Direct That Energy Into Your Speech

Business, Communication.

Great speakers: winston churchill, my aunt milda, and you. - great speakers: winston churchill, and you, my aunt milda. But remember what one great speaker said about the only thing to fear being fear itself?

In a recent study of people' s ten greatest fears, public speaking ranked first, ahead of financial ruin and even death. - it' s true. While our Speaking Tips are not all obvious, they' re all very simple. Whether you' re saying a few words at a dinner party or giving a speech at the United Nations, the same rules apply. Taken together, they can help nearly anyone give a great speech. The single most important factor in giving a speech, no matter what the occasion, is this: Know your audience!

WHO' S OUT THERE? - if you don' t know whom you' re speaking to, then you run the risk of saying something inappropriate. Your audience will determine what you say, how you say it, and the tone that you use when speaking. So tailor your material accordingly. Don' t doubt us on this one. Don' t expect that just because you have the words in front of you that you' ll automatically say them in convincing fashion.

PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE. - only if you are seasoned at this sort of speaking does it come naturally, and even then most people are very familiar with the material they' re talking about. So don' t just practice by reading your speech to yourself. If you take the time to become comfortable with the words you' re going to say, your speech will improve dramatically. Read it aloud. Consider taking these few steps in working on delivery: Read the speech aloud to yourself at the same pace you' ll read it to the audience. Read in a way that' s going to reflect how you' re going to have to say it to the audience.

Identify any lines that don' t sound correct and rewrite them. - next, deliver the speech standing in front of a mirror, trying to address yourself as you go. You may want to time yourself to get an idea if you' re speaking for too long. Say the speech all the way through without having to back - track or pause and correct yourself. DELIVERING THE GOODS. The sooner you simulate the real experience, the easier the time will be when you have to deliver the real thing.

Quite simply, you know a good speaker when you see one. - even more, they keep the audience interested throughout the entire speech, even if the material isn' t that compelling. They' re comfortable, confident and completely at ease with the words they' re saying. On the other hand, you know a weak speaker when you see one. Worse, they may mumble or read the speech from the page in its entirety without ever looking up from the lectern. They tend to speak without any inflection or emotion.

This is almost as painful for the audience as it apparently is for the speaker. - one of the main concerns is how much material you should memorize for your speech. This is where delivery makes a big difference in the success of your speech. Let' s make this clear off the top - don' t stress yourself out with trying to memorize a speech completely. Some people like to have the. speech in front of them in its entirety while others prefer to work from cue cards containing the essential points of their speech. That' s unreasonable.

If you can speak off - the - cuff, congratulations. - poise. That' s an impressive talent, but few people have the ability. It' s important from the moment you walk up to the lectern that you exude confidence. In fact, this is the point that you must remember a fundamental of good speaking: BREATHE! If anything, in preparing to deliver a speech, don' t rush.

Make sure you' re comfortable at the lectern and that the microphone is at an appropriate height before you even begin starting( don' t tap it! - if it' s not working, somebody will sort it out) . - keeping breathing and then begin. And before you do start, look at the audience and establish eye. contact. NERVES. The sweating, the dry throat, the trembling voice and pounding heart. It' s really the most disturbing part of giving a speech, isn' t it?

The simple fact of the matter is, most people who give speeches get nervous. - but how you control your nerves is the sign of a good speaker. It' s natural - really! Furthermore, the fact that you' ve been asked to say a few words probably means that you are the best person to do the job. Enjoy yourself, be yourself, and more importantly. Don' t take that as putting more stress on you. For starters, take a glass of water to the lectern.

Pause and take your time sipping( not gulping! ) the water before picking up where you left off. - if you need a drink, remember that there' s no rush. If you have to cough or blow your nose, turn. your head away from the microphone and do it. Don' t rush yourself, but merely try to establish eye contact with your audience and speak up. If the trembling voice kicks in, focus your efforts on speaking distinctly and at an even pace. Once you find your pace, you' ll be fine. Again, don' t rub your forehead vigorously or simply dab the perspiration away.

You should also put a handkerchief( not a paper napkin) on the lectern if you tend to perspire in these situations. - take a moment to wipe your forehead, place the handkerchief down and then move on. Standing in a frozen position is not a good way to win over your audience. Another couple of common hazards of public speaking are shaky hands and the stuck - in - one place mannequin stance. The best thing you can do is to occasionally shift your foot position or move your arms. You can read more about this under the section.

Again, keep breathing and relax your limbs. - eye contact and body language. Think of something that relaxes you. Other than that, if you want to ease your nerves before speaking, try to focus on something calming. If that doesn' t work, try to treat the nervous energy you have as something that you can use to your advantage. VOICE.

Direct that energy into your speech. - as you know, your voice is your most important tool when addressing an audience. Unfortunately, you' re not typically aware of all these elements when it actually comes time to deliver, so consider the following when rehearsing your speech. How you present your words, the rhythm and, the tone the volume are all important aspects of speaking. Make sure you pronounce all your words clearly and correctly. This is especially true for peoples' names.

If you' re not sure about the pronunciation of a word, ask someone who knows. - altering the pacing of your speech and emphasizing the important words in sentences will go a long way to helping give your speech mood. Finally, avoid saying" uh" or" ah" when there are pauses in your speech. It will also help distinguish some of the most important parts of your speech. If you stumble over some words, don' t panic. People are far more likely to forget about it if you give the matter as much thought as it deserves. Mistakes happen.

If it' s a small mistake, merely move on. - if you want to frame your correction appropriately, say" pardon me, i mean. " or" rather, that is. " or something to that effect. If it' s a more noticeable mistake, back, simply pause - up and say the word correctly. Don' t apologize profusely. Backing up your words with confident eye contact and body language can be a persuasive means of getting your ideas across. THE EYES HAVE IT, THE BODY GIVES IT.

Consider for a moment some of the more successful speakers you have seen. - when you stand in front of a crowd, focus on standing up straight and projecting your voice to the audience. Typically, they look completely natural addressing a crowd - as comfortable addressing five hundred people as they would be speaking to five people. Make eye contact with individuals rather than gazing out at the back of the room. And don' t be afraid to smile occasionally. By making eye contact your speaking becomes far more intimate with your audience. If anything suggests comfort, it' s a smile.

Remember, commit to your gestures - don' t restrict them or you' ll come across appearing uncertain. - as well, gestures are a convincing way of helping emphasize the ideas in your speech. And let' s not forget the lectern. You don' t grasp it by the sides or slump over it. Remember, it is not your dance partner. It is there to hold your notes, a glass of water and, a handkerchief, maybe. This. shows confidence on your behalf and also removes the barrier between you and the audience.

If you are feeling comfortable and don' t need to keep looking down at your speech, feel free to step to the side of the lectern during the course of your speech. - humor. Painful, isn' t it? Every one of us has had to endure a speech where the guy thought he was funny. The simple rule about using humor is this: keep it low - key, make it smart and make it quick. Tradition suggests leading off a speech with a joke. Another valuable rule is to personalize your humor - draw from your own experiences and your natural humor will come through.

We say, WRONG! - furthermore, as far as racist jokes, sexist jokes and, ethnic jokes dirty jokes are concerned, in a word: don' t. If your joke bombs, you' ve lost your audience before. you' ve even begun. HECKLERS. It' s not like you' re doing a stand - up at the local comedy club. Let' s not get you nervous for no good reason. But, just for the sake of being prepared for anything, you must accept the presence of hecklers.

And if the ceremony is a celebration, then by all means. engage the heckler if he persists. - we' re not going to give you any comebacks because you' re smart enough to come up with your own. Remember, it' s all in jest. We can' t emphasize enough how crucial it is for you to remain in. control. If, however, you are faced with a more formal occasion and you have to deal with the ranting of some crazed fool in the audience, the best defense from the start is to stay calm. Simply ignore whatever nonsense they' re spouting off - remember, this person is looking for a soapbox to stand on. Say something to the effect of, "We' ll address all comments and questions from the crowd after I' ve finished speaking, thank you. " If that doesn' t work, the situation becomes worse, and the crowd hasn' t told the guy to shut - up, you may simply step back from the microphone and wait for somebody else to do something about it.

If the problem persists, you may have to acknowledge he exists, so if you want to shut him up, be polite and firm. - let us reassure you, only in special cases does this happen( politicians mostly, who deserve it usually) . THE WRAP. If it does happen, remain calm, we say again. Always finish strong, both in the words you are saying and the manner you say them. Upon finishing your speech, avoid the impulse to gather your papers and walk away immediately.

This is your last opportunity to get your point across to the audience, so use it. - instead, finish your last sentence, hold your position and look at the audience. In sitting down, don' t allow your body language to suggest you are relieved at having gotten through your speech. After a moment, gather your note cards and with confidence, walk away from the lectern directly to your seat. Maintain your poise until the audience has finished applauding or the next item on the agenda is introduced. Seems like a lot of things to remember, but much of this will probably come naturally to most of you. There, that' s not so hard is it?

And if not, then consider these points as a solid foundation for your future speaking engagements. - who knows, after you' ve put these tips to good use, you might be looking forward to the next occasion when someone says, "say, you know who' s a great speaker. "