Roland Millward

Archive for September, 2010

Have you noticed that with somethings in life we prefer to go it alone rather than seek help and training?

I often hear people say, “I don’t need to pay for a course as I can learn this for free on the Internet” or it used to be “I can get a book from the library”.

In today’s world there is a great deal of information available. You can obtain information that will enabe you to learn a language, play a musical instrument, become a writer, photographer or most other things. And yet we might be missing something.

Information in itself, whilst not bad and necessary is not going to make us good at something. The top tennis players all have coaches most of whom have never won a grand slam. However they know how to help people reach their full potential. A language teacher can add more than a computer program. A music teacher likewise.

I see people endeavouring to speak in public and make presentations. People tell them that they did well and are good and so they feel that they do not need further coaching. How wrong they are! They are well below their full potential!

With some help and practice they could become great speakers. Like tennis players some of the world’s best known speakers have a coach! This is not always to make them get better but rather to help them maintain their already high standards. All of us can improve in what we do and when we become good or great we can fall back. Having some coaching never goes amiss.

If you would like help with your public speaking and presention skills please get in touch.

Roland Millward

Many years ago someone said to me those words, “when in doubt mumble”.

They had developed the idea that when speaking in public that if you forgot something, like a name for example, that you could mumble rather than admit you couldn’t remember it!

I must stress that mumbling is a BAD IDEA!

Public speakers need to be clear and have good diction. If you do forget a word – admit it!  If you do forget something, phrase your talk  so that you don’t need to use that word. The phrase “a woman said to me” is better that ” er er er (mumble) said to me”. Words and the clarity and meaning of words are the tools that pubic speakers use every time they speak. If accountants were to supply you with ineligible numbers you would not be impressed.

Do make sure that you learn to speak clearly and pronounce words correctly. Mumbling should not be an option!