Your Public Best - Lillian Brown [70]
Once you have established yourself as a “difficult” person, it is hard to shake such a reputation. It is best to simply state what displeased you (privately, after your speech) to those involved, but in a calm, noncritical way, ending with a statement such as, “I can well understand how such a thing can happen. I hope you’ll invite me to speak again, and next time I’m sure everything will be just great.”
A PRE-SPEECH CHECKLIST FOR OUT-OF-TOWN SPEECHES
A typical speech these days for many public people is a one-time, out-of-town speech where you arrive at the city the night before you will be delivering your speech. Such a speech may be for you to accept or present an award, to address a college graduation, to give a keynote address at the annual meeting of an association or other group, or to address a political or charitable group.
If this sounds like you, you may find the following checklist to be useful.
Unless you are exhausted from late-night travel from the day before, get up early the morning of your speech. Before you shower or eat breakfast, put on athletic shoes and comfortable exercise clothes that you brought with you, and do one of the following types of exercises, each constituting a different level of exertion:
1. Light: Put your hotel room key and wallet in your pocket and walk around the corridors of the hotel for at least ten minutes at a moderate-to-brisk pace. (Never mind the stares of others you may meet in the corridors.) This minimal amount of exercise will serve, at least, to wake you up; warm up and loosen up your muscles; and get your circulation going, your heart pumping, and extra oxygen to the brain.
2. Moderate: Do some simple stretching and breathing exercises in your room to warm up, then walk, jog, or walk-and-run around at least two or three blocks near the hotel. (Don’t forget to cool down properly afterward.) This will give you all the benefits of light exercise with the additional benefits of getting some fresh air, invigorating you more, and giving you a sense of accomplishment when you are done.
3. Vigorous: If your normal schedule at home includes vigorous and/or regular exercise, inquire at the concierge desk of your hotel the night before if there is a health club in or near the hotel that you may use. If there is, spend twenty to thirty minutes in the club or pool doing whatever you would normally do. As an alternative, go for a good jog or run outside, again including your normal warm-up and cool-down routine. This activity will give you the feeling of well-being that you usually get as a result of your exercise—a good thing to have on the morning of an important speech.
At this point, do not think about the contents of your speech. Instead, smile and enjoy the exercise period. Say to yourself, “I’m looking forward to giving this speech. It’s going to go very well. I can’t wait to get up there on the platform.”
It goes without saying that you should check with your doctor before attempting any new exercise. But often, the doctors of even people who are overweight, elderly, or out of shape will allow them to do moderate walking exercise if they warm up and cool down properly.
If you smoke, try to cut way down on your normal morning smoking; better yet, try not to smoke until after your speech is over.
After your exercise, review—briefly—your speech’s opening and close. Then, take a warm (not hot) shower or bath in the winter, or a tepid or cool one in the summer. While you are at it, wash your hair, scrub under your fingernails, and massage your feet.
Practice your opening and close aloud while you bathe or shower and get ready in front of the mirror. Smile. Try out different emphases of key phrases. Practice thanking your audience as you look in the mirror.
You should emerge from the bathroom feeling relaxed yet invigorated and in the best of moods, with little signs of tiredness or nervousness or stress lingering about you.
After dressing, make sure your personal appearance is at its best.
Eat a light but leisurely breakfast.