Lindsay Calvert of the American Farm Bureau Federation told attendees of #ShowMeYFR Annual Leadership Conference to break the rules.  Not all the rules, exactly, but the rules of public speaking.

Public speaking is the most commonly requested topic for Calvert, whose job is to train Farm Bureau leaders nationwide.  Members want to know, how do you connect with an audience?  How do you get your point across?  Calvert’s advice– forget what you know.  Public speaking isn’t about you, it’s about the people listening.  Letting go of the idea of what a perfect public speaker is supposed to do and be yourself is her main take-away.  Maybe that means leaving the podium and walking around (even in front of the projector) or drinking coffee while you converse.

With all the emphasis for farmers to “tell you story” the most important point, Calvert explains, is a connection, not a good impression.

“The most important part in telling your story is making it relatable to your audience, so are you talking to fellow farmers or consumers.  So make sure your story is very personal to your farm and weed out all the extra, unnecessary facts and statistics and focus on your audience,” she advises.

You can hear the full interview here: Interview with Lindsay Calvert, American Farm Bureau Federation