I seem to share with you the pace problem. I think it has to do with the fact that I hate slow talkers, or don't want to see signs of boredom on people's faces. In my first ever public speech, I simply blazed through my material.

Learning to talk slow and pause alot takes some patience and practice. Al Gore amazes me in this regard.

So, that wouldn't be me... I'm pretty bad at public speaking, but I was out on Monday for your talk and I thought you were pretty good.

A couple of points though, since you're asking :-)

Know your space
You had a pretty big space and no podium, but you stood in one place most of your talk. Now, I realize Sashi was video taping, but going back to your point on energy, moving around a bit might convey that. That said, my natural ADD-addled self would be practically pacing, which is far worse than being stationary.

Save time for Q&A
One thing that was clear to me at the end was there were lots of questions and potential discussion and we didn't have time for them. Building in a little more time for Q&A and discussion. I know this again might be my predisposition to talk a lot, but it did feel like there were a lot of questions.

Overall, Lee, I thought you were great and I know I was certainly engaged.

Here are couple of good links from speakers I've liked:
Kathy Sierra
Guy Kawasaki
and a post I can't resist
Gates, Jobs, & the Zen aesthetic

Cheers,
Randy

Sounds like you're making a lot of progress. Self-awareness is the first step toward improvement in public speaking. Reviewing audio and video of your presentations could help a lot also. And I'm certain you're a very busy guy, but you might consider Toastmasters. Maybe not the commitment of joining a club, but at least visiting some clubs in your area to get more tips. Best of luck!

following along your public speaking tips has been helpful. thx for sharing lee. my first goal is stop dropping eff bombs when publicly speaking.*blush*

...I thought you did really, really well when I saw you the other day!

I have been following your speaking lessons with some interest and readily agree with much of what you have to say.

One question I do have is whether you are writing your presentations in the best way. When asked to write a business presentation the first thing many people do is open powerpoint and start typing. This ultimately leads to the problem that the slides are there primarily as a prompt for the speaker not as an aide for the audience.

What I always advise people to do is write a speech, not do a presentation. By making this distinction most peoples reaction is to go to Word and type. Some people prefer to write their speeches verbatim, some prefer to use key points - there is no right or wrong here, just whatever suits the speaker.

When the speech is written I then ask the speaker to think about any props that might help to convey the message more effectively. Props may include items such as books, photos, drawings on a white board or OHP or indeed be diagrams, pictures, slides in powerpoint. The key here is that powerpoint (or whatever props you use) become an addition to your speech not the central point of it. The point of the presentation is you not the slides, This way I think it is most effectively achieved.

Bert Decker at Create Your Communications Experience suggests the use of black slides when there is nothing that the slides can add to your speech. I totally agree as it forces the focus back on to you.

I may be teaching you to suck eggs. If so, please ignore! If not, then hopefully it gives you a little food for thought.

Thanks for sharing, Lee. These posts have been useful.