I hate to tell you that there are way more than 7 sins, but these seem to be the biggies:

1. Self doubt – listening to and believing the negative chatter that starts in your mind the moment you find out that you have to speak. Most of the chatter seems to stem from the questioning belief “Am I good enough?” Fear creeps into your system and your brain goes into overdrive on all of the reasons why you shouldn’t speak and what will possibly go wrong when you do.

Solution? Learn to let go of your insecurities and recognize that you will do the best that you can with the time and resources you will have access to. There are many techniques that have been developed to help you release your issues

2. Winging it – minimal preparation necessary. This method may stem from the speaker having way too much confidence in their abilities therefore they do not feel the need to practice out loud. Or the speaker is in denial or ignorance about how much preparation is really necessary to give a good speech. There are certain rules of etiquette that speakers show follow when making presentations. If one has not prepared and planned the speech effectively, then some of the etiquette rules may be broken and speech may not produce the desired effect.

Solution? Plan and practice ad-nauseum – better safe than sorry.

3. Not taking care of the audience’s needs – the speech should not be an ego trip that is all about the speaker and how great they are. What about the audience? Who are they and why are they there? Why should they listen to you and what’s in it for them? What is the intent behind your speech?

Solution? Take the time to ask these questions during the preparation of your speech, the answers will flow into your speech unconsciously, thus building a strong connection between the speaker and the audience.

4. Use of visual aids as crutch instead of and enhancement – do not try to razzle dazzle your audiences. Inappropriate use of aids, poor quality, too much or not enough usage can effect the energy of the audience and their response to the speaker. The speaker has to consider the different learning styles of their audiences and find a nice balance. Some people are auditory, some are visual, some are kinesthetic – a speech/presentation should address the audience needs.

Solution? Consider the type of speech you are giving and learn and practice the speech without the use of any visual aid. Then add minimal visuals aid to enhance the speech. Know that different types of speeches require different types of visual aids.

5. The speaker not paying attention to their own body language – which is approximately 93% of the communication message according to communication experts. Habits such as pacing, fidgeting, hand gestures, poor posture, lack of eye contact with the audience – all of these habits distract the audience from the message.

Solution? Speaker video tapes their speech or works with a speaking coach to identify any distractions, then works to change their behavior.

6. Delivering a speech that has been memorized word for word – unfortunately, the speaker usually makes a delivery that sounds rehearsed and recited. Boring! The speaker can also get into big trouble if they get distracted and lose their place.

Solution? Become a really good storyteller so that the speaker can be ‘in the moment’ when giving a speech, making it sound new every time because the audience and feels the same emotions as the speaker and goes along for the story ride.

7. Not speaking enough or getting constructive feedback to help them grow – self explanatory!

Solution? Speak as much as possible, especially if you are a beginner – the more you do it, the better you will get. Join a professional speaking organization for general tips on growth and improvement, even if you do not plan to speak for a living. Work with a professional speech/storytelling coach for specific speaking issues that may require quick or specialized resolution.