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Social Media Roundup: Don’t Be Scared of Public Speaking

Why poor public-speaking skills can hurt your business abilities. Also: the value of concentration.

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You know the saying: If you’re up in front of a crowd and you freak out, imagine everyone in the room, naked.

It’s weird advice (and, honestly, wouldn’t it freak you out more?), but someone came up with it somewhere. But according to one event professional, you’d be better off keeping in mind that people showed up to hear you speak about an interesting topic.

That and more in today’s Social Media Roundup:

Speak Like a Champ

https://twitter.com/BusyEvent/status/280768229608144896

Feeling a lack of confidence? Your public speaking is way too important, and that sort of weakness will show, according to event consultant Liz King. Writing on the BusyEvent blog  (opens in a new tab), she offers a series of tips to make sure you’re on your A game when you hit the stage. Among them? Don’t focus on the negative: “Listen to what others tell you about yourself. Stop judging yourself and your limited knowledge,” she advises, “but believe people when they say that they are learning from you. Listen to what they find most interesting, important, and relevant, and focus on those things for your confidence.” Oh, yeah, the imagining-people-naked thing doesn’t help. (ht @BusyEvent  (opens in a new tab))

Mind over Matter

In today’s hectic world, many find themselves multitasking far more than they ever thought possible. But is that always good for business? Apparently, you should be more like Sherlock Holmes, who “knows the value of concentration,” according to a recent New York Times column  (opens in a new tab). Even though meditation may have its roots in Eastern societies, the article notes, mindfulness is really more about concentration than spirituality. Do you take some time out to truly concentrate on what’s at hand? Or are you a multitasker, moving from idea to idea through the day? (ht @JoanEisenstodt  (opens in a new tab))

What cool stuff are you reading today? Let us know in the comments.

(iStockphoto/Thinkstock)

Ernie Smith

Ernie Smith is a former senior editor for Associations Now.

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Tags: #Aspiring Leader #Communications #confidence #Meetings #Mid-Level Professional #public speaking

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