The Art of Public Speaking
Public speaking is the process of speaking to a group of
people in a structured, deliberate manner intended to
inform, influence, or entertain the listeners.
Prior Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Performance
It’s All About Building Confidence!
Build self confidence by being yourself
•Preparation -Use everyday speaking situations to enhance your speaking skills.
•Establish a personal bond with the listeners by making eye-contact with your audience.
•Seek & Grab opportunities for speaking by making more number of small and successful speeches as a beginner.
•Accept to speak only on familiar subjects with sufficient time to prepare. Otherwise politely refuse.
PREPARE beforehand REACH the venue half an hour before the program starts GREET and meet maximum peopleRELAX yourself in the chair physically & mentally while awaiting your turnRISE slowly and walk confidently to the podiumGIVE a smooth & longer salutation, begin slowly DRESS for Success - It should be comfortable for you and look formal and smart to the audience.YOUR VOICE- Bring variations by modulating your voice. Use it
to add emphasis etc. It brings life in to your speech.
Move about to avoid tension:
Step away from the stage occasionally, walk among the audience or gesture in a way that adds meaning to your words.
Some common faults of in-experienced speakers:
•Gripping or leaning on the podium
•Finger tapping
•Lip-biting
3 P’s to Public Speaking
Prepare Practice Pause
PrepareUnderstand
Confirm your responsibilities
Familiarize yourself with the equipment and the process
Relate your requirements
Research Subject Audience
Organize Slides they’ll see & hear Handouts and/or
activities “Cue cards” you’ll work
from
Research Do Your Homework
Understand your topic thoroughly Research and write the presentation as you would
an important paper
Analyzing the Audience
Basic demographics (age, experience
level, familiarity with your topic)
Approximate number of attendees
Good speakers are audience-centered
Keep the audience foremost in mind
at every step of preparation
and presentation
Organize
Slides and/or visual presentation Follow a logical
progression Use high contrast colors Be consistent
Handouts Additional Info Activities
Delivery materials Create “cue cards”• Large, bold, easily
read font
Use visual aids:
It helps you in
minimizing your speech.
Pictures impress
listeners much, rather
than words. One visual
aid is equal to one
thousand words.
Understand
How much time do you have?What equipment, software, support will
be readily available?What additional equipment will you need
to be successful? Internet connection Projector Whiteboard Podium Water
Practice Your reflection in the
mirror is a good test
audience
Hand and facial gestures
Comfortable stance
Get feedback from
trusted friends
Non-verbal Communications
Kinesics – the study of body motions as a systematic mode of communication
Aspects of non-verbal communications Personal appearance Body action Gestures Eye contact
People trust their ears less than their eyes. When a speaker’s body language is inconsistent with
their words the listeners will tend to believe their eyes
PauseEvaluate your performance
Out of breath? Add breathing marks. Monotone? Practice accenting various parts of speech
for more impact.
If Something Goes Wrong
Don’t panic, improvise!
Pause for a drink of water to regroup your thoughts
Excuse yourself and adjust your equipment
Spend a moment as if deep in thought, then begin again
“spontaneously” once you’ve found your place
Ask if there are any questions
Break for an activity
BE CONFIDENT
You know your topic
You know your material
You’ve done this before
You CAN do this, and
you’ll be great!