Further information and tips can be found on Matt Abrahams' website:<a href="https://nofreakingspeaking.com/">Nofreakingspeaking.com</a>

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Acknowledge your own emotions as well as those of your audience.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Reframe and explain.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Use engagement activities and variety, ask questions.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Use conversational language such as "we/you" instead of "I".</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Paraphrase the questions to get time.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Use humor: Self-deprecating humor is the least risky.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Have a backup plan if it doesnt work.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">"Why" is the most important question.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Make people give advice.</li></ul>

Other Tips

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Tell a story and use structures.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Structured information increases processing fluency: People retain information 40% more reliably and better.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Never lose your audience.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Structure sets you free.</li></ul>Ideas for structures: <ol><li class="ql-align-justify">Problem/opportunity, solution, benefit.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">What? So what? Now what?</li></ol>

Use Structures

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Get out of your own way.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Dare to be dull so you can reach greatness.</li></ul>

Ground Rules

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Instructions: Name the best thing you will do today but spell it out letter by letter; pause between the words. Let your partner do the same.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Purpose: You will learn to slow down and listen.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">When you focus and listen, you can't be thinking ahead and you will automatically give a better response.</li></ul>

#3: Spell Things Out

Play the following games with a partner as they will help you speak more confidently in spontaneous situations.

Games

Make your audience comfortable by managing your anxiety<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Greet your anxiety by saying "this is me being anxious".</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Reframe the situation: See it as an opportunity rather than a threat; change the way you approach it.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Orientation of time: Be in the present moment and don't think about future consequences. Physical activity, listening to music or speaking tongue twisters before you speak can help.</li></ul>

Managing Anxiety

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Instructions: Point with your finger at a random object and shout the wrong name (for example: point at a table and scream "bird"). Make sure to not use patterns; don't use words from the same category.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Purpose: This game helps you to get out of your own way and to solve problems.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">We are planning to get it right but theres is no way to actually get it right.</li></ul>

#1: Shout The Wrong Name

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Instructions: Give your partner an imaginary gift (but you don't know what is inside). They name what is inside. Then you tell them why you gifted it to them.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Purpose: You will learn to speak spontaneously.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Use "yes and" instead of "no but"</li></ul>

#2: Give A Gift

Learn to speak more confidently in spontaneous situations and improve your public speaking skills by using the following tips and games.

Matt Abrahams is a lecturer of strategic communication at Stanford GSB and the host of the top Careers podcast "Think Fast, Talk Smart," a show with research-backed techniques becoming a more confident communicator. Find it wherever you get your podcasts. Communication is critical to success in business and in life. Concerned about an upcoming interview? Anxious about speaking up during a meeting? Learn and practice techniques that will help you speak spontaneously with greater confidence and clarity. This video was recorded on October 25, 2014, in collaboration with the Stanford Alumni Association as part of Stanford Reunion Homecoming and the Graduate School of Business Fall Reunion/Alumni Weekend.

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Matt Abrahams is a lecturer of strategic communication at Stanford GSB and the host of the award-winning podcast "Think Fast, Talk Smart," a show with research-backed techniques becoming a more confident communicator. 

Communication is critical to success in business and in life. Concerned about an upcoming interview? Anxious about speaking up during a meeting? In this talk, and through the podcast, you will learn techniques that will help you speak with greater confidence and clarity. 

This video was recorded on October 25, 2014, in collaboration with the Stanford Alumni Association as part of Stanford Reunion Homecoming and the Graduate School of Business Fall Reunion/Alumni Weekend.

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