It takes a lot of practice to master the art of public speaking, but to speech training consultant Jackie Reeves, it all revolves around teaching stomach butterflies to fly.
"If you have butterflies in your stomach, teach them to fly in formations," Reeves said as she took a group of students through the qualities of a good public speaker and leader Monday, part of the Fox Leadership series.
According to Reeves, Americans are more afraid of speaking in public than anything else. It ranks above both heights and death, second and seventh, respectively.
She stressed the necessity of effective presentation skills. "They are essential to a perception of confidence, competence and credibility," she said.
Some of the tips she imparted to her audience were:
n It's okay to be scared. It will keep you on your toes.
n Nothing annoys an audience as much as an "object modifier." Avoid playing with your hair or your pen while speaking.
n Avoid speech mannerisms. They are obviously filler.
n Be sure to enunciate and pronounce each word distinctly.
n Leaders are not philosophers. Keep your speech simple and straightforward.
n An ideal speech would consist of a 15-second introduction, a one-minute, 30-second body and a 15-second conclusion.
n Make eye contact with each and every person in your audience for at least five seconds.
n Get to know your audience before the talk. It will help you overcome your nervousness.
n Use anecdotes and quotes to strengthen your case.
n Subject your humor to the the Three-R test: it should be re-tellable, realistic and relatable.
n Drawing from your personal experience is one of the best ways of delivering a message.
Some attendees said they gained a lot from the event.
Leo Van Hensbergen, a junior exchange student attending Wharton was enthusiastic about the talk.
"It's really good that they offer such talks. I am not comfortable with English but this presentation has given me a lot more confidence," he said.
