4 Public Speaking Tips to be More Engaging and Confident

And why healthcare professionals need to be better in front of an audience

I want you to be a better public speaker.

It more important now than ever before that healthcare providers be able to stand up and share their knowledge in a concise and engaging manner. We have expertise and informed opinions that need to be heard, and we’re going to be more successful being heard if we can become better storytellers.

There’s another reason to develop this skill. If you’ve been following Leaving Healthcare, then you may be provider who’s looking to reduce/eliminate your patient care time and supplement/replace with new sources of income. I’ve written about alternative healthcare careers and they all involve, in one way or another, being comfortable expressing yourself in front of other people.

When I lecture on public speaking, I note four types:

(1) Persuasive - trying to get someone to do a thing

(2) Ceremonial - expressing a sentiment for a formal occasion (think toasts, welcomes, farewells, etc.)

(3) Extemporaneous - a short and sweet soundbite, usually for press or for networking

(4) Informative - educating an audience

Each of the four types of public speaking require different skills to perfect. The following tips are intended as general guidance for all of the above circumstances.

Your public speaking homework

(1) Nervous? Reframe your anxiety as enthusiasm

Public speaking is routinely listed as a human’s number one fear. What if I stumble? What if they think I’m dumb? We’ll talk about how to practice your presentation in #2 below, but I want to tackle your nerves at the outset.

It’s very normal to feel anxious before you take the proverbial podium. Instead of trying to fight it, just embrace it. You’re going to feel that sympathetic “fight or flight” response no matter what, so convince yourself your fighting, not fleeing the scene.

Don’t think “I’m so nervous right now.” Reframe the emotion as “I’m so excited to talk about this right now!” If you can make that your mantra, your anxiety will come across as enthusiasm.

(2) Record yourself

This exercise is painful but incredibly valuable for beginners. Grab your cellphone and record yourself giving your presentation. Focus the camera on your face and body, not on any slides or other material. Now watch it a few times and take notes. Yes, you may have a glass of wine while you do so… it’s going to be uncomfortable.

Are you doing anything weird with your hands? Do you say “um” and “like” a lot? Do you sound nervous? Create a short list of your speaking strengths and opportunities. Practice your strengths to reinforce them; attack your opportunities mercilessly. Keep your hands at your side unless you’re pointing to something intentionally, replace “um” and “like with thoughtful pauses, and pretend to be confident even when you’re not.

(3) Listen to stand-up comedy

Okay, this homework is much more fun. Think about your favorite stand-up comedians, listen to their material, and let their mannerisms inspire you.

To be clear, I am not recommending you try to tell jokes in your presentations. Humor has its place in professional discourse, but that’s not the focus of this exercise. I’m also not asking you to try to exactly mimic the comedian; that will probably come off weird or just inappropriate given your subject matter.

I do want you to pay attention to how the comedian uses their voice. They modulate their speed, volume, pitch, and tone to keep the audience hanging on their every word. Stand-ups are masters of storytelling.

Yes, you can also watch TED Talks to get inspired. You should totally do that. Many TED Talks are performed quite well and the tone will be more professional than a stand-up act with salty language. But if we’re looking to give your public speaking style a shock to the system, I think comedians will do just the trick.

(4) Get creative with metaphors, similes, and analogies

Healthcare providers are subject matter experts in fields that often have lots of jargon and complex topics. We went to school for years to learn how the human body works, now you only have 30 seconds to explain it to a layman.

If you have a point to make that will be difficult for a non-expert to grasp, find a metaphor that will help them get the concept without the complexity.

If you’re presenting a slide deck, you might even choose to show an image of your metaphor to make the concept stick better and give the audience a visual break from all the text.

Closing thoughts

Healthcare providers need to become better storytellers. Your informed opinions and your knowledge needs to be heard. We have an avalanche of misinformation to fight (a metaphor!), and unfortunately bad information can be more entertaining and easier to grasp than the truth.

And if your looking to leave healthcare for another career, then I urge you to begin investing in your public speaking skills. Whatever your next chapter will be, I’ll bet it will involve your ability to persuade, be ceremonial, be pithy, or educate.