Motivational Public Speaking

If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!

It is common perception that public speaking is an inborn trait and it is difficult to address an audience if one is not gifted. And to be a persuasive orator one has to have inborn talent and not acquired skill.

Always remember that Public Speaking is a craft which can be learnt, much like tailoring or mechanics.

Oration or the tact of addressing an audience with confidence is nothing by mastery over language, stage fear and some hard practice. It is not something abstract like art or painting, which one has to be born with it. Everyone can learn this craft.

Self training is the key.

Self-enlightenment is the primary and best way to acquire knowledge about an alien topic. The skill of “public speaking” is also learnt the same way. One can undergo formal training or pickup a stack of books about the subject or even consider surfing the internet to find material to learn oration from.

If you are reading a book, there will be short cuts and hints and important points. Make note of these highly helpful aspects and then proceed to the next step. Putting into practice what you have read.

It is an oft used cliché “Practice makes man perfect” and this is very much true in public speaking. One of the common ways to rehearse the speech is to stand in front of a mirror and recite your text, practice body language and appearance. Remember that the people you are going to address will see you this way and also remember that they are keener to know what you are going to say and not what you wear or the way you conduct yourself.

A voice recorder is a good tool too, this wonderful electronic gadget will record your speech and play it back so you can observe, make note, correct and improve the style, accent, speed, tone, pitch, content and demeanor of your talk.

Don’t fumble, stammer or stutter on stage. Using short expressions as you pause during the talk is ok but these gaps should be well timed and most importantly should not be too many. You can and if situation demands should take a second break to gather the ideas you had listed before coming on stage and then start again with newly found subject of the talk.

Rehearse, polish, add finesse, style and continue doing it till you are completely at ease with your address. While writing the flow of your speech, imagine you are going to address an audience of totally ignorant people who haven’t heard about the topic you are going to speak on. Check if what you have written makes sense and clears confusions? Demystify the topic. Make transformations in the copy if necessary at all stages of your pre-speech working.

Pick up the knowledge of oration

Public speaking is a craft to be acquired. You can become a popular orator if you put in efforts, receive proper instruction and undergo a strict training regimen.

It is common perception that public speaking is an inborn trait and it is difficult to address an audience if one is not gifted. And to be a persuasive orator one has to have inborn talent and not acquired skill.

Always remember that Public Speaking is a craft which can be learnt, much like tailoring or mechanics.

Oration or the tact of addressing an audience with confidence is nothing by mastery over language, stage fear and some hard practice. It is not something abstract like art or painting, which one has to be born with it. Everyone can learn this craft.

Self training is the key.

Self-enlightenment is the primary and best way to acquire knowledge about an alien topic. The skill of “public speaking” is also learnt the same way. One can undergo formal training or pickup a stack of books about the subject or even consider surfing the internet to find material to learn oration from.

If you are reading a book, there will be short cuts and hints and important points. Make note of these highly helpful aspects and then proceed to the next step. Putting into practice what you have read.

It is an oft used cliché “Practice makes man perfect” and this is very much true in public speaking. One of the common ways to rehearse the speech is to stand in front of a mirror and recite your text, practice body language and appearance. Remember that the people you are going to address will see you this way and also remember that they are keener to know what you are going to say and not what you wear or the way you conduct yourself.

A voice recorder is a good tool too, this wonderful electronic gadget will record your speech and play it back so you can observe, make note, correct and improve the style, accent, speed, tone, pitch, content and demeanor of your talk.

Don’t fumble, stammer or stutter on stage. Using short expressions as you pause during the talk is ok but these gaps should be well timed and most importantly should not be too many. You can and if situation demands should take a second break to gather the ideas you had listed before coming on stage and then start again with newly found subject of the talk.

Rehearse, polish, add finesse, style and continue doing it till you are completely at ease with your address. While writing the flow of your speech, imagine you are going to address an audience of totally ignorant people who haven’t heard about the topic you are going to speak on. Check if what you have written makes sense and clears confusions? Demystify the topic. Make transformations in the copy if necessary at all stages of your pre-speech working.

Pick up the knowledge of oration

Public speaking is a craft to be acquired. You can become a popular orator if you put in efforts, receive proper instruction and undergo a strict training regimen.

Tags: Motivational Public Speaking by self
No Comments »

Enough and more advice can be found on how to fight stage fear. Lots of these talk about high sounding methodologies including imagination, proper respiration etc. These techniques may be effective but here are a few tried and tested methods which will definitely work. There is assurance in these methods because it advises how to use inbuilt mechanisms to combat the panic of addressing a gathering.
1> Train effectively. It is obvious that better training results in giving you a sense of being in a position of power and reduces your tension.
2> Preparation is something that you can’t avoid but at the same time you can’t overdo it either. Tell those trainers who advise you to constantly practice to say that to trapeze performers who have to train for decades to perform flawlessly. Nobody in the performing arts field (theatre persons, actors, musicians etc) ever complains of too much practice.
3> Practice your presentation by orating. This can be done wherever you are in the bathroom, while you are driving, walking the dog, at home, etc. Just rehearsing the speech in the mind doesn’t give you the advantage of ‘psychomotor memory’; i.e. a place where part of your speech will be embedded in the muscles of your face.
4> Reach the conference well before time and get familiar. Position yourself where the listeners would be sitting and get an idea of how you will be seen. Explore the venue. Rehearse the address on the podium. Get as relaxed for the more at ease you feel with the auditorium, that much lesser is your tension.
5> It is a good idea to do some strenuous physical activity few hours before the speech. You can pump weights, swim, work on the treadmill or whatever makes you sweat and loosens your muscles. This is to ensure that every iota of your body will get enough blood supply and another biggest advantage of exercising is it minimizes tension.
6> Smiling or grinning is a great relaxant. Even if you don’t feel like it give a broad grin as you get up on the pulpit. A smile helps create hormones that relax you.
7> Energetic presence on the podium is great. Postures, movements and physical gestures can be a good method to feel relax.
8> Look into the eyes of your audience and look into the listeners’ eyes as frequently as possible. This is essential to make you confident and oratory.
9> Always, seek honest and critical appraisal of your talks. This is a great image booster; the feedback you get will make you realize that you are lot better than you thought you were.

Tags: Motivational Public Speaking by self
No Comments »

Previously, I did speak about ways how you can get rid of your public speaking fear Part 1 and Part 2.

Today lets have a look at why and how you should avoid trivial expressions when speaking to public.

It is funny to hear discussions on radio and TV conversations especially those post game conferences with champions. Calling them funny would be wrong, but these celebrities whose mother tongue is English virtually slaughter and make mince meat of the dialect and it causes great anguish to the listener.

A typical sentence is like “Err… hmm… oh… you see, like I said, I mean, the ball was taken by him and then, uh… oh… mmmmm… he hurled it and then oh! Dude… ah… Hmmm and then…”

What kind of a statement was that? Does the champion utter anything that could be understood?

So what am I getting at here?

All I want to point out is that trivial expressions, repetitions, unnecessary and broken statements actually stymie the message that we wish to convey. Celebrities were just an example. It’s a common situation most of us face some day or the other.

The entire gathering is looking at you, waiting to hear you talk when you are on the podium. The crowd wishes to know and they merit an explanation that is knowledgeable and gives value to their time.

You can improve your communication by:

1. >Reducing the usage of fillers. Communicate with crisp statements and avoid linking statements using common clichés such as “and”, “so” “what” etc.
2. > Keeping away from using trivial expressions just to get that pause or to take a break and gather your impressions. Remember the time is yours and the space is yours and the audience is waiting to hear you, they will break your flow of ideas.
3. > A break during your oration should be used to cause impact. Remember that the gathering is attentive to what you say. A hush can cause people to cringe. But remember that when positioned correctly even those among the listeners who are on the verge of dozing off will look up and take notice of what you have to say. Noiselessness is created during breaks in orchestras. These breaks are as vital and productive as the music itself. A well timed speechlessness is a precious implement when you are addressing an audience.
4. > Train yourself to inculcate effective communication behavior. To be able to deliver an effective talk keep in mind that preparation is most important. Make it a habit to practice your communication skills at every chance even mundane tasks such as conversation on the telephone, talk to an acquaintance or say thanksgiving or whatever it maybe. These seemingly small things instill a great deal of faith in your abilities.
5. > Economy of expressions while effectively conveying your message is important. Trash trivia. Pepper your talk with right doses of noiselessness and there will be an evident positive difference not only in the manner of your addressing but also in the way your audience perceives your talk.

Finally bottom line is, don’t trivialize but talk effectively.

Tags: Motivational Public Speaking by self
No Comments »

One of the things about the content of your speech is that you memorize the easiest parts of it. The topic rolls freely from start to end so the speech is flawless and without having to refer to any bits of paper.

I had never imagined that I would be able to achieve mastery in addressing public gatherings till I learnt about chits. My recollection powers are not so great and definitely not there to commit large volumes of data to memory. Nobody commits voluminous speeches to heart. A rough silhouette comprising of phrases and expressions that reveal a topic is created. Experts employ such methodologies to effectively speak long and orate effectively without using any pre printed speeches.

Not relying on pre-printed speeches has numerous benefits. It enhances your reputation and authenticity when you address a gathering confidently and sans any printed speeches. The listeners will awe and get the impression that you are genuinely expert in that subject. This gives you another big advantage that is you are not stuck to the podium or clasp bits of paper and you are enabled to get really close to your listeners. The contact is improved when you are nearer to your listeners. Your speech left at home will make you put up a normal façade and address better in your own element and not appear as if you are just looking up and reading out the speech. Your belief in yourself will also receive a big boost as your worries about printed talk getting misplaced is gone.

Another great benefit of employing short bits is during training for your speech. Our hectic schedules don’t normally give us the necessary free hours to rehearse and apply our complete preparation of the speech. Small parts can be rehearsed in short periods of time taken between your schedules. This will ensure that rehearsals are more and more frequent and the task is less daunting.

Tags: Motivational Public Speaking by self
No Comments »

This is a common self-defeating comment that people pass about themselves. Several of us not only have this lack of self-belief, but also convince ourselves into believing that our public speaking faculties are limited. The actual act of delivering a speech doesn’t scare everyone, but the idea of having to address an audience and being tongue-tied makes people paranoid.

Putting it simply, addressing a gathering is nothing but conversing with a lot of people at a time. Now there are a few queries:

Can you communicate effectively during meetings? With individuals? With pairs? With kinsmen? With large communities?

Did you know that one of the most effective methods of self promotion apart from composing essays is to address gatherings? This will also act as training sessions. Attracting new clients through your oratory skills is quite common. There have been occasions when people approach speakers right after the address and seek appointments. Sometimes years after the speech prospective clients remember and look up the speaker.

Anecdote – Recount an incident that you were part of or something that happened to one of your contacts. Based on the tale you tell draw a few general lessons or highlights or better still those that would suit your audience.

Talking to a group of people is not difficult. It’s the initial fear that you need to get rid off, after that you are on your own.

Tags: Motivational Public Speaking by self
No Comments »

Sometime back I penned down few tips to get rid of public speaking fear, this post can be considered as the concluding part of the previous post.

As you train to deliver speech don’t just speak in front of someone. Tell them that at the end of the session they have to evaluate your talk and give their honest feed back. More people commenting on your style and way of delivering the speech makes it all the more better. These comments and reactions will help you grow into a better speaker.

Timing is vital. When you are scheduled to give talk, reach well within time. Ensure that you are at the venue at least 20 mins earlier so that you can get familiar with venue. And by the time audience arrive and occupy their seats you are more than ready. Coming late or just on time heighten tension and reflect in your talk.
One radical but funny way to speak with confidence is to pretend/assume something out of the ordinary. One of the craziest things I ever read was to imagine every listener to be nude. This humorous feeling has helped me relax and succeed in several of my public speaking assignments.
One important thing you have to bear in mind, those who have arrived have done so on their own accord and they want to know what you will talk. Some of them are eager to see you commit blunders. You can enjoy yourself only when you apply your mind on the talk. Listeners do not have any way to perceive that you are feeling jittery.
Knowledge of the topic in question is very important to give an absorbing speech. Do a great deal of study, probing and only when you gain faith in yourself attempt to speak. Your study and preparation will make it easy and enable you to delight in the act of public speaking as also the topic of your choice. Doing this is highly difficult especially if you don’t like the topic but have to do it as there is no choice. Make it a pleasure to the listener and eagerness will be yours. Be prepared to answer questions. Be prepared with a recorded answer if in case you encounter a question, which you have no answer for.
Having an experienced orator support/ analyze your speeches and give advice is of great help, get one if possible. If you don’t know where to find one, you could sign up with a network marketing company and have the senior executives out there help you with your talking skills. Each company will have several of these guys who are experienced in addressing large crowds of, thousands of people effectively. Moreover network marketing executives are keen to help junior people because most of them love when it comes to the “gyan” sessions.
Cultivate the art of oration as a vocation, one of the ways to do it is to buy membership in a theater club and train with them. Drama can be fun and at the same time will enhance faith in you. Acting in a drama will go a long way in getting stage fear out of your head.
These tips should help you get your feet wet and deliver your first public speech.

Tags: Motivational Public Speaking by self
1 Comment »

Addressing an audience puts a strange fear in several people. At times in me too… One has to be completely ready for the talk, if not things can go haywire. Over a period of time, I’ve collected considerable amount of tips that have helped me get rid of “This fear”. Being the kind, generous Non-Grinch I am, I decided to share this info on the web so that it will help everyone who is the same shoes; once I was in.

Even before you start off, you really need to understand and have a map of what you plan to speak, right from the beginning. Don’t ever be under the delusion that you will speak something intelligent naturally. That doesn’t happen unless you are very sure of yourself and the subject you are speaking on. Even if you are, it’s a good idea to be well prepared before you present yourself.

It is best to have a hard copy of the exact talk you are going to deliver before you actually speak. If it is a lecture/ slide presentation then it is better to have pointers written in small notes with the respective images. These notes should be short and crisp. If they are too long it may cause bewilderment. Ideally note down the subject lines of what you are going to say, make it obvious so it is easy to build upon.

Train yourself in front of an audience – it maybe your family, yourself, your children, your friends, or your dogs and cats will do. Sometimes it may feel funny to address only one person but nevertheless it helps build your belief in yourself.

One of the best things that I did in the past was joined an organization which specializes in sales and marketing. Every employee in a marketing company gets several opportunities to give sales lectures and talks. I too got mine, but since it was in front of people whom I knew, it was easier for me to deliver. From those small groups I slowly graduated to large crowds and so did the faith in me grew.

Will be back soon with more tips that have helped me.

Get rid of your public speaking fear - Part 2.

Tags: Motivational Public Speaking by self
1 Comment »