President
Dave Engel, FACHE
Phillips County Hospital
Phillipsburg, KS

President Elect
Heather Fuller, FACHE
Sunflower Health Network
Salina, KS

Past President
Janet Stanek, FACHE
Stormont Vail HealthCare, Inc.
Topeka, KS

Secretary/Treasurer
Melissa L. Hungerford, FACHE
Kansas Hospital Association
Topeka, KS

ACHE Regent
Jeremy Armstrong, FACHE
St. Luke Hospital and Living Center
Marion, KS

You often read about what to do to prevent public-speaking anxiety, specifically for new speakers. However, another problem faces the most seasoned speakers: complacency. Healthcare executives frequently speak about their organization and the field, and they have the speaking practice and thoroughly understand their subject matter. However, they may have stopped connecting with their listeners. Public-speaking expert Lisa Braithwaite offers this advice to fight complacency:

• Pay attention to your audience. Research each group of people, and learn what each group will want from you and what they care about. During your presentation, watch their body language and expressions to monitor their engagement.
  
•  Update your references. Don’t rely on the same old stories, examples and activities. Keep them fresh so that you appear current.
  
• Reorganize your content. Can you reorder your points? Omit some? Add new ones? A new arrangement can make a presentation you’ve given dozens of times flow better, and the newness of it will recharge you.
  
• Evaluate yourself. Record yourself and watch it later—even if you have been presenting for years. Hand out a survey to the audience after a presentation, and ask for feedback on your performance. Then grade yourself. Would you want to watch your presentation? How can you use the audience feedback to improve your next performance?

—Adapted from “Does Experience = Complacency for Speakers?”  by Lisa Braithwaite, www.coachlisab.com