As a speech coach in New York and New Jersey , I have seen a lot of speeches. It’s always the speakers who have a strong, heartfelt connection to their material who speak the best. How do you know when you are connected to your speech? And how do you get connected if you aren’t? Here are a few tips:

1. To begin with, if you don’t truly believe the ideas behind your speech , it is absolutely imperative that you adjust your speech. Your ambivalence will show, most likely in your non-verbal communication . If you feel your shoulders shrugging, or your vocal tone dissipating, it’s time to ask yourself some hard questions. Do I really care about this material? Do I believe the ideas that I am espousing? If not….

2. Adjust your Approach . I recently had a client who was crafting a very heartfelt speech about her recent bout with cancer. The problem was her approach was a little too optimistic , and did not pay heed to the daily struggle that her illness generated. By striking a more honest emotional balance to the speech, she was able to put aside her ambivalence, and speak more effectively.

3. Put Aside the Power Point . Don’t start with Power Point, end with it. Go analog to start, sketch some ideas out on a pad and let your thoughts flow. Don’t be too disciplined at the beginning. Utilize quotes, collage , etc. Go ahead and have a glass of wine and put on some music. The idea is to really put yourself into the speech to start. If you are on the right track to start, you won’t have to re-craft later.