DentaltownUK October 2017 - 65

imagining I am talking to myself without
anyone listening works best.
By doing so, I feel much more relaxed
and able to deliver a great speech. Don't ever
be put off by the size of your audience, be
yourself and you'll form a direct connection
with the people to whom you speak.

Don't aim for perfection
Even the best public speakers occasionally
make mistakes at some point. And after all,
remember that as the speaker you will notice
any mistakes more than anyone in your
audience, you are the only one who really
knows what you're supposed to say.
I've made many mistakes on stage,
from forgetting the next line to incorrectly
pronouncing a certain word, but I think it
is of vital importance that you don't stop
and never apologise to your audience for a
minor slip up - keep going. Even when I've
'urmmmeeeddd' or left a word out, it has
occasionally acted in my favour, because it
allowed me to connect with my audience.

Get researching
Don't just wait until the day of the
event to get to know your audience, be sure
to research them beforehand. How many
people are expected to come, what are their
age demographics and how does your topic fit
in with what they currently do/ want to do?
Simplify your delivery if you're speaking
to a group of laypeople, and avoid medical/
dental jargon and complex information - get
to the key points quickly and efficiently. Only
get technical in certain circumstances when
your audience consists of dental professionals.
It is also important to be able to recognise
that simply knowing your topic isn't enough;
you have to be able to progress further and
find out why your audience cares about this
topic right now.
Does the topic have an emotional impact
on your audience? For example, if your
topic is all about periodontal disease, put
an emotional spin on the topic by perhaps
introducing a case study of a patient who
has lost all her teeth and who is emotionally

challenged when it comes to prosthetic
replacements - your topic is going to help
dental professionals prevent similar stories.
T h i s i s w h at c r it ic a l ly en g a g e s
professionals. The more engaged they are,
the more they will listen and connect to you
as a speaker.
Prepare well to confidently tackle any
question the audience may have.

Get familiar with the
environment
Find out well in advance about whether
you will have video screens and a projector?
The more information you know about your
speaking environment, the better prepared
you will be for the encounter, and it is clear
which presenters feel most at home on the
stage, they are usually the ones who perform
the best.
Ensure that you are suitably dressed for
the occasion. You can never be over dressed
for a public speaking performance. But above
all, ensure you feel comfortable in whatever
you do plan to wear.

Practice, practice, practice
A trick, which I found to be very helpful,
was to practice in front of a mirror, and then
practice in front of my family and friends.
Make it clear beforehand that you want
critical constructive feedback, as this is the
only way you truly can improve. Accept
any opportunities that present themselves
to speak at smaller engagements to build
your confidence.
Find TED talks and other videos to see
how masterful speakers own the stage, pay
attention to the way they walk, how they
minimise any fidgeting on stage and how
they vary their pitch and tone to keep the
audience interested and entertained.
Former TEDx speaker Brooke Warner
said, "There are countless videos to study,
books to read and online resources from
those who've walked before you. I consumed
everything, and voraciously. I watched
close to 50 talks, read two books and read
many posts."

Kishan (left) with fellow colleague after his speech
to an audience of dental professionals, specialists
and students at the University of Sharjah annual
dental conference, United Arab Emirates.

Start strong and finish stronger
Spend some extra time crafting and
molding the beginning and end of your
speech, as these are the critical parts of any
public speech. A strong start will boost your
confidence and allow you to connect directly
with your audience, and a strong finish will
drive your key points home and leave a lasting
impression on the crowd.
When you feel uncertain, your first
instinct may be to apologise to your audience
for your mistakes. But I would never apologise
to my audience, instead I'd take a deep breath,
smile and continue. Any mistakes or sudden
hesitation due to forgetting your lines is to
be expected with new speakers.

Enjoy your time on stage
Even if some members of the audience
don't seem interested, there will always
be people who see value in you and your
messages. The audience is more likely to
connect with you if your speech evokes
emotion, through storytelling, or if you
appear to be enjoying yourself. Imagine there
is no one in the audience, and that you're in
a little, dark room. Pretend you're speaking
to yourself, and simply enjoy the moment.
You don't have to wait for audience
members to approach you. Make clear that
you'll be available to talk and connect in
person after the speech and via your social
media platforms and emails. ■
Bibliography:
The Art Of Landing And Delivering A TED Or TEDx Talk
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/the-art-of-landing-anddelivering-a-ted-or-tedx-talk_us_5953b685e4b0f078efd98648

dentaltownuk.com \\ OCTOBER 2017

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/the-art-of-landing-and http://www.dentaltownuk.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of DentaltownUK October 2017