'SHOW... DON'T TELL

Today's Tip: "SHOW DON'T TELL!"

Fine-tuning your presentation skills is an on-going goal for Toastmasters and professional speakers alike. Once you've mastered the basics, it's time to assess your material to see how and where you can improve. Delivery can only accomplish so much. What about your content? Storytelling is an excellent way to accomplish this. A personal story, that is relevant to your purpose, and has a strong message, will go a long way in getting an audience to listen intently, take you seriously, and, if desired, move them to take action! Yet, I am amazed how many speakers overlook this important fact.

Obviously, the mantra here is not to tell a story for the sake of telling a story, or for filling up space and time. A compelling story is a supportive part of your message. Good speakers know this and do their utmost to deliver something of value to their audience.

Often, what separates an amateur speaker from a professional one is the relevancy and timeliness of a personal story, so that the audience can chew on the information and decide what to do with it. Amateurs usually tell an interesting story of something they did, saw, or visualized, but they omit the most important part of the story…How did it change their lives? What lesson did they learn from the experience. What would they do now that they would not do before? What is the "message: they want others to get?

The next time you are tempted to tell your audience a story of something that happened to you, STOP, and think the story all the way through. Instead of just "telling" them start "showing" them how it has impacted or changed your life for the better! If your goal is to persuade the audience to make some changes in their lives, you need to share what changes your experience/story has brought about in your life!

Use your own experience as a metaphor for change, for hope and for inspiration! For example, my most powerful presentation is when I talk about my first "Firewalk" experience. I stress: how I overcame tremendous fears to walk on the hot coals; what the experience was like, how I confronted my outworn behavior, habits, and limiting beliefs – how I chose to change my old way of life, and stop blaming others (for the way my life had turned out). Thus, the audience can relate to my fears and the courage it took to let go of what wasn't working in my life.

In summary, when you are ready to share your next story, or experience, with an audience, ask yourself the following questions:

● What's in this for my audience? What are the BENEFITS?
● What can they learn from my experience? Courage, change attitude, etc?
● How did this experience change my life? Stopped procrastinating?
● What can I do NOW that I wouldn't do before? Take more risks?
● What did I learn most from this experience? I CAN do it?

You will be amazed at how the audience will react to you when they know you are being genuine, are coming from the heart and not the head! They will listen, admire you, and want to follow your lead. What better way to captivate and move an audience!

Shirley M. Carolan, ATM
www.shirleycarolan.com
carolcom@qwestinternet.net

Copyright © 2006 by Shirley Carolan. All rights reserved. To reprint any portion of this article simply contact Shirey Carolan at carolcom@qwestinternet.net .