Be a great speaker: 10 practical pearls (part 2 of 5)

Posted by Michelle Lin, MD on

For the CORD Distinguished Educator’s Coaching Program, Dr. Gus Garmel has kindly offered to share his top 50 points to improve one’s speaking skills. These tips are great for anyone who plans to do public speaking. Last week, I posted his pearls #1-10.

Here is another great set of 10 practical pearls

  1. Handout: If you use your slides as your handout, remove the jokes. Consider creating a more detailed handout than your slides.
  2. Double-check your slides and handout for typos.
  3. Audience: Know your audience. Focus on teaching to their level or above. Anticipate their questions.
  4. Consider whether or not you will take questions during your talk. One question can lead to many others. For instance, will your talk be interactive? If so, factor in time for this.
  5. Rehearse more than once. Considering practicing in front of a mirror if you’re a novice.
  6. Give a practice run of your talk somewhere to someone.
  7. Reference: Read “Secrets of Successful Speakers” by Lilly Walters. It is a quick and helpful book, recommended by Dr. Amal Mattu.
  8. Check out the environment the previous night or that morning.
  9. Dress professionally– better than the audience, if possible.
  10. Be enthusiastic and positive.

Author information

ALiEM Founder and CEO
Professor and Digital Innovation Lab Director
Department of Emergency Medicine
University of California, San Francisco

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