Damien100100

Author: Damien Gauthier

As project managers, we all know that effective communication is crucial to the success of any

project. But what exactly does that mean? And how can we improve our communication skills to

ensure our projects are successful? In this article, I’ll be giving you my top 9 advices on what to

work on to improve your skill in public speaking and present a training I’ll be offering to PMI

members in April.

My top advices to gain an unfair advantage in communication

According to Tim Stobierski from Harvard, communication and presentation skills are the top

skills to acquire in the 2020s. Effective communication rallies your team around a shared vision,

empowers employees, builds trust, and seeds successful projects.

But let's be honest: public speaking can be challenging. In fact, studies show that 90% of people

experience some level of anxiety when it comes to public speaking. And while there are plenty

of tips and tricks out there, such as "don't point your finger" or "don't say 'um,'" the truth is that

these tips won't help you if you don't have a strong foundation in the fundamentals of speaking.

My top advices are:

1. Perform a warm-up each day you'll speak in public: it's essential to take a few minutes to

warm up your voice and get your body and mind ready to talk. This could be as simple as doing

deep breaths, stretches, or vocal exercises.

2. Actively seek speaking opportunities: Even if you're scared, it's important to push yourself

out of your comfort zone and seek out opportunities to speak in public. The more you do it, the

easier it will become and the more confident you'll become in your ability to engage and

persuade your audience.

3. Work on your slides: One key to effective presentations is to have clear, concise slides that

support your message. Aim for only one key message per slide and ensure it's clear and

relevant to your audience.

4. Structure your arguments: When presenting an opinion or idea, it's important to

make it mutually exclusive (no overlap with other ideas) and collectively exhaustive (covering all

aspects of the topic). This helps to ensure that you're presenting a well-rounded and thorough

Case.

5. Tell stories: People love stories, and incorporating them into your presentations can be a

powerful way to engage your audience and make your message more memorable. Start with

examples or use cases and then present data (such as graphs or tables) with a narrative to help

illustrate your points.

6. Vary your delivery: Don't be afraid to mix things up and try different approaches to your

storytelling and presentation style. This could include using different tones of voice, varying your

pace, and incorporating visual aids or multimedia.

7. Use body language to your advantage: Your body language can say just as much as your

words, so make sure you're using it to your advantage. Practice good posture, make eye

contact, and use hand gestures and facial expressions to reinforce your message.

8. Engage your audience: Don't just lecture or present to your audience; engage them in the

conversation. This could mean asking for their input, posing questions, or involving them in

activities or demonstrations.

9. Get feedback: After each presentation or storytelling session, seek out inputs from others to

see what worked well and what could be improved. This will help you continue to grow and

develop your skills.

 

Damien Gauthier, actor, director, and TEDx speaker coach