10 things to look for in your speaking video

A friend and colleague recently gave a sermon at his church. When I told him how well he had done on the video, he disclosed he hadn’t looked at it—and didn’t want to. He hadn’t even listened to the audio.

He has this in common with the best in the business: Any professional newscaster, actor, or performer will tell you they hate how they look and sound on camera. New research suggests there may even be a physiological reason you hate the sound of your voice.

As a coach, I see it differently: If you’re lucky enough to be recorded when you speak, you have an opportunity to learn things you might never otherwise realize. If a video is available to you, watch it. Or make your own recording by rigging an ultralight camcorder or finding a pal with a smartphone.

Rather than torturing yourself with how bad you think you look, focus on the cues below; they would be hard to discern without a camera’s help. I tell my clients to look for the items on this list when they watch themselves speak:

1. Visual “ums”