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There comes a time for every presenter when they start to develop their own personal style of presentation. Some adopt the even-keel authority on the topic at hand, some the soft-spoken sensitive, and some (like me) the energetic, passion filled presentation. Now, before I start into this I’m not advocating one style over the others. There are dozens of styles and all have their place. I myself find switching between then based on the speech and topic is very useful in driving my message home. For this post I do want to focus on the high energy presentation.

Standing on chairs

Recently I gave a speech about “Be Passionate” in which at one point I pulled out a chair in the first row of the audience and stood on it, proclaiming my point loudly and forcefully. This topic lent it to this action naturally, but I could have used the same “shock tactic” with other topics had I felt the need to reinforce the point. The key with this is the old adage, “less is more.” You are creating a physical exclamation point in your presentation and it can be very powerful. But with each use, it’s strength weakens and diminshes. Wield this weapon in your arsenal carefully. It’s much more a bazooka than a sniper rifle.

Motion can reinforce or distract

Toastmasters, as with any good speaking organization, encourages it’s members to not lock themselves to the podium but rather to move about and use their motion as part of their presentation. Again, I must stress moderation in this. Highly animated motion can be a distraction from a powerful emotional message if it’s not timed carefully. When you rehearse your speech (and I highly recommend you do, numerous times) make a point of identifying when you will use “physical illustrations” to reinforce your words and thoughts.

Keep your shoes on

Avoid the inclination to get carried away with the physicality of your speech. A speech that is in constant motion with dramatic physical illustrations and jarring actions can be exhausting for you as the presenter as well as your audience. You want to end strongly and sprinting the entire time leaves nothing for the final push.

Conclusion

Never be afraid to pull out the stops and shock your audience a bit. Wake them up when you need to and draw them back into the presentation. Just don’t overdo it. Make sure it’s a good and steady chair too.

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