Q: Some public speakers handle the task with such ease, all while keeping the audience captivated. What are some tips for effective speaking?

Lois Bolin, a Naples employee-training consultant, answers:

Are great public speakers born or made? I believe both-but either way, preparation is essential.

First of all, remember these three qualitative habits: Trust yourself; keep your ego in check-use their agenda, not yours; and be gentle on yourself in evaluations-learn from your mistakes.

With those considerations in mind, strive to develop the following quantitative habits.

. Don't ignore time frames. The most precious commodity and coveted resource of the 21st century is time; don't waste yours or theirs. Not starting on time or without notice of a time to start is as bad as speaking too long or taking more time than allotted.

. Make your intent clear. "What's the point?" is the million-dollar question of any presentation. Begin with the end in mind by asking yourself, "At the end of this presentation, what do I want my addressees to think and feel?"

. Do your homework. There is no excuse for "winging it" unless you have presented a topic for years. The best speakers are always prepared for what they say even if their demeanor suggests otherwise.

. Capture the audience's interest. The average listener is bombarded with messages from many different sources, and you need to grab the audience's attention right out of the chute. Think about what they are silently saying: "How does it affect me?"

. Don't be pretentious. Ego-driven speakers are more concerned with how they look rather than with what they say. Sometimes this happens when a speaker confuses impressing a listener with influencing a listener.

A preoccupation with self is deadly. The audience instantly recognizes it.

. Don't be a bore. Helen Keller said: "Isn't life a thousand times too short to bore ourselves?" An audience today spent formative years watching TV and MTV that often contained 150 images in the course of a minute. Watching a talking head is, for them, about as stimulating as watching bread rise.

Nobody ever flops who entertains. Sell the sizzle of your purpose-the reason why the audience needs to listen to you. Telling a joke is risky-unless it is your style. The best way to avoid groaners is to use humor in such a way that it illustrates your point. If the audience doesn't laugh, the illustration is still of value. And if they get a chuckle out of the humor, that's just icing on the cake.

. Beware of false endings. When you conclude your speech with your planned wrap-up, and the audience responds favorably, you will get a rush of energy which is addicting. You may feel the urge to do it again. Don't, until you have had considerable practice.

Your excellence in speaking begins with honoring these up-front habits.

Bolin, president of Success Fulfillment in Naples, may be reached at 777-2281 or sfibolin@aol.com.

Q: Sometimes I am overwhelmed by everything there is to do. I know I should be delegating more, but how do I delegate and still get satisfying results?

Cheryl Lynn Dratler, a Fort Myers-based human relations consultant, answers:

Effective delegating can give you a big boost in efficiency and help concentrate your time and energy where it is most important. A large portion of your productivity and development as a manager depends on learning to delegate effectively.

Additionally, one of your responsibilities is to enable your employees to achieve peak performance.

Delegation is not a momentary action; it is a process, a learned skill and an intentional series of activities. Since the company's profitability depends on peak performance from every individual and department, here are a few ideas to aid in delegating:

. Determine your own priorities. Know what to delegate and when it is appropriate.

. Define your goals. Does the job have to be done the way you would do it, or are you most interested in the results? What are the qualities and/or the standard that are necessary in the finished product? Perfection is always desirable, but sometimes can be counterproductive when it is actually not necessary.

. Know what you want back-and when-in the way of verbal or written updates.

. Match people to assignments according to their abilities and interests. Remember that delegating is often a process of developing an employee's abilities.

. As you delegate, discuss assignments with employees. Clearly explain your expectations, projected timelines and steps to completion.

. See to it employees have everything they need to complete an assignment. Explain what your role will be and what support and guidance you will give. Be sure the employee has an appropriate level of authority over the process and decisions.

. When you delegate, balance letting go with following up appropriately at the discussed points in time. Take an interest, but don't micro-manage.

Dratler is executive vice president of Resource Innovations, a Fort Myers consulting firm. She can be reached at 936-3903.