Public Speaking Archives - Kristen Conner Hill

May 12, 2020May 12, 2020

Let’s be real

Have you ever Googled a celebrity or had a conversation about someone widely known and come across articles or whispers about whether they’re genuine? “What is ___ really like?” “You’d be surprised by how down-to-earth he/she is.” “Did they really mean that?” When you read that, you trust that person a little less, don’t you?

Let’s be real– genuine and authentic is in! And it’s time for us to take some notes.

We all want to believe the person we are hearing from is being real. Accusations of being “fake” or “disingenuous” often cause a huge blow in the credibility department. That’s a crucial thing to avoid, as credibility builds your company and brand, cultivates a great image, and can be something you rely on during a crisis.

We have already talked about cultivating credibility during telework in a few different ways, but it’s important to realize that credibility is easier to lose than to gain. If you show your authentic leadership in the right way, it can drag your reputation further in the right direction and do wonders for your organization.

Authentic leaders are those who lead with a purpose, believe in the mission, and are generally relatable. Lead with empathy and don’t be afraid to be vulnerable! If you’re less like a robot, and more like a person, it stands to reason that you can be a better leader. After all, no one wants to follow someone they don’t trust or relate to.

Take, for example, Taylor Swift.

I am fascinated with Taylor Swift for a variety of reasons, from her incredible storytelling that I heard on her very first album to the ways we have in some ways grown up together (we are roughly the same age.) A self-proclaimed mega fan, I have always bristled at those who said she seemed, back then, squeaky-clean and too put-together to be real. The public speculation has gone from whether she has genuine talent, to whether her country-turned-pop is effectively good, to drama she has with other celebrities to finding herself free of that reputation. I confess proudly that I have loved her through it.

She has responded to those who found her to be manipulative, fake, wrong– and she’s done it on her own terms through songwriting to lyrics and more. Each album cycle, she has revealed more of herself in interviews and songs, and she has become more comfortable doing so over time. She never lost her relatability and the personal connection she had with her fans (me) from the beginning. Swift is undeniably a brand expert and no matter how you feel about her (or think you feel about her), you can not help but realize her genius at the craft.

There’s a line from the Netflix documentary, Miss Americana, that rings especially true for any public figure struggling with authenticity. Swift is explaining what it’s like to be an entertainer in the public eye, holding an audience’s attention for the sake of her art: “”Be new to us, be young to us—but only in a new way, and only the way we want…Reinvent yourself, but only in a way that we find to be equally comforting and a challenge for you. Live out a narrative that we find interesting enough to entertain us, but not so crazy that it makes us uncomfortable,” she says. Here, she’s showing how hard it is to balance who you are vs. what you show the world publicly.

Big stars like Taylor swift walk the line of living private lives and showing the world who they are in the good, and bad, times. That’s probably why everone’s publicists are so expensive!

But I think we can all learn something from Taylor’s journey: being authentically you is not always automatic. It’s a skill that you must keep practicing. And putting yourself out there can pay off in a big way.

Taylor’s songs are all about, well, her! They’re famously like reading her diary.

How is your message, or your speech, or your interview showing vulnerability and authenticity? Are you being real?

Whether you’re telling your workforce how you’re in this together, leading with experience, mentoring a team of younger employees, or sending a message during a triumph or defeat, show a part of you that’s genuine. Tell the audience something that you really believe and it’ll shine through. Let the workforce, or whoever you are speaking to, know how you feel. Let them know how you rose above adversity, how you took a chance to land that customer, how you weren’t sure it was going to work out. Let them in.

But it doesn’t take telling your deepest, darkest secrets from your diary pages to help an audience get to know you! Tell a joke. Own it if you make a mistake, and laugh it off (or, Shake it Off re: Taylor.) If something is awkward, acknowledge it and move on. Add some color to the remarks, like a story about your family or a silly thing you did once as a kid. What’s something that’s “you” that you can use to relate to others?

Let the audience see your human side, because when you tell them more they’ll be with you. Like, really with you. They’ll connect with you so your triumph can become their triumph. Your message becomes more appreciated. People will look to you as a presence they like listening to.

All of this builds trust. Your people will love how you got real. Authenticity is the key to getting them behind you, and helping your company be more successful because of it.

I hope this inspires you to get real and show some vulnerability to boost your own credibility! A parting three things: be genuine, learn who you are as a leader and allow others to relate to you! You won’t be sorry.

April 30, 2020April 30, 2020

Finding Your Formula

Public speaking is tough, but finding your formula can help you master your own style and elevate your performance. Want to help your audience follow along with you, keep yourself from tripping up, or own your prep? Read on for 3 ways to find your formula for a successful speech.

We’ve all been there: you prepared the best you could, but you walk up to the mic and draw a big old blank when the lights are all on you and it’s “go” time. You try to look at your notes, but suddenly you realize how difficult they are to read. You try a joke you didn’t plan, but it falls flat. Suddenly, you’re standing in a spotlight and all you want to do is start over.

It doesn’t have to be this way! It takes practice to master a speech, whether it’s 5 or 50 minutes long. Your process can win the day, if you find what formula works for you.

Bring notes you can use in a pinch

Notes aren’t usually for you to read for the whole speech! They are just there to guide you and keep you on time and in flow. You should find a style of notes that helps you find your place easily, remember key phrases and move on without distracting the audience from your message.

For some executives I work with, finding their formula means using a notecard-style page with large font and a few phrases. I print them an outline on card stock and cut it to size so it can fit directly into their jacket pockets. The typed print is easier to read than handwriting, and the small size allows them to keep the card in their palm until they need it. It’s not terribly obvious that they have notes, and the format of the outline keeps them on track.

For others, it’s full-word sentences set to bullet points. Those can be tricky, even for the most seasoned speakers, because it promotes reading rather than speaking from the heart. It can also be easy to lose your place. I find that adding bold face type to key phrases within those bullet points, as well as breaking up the sections With Easy to Read Headings works well here.

As a reporter, I joined other news professionals with the one-page of keywords approach. I took a thin reporter’s notebook and, after a press conference, broke my story into a few key sections (usually who-what-where-why-how up top with what we know, what we need to know, and what’s next to follow.) Then, instead of a sentence or two I would just put a few key words. (Ex: Suspect, w/m with blue jacket; Still at large; no risk to public.) It helped me give people need-to-know details up top and then flow in and out of the live shot cohesively. Plus, if I needed to jog my memory I could keep talking as I looked down and easily found what I needed to say next. It took years to refine this but it worked every time.

The point is, if you find your own formula to what notes you need on the stage, you can eliminate lots of distracting awkwardness, reliance on filler words like “um”, and long silences.

Help your audience follow along

One way you can increase audience participation and retention of your message is to keep them engaged. But you have to make it easy for them!

Some speakers, like pastors, have fill-in-the-blank style notes pages on the back of handouts like the church bulletin. That way, the congregation can fill in the missing words as the sermon goes along. That always helped me keep track of the main message I needed to hear that Sunday.

Another way is to improve your speech flow. Everyone has heard some variation of this one: tell them what you’re going to say, say it, and then close with a reminder of what you said. It’s tried-and-true, and often your best sound bites from from the closing because it’s like putting a bow on a present and ties the whole thing together.

I am a huge fan of the “sandwich” approach: start with a metaphor or scenario at the top of the remarks, work through it in the body, and at the close come back to it.

If I were explaining how difficult it is to get to Mars instead of to the International Space Station, I would say, “It’s like a remote camping trip.” Then, I’d explain in the body of the speech how when you’re driving to a friend’s house, you know you can get your mom or your friend to bring you what you need if you forgot something or come get you if you want to go home. But on a remote camping trip, you’ve gone so far and you’re so isolated that you can’t go back and get something you didn’t bring with you. You have to either make what you need, use what you have or do without. Finally, at the closing of the speech I would explain how taking astronauts to Mars is like that remote camping trip.

Those techniques help an audience see the full picture and even remember it, so they can tell their friends about it later.

You can even do it with a quote. “As Wernher von Braun said, ‘I have learned to use the word ‘impossible’ with the greatest caution.” I once used this quote in the beginning of a speech, referenced it a few times in the middle as I explained what impossible things NASA was working to make possible, and closed with it to note how the speaker, through her time at NASA, had also learned to use that word carefully.

I love finality. That’s your chance to drive it home. I think these formulas can deliver an impact that closes beautifully, alert the audience that the speaker is wrapping, and give that speech a sense of purpose.

Use your medium to your advantage

Are you speaking to a live audience? On a teleconference? On video chat? Know the medium and use it to help you find the right formula for success.

Sometimes I imagine that a telecon is the greatest gift to a speaker because you can use your notes way more and nobody will be the wiser! It allows you so much more ability to focus on what you’re saying, because you don’t have to worry about how you look. Your notes for a telecon may look way different than your notes for a live event. Let that work for you! Practice staying on message AND on time without the pressure of an audience staring at you!

A video conference can allow you some “cheats” too! Your notes can stay on your screen, so it looks like you’re looking toward the camera when actually you are staring at your message. There is no need to be seen looking down: you can engage like never before this way. Use this medium to find your formula for engagement. Use facial expressions, gestures, and other body language to allow yourself to practice being natural.

We are getting a lot of this practice right now during a time of coronavirus. Use these to get even better so that once we are able to attend events and live, on-stage speaking engagements you’ll be better than ever!

I hope you can find your formula for public speaking success even though speaking may be different right now. Remember: every time you speak you are only getting better!

Use this time to start finding your formula and wow your audience! A parting three things: be safe, be encouraged and go present a clear message today!

March 12, 2020March 12, 2020

Public Speaking Amid Coronavirus Concerns

With coronavirus (COVID-19) concern rising, many companies and agencies are implementing video conferencing instead of face-to-face meetings. Here’s how you can present well on video for a successful interaction, virus-free.

Whether you use WebEx, Teams, Skype or any other video platform, chances are your office is cutting down its use of conferences and meetings to connect people for your industry or cause. This week, global concern about coronavirus is center-stage, instead of you! How can you get your message across when you can’t shake hands, look an audience in the eyes and walk around the same room?

It’s all about using your medium.

Video conferencing is awkward at times, but useful for social distancing and teleworking. It’s a great way to check in with employees and hear from them while they also get to see your face. Leaders know how important it is to be visible, and speakers know how important it is to use eyes and ears to tell a story. Let video meetings work for your advantage!

Preparedness is key

You should still come prepared, even though you’re not in a face-to-face meeting. In some ways, a Skype call is easier! Your notes can stay out of the video frame, or you can even tape them to the wall beside your computer for quick reference!

Adjust your mindset. The more calm, collected and business-as-usual you appear on-camera, the more at-ease your team will feel in a crisis (or perceived crisis.)

Make sure that as a part of your preparedness, you still dress the part. Even if working from home is mandatory, if you appear on camera to your team you should still be wearing makeup, a nice shirt (and pants, if the audience can see them!) and a professional hairstyle. No messy bun or skipping hair gel for you! Presentation is important. It can boost your credibility and communicate a nonverbal message. Let yours say, “I’m here to work and get this done as a team.”

Orient your computer

If you are not in a ViTS (Video Teleconferencing System) room with a camera mounted to a wall, chances are you are using a computer’s on-board camera for your communication. This can be tricky, so bear a few things in mind to make sure you are not distracting from your message and setting yourself up for sucess.

First, find a stable place to put the computer down. A desk is the obvious answer, but if you are doing so from home without access to a desk, a sturdy table or even a shelf will do. I have also placed a computer on a chair and sat on the floor with a wall to my back. The audience doesn’t know what they can’t see! As long as your computer is not wobbling, shaking, or otherwise moving and your legs are out of frame, your audience won’t know you’re sitting cross-legged on a floor. Avoid excessive jostling or movement to keep from annoying or distracting your audience, whose eyes are more eager to follow excessive movement than pay attention to you.

Second, the background can make or break your speech or meeting. Some video conferencing programs have the ability to blur backgrounds, but if yours does not do so or does not do so reliably, choose a neutral background. A blank wall is never ideal, particularly if you are doing a recorded interview that media will record, but for your meeting purposes it will do. You can also use your home office or library, if you have one. Books are often a perfect backdrop! I would avoid being seen in a kitchen, in a bedroom or on a couch unless you can find a way to keep the cushions and pillows out of the shot.

Third, if you are using a phone or tablet, hold it landscape (horizontally), not portrait (vertically). That will allow your shot to fill most computer screens. Again, if your Skype session is being recorded for a media interview, most reporters will request landscape so they don’t have to try to fit you into a 16:9 screen in post-production.

Now, for the speaking!

Finally, you are ready to speak! We have already gone over what you can do to up your public speaking game, but this will look and feel different than taking the stage at a face-to-face meeting.

Remember to engage the camera. Too often, I see people on Skype calls looking at the screen itself and forgetting the camera at the top or in the corner. If you want your audience to feel “seen” and to properly engage them, look directly at the camera and speak to it as if you would a person. This way, the audience can look into your eyes and your credibility and sincerity can shine through.

It also helps to appear comfortable (even if you aren’t!) Don’t stiffen your posture too much, but don’t slouch either. Feel free to gesture as you speak, although since you aren’t on a stage you may not need to as often or as much. Don’t fidget– not only can mics often pick that up, but you appear nervous to your audience. And, avoid moving your eyes to the side and looking off-camera as you’re speaking. This could make you appear shifty or distracted.

Be aware that you can be seen and heard at all times. If you are unable to mute your mic, chances are you may cough or be heard (and not just seen) if you crunch on a snack. Your dogs may bark and your doorbell may ring. If you want to have a private conversation with someone in the room, or make comments, do not do so on a live mic!

Secure your space. Lock the office door and keep your window shade drawn. You could even be interrupted by a dog (or a child!) What person in the world has yet to see this:

^^ Cringe.

Adjust the audio, but don’t overcompensate. The tendency for many people who are not accustomed to wearing a mic, or speaking on a mic, is to shout or project the voice. If you are wearing a mic, you absolutely do not need to do that (unless those in the audience as you to.) A mic level can be adjusted so you don’t need to project your voice at all. And, this has body language benefits too: your whole body relaxes when you speak normally. You appear more natural and you aren’t leaning forward: you’re just talking. That’s what a mic is for!

Test, test, test. It may help to test the audio before the call to ensure that it is picking you up appropriately. Plus, technical difficulties waste everyone’s time! Whether it’s your public affairs officer, your speech writer, your secretary or just you doing it yourself, find time to test the system you are using to make sure it works. And put this i your plan to test from time to time and train new folks on the system too! That way, everyone is prepared in case of an emergency or in this case, a pandemic.

There you have it! Simple tips for video conferencing success!

As always, I’ll end with three things: test your systems, be prepared and wash your hands to stay safe and healthy!

March 5, 2020March 6, 2020

5 Tips to Up Your Public Speaking Game

Whether you’re a confident public speaker, or if you need a little help, these five things can make or break a speech.

Public speaking can be daunting. None of us want to embarrass ourselves or the people we work with, and we all want to come off the stage feeling like we did our best. In my experience writing speeches for executives in aerospace, giving speeches around communities to represent my TV station and giving live shots, you can take note of five things right now to change for your next speech to instantly up your game!

Take a deep breath

This sounds oh-so-cheesy but it really is a game-changer. Before going out to do a speech, or doing a live shot on camera, deep breaths can help you get your “game face” on and slow your adrenaline. Some adrenaline is good (there’s nothing like a quick dose of energy!) but too much can make your hands shake at the podium or cause your voice to waver as you struggle to appear calm. In other words: a deep breath helps you center. I often accompany that with shaking my arms out, or a shoulder roll. I would tell my interviewees to do this too, and it worked for so many!

Harvard Medical School suggests there’s a good reason for that: a deep breath is your body’s built-in stress reliever. This post says, ” Deep abdominal breathing encourages full oxygen exchange — that is, the beneficial trade of incoming oxygen for outgoing carbon dioxide. Not surprisingly, it can slow the heartbeat and lower or stabilize blood pressure. ” Obviously, that’s an incredible benefit right before you do something that requires intense concentration, connection with the audience, poise and confidence like public speaking!

The next time you get in front of an audience to make a speech, do a deep and diaphragmatic breath and go for it!

Give yourself a compliment

The first rule of positivity is to be kind to yourself! And before a speech, when your confidence is key, helping yourself feel good in a healthy way is a great thing to practice.

Maybe you tell yourself simply, “You got this!” before walking onstage. Or, you could go find a mirror, look yourself in the eye and say out loud, “I am strong, I am capable and I am a powerful speaker!” Hey, whatever works! All that matters is that you come away from the interaction with your own mind feeling ready to go.

Before a live shot where I felt immense pressure to be “on” or I felt concerned that I wouldn’t hit the details just right, I would think a prayer from under the camera lights. As the anchor tossed to me, and before I opened my mouth, I wanted my last thought to be, “God, be with me.” To me, that’s an empowering move. It allows me to remember who, in my faith, is in control and can help me be my best in order to serve the viewers. It was not only helpful, but it allowed me to take the pressure off myself in that moment. I respond well to stress, but too much stress during a big moment can be crippling to your agility and your body when you need to be smooth, authoritative and collected to an audience.

Have a laugh

Oh, the relief that comes pouring out when you let yourself laugh! Similar to taking a deep breath, I imagine that I can almost feel the stress leaving me with that staccato exhale of laughter.

Lifehack.org provides these tips for letting more laughter into your life. Before a live shot, connecting with the videographer behind the camera often did it for me (unless we were on a tragic story where laughter at the scene would not be appropriate.) The institution says that laughter can not only lead to those physical benefits we talked about for deep breathing, but there is also an added mental health benefit including improving your mood and increasing endorphins.

Look your best

When we look our best, we feel our best. So, make sure you’ve worn an outfit you love, that your hairstyle is your fave (and won’t get in your eyes while you’re speaking!) and your shoes are comfortable.

It helps if your outfit does not distract the audience. Don’t wear any jewelry that jangles: the mic will catch it and it will detract from your message. Big or light-reflecting jewelry is great for high fashion or a fun brunch, but make sure it doesn’t overwhelm your body and become a focal point for the audience under the lighting. And if your clothes don’t fit well and you’re constantly pulling on them or adjusting them, the audience will notice and deem you “fidgety,” which could signal to them that you are not confident in what you are saying.

Instead, choose jewelry that is your style and taste (preferably modern and of-the-moment) but allows you to freely gesture and move. Choose footwear that will reduce your tendency to trip or stumble. Wear shoes that you can stand or walk in for a while. And bring the attitude you want your outfit to say about you!

Fake it till you make it

It really is true: if you aren’t confident, pretend you are! It works. Eventually, you start to see it pay off even if you don’t think it’s going well the first time you try it.

Do what you have to do to fake confidence: stand up a little straighter, give out a few firm handshakes, smile and tell everyone how happy you are to be there and how excited you are to give your talk (even if you aren’t!) People feed on that energy and give it back to you. Everyone knows when you aren’t enthusiastic about something because they can see it in your eyes, hear it in your voice and see it in your body language.

Try this: close your eyes and say, “I love this.” Then, with your eyes still closed, smile and say the same phrase. Do you hear the difference? You can hear the smile! The same thing translates to the eye. A smile changes your whole body and invites people to share in your joy. Allow that to change how you speak.

It also helps to pretend you are acting during a public engagement. Imagine a confident person you admire and try to act like them or pretend you have some of their traits. How would they respond to this stress? How would they walk on stage and greet a crowd? This technique allows you to distance yourself from the emotion of fear or anxiety. If you are not you, then you don’t feel those things as strongly and can detach from them.

Confidence may be something we struggle with, but we can overcome those forces that weigh us down and keep us from feeling our best in small increments until one day, you believe in yourself and have been living in a confident on-stage persona long enough to make it a part of you.

I know this will help you give the speech of your dreams!

I’ll end with this: be your best, take care of yourself and know we are all in this together!

March 5, 2020March 12, 2020

Welcome to Kristen’s Blog!

Hi, I’m Kristen Conner Hill. Or Kristen Conner. Or Kristen Hill. Or Kristen.

I have gone by a lot of names over the years, whether you watched me on TV for WVVA News in Bluefield, West Virginia or on WHNT News 19 in Huntsville, Alabama or if you met me when I started speech writing for NASA at Marshall Space Flight Center. No matter what you want to call me, I want you to know what I’m about.

This blog is a passion project for me as I practice my skills, grow as a communicator, tell stories and learn more about myself.

I wanted a way to tell you more about who I am and what I’m learning, in hopes it helps you learn something and discover something about yourself too. I’ll be writing about my passions: writing, leadership, public speaking, positivity and makeup!

“Short and sweet” is something I’m working on, because “concise” is a challenge for me. So, I’ll end with this: enjoy the blog, enjoy your life and let’s go on a journey together!