7 Tips For Public Speaking from GOAT Public Speaker.

 You would never know, but Simon Sinek is naturally shy and doesn't like talking to crowds. At parties, he says he's hiding in a corner alone or doesn't even show up in the first place. He prefers the latter. Yet, with some 22 million video views to his credit, the optimistic ethnographer also happens to be one of the most-watched TED Talks presenters of all time.

Ironic for an introvert, isn't it? Sinek's unlikely success as an inspirational speaker and bestselling author isn't just stupid luck. It's also about not being in the right place at the right time or knowing the right people. It is the result of fears confronted and erased, trial and error and tireless practice, on and off the stage.

We caught up with Sinek to find out how he learned to give such confident, engaging and meaningful presentations and how others can do it too.

Here are his top seven secrets to giving speeches that inspire, inform and entertain.

 

Don't speak right away

Sinek says you should never speak when you take the stage. “A lot of people start talking right away, and it's nervous,” Sinek says. "It communicates a little insecurity and fear."

Instead, take the stage quietly. Then take a deep breath, find your place, wait a few seconds and begin. “I know it sounds long and tedious and feels extremely inconvenient when you do it,” Sinek says, “but it shows the audience that you are totally confident and in charge of the situation.”

 

Show yourself to give, not to take

Often times, people make presentations to sell products or ideas, to get people to follow them on social media, buy their books, or even just like them. Sinek calls these kinds of speakers “takers,” and he says the audience can see through these people right away. And, when they do, they disengage.

“We are very social animals,” says Sinek. Even from a distance on stage, we can tell if you're a giver or a taker, and people are more likely to trust a giver - a speaker who gives them value, who teaches them something new, who inspires them - that a taker. "

 

Make eye contact with members of the audience one by one

Sweeping and panning are your worst enemy, Sinek says. “Although it looks like you are watching everyone, it actually disconnects you from your audience. "

It's much easier and more efficient, he says, if you look directly at specific audience members throughout your speech. If you can, give each person you look closely at a whole sentence or thought, without breaking your gaze. When you are done with a sentence, switch to another person and continue connecting with individual people until you are finished speaking.

“It's like having a conversation with your audience,” says Sinek. "You don't talk to them, you talk to them."

This tactic not only creates a deeper connection with individuals, but the entire audience can feel it.

Speak abnormally slowly

When you get nervous, it's not just your heart rate that speeds up. Your words also tend to speed up. Fortunately, Sinek says the audience is more patient and forgiving than we think.

“They want you to be successful up there, but the more you rush, the more you turn them off,” he says. "If you stay silent for a moment and take a long, deep breath, they'll be waiting for you. It's pretty amazing."

Sinek thinks it's impossible to speak too slowly on stage. "It's amazing that you can stand on stage and speak so slowly that there are several seconds between each of your words and people ... are ... going to ... hang on ... to ... your. ... every ... word. It really works. "

 

Ignore the naysayers

Throw people away by frowning, crossing your arms, or shaking your head "no". Instead, focus only on your supporters - people who are visibly engaged, appreciate your presentation, and nod "yes". If you find members of the audience who are positively interacting with you, you will be much more confident and relaxed than if you are trying to convince the naysayers.

 

Turn nervousness into excitement

Sinek learned this trick while watching the Olympics. A few years ago, he noticed that journalists interviewing Olympic athletes before and after the competition all asked the same question. "Were you nervous? And all the athletes gave the same answer: "No, I was excited." These competitors took the signs of nervousness in the body - sweaty hands, pounding hearts and strained nerves - and reinterpreted them as side effects of excitement and euphoria.