EMS Glossary

Here’s a laundry list of terms that we use in EMS training programs, along with our own interpretations of their definitions.

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Audience
This is the most important group to consider when planning a presentation. Without an audience, what would be the point of presenting?

Benefits
Think of benefits as the main course. They are the most important details for you to share. Prepare a list of benefits by asking: what will the audience gain by listening to you or by accepting your recommendation?

Distractions
Repetitive gestures, non-words, nervous movement such as rocking and pacing, and other distractions make it harder for you to present your key messages. Become aware of unconscious ways that speakers distract their audiences.

Doubt
When you play in doubt, doubt wins. (see Playing Soft) To counter, avoid using qualifying words that undermine confidence, such as can, might, think, or should.

Energy (see The Fundamentals)
Most audiences prefer to watch a presentation where the speaker is clearly making an effort to connect with the audience. Energy comes out as vocal variety, gestures and facial expression, helping you show passion and gain positive listener response. Energy is also a great mask, effectively covering up nervousness.

Eye Contact (see The Fundamentals)
Maintain eye contact with individual audience members long enough to complete your thought (3-5 seconds), rather than shifting your gaze from side to side.

Facial Expression (see The Fundamentals)
Use smiles, frowns, and other varied expressions to keep your audience engaged. Take a tip from stage actors: bigger audiences call for bigger expressions.

The Fundamentals
There are eight fundamentals that will impact how every speaker is perceived by an audience. Great speakers learn to excel in each area: energy, eye contact, facial expression, gestures, movement, non-words, pauses and speaking pace. Click here to see them all in one place.

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