Do you ever have to do any public speaking. I do almost every week, sometimes a few times a week. Even though I’ve been public speaking for a couple decades, and I would say I am comfortable with it, it still makes me a bit nervous and I’m on the look out for tips. The other day I found an article called, 5 speaking habits that make you seem smarter: How to sound confident — even when you’re not.

I’ve summarized the 5 habits but I recommend you give the article a look.

1. Follow the “rule of three” – Make sure your presentation has three big, overarching lessons or pieces of key information.
2. Use thoughtful body language – To use your hands effectively as a speaker, keep your gestures fluid and consider incorporating specific movements — like using your fingers to count when making lists.
3. Control your pace – Carmine Gallo, author of Talk like TED, said the ideal rate of speech is about 190 words a minute for public speaking.
4. Don’t “fill” — just pause – If you find yourself mindlessly interjecting filler phrases as you rehearse, practice stopping yourself before the words leave your lips — and using the moment for a short dramatic pause.
5. Strike a natural, personal tone – “If the facial expression expresses one emotion, but if the tone conveys a different one, neural dissonance takes place in the brain.”

I hope you find these tips and the original article helpful.