Reading: Tips On Public Speaking For Church Planters Inspired By Rich DeVos

Tips On Public Speaking For Church Planters Inspired By Rich DeVos

Henry Reyenga

Pat Williams’ Observations

How to Speak Effectively If you want to inspire and motivate like Rich, then you need to learn to talk like Rich. The ability to speak effectively before an audience can transform your life. Here are ten powerful principles of effective public speaking that I have learned from observing my friend, Rich DeVos.

Pat Williams. How to Be Like Rich DeVos: Succeeding with Integrity in Business and Life (Kindle Locations 666-668). Kindle Edition. 

Be Prepared

Public-speaking principle no. 1: be prepared! As you prepare your speech, be aware of the difference between written communication and spoken communication. If you want to convey details, statistics and data, it is better to put that information into a written form, such as a handout or flyer. But if you want to inspire, persuade and motivate people, you've got to give a powerful speech.

Pat Williams. How to Be Like Rich DeVos: Succeeding with Integrity in Business and Life (Kindle Locations 668-670). Kindle Edition. 

Be Prepared

Above all, never be boring! Make sure that every concept in your speech crackles with energy. Never plan to start out slow and gain momentum. Instead, grab your listeners by the throat from the very first word and don't let go! Wow them, dazzle them, knock 'em dead in the first thirty seconds-and keep knocking 'em dead until your big finish!

Pat Williams. How to Be Like Rich DeVos: Succeeding with Integrity in Business and Life (Kindle Locations 671-673). Kindle Edition. 

Speak In A Relaxed Style

Public-speaking principle no. 2: speak in a relaxed, conversational style

Never read your speech; have a spontaneous dialogue with your audience, as if you are speaking friend-to-friend. The more spontaneous you sound, the more the audience will like and trust you. Instead of writing out your speech word-for-word, use brief phrases or symbols as notes to jog your memory. Your notes should only give you an outline, not a script.

Pat Williams. How to Be Like Rich DeVos: Succeeding with Integrity in Business and Life (Kindle Locations 680-682). Kindle Edition. 

Eye Contact

Public-speaking principle no. 3: practice good "eye communication" habits 

Don't just glance hurriedly over your audience. Let your eyes make a two- or three-second connection with various people around the room as you speak. Let people know that you are speaking directly to them.

Pat Williams. How to Be Like Rich DeVos: Succeeding with Integrity in Business and Life (Kindle Locations 694-696). Kindle Edition. 

Communicate With Energy

Public-speaking principle no. 5: communicate with energy!

When you speak, your face-and, in fact, your whole personality -should radiate energy, enthusiasm and conviction. Your voice should resonate with energy. Your eyes should gleam with energy. Your smile should dazzle with energy. While it's true that some people have naturally energetic personalities, we can all learn to be more energetic and dynamic when we speak. Speaking skills can be taught, coached and learned, and one of the most important skills of all is the skill of communicating with energy.

Pat Williams. How to Be Like Rich DeVos: Succeeding with Integrity in Business and Life (Kindle Locations 712-714). Kindle Edition. 

Be A Story Teller

Public-speaking principle no. 6: become a storyteller Stories create a powerful emotional connection with your audience. Use funny stories to loosen up your audience and put your listeners at ease. Use dramatic stories to generate strong emotions and empathy. Good stories ignite the hearer's imagination and make your point memorable, even unforgettable. Stories imprint images on the listener's mind and trigger strong emotions.

Pat Williams. How to Be Like Rich DeVos: Succeeding with Integrity in Business and Life (Kindle Locations 718-720). Kindle Edition. 

Vary Your Voice Pattern

Public-speaking principle no. 7: vary your voice pattern

A monotone voice is boring and puts audiences to sleep. Your voice should rise and fall with the rhythms of your speech. The air in the room should tingle with the energy and enthusiasm in your voice. Speak in a firm, clear voice that says you mean what you say. Eliminate words from your speaking vocabulary that make you seem tentative and uncertain, such as "uhhh," "ummm," "well” 

Pat Williams. How to Be Like Rich DeVos: Succeeding with Integrity in Business and Life (Kindle Locations 727-731). Kindle Edition. 

Genuinely Caring

Public-speaking principle no. 8: demonstrate genuine caring 

Show your audience that you genuinely care about them and their needs. If your "caring" is just an act, it will show. But if you truly enjoy serving and helping people, if you take the time to truly address their needs in your speech, you will win them over and they will love you.

Pat Williams. How to Be Like Rich DeVos: Succeeding with Integrity in Business and Life (Kindle Locations 734-736). Kindle Edition. 

Keep Working At Getting Better

Public-speaking principle no. 9: train yourself to be a more effective speaker 

We can all sharpen our speaking skills; we all have room for improvement. After giving literally thousands of speeches over the years, I still ask for coaching and feedback from professional speech Coaching.

Pat Williams. How to Be Like Rich DeVos: Succeeding with Integrity in Business and Life (Kindle Locations 747-748). Kindle Edition. 

Keep Working At Getting Better

Another valuable tool for sharpening your speaking skills is video feedback. Rehearse your speech in front of a video camera. When you watch the playback, you'll be able to see yourself as others see you. You'll identify both communicating strengths and bad habits you never knew you had. At first, you'll wince at your flaws and flubs, but stick with it and you are guaranteed to see improvement. 

Pat Williams. How to Be Like Rich DeVos: Succeeding with Integrity in Business and Life (Kindle Locations 757-759). Kindle Edition. 

Never Pass Up An Opportunity To Speak

Public-speaking principle no. 10: never pass up an opportunity to speak

 If you want to be successful and influential, then grab every speaking opportunity that comes your way. If no opportunities come to you, then make your own opportunities. No speaking opportunity is too small or too large. Whether you are offered a chance to talk to a dozen Rotarians in West Overshoe or an audience of millions on network TV, seize it! Make the most of it! That's what I do, that's what Rich DeVos does, and that's what you should do, too.

Pat Williams. How to Be Like Rich DeVos: Succeeding with Integrity in Business and Life (Kindle Locations 760-763). Kindle Edition.