I am Siri Mannes, the co-founder of Speaklab. For many years I was intrigued by the question, "What defines a great presenter?" So by 2010, I decided to quit my long-time job as a TV news anchor and started SpeakLab to test my childhood hypothesis: "Becoming a great speaker is something everybody can do"
Experience has shown me that delivering a great presentation is not about talent. It is about skill. It is about knowing what to do and how to do it. That means, you have it in you too. You just have to practice. I am aware, not everyone has the time or privilege of training in a live radio or tv-station like I did. So, just like people would go to the gym to work out, we needed to create something new: A “gym” for presentation skills.
This sounded right to me. I would have liked to attend this "gym" myself. But a challenge arose, how do you practice? I realized that my experience as a journalist and news presenter had its obvious limitations. I knew nothing about teaching and the different challenges people face, like structure, the physical aspect of getting enough breath to deliver the words with power, and finally, performing under pressure.
And did you know that one of the most common features uniting human beings is the fear of public speaking? How do you deal with a shivering voice, trembling body and simply going blank? I needed to team up with someone good at coaching people to perform under stress.
It was at this point that I met Arne Møller. He was coaching a soccer team in the women´s premier league in Norway. Arne´s background was in sports. He had been a professional player and on the national soccer team. He also held the highest coaching certificate in Norway through the national Olympic committee. At the same time, he was an experienced physiotherapist specializing in voice training. In his free time, Arne liked to perform on stage, lecturing, singing and playing the guitar.
He had exactly what I lacked and was the perfect match for establishing a "gym" for presentation skills. As we launched our new company, SpeakLab, we decided to aim high: We would create a program so effective it could transform any speaker into a potential star in less than a week.
Insight #1 - Enthusiasm is key
Let me explain how we identified the key to a great presentation and how to capture your audience. We always start our courses by asking participants to answer the same question: What do you think a great presenter has, or does? Think about it. Think about a person you love to listen to on TV, Radio or Podcast. How would you describe them?
In this informal way we have collected responses from thousands of people with different backgrounds, jobs and interests. Overwhelmingly, they list the same characteristics. Two out of three people in our survey use the words enthusiasm, engaged or engaging. This is far more than any other characteristic. So, as a presenter you need to be aware of more than your words.
- "Your enthusiasm is worth millions. But, it can't be bought, sold or faked" Bruce Springsteen
Enthusiasm is about the emotions and attitude you convey when speaking. The Greek word, enthousiasmos means to be filled by the Gods or by spirit: A spiritual state where you forget yourself and become fully absorbed in your message. And while enthusiasm implies focus, it need not be uplifting, happy or joyful in nature. Take for instance volunteers searching in rough terrain throughout the night for a missing woman. They put up with the cold, rain and discomfort with no complaints until the woman is found. Afterwards, the local police praised the volunteers on TV for their great effort and enthusiasm.
A professor of zoology at the University of Bergen, Harald Kryvi, has for decades received praises from students for his fascinating lectures. Upon retirement he received the Meltzer Prize for Excellence in research communication. When asked, what was the key to his success? His response was, “It is extremely important that the lecturer is enthusiastic and shows his enthusiasm. It is very contagious”.
So in order to be at your best when you present, note the following: Focus on your message. Care about your message. And show it!
