Impromptu speaking Tips

Have you ever wondered why some people always have so much stories to share? On top of that, share these stories with such polished clarity? Don't you wish you could speak like them even in impromptu settings?

The secret lies in a story bank. Start a collection of ready-to-share stories from today, and you can be just one of these eloquent people.

Besides a story bank, you can also have a jokes bank, news bank, quotation bank, etc.

Secondly, consciously follow the framework PREP. 

Point

Reason

Example 

Point

For example:

I love Japanese food. 

That is because Japanese food is aesthetically pleasing.

For example, the bento I had looked like pikachu!

That's why I love Japanese food so much!

Lastly, as I covered in my previous post on presentation tips, if you don't practice it, you'll lose it!

Presentation tips

This week, I attended a presentation course. We reviewed the strategies and theories behind the art of the presentation, watched presentations from bill gates and Steve jobs, and did some practice at the end of the 2-day course. Below is a summary of my key takeaways :

The basic fundamental of a good presentation is to have a sound strategy.

There are 4 components of strategies

1. Value system

2. Attitude

3. Word choices

4. Behaviour

Then recognize that there are 4 facts about communication + presentation

1. It is a Way of life

2. People judge you by the way you communicate

3. If you can communicate, you are closer to your dreams 

4. Practice or lose it

If you don't practice it, you will forget it.

Next, every time you practice, remember the 3Rs of presentation.

Review.. Accept feedback

When people comment that your presentation is good, you have to find out in what way is it good? "Did you like my voice?"

Refine.. Assimilate the feedback and think about how to improve.

Rehearse.. Practice while implementing your improvement

The success of the presentation lies in transmitting information in such a way that people want to hear it.

Presenter vs debater: what is the difference

Debater go by logic, presenting facts and make sure all his points are covered as fast as possible.

Presenter go by emotions, enunciating and emphasizing the points that they want to come across, and make sure that their points are carried across.

Some tips on presentation

• Why should I continue to listen? This is the question which would be in your audience minds. Frequently retrospect what is the worth of your presentation at every moment to give your audience powerful reason to continue to listen to you.

• Was it worth listening to you? At the end of the presentation, your audience will definitely ask themselves this question.

• Some ideas to Conclude your presentation .. 

1.    Wrap up your key emphasis
2.    State your personal intentions
3.    Using quotations - this is most probably the most powerful tool 

• The power of threes: bring your content out in threes 

In conclusion, the most impactful speeches are those that touch people's hearts, change minds of people and their lives forever. 

3 reasons why I enjoy college

This is a post that is relevant to disengaged students as well as professors who could never understand why so many students are sleeping in their class. I had a wonderful year while on exchange and these were the 3 key reasons why I enjoyed my time there.

See Meaning In what you study 

Clearly the most exciting part of classes here is that it is extremely relevant to my work. I could

be learning about product development in class in the morning, then applying the knowledge and
executing the steps of product development working in the office in the afternoon. This has imbued me
with immense motivation during classes.

Interactive Teaching Method

Another wonderful aspect of classes here is the interactive style in which they are conducted. It
is encouraged that students speak up and express their views in a interactive seminar‐like manner. This
gives me ample opportunities to practice my public speaking in class, and at the same time it is always
interesting to hear what my peers think about the same issue. It is important to also pick the correct tutor, which I have shared some tips here previously.

Plethora of After-Class activities

The best part about my college is not the quality of classes. As mentioned previously, there are so
many events and activities happening in the college on a daily basis. Not only it allows a platform to know
more people, these events are very insightful and educational events which range from speeches from
accomplished people and technology seminars. If I am back from work early, I make it a point to
participate actively in such events happening in school instead of being a couch potato no matter how
great the temptation is.

EUFASS

A Life Lesson From My Experience at Tough Mudder Race

I recall a life experience that I partook 2 years ago. The Tough Mudder race!

Being spontaneous and in the mood for something crazy, I signed up with my colleagues from my internship company for this ten‐mile obstacle course. I swear I am the rare few Asians that I saw in the race.

The obstacles were manageable at the start, climbing walls, crawling through narrow tubes paved with sharp gravel, etc. I was confident until a particular obstacle in which we had to jump into an icy cold pond from an elevated platform. This was especially challenging for me as being the shorts-and-sandals boy from sunny-island Singapore, I hated the cold. Jumping into a near-zero pond is something I would never have imagined. When I jumped into the icy cold water, I could feel the blood gushing to my organs as I forgot all my swimming strokes and my instincts managed a dog‐paddle which was good enough to bring me to the shore.

I managed to go on for 5 more miles until my muscles cramped up and I was pulled aside into the medical tent for hypothermia. However, after resting I kept going, determined to at least finish the race. I’m glad I did, as I wore with pride the tough mudder headband, this race made me mentally stronger than yesterday. One of my most feared obstacles was the “electroshock therapy” in which the participant has to run through high voltage wires. I hesitated for 5 minutes, there was an option of skipping the obstacle, but I finally mustered the courage to charge through it.

The feeling of overcoming your own fear is sweet and I can feel myself emerging out of the race as a person who is less bogged by fear, more daring to try.

Attempt the unimaginable.

EUFASS