How to present in a sensory world
By Starr Anderson | RU School of Communication
“How we handle ourselves in front of a group impacts our future more than any thing we might do,” Kevin Daley told an auditorium filled with Radford University students and professors on April 3. In Daley’s presentation, “How to address any audience like your career depended on it,” he made it clear what qualities any great public speaker needs.
Daley has coached thousands of people in communication skills. From sales managers to political figures, he helps people present themselves more effectively and think more clearly under pressure. “If pressure hurts us, it hurts everyone listening,” said Daley.
Daley assured the audience that he was not a natural speaker. When first asked to speak in front of a large group, he said, “I don’t speak, I won’t speak, and I can’t speak.”
When his father, Arthur Daley, won a Pulitzer Prize, Kevin Daley was forced to go up on stage and give a speech in front of 500 people. That was the last thing Daley wanted to do. He said once he got up there his mind went blank and he could not even give a speech about his own father. Daley said our biggest enemy is fear.
To illustrate his point, Daley flashed a slide listing what people fear most, and speaking in front of a group ranked higher on the list than fear of death. When asked how many people get the trembles when talking in front of a group, almost all the hands in the auditorium went up. Daley understands fear happens, but he hopes to give people the tools to “access the power that resides in us so we can persuade people’s thinking.”
Daley said in the real world we hope that our messages, our words, and our ideas will have a great impact on the people listening. But a UCLA study found that how we look is most important, followed by how we sound, and then our message. In order to make sure the message gets across, people need to learn the physical skills of getting a messages across.
Daley’s address was part of Communication Week, a week of speakers, panels and events that focus on journalism, media, public relations, advertising and public speaking.
“Only a mother loves us without cause. For the world, we need cause,” said Daley, and the world is sensory. He said the visual impact you have on an audience is important. The energy you release will be the energy you receive. The way we look, speak, and sound are all very important when it comes to presentations and public speaking. He told the audience the body is a part of the whole process of communicating.
“If they don’t buy you, they don’t buy your message,” said Daley. The pace, volume, and inflection are what keeps the audience interested. Using non-words such as “like” or “um” is a habit that is hard to break but one that needs to be broken.
“Controlling your eyes ends up being the greatest skill of being a communicator,” said Daley. When we get in front of a crowd we tend to want to scan the audience. Daley suggests focusing on one person for a complete thought and moving on to the next person with the next thought.
Daley wants speakers to make sure their information comes alive for the listeners. He wants people to know you are always selling yourself so do it with confidence, credibility, enthusiasm and conviction.
Whether a student was there for a class assignment or to learn more about Daley, there were many memorable moments. Kathleen Miles was attending the event for a class, but she said, “It was good information for when you’re making presentations.”
Shaina Shaffner was there to learn from his experiences and gain perspective about what to do when she graduates.
“It was interesting to learn about better public speaking skills. I really enjoyed it,” said Bekah States. She was also there for a class, but was a part of the whole group who could not help but laugh as Daley poked fun at bad habits.
“We don’t make the world, we just live in it, and by our actions they shall know us,” Daley said. Students need to know how to address an audience like their career depends on it, he said, because it does.
