February 2019 - Parks & Recreation - 49

you have your research and statistics and you present that information in a confident way, " you're
going to be much more communicative to your community, " she
continues, " and you'll know that
[the plan] you are presenting is a
good one. "

A Better Communicator,
A Better Manager
While public speaking enables
park professionals to promote
their agency's service offerings
more effectively, developing these
skills also allows managers to
communicate more productively
with their staff. Trueblood says
people with this type of training
can become better managers, " because they have the skills to help
them lead groups. "
She adds: " If you're trained in
public speaking, you will become
more comfortable and more willing to volunteer to lead a team.... "
For executive-level professionals,
the more you hone these skills,
the better you'll be at listening to
your staff 's needs and making recommendations. In addition, you'll
have the skill set to succinctly convey your objectives and expectations to your team.

Breaking the Ice
As content experts, it's advantageous for park and recreation professionals to share that knowledge
with colleagues by speaking at
conferences, seminars and other
industry events. It not only creates networking opportunities, but
it can also enhance the profile of
you and your agency among peers.
However, not knowing how to engage the audience from the get-go
may be why some people shy away
from making presentations or giving speeches. They avoid this type

of social engagement for fear of
rejection and harsh criticism.
So, how do you get the audience's attention? " There's really
not one right or best way, " admits
Trueblood. Some speakers prefer
to open their presentation with a
joke, while others choose to tell a
story to break the ice. The key is
authenticity.
" The first rule is do what feels
comfortable to you, " Trueblood
suggests. While telling a joke
might not feel authentic, she says
introducing herself and then telling a story within the first 5 minutes of her presentation feels more
natural to her and helps to engage
the audience. She adds that telling
a story offers audience members a
visual experience that brings people into a narrative.
Another option for breaking
the ice is to open with a participation survey. " For example, you
ask attendees, 'How many of you
have ever done public speaking
before?' And, they raise their
hands or they don't raise
their hands, " Trueblood explains. Or, perhaps, you offer
multiple options: (a) You've done
public speaking a lot; (b) You've
done some public speaking; or (c)
You've never done public speaking. By creating that physical
experience, where people are
participating, you're forming
a bond between the speaker
and the audience, according
to Trueblood. Thus, the audience
is committed to listening and providing feedback.

Preparing for Different
Presentations
Those who do public speaking frequently know that preparation is critical. And, depending
on the type of presentation, the

3 Quick Tips for Calming Your
Nerves Before Public Speaking
Making a speech is not an easy endeavor, especially when the adrenaline is rushing through your body
minutes before your presentation. Here are three valuable tips from Forbes.com contributor Nick Morgan
that may help put your mind and body at ease.

1

Focus on the 'offstage beat.' Before your presentation, take a few moments to get into an
appropriate emotion. This is a method actors
generally follow. Think to yourself, " I've just
got a promotion, received a big grant - I'm having a great day! " The goal is to find an appropriate
emotion that will enable you to face the audience with
excitement. What's more, it will help distract you and
re-channel your adrenaline.
Breathe deep 'belly' breaths. Take a deep
breath of air in through your belly, expanding it as you take air in. Refrain from moving
your shoulders upward the way most people
do when they breathe, as it makes your lungs
smaller. Instead, expand your belly and pull the
air into your stomach.

2

3

Take a walk or engage in moderate exercise. Schedule an hour or two prior to
speaking. However, don't overdo it. After
all, you don't want to wear yourself out before your speech.

W W W. PA R K S A N D R E C R E AT I O N . O R G | F E B R U A RY 2 0 1 9 |

Parks & Recreation

47
February 2019 - Parks & Recreation

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of February 2019 - Parks & Recreation
