How a tin of beans helps me to speak to big audiences

Ahh, public speaking.

Some fear it, most hate it, but me? I can’t get enough of it. Being a Young Ambassador for The Prince’s Trust has given me plenty of opportunities to give speeches (not to mention sample some rather excellent food) and I take every chance I’m offered.

But a question I get asked a lot is: “How do you manage to speak to audiences that big? Don’t you get nervous?”

Of course I do. Anyone was close enough to me when I was speaking at the HR Distinction awards would have seen my hand shaking a scary amount.

But the ability to speak isn’t about not having those nerves, it’s the ability to control them and still deliver the message you want to send. In fact, the presence of nerves comforts me. Anyone who isn’t nervous before public speaking is either a superhuman or, more likely, somewhat arrogant of their ability.

So, what is the best way to cope? Some would tell you to imagine the audience naked.

No thank you.

When I’m about to go on stage and give a speech, the first thing I do is sit up very straight and pretend I’m someone extremely powerful. This gives me the illusion of power and therefore a bit of control over how I’m feeling. That sounds stupid but it really works for me so I don’t mind too much.

And then, I remember my audience is just like a tin of beans.

I don’t picture them all dressed as cans of Heinz*, that would be ridiculous and would put anyone off. No, I just look at the audience and realise that I can’t actually see any facial details. They’re all just a mesh of unidentifiable beings all gathered closely. They’re all beans in a can, that’s it.

Now, what is terrifying about talking to a tin of beans? Unless you’re an outsider watching someone actually talking to a tin of tomatoey beany goodness of course. That'd freak me out no end.

It works for me. It makes me more comfortable in front of a crowd. Maybe I’m just a bit crazy but why not give it a go yourself next time you speak?

Remember:

Audience = tin of beans

I’d be fascinated to hear how other people manage with public speaking. Do you have a unique (and slightly less crackpot than mine, I imagine) way of preparing for a speech? Let me know in the comments J

*Other, similarly excellent, brands of beans are available

Social Media: A means to an ends for Joe Stapleton.

Following Chris Moneymaker’s fairy tale World Series of Poker Main Event win in 2003, where he beat 839 opponents to win $2.5m having qualified online, poker saw a new era. Thousands of new players took to the felt, believing that they could follow Moneymaker, a former accountant, into wealth, fame and the history books.

Since that momentous day, Main Event fields have swelled to thousands, peaking at 8773 in 2006, when Jamie Gold took the mind blowing top prize of $12,000,000.

This rapid growth can be likened to the social media explosion. Now, in 2014, social media has become almost unrecognisable compared to its infant self a decade ago. Far from being just a way of updating your friends and family on your eating and toilet habits, it is now a way of marketing yourself, your brand, and most importantly: networking.

The rise of televised poker, and following that online live streams, has been incorporated into social media, leading to viewers being offered the chance to put their views across, while having fun watching their favourite game. #EPTLive, which is quickly increasing in popularity.

Joe Stapleton, co-host of the live stream and regular poker commentator on Channel 4, said: “I love the EPTLive viewers. The interaction with them is a major part of the show, and I’d dread a live stream without it because the action can sometimes be slow. I love social media for that purpose.”

It’s not all sweet smelling roses when it comes to social media for Joe, though. Wary of the number of trolls online, he asserts that almost every positive of social media can also have a negative impact. He offers an example:

“You can rapidly spread information and ideas, but the negative is that it can also spread false information and hateful ideas.”

Hardly a point that can be argued with, when one considers the number of times it’s been falsely reported someone famous or influential has died for the sake of retweets and the minority of people who seem set on causing misery with constant and unwarranted abuse.

The concession has to be made though, that social media is a huge part of professional networking, and is the best way to build influence and a contact list that could prove to be useful. Building relationships with people online has become a key part of becoming successful, particularly in the digital industry, or in a job where being exposed to the media is a regular thing.

“Even though I need [social media] for my job and mostly enjoy it, I would avoid it entirely if I didn’t,” Joe explains. “I post on social media to be better known in my field, but more importantly; beyond my field.”

This is a poignant point that we can examine with interest – social media, which used to be purely about socialising with those you love or care about, has become a tool more than anything. It is a necessary part of improving one’s chances of chances in an industry.

This is actually reflective of a recent session at The Juice Academy our group had with Sian Ediss, Head of Social at Online Ventures Group, which I will discuss in an upcoming post. She stressed the importance of using social media in the best way possible, even outside of our jobs.

Although he appreciates the benefits and necessity of social media, Joe remains unconvinced:

“I’m not sure its positive impacts outweigh its negatives. I follow my friends because I’m interested in how they’re doing. But apart from that, it’s not really my idea of fun.”

Do you agree with Joe, and use social media as a means to an end? Or do you use it because you love it? Let me know in the comments section.

Pictures courtesy of Neil Stoddart.