillip Khan-Panni which made a tremendous difference in my speaking.

With Phillip Khan-Panni, 1993/5 & 2001 UK & Ireland Champion of Public Speaking

As I sat in the audience in Las Vegas last year for the world finals, I heard contestant after contestant take the mic in their acceptance speech and thank their speech coach. Charisma will take you far ? coaching will take your further.

If you?re not in the position now to be coached by a champion, I recommend joining an organisation called World Champions Edge for access to top level public speaking coaching. I joined Champions Edge for a month and received 3 CDs that taught me valuable speaking information and their newsletters help me keep my speaking knowledge up to date. Join a coaching organisation like Champions Edge will take years off your learning curb.

Seed #6: Doing the same speech several times

I delivered Keep on Walking five times to land third place in the semi-final rounds. Prior to this, I had never delivered the same speech this many times before ? I would usually write one speech, deliver it and then throw it away. This was a big mistake because it gave me no room for improvement.

Through the contest, I had the opportunity to work on just one speech for a long time which allowed me to see great improvements in the speech and in my speaking. I was able to see what resonates with an audience, how different settings affect different audiences, how different stages mean a different delivery and so on ? I literally grew so much by doing the same speech over and over.

Seed #7: Speaking every chance I got

This step is simple but it will take courage. I vowed to myself that if I was at any event and they need an impromptu speaker, or there was an opportunity for a question and answer session, then I would be the person asking the questions. I did this at business events, seminars, meetings ? I even gave speeches at wedding! The more you practice your speaking skills, the better a speaker you become, and there?s no better way to grow than speaking in front of a live audience.

Seed #8: Learning how to connect with my audience

No matter how good a speaker you are, if you don?t connect with your audience your message loses its power ? no one wants to listen to someone they don?t like or someone they feel do not care about them. I spent time learning different ways to connect with my audience and this took the pressure off me as a speaker.

If you can connect with your audience when you speak, even if you make mistakes (which can happen), the audience will be willing to look pass this ? connection helps your audience to see the best in you. Download my free audio ?The 3 C?s of Connection? (see page header) for more information on how to do this.

These are the eight seeds I sowed to improve my speaking (and still sow today). As you take these steps you?ll see phenomenal growth in your speaking ? you will grow fast and most importantly, you will grow to become an unforgettable speaker.