FRANCISCO SARAIVA

President of The National Speakers Association in Northern California, Ian Griffin, in a recent interview, share with us his insights on being a professional speaker, toastmaster and speechwriter for many corporate executives.

We asked him what part of his job as an interviewer for his blog he enjoys doing the most.

“In my job as a professional speech writer, I attend many conferences and meet all kinds of speakers. Some are corporate executives who have to give speeches as part of their job, but are not really professional speakers. Others are paid professionals who deliver presentations to many different types of audiences. I always enjoy meeting speakers and hearing about their background and what led them to speak professionally.”

Since joining the NSA in 2004, Ian said he met a lot of interesting speakers. At large summer conferences, like the one he’d be attending in New York City this August, there are over 2,000 speakers in one place which can be quite overwhelming!

“Last summer at the San Diego conference I did a number of podcast interviews with the conference attendees. I’m always amazed by the variety of backgrounds speakers have, from authors to speech coaches to inspirational speakers and historians. It’s the variety that I like. The National Speakers Association is a great place to meet them and enjoy the variety and diversity of backgrounds.” He further added.

So what are his recommendations for someone who wants to start speaking professionally?

“First, become an expert at public speaking. I highly recommend joining a local Toastmasters Club. This is the main international organization for people who want to improve their skills as a presenter. Even accomplished speakers can benefit from Toastmasters. It is a great place to try out new materials and ask for honest feedback.

Second, some people might need to hire a private speech coach. This can help take your delivery to the next level. People who are serious about golf or tennis will hire a sports coach to improve their game. The top professionals like Tiger Woods have a golf coach. Speaking is no different. If you want to speak professionally, hire a coach. Finally, there’s more to speaking than just talking to people! To be a professional means you are going to have to make to money at it. Here in the USA the National Speakers Association is the premier organization for professional speakers. They hold meetings and workshops on the business side of being a professional speaker from how to work with meeting planners to the best way to record your speeches on CD’s and DVD’s.”

Ian said that there is an International Federation for Professional Speakers with links to associations in many countries. You could check with your local area if there are any.

Lastly, when asked about what a speaker familiar with a European audience should consider before addressing an US audience, he replied, “I’m really not the best person to ask. I left the UK over 30 years ago! However, I do visit Europe regularly and I know that speaking styles differ around the world. Even within the USA there are regional differences as well as between speaking styles that is appropriate for a business audience or, say, at a church. It’s true to say that American speakers are quite often more exaggerated than Europeans. They will speak in a louder voice, with more gestures, be more theatrical. They get to the point right away and are usually not very subtle with humor or intellectual arguments in a speech. I would advise anyone coming to the USA to speak to take a look at videos of speakers. There’s a lot on YouTube. However, it would be a mistake to try and imitate an American. Audiences in the USA love to hear a European accent provided they can understand you. They would not want or expect you to behave like an American.”

Ian is a communications professional and is with Hewlett-Packard’s Corporate Communications Department at Palo Alto as an executive speech writer. If you aim at professional excellence in communications and speech writing, do visit Ian Griffin at Executive Communications blog site, Professionally Speaking.