Okay, That's it.

As public speaking coaches, we see our share of excellent speeches. We also come across those in need of some work. However, there are a couple of constants that seem to follow speakers despite their levels of experience. One such pattern is what we call the "Okay, That's it" phenomenon. Even though speakers have an introduction planned, the first word out of many of their mouths is "Okay...." Sometimes, we get the "Okay, I am going to start," at which point we must inform the speaker that they already have. This kind of 'narration' isn't necessary, and these habits are kinds of rookie-indicators that we want to avoid.

In addition to "Okay," we see a lot of "That's it" conclusions. It is important to use a clear conclusion that briefly summarizes and signals the end of a presentation without having to say it's over. This is imperative on the levels of professionalism, style, and audience relationship. Your audience gets a little anxious when a speech is coming to an end. "When is my time to clap?" they wonder. "I don't want to accidentally clap early and start a false round of applause - or worse, be that one loud clap that is obviously the result of a misunderstanding."

The art of the conclusion is to tell the audience that you are done, without actually having to say it. Very rarely does the expression "That's it" bubble up into a roar of excitement. When we clap in response to "That's it" we are put in the position of clapping because it's over. Leave us with something thought provoking, something that relates to your introduction. Again, these patterns are old habits that are easy enough to break - give it some thought ahead of time and leave us wanting more instead of thinking that's all you have.