Darren Lacroix – Speak Like A Champion

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Darren Lacroix – Speak Like A Champion

All rights reserved. You may, if you wish, turn these tools and ideas into a remarkable speech or presentation, without consulting the author.
No part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without prior permission of the author.
Quotations from the book may not be used without reference.
This book is available at a special quantity discounts for the use in corporate training programs. Please contact [email protected] for pricing and further details.

All major transformations happen when a great idea is powerfully and meaningfully communicated. It’s a quite comprehensible narrative that for the world to change for the better, great ideas need to spread. For an idea to spread, it must be easily understood.
For the idea being easily understood, it must be spoken with utmost tact and simplicity – because it’s only when the idea is easily understood that it becomes actionable.

— LET THE — JOURNEY BEGIN

SPEAK TO THE LISTENERS FIRST

You articulate a cause and you’ll get them: the supporters and the skeptics. In the digitally connected world, this is even more understandable.

TO BEGIN WITH, THE GOAL IS TO SPEAK TO THOSE WHO ARE ATTRACTED TO OUR MESSAGE, NOT TO CONVINCE OR ‘PUSH’ OUR IDEAS TO THE SKEPTICS.

As a leader at any level, energy preservation is very critical. When we attempt to convince others that we are right, we are taking a position to which they’ll love to take an opposing position. The best way to get momentum for our ideas is to focus our time and energy on those who believe what we believe, to stand for the cause, and invite others to come along of their own free will and choice.
Note that it’s not about running away from critics. It’s just about gaining the right momentum. Most innovative ideas are diffused in the bud. Why?
Because those wonderful ideas are exposed to skeptics and not to nurturers.
As a leader, take your ideas to early adopters. This is what children do the best. They just know the art of convincing by creating the initial support momentum.
The general rule is that the majority is more skeptical and less willing to accept ideas until someone else has tried it first. Yes, we need the majority on our side if we wish to change the world or built on a cause, but it’s the first movers and early adopters that inspire them to do it.

BEGIN WITH THE END IN MIND

It’s quite simple. Before you hit the road, know your destination first. How do you want people to feel when they leave your presentation? What are you trying to achieve? What do you want them to do with your ideas? What’s the one idea you want to make sure sinks in?
When you start with the end in mind, it completely changes the ambiance of your presence. It adds up to more confidence and builds more clarity. It allows you to tailor every anecdote you share, every perspective you represent. This can completely transform your preparation phase.

Now, rather than planning what you want to say first, think about the statement you want to end with – the idea that summarizes the entire presentation.

Then figure out what will need to come before that to get you there. It gets excitement now!
When presenting new material, some speakers, including myself, will walk on stage with nothing more than the destination in mind. I tell stories and share experiences that everyone can relate to and strengthen the core idea that I am trying to propagate. This certainly comes with experience and practice. In the meantime, no matter if it’s a prepared talk, you can still begin with the end in mind.

Have you ever noticed how passionately parents speak about their kids? It’s not because they’re champion speakers, it’s because they care so much about their kids!

When you speak about what you love or what you are passionate about, you transmit positive and contagious energies that the audience can easily feel.
But yes, at least make one rule. Stick to speaking only about things you understand. We can’t be an expert in everything and too often, we are made to feel like we need to be. Don’t belittle yourself by saying that you don’t know much about the topic. In fact, admitting what we don’t know actually helps people trust us even more when we talk about what we do know.
Our attempt to be an expert about something we don’t know much about, can be perceived as inauthentic and the impact of the rest of our message can suffer. If you’ve been invited to speak or present an idea, it’s because the audience is interested in you and your ideas. Speak about what you know and more importantly what you really care about. When you do, you’ll naturally speak with more authenticity, passion and energy and you’re more likely to inspire others.

GO SLOW. YES, SLOW

It’s easy to speak fast, but it’s nearly impossible to speak slowly. I’ve been very keen in observing what makes the world’s most captivating speakers and out of a few overlapping hints, this is one important hint.

BUILD THE MOMENTUM – ONE PERSON AT A TIME

Many people ask me if introverts can be good at public speaking. This may have been a good question for me, if I would have not been a high-order introvert myself. Yes, an introvert.
So, then how do I manage to speak so comfortably in front of audiences of hundreds or thousands?
It’s simple. I just multiply my interpersonal skills. I speak to one person at a time. Rather than being all over the room, I make eye contact with one person and deliver the entire sentence or thought to that person. Then I do the same with another pair of eye. Here you go! The secret is, I have a series of one-on-one conversations.
This takes practice and is another great way to connect with your audience like a champion. You may find that there are some members of your audience who are ‘’constipated’. They have their arms crossed, hearts closed and they just don’t want to be there. Don’t focus your attention on these people or try to convince them to get onboard with your message.

You’ll feel much more relaxed and comfortable if you speak to the individuals who are open, engaged, nodding their heads or smiling as you speak.

Allow their energy to inspire you and in turn, you’ll inspire more of them; perhaps even a constipated soul or two as well.

KEEP IT HUMAN

You are the exact same person on stage as you are off stage. Trust me. You are. Those who are authentic, speak and act consistently regardless of where they are.
I understand the importance of customizing for the audience. But that’s about customizing the content. Not the individual.

Rather than being worried about who people think you should be, be who you really are. This makes your mind much relaxed and it can alternatively focus on inspiring people with the message.

I am yet to meet anyone on earth who is genuinely like me. I feel you’ve had the same feeling. Right? So why bother trying to be or act as
someone else.
When you are natural, your audience will be rooting for you. Your energies will be contagious. They will want you to succeed, even if you happen to make a mistake. On the other hand, when you attempt to present yourself in a way that doesn’t reflect who you really are, your audience will sense it, will trust you less, and be much less forgiving.

IT’S OK TO GET ‘LOST’

Speakers, including myself, rarely use notes. I feel it’s very freeing not to use notes. It allows me to add more body language to my words. Now this comes with a cost. At times, I get lost. Stuck. But that’s ok, isn’t it?! It’s the temptation to never get lost during the presentation that has made the very process so difficult. Losing your train of thought on stage can be scary, but it doesn’t have to be necessarily embarrassing.

Remember, it’s you who has lost the train of thought but the audience is still absorbing what you just said.

It’s also important to know that the audience knows what you tell them through verbal and nonverbal communication. The secret is, the audience only knows you’re lost if you tell them you are – and in my experience, the nonverbal expression of embarrassment and confusion do the real damage.
Here are a few tips to help you out of the ‘lost’ situation: If you get lost, go quiet. Try to avoid ‘um’ or ‘aaaa’. A little silence is OK.
Much like going slow, it helps your points sink in. The posture during this moment of silence will say it all. Be strong!
Take a sip of water. It’s my favorite. Taking a quick break to wet your whistle is perfectly acceptable and can provide some extra time for you to find your place.
If the context of presentation allows, ask participants to take a moment to reflect on what you’ve been discussing. It can be even better if you encourage them to share their observations with the person sitting next to them.
Remember the point, “Keep it Human”. When you connect at a human level, your audience will support you when you are lost. I can literally assure it.

ENJOY IT

When you’re having fun, you’ll connect with more people. Be grateful for the opportunity to share your ideas. Celebrate the moment! For some of us that’s easier said than done. Often, we allow our nervousness to get in the way of the enjoyment of presenting our ideas.
Let me tell you something very powerful.

8 SECRETS FOR SPEAKING LIKE A CHAMPION

I’ve always been glued to the skills of world-class speakers and presenters.
They are different, yet, I’ve been keenly observing the commonalities. Here are those 8 common grounds that almost all champion speakers play on:

TALK ABOUT BIG IDEAS

It’s all about the big idea. There is no great speech without a great idea.

SPEAK IN THE MOMENT

Nothing connects with your audiences more than the situation they are in. Even stand-up comedians know it.

KEEP IT SIMPLE

All great speakers have literally no temptation for keeping it complex. Instead, they all show obsession for keeping it simple.
Again, the idea is to connect – not impress.

BE A STRAIGHT SHOOTER

Audiences love sincerity. Beating about the bush creates distrust, confusion and uncertainty. Champion speakers shoot straight.

BE AN OPTIMIST

Taking the contagiousness factor in account, all great speakers are full-on optimist about the context in which they are speaking.
Remember, hope creates involvement.

FOCUS ON THE FUTURE

Nearly all great speakers focus on the future. Learning from the past, understanding the present, but most importantly, focusing on the future.

BE REAL

Enough said. Period.

STAND FOR SOMETHING

You need to stand for something, what you want your audience to do after you are done speaking? Your speech should be embodiment of the cause or the big idea you are presenting.

THE BEGINNING

All good things come to an end and, if you’ve read this far, I hope you have enjoyed the book and reading it has been a great use of your time. I now call it the beginning. Beginning of a life full of thrill and excitement for speaking and inspiring people.
Top secret: You cannot learn how to swim by reading a book on ‘swimming’. You learn swimming by ‘swimming’. Same is true for speaking. I can only share ideas and few techniques – but it all starts with your next speech or presentation. All the best!
If you enjoyed this book, please recommend it to your friends and people you care about. You can let me know your thoughts by sending me an email at [email protected].

BRING SPEAK LIKE A CHAMPION TO YOUR ORGANIZATION

Your success as a leader depends on your ability to inspire people to come together to take action. Whether you are meeting with your team, speaking with a client or presenting to your board, this 1-day workshop is designed to teach you how to think, act and communicate. We will equip you with tools to convey your ideas with clarity to inspire those around you to act.

IN THIS WORKSHOP, YOU WILL:

Communicate your ideas in a way that inspires.
Every one of has the capacity to inspire others. The way we do it is by thinking, acting and communicating from your strengths. You will learn communication and storytelling skills that can be applied to spark meaningful change in all situations — from one-on-one conversations to team meetings and keynote presentations.
Create content that pulls people in.
There is a difference between a charismatic and an inspiring communicator. The charismatic leaves us thinking how amazing they are. The inspiring leaves us feeling how powerful we are. We will teach you how to approach and structure your content in a way that will deeply connect and move those around you.

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