Breaking bread instead of breaking fellowship
In the coming days (and weeks), many of us will gather with friends or family to share a holiday meal. We’ll put thought into who will encircle the table, extending invitations and setting a time to gather. We’ll put thought into the meal—possibly preparing favorite family recipes. And we might even put thought into what the table itself will look like… A centerpiece? Special plates or utensils? Candles?
But will we put thought into the conversation and the connection?
Or will we leave that to chance?
Read MoreThree quick and easy brain hacks for public speaking anxiety
In the moments leading up to giving a presentation or speech, many people feel a surge of anxiety—heart-racing, hand-quaking, sick-to-their-stomach anxiety. Some of the work to fortify oneself against the fear of public speaking happens well in advance of the actual presentation or speech. But when the adrenaline and cortisol flood your body right before you take the “stage,” you need an additional, entirely different set of tactics.
Read MoreHow to introduce a speaker (or how to write your own introduction)
If an event has a speaker, s/he will need to be introduced. At larger events, that’s often done by someone whose primary function is to act as MC; at smaller events, the event or meeting planner is likely to introduce the speaker in addition to all their other responsibilities. In either case, the content of that introduction would ideally be developed well in advance of the event.
MCs/event hosts will want to contact the speaker(s) for some raw information to use for crafting the speaker’s introduction. (This is especially important if the event host will be introducing more than one speaker, as the introductions should have some continuity in the content and style.)
When there’s no MC, the speaker him/herself will likely need to supply the introduction. This is often the case at smaller events and meetings (and podcasts!) where the planner has a myriad of responsibilities and might overlook it until quite late in the game or simply not know how to do it well.
Read MoreSmall boat, big God: Weathering Life’s Storms
You’ve read the story before, I’m sure…
Jesus instructed His disciples to go to the other side of the lake.
As they traveled, a storm began to rage; waves breaking into the boat.
Jesus was sleeping through it all.
Until they woke Him, asking whether He even cared that they might drown.
His answer? “Why are you afraid?”
Reading this passage a few days ago, I nearly skimmed right over it. It’s familiar.
But I slowed because He nudged me.
What’s here for me, Lord? I know this story already.
Read MoreIf you write out your entire presentation, do this
Not everyone writes out the entire content of their presentation (or speech… or sermon…), but many people do. I always coach my clients to avoid doing so because it causes us to become too focused on word-for-word delivery—which isn’t helpful for either the speaker or the audience.
But there’s another reason it becomes a problem. If you’ve written out your content in full sentences, you’ve likely hampered your delivery (and the success of your message) without realizing it.
How?
Read More3 hacks for the nervous Christian communicator
My latest article for Our Daily Bread was the intersection of my two passions: faith in Jesus Christ and public speaking (and helping others do it well). The former is obviously more important to me than the latter, despite naming them in the same sentence. Many ODB readers contacted me with comments about their challenges speaking in public, so this seems a fitting time to offer some guidance for those in my faith-based readership who also need to share a message publicly.
Read MoreMy #1 rule for public speaking. And its corollary.
Like much of the world, I’ve been watching the public discourse on Naomi Osaka’s departure from the French Open. I’m not a tennis player so my interest isn’t related to the sport itself. Instead, I’m processing the reasoning behind her decision.
I confess I don’t know the innerworkings of her story; I know only what’s been shared in recent days on various media outlets. She’s cited bouts of depression over the last four years, as well as anxiety over public speaking in press interviews.
Before I address the public speaking aspect, I feel compelled to speak on the former concern: Mental health is still a topic we don’t address openly enough as a society. There’s stigma and shame where there shouldn’t be. (Sidenote: I’d argue this is exacerbated within the church when we “counsel” someone struggling with mental health issues to simply have more faith. Resources here.) I’m grateful for the people (many athletes) who’ve courageously shared their battles with us, bringing the topic into the public forum. Let’s honor their stories—and those of so many who struggle silently—by responding with respect and compassion.
As it relates to the public speaking anxiety Osaka references, I offer an insight and a challenge for us all.
First, the insight…
Read MoreWhat I learned from writing out the entire book of Genesis
Yes, all 50 chapters of it.
It took 179 pages and 346 days.
I began on June 1, 2020 and wrote out between four and fourteen verses every day. Why? The short answer is that writing Scripture by hand keeps me engaged in a way that my wandering mind won’t always permit. (The long answer is here.)
I have a new appreciation (and respect!) for the scribes who painstakingly wrote out the entire Bible until Gutenberg invented the printing press. But there’s more for us here than just admiration.
Read MoreHow to deliver your best talk to a hybrid audience
At long last, we’re seeing a slow return to in-person events.
As speakers, most of us are thrilled by the prospect of once again being in the room with our audiences… to feed off the virtuous energy cycle and be able to more effectively respond to their non-verbal cues. Hooray!
Yet lower costs and higher attendance make virtual events likely to be permanent fixtures; some events have grown their audiences four-fold because of the virtual setting. What virtual events can’t do, though, is replace the many boons of in-person events, so trends indicate that hybrid events will become the norm.
What does this mean for speakers?
Read MoreWhen “new” feels scary and uncertain
I know you’ve experienced them, too: transitions. Stepping into a new job and leaving the old one. Uprooting your household to relocate. Or just entering a new season in life (anyone else watching their nest emptying rapidly?).
All change brings some degree of ambiguity–even if it’s a change we desire. And frankly, uncertainty can be really hard to bear. Transitions are difficult for most everyone… including the people of the Bible. I think Jacob—a forefather of our faith—dealt with it often. His response in a particular instance is instructive for us.
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