Lilliput WI

I felt better by 8 January when I was due to speak to Lilliput Afternoon Women's Institute but Wilts & Dorset bus drivers were on strike that day so I had to catch a Bournemouth Yellow into Poole and then walk from Longfleet to the Holy Angels Church in Lilliput which took about 45 minutes! By the time I reached the venue, I was very hot and sweaty, coughing and feeling generally rough as I sat through the last 30 minutes of the ladies' business meeting but there is a concept known as 'Dr Theatre' where performers may feel better the moment they get up in front of an audience. It would obviously not apply if a speaker was suffering from the ghastly Norovirus which is sweeping the UK at the moment but as far as colds and the recovery period after the flu are concerned, it obviously works,

Public Speaking Tip #110: Even if you don't feel at your best before a presentation, once you start speaking, you may find that doing so gives you a boost, not least of all because you have something else to focus on. Let 'Dr Theatre' help you - and your audience!

It had been nearly a decade since I last spoke to this WI but it is still very well attended - there were about 55 present - and I managed to get through 'The Power of Humour in Everyday Life' without a further coughing fit or having to cut the talk short. (It is worth pointing out that although I wouldn't normally use a microphone with an audience of this size unless asked, I chose to on this occasion to save my voice).

Public Speaking Tip #111: Although I have often mentioned that microphones can be the source of numerous problems, there are occasions - such as when you are having problems with your voice - that they can be a speaker's friend.

I really was most grateful to Brenda Brewer for the lift back to Westbourne afterwards so I didn't have another long walk!