PUBLIC SPEAKING

 

Public speaking is the process of communicating information to an audience. It is usually done before a large audience, like in school, the workplace and even in our personal lives. The benefits of knowing how to communicate to an audience include sharpening critical thinking and verbal/non-verbal communication skills.

Definition of Public Speaking

Think about a time that you had to stand in front of a bunch of people and tell them something. Maybe it was an oral report in grade school or a proposal at work. After gathering your materials and preparing what to say, you arrived at the podium and started talking.

That is public speaking, and it involves communicating information before a large audience. What makes public speaking different than, say, just talking to a crowd of people, is in the way information is conveyed. In public speaking, the information is purposeful and meant to inform, influence or entertain a group of listeners.

There are five elements of public speaking, and it basically boils down to who is saying what to whom using what medium with what effect. In other words, who is the source of the message. What is the message itself. Whom is the audience, while the medium is the actual delivery method and ending in the effect. Think of the effect as the speaker's intent for the speech. We all have the need to speak well in front of an audience at times during our lives. Whether you're speaking at your sister's wedding, addressing your team, teaching a course or speaking to a judge, we all want to do well.

Here are some tips that will launch you into the speaking stratosphere.

1. Know your audience.

If you are speaking in front of an audience, there is usually a reason. Know who you are speaking to and what they want or need to take away. If it's friends and family, entertain them. If it's a corporate event, teach and inspire them. Knowing the demographic of the audience is imperative.

2. Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse.

Nothing becomes muscle memory unless you practice relentlessly. If you have a big speech coming up, make time every day to practice. Prepare your goals and the content well ahead of time. This can be done while driving, exercising, in the car, on a plane...anywhere.

3. Practice with distractions.

Once I know the content, I like to add a little bit of distraction to test how well prepared I really am. Turn on the TV or rehearse while pushing your child in the swing. Anything that adds a little more challenge.

4. Find a style that works for you.

Different events will often require a different approach or style. Sometimes reading a prepared speech is fine. But know it backward are forward so you're not staring down at the pages the whole time. Some use notes. Others prefer to be 100 percent scripted and memorized. If that's your style, memorize the content so well that you can go off script if needed -- and so you don't sound like you're reciting a poem. Use the proper approach for the appropriate event.

5. Know the environment.

Know the venue where you will be speaking. Get there well ahead of time. Walk the room. Walk the stage. Get a feel for the vibe of the environment so you are more comfortable when its "go time."

6. Test all equipment.

Nothing sucks more that last-minute technical difficulties. Avoid adding even more stress by testing any and all equipment and audio visual functions ahead of time. And have backups.

7. Practice in front of a mirror.

Practicing in front of a mirror is a good way to learn the proper amount of body motion, hand usage and facial expressions.

8. Take every opportunity to speak.

The only way to get better at anything is to do it all the time. Rehearsing is good, but nothing compares to actually getting up in front of an audience and doing it for real.

9. Practice body language and movement.

Remember, communication is much more about tone and body language than the words we say. The words of course matter, but emphasis comes with movement and body language.

10. Slow down.

We have some great sayings in the SEAL teams: "slow is smooth, and smooth is fast, " and "don't run to your death." Nothing shows nerves more than racing through your presentation. If you want to impact the audience in a meaningful way, make sure they actually hear what you are saying. Slow it down.

11. Make eye contact.

This one is very important, and it doesn't matter how big the audience is. Make eye contact with as many people as possible. It makes the audience members feel like you are speaking directly to them. And don't just stick to people in the first couple rows. Look at the people in the back too.

12. Know your material.                   

If your goal is to become a thought leader or actually teach the audience something, only a truly authentic understanding of the material will get you there.

13. Take long pauses.

Similar to slowing things down, make a point to take long pauses. And make them longer than you even think is appropriate. It can have a great impact on emphasizing key points and emotionally connecting to the audience.

14. Practice tone and projection.

Don't just eek your way through a speech using the same tone and volume. Tone and projection add a layer of entertainment and help keep the audience fully engaged from start to finish. These too must be practiced religiously.

15. Use humour and emotion.

It doesn't matter what you are talking about. There is always a place for emotion or humour, or both. I once gave a presentation about data analytics at a conference -- boring! So I made sure to weave in plenty of humour to spice things up. I find self-deprecating humour to work the best. The audience may not remember everything you said, but they will remember how you made them feel. 

16. Mentally prepare.

Find time during the hour before your speech for some solitude. Get your mind right. Clear your head. If it's five minutes before, just relax. The time for making sure you know the material perfectly has passed.

17. Exercise before you go on.

It's almost impossible to feel stress and anxiety after a good workout. If you have the time, exercise. The closer to your speech, the better. It's also a good time to practice. I like to rehearse while running or swimming.

18. Project confidence.

The more you project confidence, the more confident you are likely to feel. Get out there and own the room. Even if you are terrified. Fake it. Look people in the eye and command their attention.

19. Don't go over the allotted time.  

When in doubt, go under the allotted time. Less is sometimes more. But never, ever, go over. It's poor speaking etiquette and shows you are not prepared. It's also disrespectful of the agenda for the event. Again, just practice.

20. Ask for feedback.

Most of us don't like to ask for feedback, especially when we know the response may include some constructive criticism. Speaking is a great way to connect with people and a skill we all should master. We should always ask for the feedback from the audience.