The Long Ignored Gems of Public Speaking Tips from CFC PFO

The Lord will bless the chapters with speakers, teachers, even prophets.

Conduct the CFC PFO Speakers Training Module. This is a gift. This can be our much needed grace. 

After the training, ask leaders-participants to give the talk themselves (CLP, GMT etc).... Let's rediscover and avail of the means to mentor and train well the next generation of CFC in our respective areas.

We gave this one in August, 2006... (I inserted citations from Maxwell and Warren)
(Best updated with Robert Barron's lectures and writings on persuasive speech...)

COUPLES FOR CHRIST

SPEAKERS’ TRAINING

Talk No. 1 :  COMMUNICATION AND PUBLIC SPEAKING

Expanded Outline

A.         Communication is an exchange of meaning.

Two people may talk and exchange ideas, opinions or words, but if they do not mean what they say and say what they mean, the result is miscommunication.

The purpose of communication is to bring two or more hearts and minds together to become one.

Communication comes from the Latin word communis  which means “common”. In its, simplistic terms, it means sending and receiving messages.

The success of your marriage, job and personal relationships depends greatly on communication.

However, it does not mean that if there is sending and receiving, communication has occurred. Often, it only partially occurred because of refraction due to:

1.      Preoccupation

2.      Emotional Blocks

3.      Hostility

4.      Past Experience

5.      Stereotyping

6.      Physical Environment

7.      Mind wandering

8.      Relationships

9.      Inarticulateness

These guidelines may then be of tremendous help.
John Maxwell’s 4 basic Truths on Communication

1.      Simplify your message

-    Communication is not just what  you say. It is also how you say it.

-    The key to effective communication is simplicity. Forget about impressing people with big words or complex sentences. If you want to communicate with people, keep it simple. Napoleon Bonaparte used to tell his secretaries: “Be clear, be clear, be clear.”

-     Blueprint for effective communication: Write an exciting opening that will grab everybody in your audience. Then you write a dramatic summary and closing that will make people want to act. Then put them as close together as possible.

2. See the person

    - Effective communication focus on people. It is impossible to communicate to an audience without knowing something about them.

3. Show the truth

- Credibility precedes great communication. 2 ways:

                           
                                   i.      Believe in what you say. Be fired up with conviction. “The most powerful weapon on earth is thehuman soul on fire.”

                                  ii.      Live what you say

4. Seek for a response

- Never forget that the goal of communication is action. If you dump a bunch of information on people, you are not communicating. Every time you speak, give them something to feel, something to remember, and something to do.

B.         Important facts about public speaking.

            1.         Reality: Good speakers are MADE, not BORN.

From Warren’s Purpose Driven Church

Jesus’ style of communication

Crowd’s reaction to Jesus—  Amazed at his teaching (Mt 7:28); profoundly impressed (Matt 22:33)  people were enthusiastic (Mk 11:18); the great crowd enjoyed listening to him (Mark 12:37)

There has never been a greater communicator than Jesus Christ. Hence, he must be our model for preaching.

John 12:49 : The Father who sent me commanded me what to say and how to say it”. Notice that both the content and the delivery style of Jesus’ teaching were directed by the Father.

What was his style:

1.      Jesus began with people’s needs, hurts and interests

- usually taught in response to a question from someone in the crowd

- His message offered practical benefits to those who listened

- We do not have to make the Bible relevant; it already is. It is Good News.

- By beginning with needs, hurts and interests you immediately gain      attention

                            
                                  i.      Like a teacher, salesman, manager

There is in our brain this so called “reticular activating system” – a filter so that we do not have to respond to all stimuli around us; it sifts and sorts so that we do not get overloaded or overwhelmed.

What does get attention:

1.      Things we value

2.      Those that are unique

3.      Things that threaten

Most unbelievers are not looking for truth but relief.

2.      Jesus related truth to life

-   JC’s teachings are practical and simple. They were clear, relevant and applicable. He aimed for application because his goal was to transform people, not merely inform them.

-   A lot of teachings today are “Ain’t it awful” preaching- complains about society, makes judgments about people, long in diagnosis, short in remedy. They make Christians superior to “people out there.”

-    When we go to a doctor, we do not just want to hear, whats wrong with us but specific steps to getting better.

-       Christlike preaching is life-related and produces a changed lifestyle.

-      Note that you do not transform the message of the Bible (diluting it) but translate it into terms we can easily understand.

3.      Jesus spoke to the crowd with an interesting style.

-      Pastors complain, we should not “entertain”. But if you look up “entertain in dictionary, it means “capturing and holding the attention for an extended period.”

-    To the unchurched, dull teaching is unforgivable. Truth poorly delivered is ignored.

-   “I am amazed at how some Bible teachers are able to take the most exciting book in the world and bore people to tears with it. I believe it is a sin to bore people with the Bible. When God’s word is taught in an uniteresting was, people don’t just think the pastor is boring, they think God is boring.”

-      Style of Jesus Christ:

                                  i.      He told stories to make a point. A master storyteller. A favorite technique. Hence, the Bible is a book of stories.

1.   stories hold our attention. Like TV

2.  stories stir our emotion. They impact in ways that precepts and propositions never do. If you want to change lives, you must craft the message for impact, not for information.

3.  stories help us remember. Long after the pastor is forgotten, people will remember the stories from the sermon.

                                                       

                                          ii.      JC used simple language, not technical or theoretical jargon. He spoke in terms that normal people will understand. He spoke in Aramaic, the street language of that day. He talked of birds, flowers and other everyday objects. JC told profound truths in simple ways. Not the other way around ( simple truths in profound ways)

-     It is easy to complicate the Gospel and Satan would love us to do just that.

-  Einstein: “You do not really understand something unless you can communicate it in a simple way.” You can be brilliant, but if you can’t share your thoughts in a simple way, your insights are’nt worth much.

Now let us review our talk on Communication and Public Speaking

            2.         Elements for effective public speaking:

                        a)         Use your own style.

                                    *           Do not copy someone else’s style.

                     
                        b)         Do not read your talk.

*           Avoid “manuscript speaking” or being the newscaster type.

                        c)         Do not memorize the whole talk.

                                    *          Be personal and natural.

                               *          It is possible to memorize some important                                                                segments.

                        d)         Speaking does not have to be formal or so serious.

                               *           Be conversational.

                                    *           Be serious about the topic but not overly formal in

        delivery.

            3.         Stage fright is not unnatural.

                        a)         It is normal for most people.

                                    *           It always seems to be more serious to the speaker.

                                    *           It seems to escalate the more you seek to escape                                                     it.

                                    *           It can be used to your advantage.

                        b)         How to handle stage fright.

      *          Pray. Entrust everything to the Lord (yourself and your assigned talk).

                                    *           Use the “Aware-Accept-Act” approach.

                                    *           Handle the specific symptoms of stage fright as                                                they  appear in you.       

                       (See Annex A).                 

                       

C.         Fear versus F.E.A.R.

            1.   Fear can be real or imagined. But it is a God-given emotion, to be                    used to serve us.

     a)      There is a healthy kind of fear. “The beginning of wisdom is fear of the Lord.” (Sirach 1:12). Fear of the Lord is submission to God. It is true humility.

     b)     We can fight fear with “FEAR” itself.

            2.  “Fear” (or F,E,A,R) for us should have a new meaning, as                                    follows:

     a)      FAITH  --  Dependence on God. Dependence on elders. Being men and women who trust God amidst trials and difficulties.

    b)     ENTHUSIASM  --  Much earnest and fervent feeling about the Lord. A strong conviction of what God is doing and what God asks us to do. Zeal and passion to do God’s work in and through CFC.

   c)      ANTICIPATION  --  Hoping for the best to come instead of being anxious.  Realizing beforehand that God called us and will use us as his instrument, therefore expecting that something good will happen to our listeners and their lives.

   d)     RESPECT  --  God called us and therefore we need to respect him. We also need to respect our listeners and our elders who have allowed us to serve in this ministry. We need to prepare for the talk, realizing the privilege of being invited to preach his word.

D.         Planning your talk.

            1.         Study the expanded outline of the talk.

                        a)         Read the expanded outline a few times.

                        b)         Understand the goal/objective (to inform and persuade                                          the audience).

                        c)         Accept and internalize the talk content.

            2.         Seek input from your elders/leaders.

                        a)         Learn from their wisdom and experience.

                        b)         If any point is unclear, take it up with them.

            3.         Analyze who your audience is.

              a)      Inquire from the team leader about age, social status, academic level, cultural background.

              b)     Adopt your manner of presentation to the audience (i.e., expressions, examples, more or less of sharing than teaching, etc.).

E.         Preparing the talk.

            1.         Pray and offer your efforts to God.

            2.         Read and internalize the expanded outline of the talk.

            a)      The expanded outline is the talk itself. Resist the temptation to do extensive research and input more material into the talk, no matter how interesting. This might just obscure the basic message of the talk or overlap with other talks.

            b)     Become comfortable with the contents and the flow of ideas.

            3.    Jot down and prioritize all the examples, stories and sharings for                    your talk.

                        a)         Supporting points easy to comprehend. Just enough, not                                 too many.

                        b)         Credible and interesting. Current and relevant.

                        c)         Avoid controversies, arguments, criticism of others.

            4.         Write your introduction.

                        a)         The opening of a talk should be:

                                    *           Positive. Do not apologize. Be enthusiastic.

                                    *           Concise. Be brief. Do not ramble or be long-                                                              winded.

                                    *           Relevant to the main talk itself.

                                    *           Be able to show continuity from the previous talk                               (if any).

                        b)         Methods of opening a talk.

                                    *           Ask a question. One that can be answered by a                                                      “yes” or “no” or a show of hands.

      *           State an impressive fact. Something unusual but

         interesting.

                               *           Tell a story. Current and relevant and easy to                                                            visualize.

      *           Present the goal or objective.

                                    *          Preview the topic. A bird’s eye view of what can be

        expected.

                                    *          Make an emphatic statement.

                                    *           Give a sharing.                     

                                    *           Quote a Bible passage.

            5.      Flesh out the talk.

           a)      Insert examples, stories, statistics and/or sharings. This makes the talk more interesting.

           b)     Link points from one to the next.

           c)      Do not depart from the outline.

            6.         Mark the important points on your talk outline.

                     a)         Use characters large enough to read.

                     b)         Indicate key parts only; the exact words you will begin with.

                c)         Highlight the exact positions where you will insert                                                  sharings, examples, etc.

            7.         Write down your conclusion.

a)      You can ruin a nice talk by having a weak conclusion.

                   *  Do not ramble on (E.g., “And another thing I failed to mention .....”). Have a decisive conclusion.

                   *  Do not just stop abruptly (E.g., “..... and that’s all I have

to say”).

b)     You do not always have to end with a Bible passage, but may quote one if appropriate.

                        c)  The conclusion should be challenging.

*           Create a desire to hear more and look forward to the next session.

F.         The talk itself.

1.      If anything is unclear, consult your CFC elders. Do not just presume on what the appropriate meaning of the text is.

2.      Some tips for having a good talk:

a)      Be conversational in tone.

b)     Use normal language, avoiding pious phrases, King James English (thees and thous), and churchy jargon (edified, sanctification, etc.).

c)      Make simple, not complex, points. Make them clearly stated, not hinted. Say what you are saying.

d)     Don’t moralize or preach. Don’t talk down to your listeners.

e)      Avoid arguments, controversies, criticism of others.

f)       Base the talk on the Bible. Quote the scriptures, paraphrasing them if necessary to make your point.

g)     Use examples and stories from your own experience.

3.      Keep the talk disciplined to the goals of the session.

4.      The talk should be for a duration of about 45 minutes. In any case, it should not be less than 30 minutes nor more than one hour.

            *     *     *

COUPLES FOR CHRIST

SPEAKERS TRAINING

Annex A

HANDLING STAGE FRIGHT

1.   Speechlessness.

      *          Warm up prior to the talk.

      *          Hum in a low tone.

      *          Take a breath.

      *          Focus on a familiar face.

2.   Racing.

      *          Pause for a moment.

      *          Summarize.

            3.         Headache.

      *          Take some food before the talk.

      *          Take aspirin.

4.   Stiff or shaky muscles.

                        *          Identify which muscles are shaking and then shake off.

      *          Walk around.

                        *          Bend your waist; lean on the edge of the rostrum.

5.   Shortness of breath.

                        *          Take a deep breath. Series of breaths.

                        *          Stretch your arms.

      *          Make yourself yawn.

6.   Excessive sweating.

      *          Have a hankerchief available.

      *          Loosen up your collar; have comfortable attire.

      *          Have a glass of water ready.

7.   Dry mouth.

      *          Have a glass of water ready.

8.   Pounding heart.

      *          Hold a long deep breath.

      *          Do long slow breathing.

9.   Cracking voice.

                        *          Stretch your neck, clear your voice, take a deep breath.

                        *          Pause and sip water on the side.

10. Shifting or rocking body movements.

                        *          Grip the lectern in front of you.

11. Twitches (irregular muscle spasms).

                        *          Rub the muscle or stretch that area of the body.

                        *          Face away from the audience.

12. “Aaaahs” and “Uuuhmmms”.

                        *          Practice to have none. Be aware of it.

                        *          Think before you speak.

13. Blanking out (forgetting what to say).

      *          Pray immediately but silently.

      *          Acknowledge you forgot.

-          It is OK to say “I lost my thoughts; what was I saying?” Do not feel embarrassed.

-          Have a CATCH ALL phrase, a line that will make you comfortable. “It seems I lost track of my notes ...”

*          Refer to your notes. Glance at the next point, then proceed.

*          Summarize and stop.

-          Restate the last point or refer to the points already discussed.

-          If you are close to the end, summarize and then conclude.

                                   

*     *     *

COUPLES FOR CHRIST

SPEAKERS TRAINING

Annex B

HANDLING QUESTIONS

In case there is an open forum after the talk, the following may be useful in handling questions:

1.         Repeat or rephrase the question.

            a)         Especially if the question was not heard by many.

            b)         This also gives you a chance to organize your thoughts.

2.         Compliment a tough question.

            a)         This can help defuse any hostility there might be.

            b)         Admit it if you do not know the answer.

3.         Put your answer in its proper framework.

            a)         Qualify your answer if necessary.

            b)         Do not drift too far from the subject at hand.

4.         Answer the question clearly.

a)      If possible, it should be clear whether it is yes or no. If a clear yes or no is not possible due to the circumstances, state your qualifications and premises clearly.

b)      Do not attempt to bluff.

5.         Check the clarity of your answer.

            a)         “Did that answer your question?”

            b)         If necessary, do a follow-up clarification.

6.         Keep control of the session.

            a)         Serve as “gatekeeper”, i.e., control who speaks or not, and for how long.

            b)         Direct the session where it ought to go.

                        *          “Let’s hear from our other brothers.”

                        *          “We will discuss that later on.”

*     *     *