Public Speaking @ Prospects
7 November 2012

A pleasant lunch @ Prospects while picking up some useful pointers on Public Speaking - perfect combination (or permutation!)

Jessie Harman, Director of Commercial Services at the University of Ballarat, was the guest speaker at our lunch-time meeting on 7 November.

Jessie has worked extensively in general management, human resource management and marketing positions in the community, private and public sectors in both Victoria and Tasmania. She joined the University of Ballarat in 2002 as a Lecturer in Marketing, and took up her current role in 2010.

Jessie is a passionate member of Rotary International and served in a senior leadership role within Rotary as District Governor (District 9780) in 2010-11.

In her professional life and in her role in Rotary, Jessie has given many speeches to a wide range of audiences and is very well-qualified to provide us with some useful tips on public speaking (see just some of Jessie's tips in the right hand column).

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Tips
Manner tips
Jessie's top 5 manner tips are:
1.  Smile at the audience       
2.  Slow down!           
3.  Pause between ideas to let them sink in     
4.  Vary your voice, especially to start a new point 
5.  Use body language & gestures to add interest


Strategies to overcome nerves
Believe it or not but some nerves are good!

Be prepared: Know your subject matter, Keep it simple
Keep your self talk ‘positive’ & visualise success
Acknowledge that some nerves are good
Imagine your audience in its underwear
Present more often!