Communication is a good skill to learn, so here are some advice I’ve collected over the years specifically on good communication and public speaking:
- Always provide the bottom line upfront. Begin by promising people what they need to know first before going into the details.
- If an idea is important, constantly cycle them and have a catchphrase/slogan for it.
- Typically, the final slide in a presentation is a thank you slide. Instead, summarize your talk – your arguments, contributions, and why the audience should care and do moving forward.
- Always tell stories and generalize lessons from each. This always makes your speech more memorable. Have stakes! Have suspense! Have humor! Tell stories that connect with everyday moments.
- If you want to include a joke, make sure to have a backup plan in case it fails!
- Use the power of 3.
- Sign-post within your talk. It makes it significantly easier to follow along.
- Breathe and pause more often.
- Speak in definites and certainties – use words like clearly, precisely, essential. Don’t hedge at all. If you’re unsure about an outcome, you can still phrase in certainties: “this would definitely work if these things happen…”