As you sit near the front of the darkened room and wait for the moderator to introduce your paper, perhaps you flip through your PowerPoint slides (Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, WA) one more time or mentally review the main points of your presentation. No matter how you prepare for a talk, your goal is the same as that of any other speaker: to capture the audience's attention and present the results of your research clearly, concisely, and within the allotted time. This article discusses the importance of mastering public speaking and provides tips for developing this crucial skill.
FIND YOUR VOICE
Not everyone is a natural-born speaker, but anyone can hone his or her skills with a little practice. Since 1961, Frederick Kapetansky, MD, has helped residents at The Ohio State University in Columbus become better public speakers.
"When doctors leave our program and go into the community, they are expected to participate in public forums," said Dr. Kapetansky in an interview with Glaucoma Today. "Unfortunately, public speaking is not a traditional part of the medical school curriculum, so doctors are often left to learn by trial and error."
For several years, Dr. Kapetansky and John Cohen, MD, taught the course "Public Speaking for Physicians" during the AAO Annual Meeting. Dr. Kapetansky began offering the class to ophthalmic residents at The Ohio State University at the request of the residency director.
"Every June, the ophthalmic residents present their research to the faculty," Dr. Kapetansky said. "It became apparent to us that they needed to improve their public speaking skills." Over the years, Dr. Kapetansky has put together a curriculum that covers the basics of public speaking. The process begins, he said, by tailoring your presentation to your audience.
CONSIDER THE SETTING
Depending on the event, you may choose to read your speech or work from an outline. Reading a prepared speech might be appropriate for formal occasions, but it will only be successful if you follow some basic rules. Dr. Kapetansky recommends using conversational language, speaking in short sentences, varying the tone and inflection of your voice, and looking at the audience as much as possible.
"Most people are comfortable with one-on-one interactions," said Dr. Kapetansky. "I tell my residents that speaking to large groups is very similar to talking with their friends. I recommend they choose an individual from the audience and talk to him or her directly. As they move their gaze from person to person, they will become less nervous, and before they know it, they are speaking effectively to a large group."
Extemporaneous presentations, noted Dr. Kapetansky, tend to be less structured and provide more opportunities for the speaker to connect with the audience. "Using an outline instead of a written speech helps me keep an eye on my audience and allows me to adapt if I am interrupted or have a problem with my slides," he stated. "I also have more freedom to move and make gestures than I would if I were reading a speech. This strategy helps me keep the audience alert and release nervous energy that might interfere with my message."
CHOOSE APPROPRIATE VISUAL AIDS
The introduction of software programs such as PowerPoint and Apple Keynote (Apple, Inc., Cupertino, CA) has changed how speakers prepare for public presentations. Doctors no longer spend an inordinate amount of time transferring text and clinical photographs to slides, loading the slides into a carousel, and carrying the carousel to professional meetings. Instead, they prepare their visual aids with little effort and, if need be, edit their slides at the last minute.
With this new freedom, however, comes a temptation to create more slides than necessary. "You should only show two slides per minute," said Dr. Kapetansky. "If you bring 40 slides for a 15-minute talk, you may feel obligated to show all of them and end up rushing through your presentation."
You should also avoid leaving a slide up for more than 1 minute, added Dr. Kapetansky, because you risk losing the audience's attention. "These guidelines not only help you to choose visual aids that enhance your presentation but also to plan your talk to fit the allotted time," he said.
CHANNEL NERVOUS ENERGY
According to Dr. Kapetansky, one of the most common mistakes made by speakers behind the podium is showing that they are nervous. "A survey quoted in the Book of Lists1 found that people are more afraid of speaking in public than they are of snakes, heights, loneliness, and death," said Dr. Kapetansky. "It is natural to be nervous before a speech, but the trick is to use that tension to make your talk more exciting."
In addition to teaching his residents basic stress-reducing techniques (deep breathing, relaxing exercises), Dr. Kapetansky advises his students to hold onto the lapel of their business suit or some other item of clothing while they are speaking. "For some reason, this strategy makes me feel more comfortable behind the podium and allows me to concentrate on speaking clearly and convening my enthusiasm for my subject," he remarked.
PRACTICE
No matter how many tips or tricks you try, the only sure-fire way to become a dynamic speaker is to practice. "My colleagues and I always offer to listen to and critique our residents' research presentations ahead of time," said Dr. Kapetansky. "We can tell them if they are speaking too quickly or too slowly, if they are not enunciating clearly enough, and point out physical mannerisms or verbal tics (such as "er" or "um") that could distract the audience from their message."
Unfortunately, Dr. Kapetansky added, many residents are too busy to take advantage of this offer. "We can always tell when residents have made an effort, however, because their presentations are well crafted and do justice to the hard work they put into their research."
To get the most out of practice sessions, Dr. Kapetansky advised, do not try to fix every problem at once: "If your diction needs improvement, work on that aspect of your presentation until you are satisfied. Then, you can address any problems you have with timing or work to eliminate distracting mannerisms."
Stick the Landing
Nothing is more distracting than seeing a blinking red light on the timer before you have finished your presentation. With proper planning and practice, you can avoid this awkward situation. Closing your talk with a clear and concise summary of your main points reinforces your message and rewards your audience for their attention.
Fred Kapetansky, MD, is a clinical professor of ophthalmology at The Ohio State University in Columbus. Dr. Kapetansky may be reached at (614) 221-4049; fmkapetansky@sbcglobal.net.
