Public speaking can be nerve-racking, but don’t let that prevent you from competing in career and leadership events that require it. Instead, master public speaking by applying the following advice from Mark Jewell, a former member of Long Prairie-Grey Eagle FFA in Minnesota and CEO of #thrivetoday, a mindset development company that works with agribusiness organizations to help employees thrive.
“I still get nervous before getting on stage, so that doesn’t necessarily go away; that’s the bad news,” says Jewell, who served as the Minnesota FFA vice president from 2000 to 2001 and earned both a State and American FFA Degree. “But here’s the good news: Nervousness can be a gift because it shows how much you care.”
Here are Jewell’s top five public speaking tips.
1. Start small.
If you’re new to public speaking and looking for an opportunity, Jewell recommends starting small. Consider hosting an educational workshop or event for an elementary school group during National FFA Week or sharing a presentation with your FFA chapter.
2. Make it personal and share your unique perspective.
Struggling to find a topic? Jewell suggests choosing something you find interesting or meaningful and incorporating personal experiences into your speech.
3. Practice, practice, practice.
Whether you record yourself on your phone or present your speech to a friend or family member, Jewell says it’s important to practice verbally. This will help ensure you don’t fumble over your words or skip portions of your presentation when it’s time to take the stage.
4. Remember to breathe and pace yourself.
When nerves take over, many people begin speaking quickly and run out of breath, which can hamper effective, clear communication. To combat this, Jewell recommends focusing on breathing deeply from the start and incorporating pauses throughout your speech, particularly before hitting key points.
5. Assume the audience is on your side.
Jewell says most people watching you will simply be thankful it’s you on the stage, not them, and aren’t judging you — even if you make a mistake. In fact, they’re probably rooting for you.
“The world will always need more people who can communicate well, and that’s a great reason to try your hand at public speaking, regardless of your career ambitions,” Jewell says. “When you’re practicing for an FFA speech, you’re also practicing valuable skills you’ll need in the future — at home, in the workplace and beyond.”
Learn more about ways to practice your public speaking skills by researching the public speaking competencies in various career and leadership development events at www.ffa.org/participate/cde-lde/.
