Stand-up comedian Viv Groskop shares three public speaking tips that will help you own a room – even if you are totally s*&t-scared of an audience
Hate speaking in front of an audience? You’re probably doing it already. Public speaking is a broad term and you are probably required to do it daily without even knowing it, stand up comic Viv Groskop explains in her new book How to Own the Room. From delivering a wedding speech to speaking up in a meeting, not every public speaking event is in front of thousands of people TEDx style.
In the first of a series of five public speaking tips videos from Viv running each day this week on Healthista to celebrate International Women’s Week, Viv brings you three ways to get confidence from your audience.
Tip #1: Find the positive energy in the room
Every situation will contain some positive energy that you can draw from – whether that’s from someone in the audience, or when that’s not available, inside yourself – it’s up to you to find it.
‘This might be difficult if you are in a one to one situation with a negative boss, but then you might have to find the positive energy inside yourself’, says Groskop.
‘In a bigger situation, in an audience, always look for the person who’s got the most energy, the most connection with you, someone who’s making good eye contact and draw on their positivity as it will help you carry through’.
Tip #2: Know your first and last lines
Before you get in front of your audience, have a very detailed idea of what you plan on saying at the beginning and the end.
By doing this, ‘it doesn’t matter so much what you say in the middle’, says Groskop. ‘Know your first sentence, ideally off heart and learn your last sentence’.
Tip #3: Take your time
Yep, easy as that. Don’t rush what you’re trying to say. If you need to, stop and take a breath or have a drink of water. ‘Learn to just be at ease with moments of silence and relaxation’, says Groskop. The audience will understand if you need to take a second to collect.
More about the author
Viv Groskop is a writer, comedian and broadcaster. She is behind the best-selling book and podcast How to Own the Room: Women and the Art of Brilliant Speaking. Groskop appears regularly on BBC1’s This Week and is a guest presenter on BBC Radio 4’s Saturday Review and Front Row. She has hosted book tours for Graham Norton, Jo Brand and Jennifer Saunders.
More from Viv:
How to calm down fast if you’re having a bad day at work
This is how to win in an interview – from a stand up comic who knows
How to speak with confidence on social media
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