Transcript Public Speaking Skills

Seminar "Back to schools"
Some "communication skills" for speakers
at action"Back to schools"
Wolfgang Streitenberger
Conseiller, DG INFSO
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What is an Ambassador?
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Representative of the Commission as
a whole, not only the DG
Representative of the interests of
the Commission
– Personification of EC/EU
– Source of information
– Interlocutor in dialogue
– Opinion shaper
– Image creator
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How to be an excellent Ambassador?
… and
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enjoying public relations
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persuasive, enjoying advocacy
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enthusiastic, self-motivating
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good discussion partner
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Planning of speaking event
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Clarify your task with host (=teacher)
– Type of contribution
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(statement; kick-off statement; factual
information; historic look back; forecast or
perspectives; “opinion”; quiz; role-play;questions
in advance; "voting"…)
– Length of contribution
– Elements of content
– Expectations concerning style
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Planning of speech/Q&A
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Preparation of content of speech:
Four “pure” types of presentations:
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informing
entertaining
motivating/inspiring
persuading
Your speech: should be appropriate “mixture”
Think of Substance (research …)
Structure (follow audience interest
“What’s in it for me?”)
Style (verbal and non-verbal language,
word choice, adaptation to audience)
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Planning of speech/Q&A
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Preparation of content of speech:
Structure backwards!
Not
 Introduction,
 Body,
 Conclusion
BUT
++
 = your objective merged with audience’s problems,
interests, concerns
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Presenting/public speaking
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Some special kick off elements for youngsters:
EU-Quiz (look DG COMM Ambassadors
homepage!) Compare sizes of populations,
countries...ask for associate members...candidate
countries....Euro member states...etc
 Adapt EU-Quiz to country you are speaking in
 (what’s the name of "our" Commissioner, how
many MEP do "we" have? How many km is our
capital from Brussels? How many % is our
population of EU population?
 Role play (e.g. Commission meeting; EP debate;
Council debate;...)

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Presenting/public speaking
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Some special kick off elements for youngsters:
Collect written questions (if you are afraid that
they are too shy...)
 Play a short video (look DG COMM Ambassadors
homepage; "Europe by Satellite" on PC...)
 Show them "latest EU news" from IntracommNewsroom
 Allow, invite interruptive questions
 Ask rhetoric questions (what would have
happened IF....we would have had no Euro in the
crisis? No Schengen-Agreement? No Enlargement
to the east?)
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Presenting/public speaking
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Your success depends on credibility
Consisting of
 Expertise
 Believability
(= no spin, no propaganda)
 Likeability
(= “the medium is the message”)
 Authenticity
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Presenting/public speaking
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Selected tips …
 Smile sometimes
 Use personal experience and anecdotes
 Be yourself
 No lying
 Speak at audience level
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Presenting/public speaking
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Some other tips
– Prepare well, but do not over-prepare
– Do not try:
 to control behaviour of audience
 to emulate other good speakers
 to please everybody
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Presenting/public speaking
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Dealing with difficult audiences
Selected “extreme” types:
1. super pro-Europeans
2. obligatory participation
(sometimes “school classes”)
3. super anti-Europeans
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Presenting/public speaking
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Dealing with difficult audiences
1. super pro-Europeans
 wake them up
 fuel new ideas/thoughts/information
 dare some speculation, forecast
 thought-provoking content
 motivate by “we need you”
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Presenting/public speaking
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Dealing with difficult audiences
2. obligatory participation
 link your subject with its
main interests/issues
 show advantages of EU integration
in general
 show personal benefits of
EU integration
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Presenting/public speaking
Some general tips:
 develop rapport
 establish common ground
 tell about what the EU meant for you in schooltime
 tell your development from school to EU-official
 describe a typical working day, Brussels life
 tell anecdotes (work, private)
 tell about your links to your homecountry
 describe career opportunities for youngsters in EU
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Presenting/public speaking
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Dealing with difficult questions
If you react to difficult questions by being
 evasive
 defensive
 contentious
this will be regarded as rather negatively
by the audience
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Presenting/public speaking
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Dealing with difficult questions
Some general tips for answers:
 Find a way to agree at least partly
 Answer briefly, simply and directl
 Dissolve bundle of unclear question and
pick out the main issue
 Treat two questions from the same person
as two questions (take notes!)
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Presenting/public speaking
 Accept interruptive questions or not?
If no Q&A round announced you have to …
Otherwise, refer to Q&A part at the end
For school audiences invite interruptive
questions in anyway!
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Presenting/public speaking
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Dealing with difficult questions
Negative questions: Turn them into positive!
(otherwise inviting further negative questions)
Example:
Q: “Why aren’t you stopping with enlargement?”
Your A: “Why we ARE continuing with
enlargement …”
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Presenting/public speaking
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Dealing with difficult questions
Irrelevant questions: Also to be answered
> with humour … 
Disparate multiple questions: Take notes,
do not say “What was your other question?”
(signals you were not listening)
Statements: In any way – converting them into
questions
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Presenting/public speaking
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Dealing with difficult questions
If you do not know the answer:
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Reply to a part at least generally
Explain why you cannot reply fully/in detail
Create sympathy for your position
Take note - promise contact to expert or
- promise direct reply
- possibly offer reply to all audience
members by email or
- refer to after-event conversation
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