Page 218 - The New Articulate Executive_ Look, Act and Sound Like a Leader

TRAIN YOURSELF 209

you also undertake to apply the principles you learn in this book. If
you don’t have a camcorder, can’t afford one, don’t want one, or can’t
rent or borrow one, you can practice with a mirror. Practice the
POWER formula. Practice the 8-second drill. Practice prepared text.
Experiment with eye contact and pauses for emphasis.
You may also wish to identify with your favorite speakers in
government, business, or show business. If you think it can help,
borrow whatever attributes you see in them to perfect your own
speaking game.
However, if you don’t trust yourself to get it right (because
you’re not sure what you’re supposed to be looking for—even after
reading this book) and if you are really serious, you can always
hire someone to help you. For individuals this could be seen as an
extravagance. But for a corporate person or someone running for
public office, private training is an abundantly rewarding invest-
ment that makes good business sense. (Of course, one could argue
that paradoxically, people like me are part of the problem. We
may have done our jobs too well—because some of our clients in
politics and in business have only added to our fiscal and regula-
tory woes.)
The golden rule, which I mentioned earlier, bears repeating:
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If you can’t see your eyes—that is, if your eyes are not eye level the
whole time you are talking—you’re doing something wrong.
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Advanced technology, mass production, lowering cost, and the
demands of the information age have made it possible for more
people than ever before to have access to affordable, high-quality
camcorders (handheld television cameras with built-in recorders and
playback capability). For people who want to become good on their
feet, no tool is more useful or more informative.