The 2nd of a 3-part series on public speaking. Part 1 covered large gatherings. Part 3 will be for online meetings.
Listen Up! How to communicate effectively to a small group
Ron Cameron-Lewis
Actor, acting teacher, and speaker Ron Cameron-Lewis has trained many thousands in the art of public speaking, including adjudicating more than 2,000 theater productions. We asked for his tips when addressing a small group, even just one person.
Maintain eye contact
"The critical thing is to sustain eye contact with the key person in the group," he says, "the one you're pitching it to." Is everyone in the small group equally important? In that case, sustain contact with one person for one complete thought (not necessarily just one sentence), then turn to someone else to deliver the next thought.
Set the scenery
Eliminate distractions, if possible, by making sure that nothing is going on behind you, like a window overlooking a busy street, a television tuned to a show, or a door through which someone might walk. Ideally, find a plain wall, suggests Cameron-Lewis.
Cultural Connections
Does your audience consist of people who speak different languages than your own? If so, slow your speech to be more easily understood.
Pallium India's M.R. Rajagopal thanked Cameron-Lewis for teaching him that, unlike many languages in India where equal duration is given to all vowels, English alternates between stressed and unstressed words, i.e., to dream the impossible dream, to fight the unbeatable foe. Applying stressed syllables enlivened his speeches.
If it's going to take longer than a few minutes, have chairs handy if you know that your audience would appreciate the option of sitting.
Flatter yourself
As with presenting to a large group—or perhaps especially so—wear clothes with a cut and color that suits you.
"I was coaching a palliative care physician who was going to do a presentation for 100 people," says Cameron-Lewis. She was wearing a mousy outfit; he asked if she had a red jacket, "a power color. She went right out and bought one, and looked sensational. She was the center of attention, as she was meant to be."
Here's how to tell which season's colors suit you best: spring, summer, autumn, or winter.
Men's wear can be more problematic. His personal solution? "I have about 35 bowties, and can always find one that makes a dark blue suit and white shirt pop."
Don't be handsy
It might be tempting to lay your palm on someone's shoulder to "connect" or emphasize a point. Resist the impulse! "Don't lean in or put a hand on the person," instructs Cameron-Lewis. "Rarely is that appropriate, unless you want to express sympathy. Let people have their bubble." Keeping one arm's length of space between you is a good rule. That way, you can also gesture freely.
Illustration used with permission.
Warm those pipes
Relaxing and warming up your vocal cords, as well as practicing clarity of enunciation, is just as important with a small group as with a large one. [See part 1's tip, "Prepare your voice."]
Take on a difficult passage and speak each syllable out loud—or even voicelessly—to warm up. Lyrics from The Mikado are a Cameron-Lewis favorite to get the job done:
“To sit in solemn silence on a dull, dark dock
in a pestilential prison with a life-long lock
awaiting the sensation of a short, sharp shock
from a cheap and chippy chopper on a big, black block.”
Also, don't drop your voice volume on the last word of sentences! (Cameron-Lewis's fellow Canadians have this tendency.)
Encourage input
"With a small group, you can make it more interactive" to keep them engaged. "Ask questions!"
When closing
Have a single sentence that summarizes your key point. Also, he suggests that it can be a good idea to say, "Before I wrap things up, do you have any questions?"