Psychologist, NLP practitioner and soft skills trainer, always smiling, dog lover, who passionately passes on her knowledge through public speaking and communication workshops. But he also gives you something in the lines below.
Why are TED-conferences and TED-talks so popular?
Because the speakers are carefully prepared. Most people think that these individuals are born with the ability to perform. The fact is that they are being prepared for a speech for a long time. They change and adapt their speech several times. They turn the words around and find the best version to deliver that would impress as many people as possible.
So you prepare individuals for such performances? Lecturers for lectures or diploma defenses, maybe even interviews?
That's right, I run performance and preparation courses individually and in groups, where we learn body language as well as how to convey information in order to be most effective. So how to start, set a goal, work with the audience and how to reinforce what has been said and how to end so that it remains in the listeners' memory. It's important to leave a good impression.
What is it that makes the difference between a good speech and a bad one?
Preparation. If someone is well prepared, he is relaxed, he speaks more decisively. It has prepared interesting examples, materials and a nice presentation in PowerPoint. He speaks in a meaningful sequence that is easier to follow. It takes into account different types of listeners and takes care of interaction with the audience.
Do we know how to prepare ourselves?
If we are experts in one area that we also represent, sometimes it is very difficult to extract the basics. We start using overcomplicated speech, even though we think we have adapted it. Our presentation is then immediately very bad, because no one understands it.
I think it is difficult for us to prepare well on our own. I am helped by a team that fixes the last little things. I am also helped by voice coach Luka Markus Štajer and designer Luka Mancini, who always creates a PowerPoint presentation for me. I don't go on stage without it.
READ MORE: Interview - Loui Ferry: Behind every successful hairstyle... stands Loui!
A common mistake we all make when speaking in front of people?
We use a lot of masks – aamm, actually – and apologize on stage. By doing this, we are diverting attention to the errors instead of continuing with our content.
We all have experience with some kind of bad education and then we are afraid that we will waste our time at the workshop...
This happens precisely because not enough people in Slovenia are aware of how great a science the transfer of knowledge has become. If you know something, it is not necessary that you know how to present it well to others. That is why the conferences are poorly attended, and it is difficult to get participants to our workshops. People have experiences when lecturers read from transparencies, looked at the floor, were too quiet or spoke too professionally.
I am happy because I always ask for opinions at my workshops and now for the seventh year I am improving the training, I always learn something new.
In other words, if we invest in the quality of lectures and workshops by preparing speakers, we will have more attendance at conferences and events and the listeners will be more satisfied?
TED talks are proof of that. It is a unique conference that is spread all over the world and has enormous visibility. Videos of the speeches are available on the Internet, and people pay $6,000 each for a seat in the hall, even though they know the footage will circulate online the very next day.
Where did you learn that? Who was your favorite to work with? Your greatest achievements?
In addition to completing my studies in psychology, I attended several year-long training courses. I obtained an international NLP certificate and a soft skills trainer certificate. I received recognition as a competent speaker from Toastmasters International and learned pitching in an accelerator in the Netherlands. Here, I cooperate with the Technology Park, ABC Hub and lecture at Gea College. This month, however, with a team I met on the spot, I won first place at Petrol's business challenge.
I had the best time in the municipality of Ajdovščina, where the employees brought me to tears with their performances. I like to work with people who want to progress. Impress the audience and build a good rapport with them.
Do you have any tips to help any reader perform better from now on? Either at a job interview or at a company presentation?
First of all, we need to set a clear goal for the speech. Why are we there and why should anyone listen to us? At the performance, it is important to speak loudly, slowly and maintain eye contact. This shows self-confidence, because a remark that is too quiet can give the impression that our opinion is not that important.
More information:
doberstik.si
