This is usually a pain in the neck and a nightmare to deal with for professional speakers. While this is not something a professional can’t do, it really is cumbersome and annoying too!!
Here are a few things I picked up in my journey of professional speaking.
Prepare, practise and rehearse. This has been the mantra I hold on to since I started speaking. My friends who have been speakers and mentors have repeatedly told me this, never get too comfortable and complacent even if its a familiar topic and material. Always prepare and rehearse. You will get familiarised with your flow and know exactly how long you need and what to do along the way.
Checkpoint/milestone in the mind. Always take note of key points in your delivery and check on the timing if you are doing good with what you have planned. Example, you have 3 key points you want to focus on. Know how long each takes, and take note of timing as you cross pass these timings.
Timer. Find a place somewhere at the front to place your own timer if the organiser has not placed one on the stage for you. And that is one important element to check with organizer, which is to know the setup and what you can view from the monitor screen on stage.
Expect the unexpected. We always go with our best planning and practice. But anything can happen and I have witnessed this. Blackouts, hiccups in technology, speaker before run over the time, and this is where we need to be prepared. We need to know what we can trim off and still keep to the essence of our content. Being prepared is better than taken off guard and we do not do justice to our delivery though its no fault of ours.
And lastly, remember that keeping to the allocated time demonstrates professionalism. It’s a reflection of respect to both the audience and event organizer.
Anything else that can be added on to this list?
