Here are 10 ideas on how you can develop more interesting stories for including in your public speaking or other oral communication occasions. These will help you whether speaking one on one, in meetings, ingroups or more formal events.

1. Listen to a speaker, such as a teacher, minister, social worker, politician, or any other speaker whose purpose is to persuade an audience for some purpose. As you listen, take notes on the illustrations the speaker uses. Were they interesting? The kind that really stimulated the audience mentally and/or emotionally? If so, why? If not, why not?
2. If the speaker you heard did not use illustrations find or recall at least one human interest illustration he could have used to support the theme of his speech. Tell this story either to a real or imagined audience and state the point it supports.
3. Listen to another speaker. Compare and contrast the illustrations this speaker used with those used by the other speaker. Always analyze why a story is weak or effective.
4. In a section of your speech notebook keep notations, or clippings of human interest illustrations on a theme of your choice.
5. Write in your own words a human interest illustration from history, biography, literature, a magazine, the news, or any other reading source.
6. Do the same from any oral source, such as other speakers, television, radio, and so on.
7. List the themes of a few stories which you think have been told so often they have become trite. Choose one of those themes and see if you can find a story which will not be trite to support it.
8. Tell the most interesting story you ever heard or read. Take only from two to five minutes for this   (depending upon the amount of time the instructor has for it.) Keep the story moving! Put in interesting details but don’t waste words. Try for a dramatic effect upon the audience.
9. Study a few daily newspapers. Select several human interest illustrations. For each illustration write the theme it would support best. Choose the most effective illustration you found and tell it to other peopl. After others have done likewise frankly discuss the merits or weaknesses of any illustration used.
10. Read a biography of some person you admire. Relate orally the incident from this biography which impressed you most vividly.

If you do want to improve public speaking and reap the benefits that effective public speakers receive, you can get started straightaway with our free e-course on effecive public speaking by entering your details in the box to the right.

 Here are some final ideas on puttting enthusiasm in your public speaking to be more effective.

Enthusiasm is never a halfway or lukewarm activity. It demands a person’s complete attention, his devotion, and his willingness to share his complete self with humanity. But the rewards are surely worth the effort. What advantage or satisfaction is there in half giving, holding back, or only half living? Surely the purpose of life is to live it completely, to share it freely, and to use it as effectively as the Creator intended.
So in daily conversations, when you speak in public, or in any human relationship, give yourself completely, and you will find that the enthusiasm you give to others will be reflected back to you many fold!

Here are 12 ideas to help develop your own enthusiasm and be more enthusiastic:

1. Make a three to five minute speech on a subject which is of great interest to you. Deliver this talk as enthusiastically as you can.
2. Give yourself an occasional “pep” talk on the advantages of being enthusiastic. This is a laboratory type talk. Talk out loud to yourself for about a minute. Be fully animated and highly enthusiastic as you talk.
3. List all  the negative forces which may be causing you to lack enthusiasm. How can you free yourself from these forces?
4. Make a  two  to three minute talk about “The Most  Enthusiastic Person I Know.”   (Yourself excluded,of course!)
5. Interview two or three highly enthusiastic people. Try to find out why they are so enthusiastic. Exchange knowledge and ideas in a class discussion about these people.
6. Cite  an  illustration of how  enthusiasm was misused.
7. Distinguish between fanaticism and enthusiasm.
8. Why do some people refuse to be enthusiastic?
9. During your next conversation see how attentive you can be.
Did you observe the effect on the person with whom you talked?

10. Sincerely act enthusiastically all day tomorrow. Report the results.
11. In a conversation with a child about a toy, or something else that interests him, see how enthusiastic you can be. Notice the effect on the child.
12. List all the personal qualities that contribute to enthusiastic speaking. How can you attain these qualities?

Enthusiasm on its own can be a powerful technique to possess. But combined with other public speaking skills it can help you to be more persuasive and effective public speaking. If you are looking for more ideas and hints on how to improve your public speaking effectiveness, check out out our free e-course by entering your details in the box to the right.

First off here are some things that enthusiasm is not.

Enthusiasm is not noise or high pressure speaking. An enthusiastic speaker may talk louder and faster than the average person, but there can be no set rate or manner. It is entirely a matter of spirit. When the spirit within the speaker is fully and sincerely alive minor points, such as “eye contact” and rate of speaking, seem to adjust themselves.
Neither is enthusiasm a jumpy, “nervous,” push-them-out-of-the-way manner of behaviour. Nor need an enthusiast yield to exaggeration as he may be inclined to do.
Enthusiasm, being a spiritual quality, does not depend upon physical size or strength for its existence. For instance, the Apostle Paul was probably one of the most enthusiastic people who ever lived. He was five feet, one inch tall, and weighed about one hundred and ten pounds. He had “a thorn in the flesh,” yet nothing could daunt his enthusiastic nature. Stoning, jail, shipwreck, hunger, nakedness, whippings — nothing could stifle his enthusiasm to communicate his message. He said to Timothy, “Never lose your sense of urgency in season or out of season.”
Ah enthusiast does constantly feel that the cause he repre¬sents is urgent. Willingly, earnestly, eagerly he works at it. Always he is alert to learn more about his subject because this encourages self-confidence which is so necessary for effective communication.
Some people seem to be conserving their enthusiasm, probably thinking that by using it they will become tired or exhausted. But just the opposite is true. Enthusiasm takes the drudgery out of work. It renews a speaker’s energy and actually rests him. Norman Vincent Peale discovered the stimulating effect of enthusiasm when he said to a statesman who had made seven consecutive speeches, “Aren’t you tired?” And the statesman replied, “No, because I believe absolutely in everything I said in those speeches. I am enthusiastic about my convictions.”
Enthusiasm takes the chloroform out of speaking and injects vibrant life. It not only keeps listeners awake, but it also enlivens them, inspires them to think and feel with the speaker. Sincere enthusiasm in a speech causes people to say, “I could listen to that kind of speaking all night!”
A speaker who is highly enthusiastic about his subject can feel that he is truly serving his listeners by sharing his life with them. He becomes what John G. Shedd, a former President of Marshall Field and Company, would have called a “geyser.”
“I’d rather be a geyser than a mud puddle!” he said, when comparing an enthusiastic person with an unenthusiastic one.

Next week I’ll conculde this series on enthusiasm and provide a list of ideas to help  understand enthusiasm and using it in public speaking.

The habits of enthusiasm can be developed for use in being more persuasive when public speaking.

Here are some ways to develop them:
1. By closely observing human nature and trying to determine what makes people ‘”tick.”
2. Liking people, and showing an active interest in them at all times.
3. Being active with ideas and people to a point where one has no time for aloofness or indifference.
4. By having a positive, optimistic nature and attitude.
5. By being super-earnest in everything, but pleasant and happy at the same time.
6. By putting the whole heart, mind, body, and spirit into everything one does.
7. Getting the “I-can” attitude. Thoughts of quitting or indul¬gences in self-pity kill enthusiasm.
8. By not permitting any type of criticism to dampen the  spirits.
9. By thinking about your subject, and living it, until a burn¬ing, almost obsessional desire to communicate your ideas and feelings is acquired.
10. By being in love with every minute of life and living it completely.

Enthusiasm’s worst enemies are probably pessimism, negative criticism, fear and indifference. An enthusiastic speaker avoids these characteristics. Without hesitation or apologizing for being alive, he plunges right into his speech, so desirous of communicating an idea, nothing can stop him! Almost obsessed with an idea, his eyes gleam as he speaks, his voice and body reflect his spirit. He doesn’t think about how he stands,or where he puts his hands. He’s not worried about how he breathes, or if he breathes. Communicating is all important.
Not that knowing how to stand, or breathe, or how to use the body is worthless, but a person, while speaking, should not give those minor values conscious attention. His whole mind, heart, and soul should be flaming with the great idea he desires to communicate.
Then he’ll be somewhat like a woman who jumps up on a chair when a mouse appears. In her case safety is the big idea. Instantly it becomes an obsession with her. And she’s not concerned about how she got on that chair. She probably couldn’t tell if she was asked.
Similarly, an enthusiastic speaker is not concerned about how he communicates his ideas. His fervent desire is to have his ideas and feelings accepted. And when this is his main purpose he speaks far more persuasively than when he tries to make “fancy” speeches with graceful gestures and a lovely voice.

As with all thing in public speaking the enthusiasm needs to genuine to be effective.

Enthusiasm can be a powerful persuader in public speaking. Here is some information on enthusiasm.

Enthusiasm is not limited to the field of  life insurance or to any other service. Its existence depends upon the attitude a person has. A menial service may inspire it. For instance, Raymond Middleton of Detroit became highly enthusiastic about hauling garbage. At the age of fifty-nine he retired from driving a city garbage truck after thirty-one years service. With tears in his eyes he said, “It’s hard to give up something you love. And this job I really love. At first I hated it but the longer I worked at it the more I grew to love it.”
This is a case of enthusiasm being stimulated by a person’s attitude. Nobody can be enthusiastic about work, a speech, or anything else if he is ashamed of his service. But he becomes enthusiastic when he feels his service is really beneficial to people. And when he feels his service is the most important activity in the world he adds more voltage to his enthusiasm.
No one will be enthusiastic unless he wants to be. A company order that “Everyone must be enthusiastic at his work,” will not stimulate enthusiasm, for it depends upon the willingness of an individual.
A full-blooded American Indian, for instance, who was in a business and professional speaking course, could not be enthusiastic when he spoke because he had always been taught to shun enthusiasm. This Indian was not the kind who would shout war whoops as he swung a tomahawk. He talked more like a timid schoolboy on his first date. Finally he told the instructor that all his life he had been taught not to be enthusiastic. And he believed he should not. Naturally with such a mental attitude he could not speak dynamically.Other people, some well-educated, confuse enthusiasm with fanaticism. A fanatical speaker loses control of his emotions. His speaking becomes ridiculous or repulsive rather than persuasive for most listeners. But who would object to the type of enthusiasm that Coleman Cox described: “Inspired by reason, controlled by caution; sound in theory; practical in application; reflects confidence; spreads good cheer; raises morale; inspires association; arouses loyalty, and laughs at adversity.”
This is the type of enthusiasm a speaker needs.
People who are “naturally” enthusiastic are that way because of habits they have developed, perhaps unconsciously. But those habits can be developed consciously until they become natural qualities of a personality.

Have you ever tried to consciously develop enthusiasm? My next post will reveal someways that can be used to do this.

In the meantime if you want to be a successful presenter or public speaker you can try oout our free 7 day e-course by entering your name and email into the box on the right.

In public speaking getting the audience to be part of the speech is a great way to keep them interested. 

Here is another way to cause people in an audience to feel they are a part of the program is to label or “tag” them frequently. That is, refer to them as, “My friends . . . ladies and gentlemen . . . fellow citizens . . . fellow Americans . . . neighbors . . . kind friends . . . ladies in the audience will agree . . . you gentlemen know . . . you housewives realize . . . students . . . young people . . . you farmers here tonight know . . . you businessmen see, and so on.
When a speaker sincerely, and favorably labels an audience he indicates a personal interest in the people. And this also causes listeners to feel the speaker is conversing with them direct¬y “off the cuff” rather than delivering a prepared oration designed to high pressure them into agreement.
Speakers with’ friendly informal receptive, and flexible at¬titudes toward audiences will be alert to inject intriguing bits of showmanship into their speeches. They will be more interested in getting a successful speaker-audience human relationship than in gathering persona? prestige or glory. But by getting this over¬all harmonious relationship a speaker receives the personal bene¬fits indirectly.
When a speaker uses showmanship effectively an audience feels, “That’s our boy!” and, “This is our experience rather than his monologue.”

Ideas for including showmanship in your talks:

1. Plan an interesting bit of showmanship for your next talk.
2. Make a list of all the illustrations of showmanship you have
observed in public speaking.
3. Have you observed some attempted showmanship that failed?
Why did it fail? Or if you haven’t observed tfiis what might cause
attempted showmanship to be ineffective?
4. Describe an able “showman’s” manner.
5. How would an able speaker handle the following situations
if they occurred while he was speaking:
a.    The power fails so the lights all go out.
b.    Someone in the audience calls out, “Who told you you
could speak?”
c. A cat enters the room and walks up to the speaker.
d. A baby in the audience cries.
e. Two people in the front row are whispering constantly.
£.     You discover you have forgotten your notes when you
walk out to speak.
g.    The chairman does a very poor job introducing you.
h.    People are obviously tired physically when you come out to speak.

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Here are some advantages and techniques to getting your audience to work together in public speaking:

Anything an audience does in unison tends to encourage harmonious thinking, and thus contributes to a persuasive effect. Having done things together at the beginning of a speech listeners are more inclined to agree when a speaker asks for action. Also a spirit of good will and general agreement is fostered. Most people like to smile, to laugh, or to enjoy a listening experience. So touches of humor can be persuasive, although humor should not be emphasized in a persuasive speech. Many effective persuasive speeches contain no humor but much human interest. Good willed humor, when used in a spirit of congenial fellowship, however, has a wholesome effect. But “Smart Aleck” humor, or the type that gives a speaker a “Boy-am-I-witty!” manner, does not impress listeners favorably.
A speaker can add interest to his speech by having some popular local citizen participate in it. For instance, at a banquet a speaker was introduced to Mr. Roberts, a local jeweler. Roberts immediately told the speaker a joke. It wasn’t really humorous. The speaker didn’t even get the point. But he knew Roberts was the type of person’ who would be overjoyed to tell a joke to the audience.
So’ the speaker began his talk that evening by saying, “Now I understand some speakers try to be comedians, but I’m not going to try that this evening, because I know there is a local humorist here tonight — Mr. Roberts!”
This statement got a fair laugh. And the speaker continued, “He told us a joke before dinner which I’ll admit I didn’t get because I’m a little thick. He had to explain it to me. He doesn’t know I’m going to do this, but I want him to tell that joke again and see if you can figure it out.”
Roberts came through nicely. He was proud as punch to perform. The fact that his joke wasn’t very funny, didn’t matter. He got a big laugh and a big hand for his spirit, and the speaker was off to’ a congenial start.
After the speaker concluded, Mr. Roberts, beaming from ear to ear, went up to him, shook his hand as though they were old college chums, and pinned verbal bouquets all over him. Roberts chatted enthusiastically for several minutes — even told a couple more jokes!
When a local person takes some part in a speaker’s program indirectly the entire audience feels they have participated.

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Being able to develop self-confidence doesn’t usually happen at once.

An able showman, having complete self-confidence and not depending upon a canned speech, has the ability to ad-lib when unusual circumstances occur.
For instance, when a college professor was introduced as a speaker for an audience of business executives he didn’t get any applause. In fact, his audience just sat and looked as though they were angry for having to be present.
Of course the speaker expected some applause, but when he didn’t get any he completely changed the beginning of his speech. Instead of starting immediately with an illustration, as he had planned, he applauded himself as he said, while grinning widely, “Why shouldn’t I applaud me? The good Lord knows if any¬one needs encouragement I do!”
Then, entirely unplanned, he continued with this illustration:
College professors can be dull. I know! — because two of us were on a speaking program recently. One’s bad enough, but think of two!
Well, he spoke first, and I went to sleep.
Then I spoke and he went to sleep.
Now I don’t blame him for going to sleep, of course, but why did that buzzard have to snore?
A fat man in the second row grinned. Other listeners loosened up a bit. And soon they willingly listened to a speaker they thought would not be worth hearing. The speaker had used showmanship to get interest. What would have been the effect if he had showed himself displeased with his audience, if he had reprimanded the listeners for their lack of courtesy or enthusiasm?
A tactful, persuasive speaker recognizes adverse conditions instantly and adjusts harmoniously to them.
Abraham Lincoln, for example, became highly successful in winning the goodwill of unfriendly audiences. Notice his speak¬ing approach to some people in Southern Illinois who had seriously threatened to “nail his hide on a barn door” if he tried speaking to them against slavery:
Fellow citizens of Southern Illinois, fellow citizens of the State of Kentucky, fellow citizens of Missouri — I am told there are some of you here present who would like to make trouble for me. I don’t understand, why they should. I am a plain, common man, like the rest of you; and why should I not have as good a right to speak my sentiments as the rest of you? Why, good friends, I am one of you. I am not an interloper here. I was born in Kentucky, and raised in Illinois, just like the most of you, and worked my way along by hard scratching. I know the people of Kentucky, and I know the people of Southern Illinois, and I think I know the Missourians. I am one of them, and therefore ought to know them; and they ought to know me better, and if they did know me better, they would know that I am not disposed to make , them trouble. Then, why should they, or any of them, want _ to make trouble for me? Don’t do any such foolish thing, fellow citizens. Let us be friends, and treat each other like friends. I am one of the humblest and most peaceful men in the world —would wrong no man, would interfere with no man’s rights. And all I ask is that, having something to say, you give me a decent hearing. And, being Illinoisans, Kentuckians, and Missourians — brave and gallant people — I feel sure that you will do that. And now let us reason together, like the honest fellows we are.

Understanding your audience is an important part of succeeding as a public speaker. If you want to learn more about being a successful public speaker, try out our free e-course delivered direct to your inbox by typing your name and email into the box to the right and get sent direct to you.

One aspect of being audience centered in public speaking is speaking in a way that they can relate to them. Here is the follow on to my previous post on audience speaking

In the previous post our speaker talked in a strong, informal, friendly manner. The boys mentally termed him a “regular fellow.” He won their confidence and goodwill. They listened voluntarily even when he talked about the “straight and narrow.”
A short time later this speaker agreed to speak at a rest home for the aged. Did he begin his talk to these old people by dis­playing Tommie Thomas’ bearded mug and exclaiming, “How would you like to meet him in an alley at midnight?”
No. He talked about the old horse and buggy days, which he could remember as a boy, and which he knew every person in his audience could remember very well. He talked about the time they were bright as new century dimes, when the longest way was the sweetest way home, kerosene lamps, crackling fire­sides, and the home folks. He saw twinkles come to weak eyes and smiles to faded lips because his speaking was touching chords of basic interests in their experiences.
Most old people like to dream of the pleasant past. This speaker knew that so he dreamed with them for a while. His purpose, however, was not to encourage idle dreaming but to help even his aged audience see a bright future. This he did as he continued speaking. But he built attention into strong interest
by starting with material that was naturally interesting for his audience.
A careful speaker studies his audiences and selects material which will stimulate their natural or special interests.
What topics would appeal to an audience of high school freshmen? If a speaker has been a freshman he can recall his own interests or from observation and imagination determine the interest of such a group. Of course everyone in that group may not be vitally interested in how to be popular or in high school basketball. But most of them probably will be. And all a speaker can do is to slant his material so it will appeal to the greatest possible numbers.
Stories in which people can identify themselves, perhaps put themselves in the hero’s shoes, have universal appeal. People are constantly interested in themselves, the things they want or have, or the things they wish they could have but secretly fear they shall never get. They like a challenge, a struggle, a fight of some kind, even though it may be no more than a man trying to climb a mountain.
People like to hear about things and other people near them, about tangible articles they see every day and understand. Wealth, property, health, security, and love (of various types) has wide interest appeal. Studying the parables of Jesus indicates that the world’s most persuasive speaker talked about conditions and things near the people and in terms they could clearly under­stand. Abraham Lincoln would have preferred telling a story about a pig rather than one about a rare crustacean. More re­cently, Winston Churchill talked a “tears, sweat, and blood” language.
A truly persuasive speaker talks the language of common people; he understands their needs and wants. Being sincerely and deeply interested in them he causes them to feel that working together they can achieve the desired ends. This type of speaker encourages favorable results not only because he understands human nature, but also because he works in harmony with it.

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How do you start your speeches? And, how do you keep your listener’s attention?

A few speakers begin their messages with an interesting illustration or a series of jokes, then think they can be as dull as a rusty axe throughout the remaining amount of presenting time, yet keep the undivided attention of listeners.
But the nature of attention is such that it won’t continue to be active except if it is continually stimulated. Attention is rather like an auctioneer’s cry: Going -going -gone!
The average span of attention is from  3 – 8 seconds only. Therefore if a public speaker does not say or do something to maintain attention, the typical listener’s mind are going to be elsewhere in just a few seconds. Many subjects, other than the one the speaker has selected, invite attention. A listener might be looking directly at a speaker but contemplating yesterday’s ball game, tomorrow’s date, next weeks vacation. A public speaker, to be highly effective, must grab a persons attention so securely they cannot, or perhaps do not want to turn their attention from his speech.
To achieve this, of course, all the material a public speaker uses has to be intriguing. And this interest will be increased when public speakers present their material, in as far as possible, in words that create vibrant mental pictures in the listeners mind.
As an example, Brad Jnr said, “I saw Mademoiselle Minnie Curves wiggle-walking to the apple polishers’ row.” The term “wiggle-walking” illustrates Minnie much more obviously than a page filled with phrases such as: Her manner indicated that the young lady desired the interest of men; she moved in a manner designed to appeal to the interest of men, or, she was a young lady who indicated by the voluptuous way she manipulated her external extremities that she had a promiscuous perspective toward members of the opposite sex.
Next is a genuine human interest tale. However it is told in a general, non-picture-making, dull manner:
Once upon a time a person stopped at a restaurant for refreshment.
As he neared the cafe he noticed the owner standing in the entrance. Evidently the proprietor was unhappy about something. Her manner was not at all good-natured as the prospective patron neared. In fact, the condition of human interaction was so inharmonious that ultimately the potential customer left without purchasing anything.
Here’s the very same tale in a talking picture framework:
During the great depression of the 1930′s, when a nickel could buy a box of aspirin or get in touch with your sweetie on the telephone, an adolescent guy known as Roy stopped at a small restaurant in the suburbs of a city in Texas.
As Roy started to go into the cafe he observed a large lady standing right in the entrance, right behind the screen.
He believed she would step aside and let him enter. But instead she demanded in a standard irritated mother-in-law’s voice: “Just what do you want?”
Roy’s brown eyes widened and his young mouth parted in astonishment. But he was able to ask, “I would just like a cone of ice cream, please.”
“We ain’t got any!” the woman snapped.
Roy looked at her for an instant, and that was enough.
That woman would have to sneak up on the dipper to get a drink of water. Her large hatchet face had a scowl on it that could have put a Texas “norther” to shame.
However , Roy did not give up – yet. He tried again with, “Then I would like a bar of candy.”
“We ain’t got any of that either!” was the reply. And click! She secured the screen door right in his face.
Roy looked up at the Pepsi Cola sign on the restaurant, but he thought, what is the use in asking about?
As he turned to leave he overheard some other female in the cafe say, “I wonder what he really wanted, anyway?”
“I have no idea,” said the large lady in the doorway, “but I’d my rifle ready!”

The power of picture talking can help you be a more effective public speaker. This is what the two examples used above were to show. You ma not like the examples, but I think you may agree they illustrate the point. Any how, if you want to know more about using picture talking and become an effective public speaker, check out our free e-course by entering your details in the box to the right.

Are you a more persuasive speaker when you know who you are talking to?

Obviously an able persona is more effective as a persuasive force when audience members know the speaker personally. But even when a public speaker is unknown these excellent personal characteristics will create to some degree at least, favorable impressions.
Conversely poor character traits will detract from persuasiveness.
By way of example, a college student named Dean, was a red-haired twenty-four-year-old ball of human dynamite. He was neither tall nor very short yet keg-chested having a mouth just like a miniature Grand Canyon. Whenever he spoke he bounced across the stage as if he were an Indian rubber ball. He pounded the table with his freckled fists. Sometimes he hopped on to the table and shook an accusing forefinger at his listeners as he talked. He was high in volume and beneficial. He thundered, pleaded, and tried hard to convince, but most individuals, especially those who knew him would not yield to his persuasion.

The reason why? Due to the fact public speaker was animated and enthusiastic? Absolutely no. Those characteristics are effective except if they call attention to themselves rather than the concepts and emotions a speaker wants to convey.
Did Dean not convince because he was eccentric? Absolutely no, not so much because of that but mostly as he didn’t win over people as being an able, sincere individual.
He gave a talk in favor of truthfulness but while he spoke, his mail was stuffed with bills he did not intend to take care of. Among his themes was unselfishness. However , he bought himself expensive suits while his wife and children were made to wear little better than rags.
This may be an excessive scenario but it’s true, and a vivid indication of the fact that just what a someone is may well shout so loudly people will not be able to hear what is being spoken.
Another illustration of this truth is the situation of Professor Z.
Z tags him nicely, as he is the sleepy, elbows-on-the-desk-chin-in-hands kind. A Ph.D. taught to the tips of his gray, thinning hair. Frail, slightly bent, having an apologetic, slouching gait, and a “have I a right” facial expression: His tone of voice is weak and without substance. He speaks with an odd nasal twang. He is an only child, many miles away from mom, yet at the age of 35, still in her kitchen apron pocket. Unmarried.
Observe him in the college dining area, shyly eating boiled eggs sent to him from mom via parcel post! Dr. Z will need to have his special vitamins. Or see him at the merest hint of rain grab his hat, raincoat, overshoes, and umbrella. He must not expose himself to a drop of water.
Then watch him  lecturing to his class. He talks of tough historical characters and their acts, but the class can’t become excited about his speech since they can’t sense he is an able, self-assured, grown-up individual.

What do you think? Can fake it until you make it? May be, may be not. I do know you can become a confident and effective public speaker if you apply yourself. If you want some tips and hints check out our free e-course on public speaking by entering your details in box to the right.

How do you feel when you are about to speak in front of an audience?

When a public speaker walks out in front of an audience believing that, as opposed to being on trial, he and his ideas are completely acceptable, his self-confidence immediately begins motivating this positive condition. Of course his liking and respect for the audience prevents his self-confidence from turning into severe or reaching the stage of egotism.
Confidence builds more confidence. Notice just how this functions when a team has a significant rally in a baseball game. 2 or 3 batters hit the baseball, yet another walks. The successful spirit is there. With extra self-confidence and eagerness the batters step up to the batting zone. The opposing pitcher will lose some self-confidence. He thinks about the clubhouse and a bath. He sees his name in the losing column on the neighborhood sports page. Every one of these influences have got their effects.
Likewise, whenever a public speaker steps out on a platform already possessing a winning spirit, his attitude definitely promotes that result. Obviously the opposite outcome is suggested when he arrives beaten just before he begins.
We see a victor as being a content, pleasant, smiling person. Notice a team which has only just lost a significant baseball competition. The players are an image of gloom, dejection, and defeat. But look at the delighted winners! In a somewhat comparable manner, a public speaker that feels himself to be a winner will appear like one. His smile, nevertheless, will come from deep inside. It will be natural, not added on. There will be nothing artificial or insincere about him because he has a deep affinity for his subject matter, and an keen want to discuss it with listeners he likes and sincerely respects.
Any “put on” manner will be resented by audiences. As Cecil B. DeMille said, “Affectedness in speech is the worst fault of all … Be yourself; your individuality is the most precious thing you possess. Let your voice be forthright and honest.”
Be your finest natural personal self.
When we purposely try to replicate somebody, or proceed through our life playing a part as though we were perpetually in a play, our personalities basically do not ring true, and dislike instead of persuasion is the outcome of our speaking endeavors.

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Public speaking gestures are important in conveying your message effectively. What does your body language say about you?

There’s no 1 certain way to make any gesture. However UP and OUT (within reason obviously) are helpful terms to remember and use in connection with gestures. Actions that are up and out can be easily observed by an audience. Such actions are also usually far more positive and powerful than modest unsure motions made close to a speaker’s body. Then, also, when hands and arms move on a high sphere they are closer to the speaker’s facial area, which usually enables an audience to obtain a unified emotional impact from the hands, arms and face.
Whenever possible ideas ought to be illustrated with bodily action. For instance, whenever a speaker tells about the huge bass which got away he can picture the idea with facial and bodily action – if he can reach that far!
1 need not be absolutely exact when doing illustrative movements. They may be portrayed just as accurately as 1 readily can. Obviously the pace of the movement is going to be governed from the feeling that the idea encourages. “The train crawled around a bend,” will incite a far different sort of movement than, “A jet crashed in to the building!” As with all effective bodily action this is simply a case of talking naturally and openly with the muscles.
Healthy, successful gestures are not planned, even though at the beginning a student speaker might have to force his body and face, along with his tongue in order to tell his story. Nevertheless he needs to encourage body language right up until it becomes so natural he won’t need to give it second thought.
A presenter who refuses or fails to use natural gestures is similar to a boxer with a hand behind his back, or like somebody speaking through a television set that has no image. Such a speaker will be lacking a visual appeal which will certainly take away from his ability to persuade.
William Shakespeare reminds us, “Action is eloquence; the eyes of the ignorant are more learned than their ears.”
Perhaps the same could be said in all honesty regarding the very clever listeners in an audience, too.
And Demosthenes, who has a high ranking amongst speakers of all time stated, “The first qualification of the orator is action; the second, action; and the third, action.”
Act! – but as naturally when you would play your best game.

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Do you use word whiskers in your public speaking?

The behavior of expressing “ur, uh, mm,” or some other noise similar to a grunt other than a word, contributes nothing to the meaning of a speech and can easily become extremely maddening for audience members.
These vocalized breaks, word whiskers, or conversational burs occur like a worthless habit (as dry washing the hands) or when a speaker is sparring for words. Perhaps subconsciously feeling he or she must be speaking some thing continuously he / she tosses in the “urs” and “ahs” while he / she is thinking of what he / she will say next. In these kinds of cases the remedy can be a vivid knowing of the behavior and constant alertness to stop it.
Recording and replaying a speech or two will probably point out whether or not a presenter has the practice of saying “uh” or not. As well as giving someone a dollar every time he is overheard saying a vocalized pause will quickly break him, 1 way or another.
An additional weak personal tendency, evident sometimes in speaking, is physical indirectness or “very poor eye-to-eye contact.” A few speakers manage to prefer looking out a window or perhaps at the floor instead of at somebody in the audience.- This may be due to intense shyness, insufficient practice, or possessing little interest in the subject or audience.
The real “contact” in verbal communication of course comes from the speaker’s mind and soul. His / her eyes are just the devices” by which his / her feelings and thoughts are portrayed. When he or she is deeply serious about a subject and enthusiastic to share this topic the mental and emotional communication is vital and strong. Under these kinds of circumstances eyes aren’t shifty or evasive. They’re positively communicating! At the same time a speaker talks he / she ought to be looking straight at someone. And he / she ought to give all sections of his audiences around equal attention.
An appealing speaker typically, however, not all the time, moves around some as he speaks. A bit of this affords interesting variety by changing the actual physical picture. If it is overdone or simply to grab attention to the speaker, however, the effect could impede communication.
A valuable maxim of effective bodily action is doing what comes naturally with regards to ideas that are being portrayed. Muscles, along with the intellect and voice, ought to freely express those concepts.

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How are your gestures when you give a speech? What do they say about you?

Some speakers seem to believe that gesturing is a lot like having red hair or the measles – either you have the capability to gesture or you don’t, and very little may be done about it.
But gesturing is as natural as walking and as easy as counting to 3. The challenge is that people have merely walked and counted to 3 far much more frequently than they have gestured whilst giving a speech. But how well could an individual walk if he had been using a push chair all his life?
Whilst people will gesture as many different ways as they walk there’s a fundamental principle in gesturing which, when practiced, will probably make this activity much more understandable and easier to do.
Each gesture, regardless of whether or not it stresses or describes a concept, has three distinct parts: 1. The approach, 2. Stroke! and 3. The release.
For instance when a girl slaps a boy she draws back her hand, (approach), Wham! (stroke), then she lets her hands fall to her side, (release). Or a baseball pitcher winds up -approach, throws – stroke, then releases his hand.
Whether gestures are made with the hands (in almost any position), the head, face, shoulders, or feet, the principle is the same – approach, stroke, release.
Some speakers simply make a weak approach, leaving their hands hanging in the air without a stroke or release. Some make the approach and stroke but no release. Still other people merely start an approach without finishing it.
Gestures should be produced positively, with reason and confidence. Naturally, weak, uncertain, timid bodily action leads to an audience to feel that a speaker is unclear about his ability, probably not well prepared to speak, and generally ineffective as a persuader.
When gesturing a person’s whole body should work as a unified method of communication. A speaker should “lean into” his gestures instead of throw out his hands like leaves falling from a tree, or as though he had been a mechanical man loosely connected at the wrists. Also he should encourage large curved movements instead of short, angular, jerky ones. Let a speaker reach up and out in all directions, freely using the cubic feet of air about him.
Naturally effective gestures will match with the meaning of speech material. Sometimes a conflict occurs, as the time the priest announced, “When the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there!” As he talked he pointed emphatically straight down! But he didn’t mean that in any way!

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Is your public speaking and your business presentations emotional? Or do you think emotion is unprofessional?

Just as a neat business letter has margins so does effective emotional speaking. Usually you will find threads of control. However these threads by no means turn out to be cables which choke out reasonable feeling. Many speakers, nevertheless, with regards to these analogies use only margins and cables. They talk as though their hearts were on holiday.
An additional cause of this tragedy may be because some adults believe that expressing any emotion is childish and immature, or that honest feeling will make them appear weak and ridiculous. So having been indoctrinated with this mindset for years, although they are tempted to express emotion from a speaker’s platform, they manfully suppress it.
But surely the millions of individuals who watch dramatic programs on Television every day, for example, indicates that emotion is popular and not to be feared. Feeling is natural, easy, and satisfying. What would remain if all feeling were removed from life? Life consists largely of the emotional experiences people have although some of those experiences may be as simple as the taste of ice cream.
When a speaker is willing to express freely the natural emotional content of his material his body will respond, also naturally, to the emotion. A twinkle in his eye, a smile, frown, nod of the head, lifting of an eyebrow, a shrug of the shoulders, shaking of a fist, opening of the hands, even a kick of the foot, or any one of many other overt actions might become a component of the speaking. Also small muscles that cannot be seen moving are contributing to the total speaking effect. In fact whenever a speaker willingly “lets his feelings show” he could make an extremely effective “speech without visibly moving a muscle!
But more likely most people who are honestly showing their feelings do use considerable overt bodily action. Obviously these movements ought to never be definitively planned, and as individuals walk in different manners, so will their physical expression of ideas differ.
For instance, each of five speakers may express “Get out of here!” in a different way. One may point a stern forefinger toward an imaginary door as he spoke. Another may make an open sweep with his hand, and the third may jerk a thumb over his shoulder toward a back door. The fourth speaker’s eyelids narrow as he slightly moves his head toward the door. The final speaker might stamp a foot and reach out as if he would choke anybody who refused to get out. There isn’t any 1 particular right way to express an emotion physically. Every speaker should feel deeply, then “do just what comes naturally.” But he should willingly do without restraining the doing.

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Which is better logic or emotion for effective public speaking?

A few would-be speakers are basically emotionally collapsed while they keep hold of a stand or table whilst they mouth uninteresting platitudes that might even make their fond mothers sleepy.
Lots of people, frequently very intellectual ones, fear feeling, conceivably simply because they believe emotion might distort thinking or even exaggerate truth. This also might occur when logical thinking is side-lined whilst uncontrolled emotion takes over the field. How convincing is a real crackbrain screaming his propaganda in bughouse square, or, a quiet-spoken John Casper generating comments which merely reveal his opinionated ego?
Effective emotional speaking isn’t the excessive babbling of a distorted mind or subtle sarcasm from a warped personality. It’s not the worthless antics of a fanatic, but nor is it the stiff-backed pass-me-a-cold-weiner kind of mumbling the intelligentsia so often serves from a speaker’s platform.
Maybe if a devotee of this “dead on their heels” tribe could see himself as he truly is on the stage, or much better still, if he could sit in his own tormented audience and need to endure his
own tortured talk, he may determine to have mercy on his audience and do some thing about his dull speaking personality.
An additional typical attitude is that feeling has departed with the wind, that it belongs with the past, much less learned generations. Cold logic, the scientific technique, is all we require in this atomic age. “The thought will be the factor,” said an emotionally lazy college student lately. “Why, I envision Patrick Henry said ‘Give me liberty or give me death’ about as I’m saying it now.” (In a who-gives-a-hoot manner).
But based on history, “Henry arose with an unearthly fire burning in his eyes. He began somewhat calmly -but the smothered excitement began to play much more and much more upon his face, and thrill within the tones of his voice. The tendons of his neck stood out white and rigid like whipcords.”
And John Roane, a spectator, reported that when Patrick Henry said, “Give me liberty or give me death,” he suited the action to the words by a blow upon the left breast with his right hand, which appeared to drive a dagger to his heart.
This speech was charged with intense feeling, but the whole subject material additionally indicates logical thinking along with a powerful appeal to reason. It discloses the mind and heart of a noble, honest, sincere statesman instead of a low cost politician having emotional fits to attract attention to himself.

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Here is an example of using an interesting story about Harry Houdini for effective public speaking.

An illustration which specifically interests a speaker can be an effective one for him to use in a speech. Following, is a story about Harry Houdini which a speaker listened to and enjoyed: The great magician, Harry Houdini, pressed his nose against a window on a passenger coach, and looked anxiously for the truck that would bring his luggage from a local theater to the railway station. The conductor had shouted, “All aboard!” And it was time for the train to start out chugging away. “Please hold the train a few moments for my baggage,” said Houdini. “Nothing doing,” replied the conductor. “This train leaves on time.” “But you can’t start without my luggage!” cried the magician. . Oh, no?,The conductor thought in another way. He declared he couldn’t hold the train for anyone. “You can not leave without my luggage,” declared Houdini, a lot more determined than ever. He then rushed to the entrance and departed the coach! Passengers wondered what he would do – appeal to the station agent? Shortly word came back that a man had run down in front of the engine, flung his entire body all over the tracks, and grasped a rail so tightly nobody could pry him loose. They continued to wait for Houdini’s baggage! The speaker employed this story to illustrate how determined a person may be. An effective speaker chooses his material with consideration, just as a big league baseball player thoroughly selects a bat. Babe Ruth would certainly never have become the home run king if he had batted with a broom handle. In the same way, a speaker will never become a “big leaguer” on the platform if he uses weak, unexciting material. Being truly interesting calls for more time and effort than being unexciting. But definitely the results warrant the effort and time. An able speaker is consistently watchful for unusually interesting material and that he doesn’t wait to use it freely. Instead of using poor stories which incite just a sleepy “so what?” from listeners, he chooses material that induces an involuntary “WHAT! SO?” and expresses it in a way which causes listeners to say, “More – please reveal more!”

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The spectators at a game of basketball game can be transfixed by it or sometimes they couldn’t care about the outcome.

Similar situations may define speaker-audience relationships. Upon one occasion the speaker is deeply enthusiastic about making points and discussing them with his listeners. Listeners respond to his ideas. They listen attentively as they do not wish to miss a thing he says. They have fun at his humor, feel sad when he relates a heartbreaking story, or tingle with anticipation as the speaker’s material and attitude directs.
The feeling goes “round and round.” From speaker to audience, returning to the speaker, also, the spirit of empathy becomes stronger because individuals in the audience catch it from one another. George M. Cohan designated this tendency for emotion to spread, “the contagion of emotion.” When an audience has shared interests, in keeping with the speaker’s, and when an auditorium is well-filled with people sitting shoulder to shoulder, empathy is far more likely to happen than when a speaker is failing to effect springs of interest or when there are wide-open spaces between dispersed listeners.
When mutual empathy is being experienced by a speaker and an audience a definite physical effect is clear in both. Listeners may even lean forward with wide eyes and parted lips when the speaker pictures a thrilling event. They’re alert physically and mentally, in a state of readiness to receive every idea.
The speaker is likewise alert, fully alive and so on fire with ideas and feelings. Physically he is just like an professional shortstop all set and eager to pounce upon any ball that comes in his direction. Observe a ball player whose spirit is completely in the game. He is not standing listlessly or dejected like a commuter who has just missed his train. Neither is he stargazing or daydreaming about last night’s date. Alertly he is on his toes desperate to contribute his entire self for triumph.
Such an athlete is not stiff or tense like a totem pole or collapsed like an exhausted tap dancer. He is relaxed but his condition is a relaxation of readiness rather than the relaxation of total unconcern. He has got muscle “tone”, the sort of relaxed alertness a speaker needs. There is tremendous gap between being relaxed and collapsed!

My next post we’ll see what happens when the speaker appears not to care.

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What stories do you tell when you are public speaking? And where do you get them from?

Certainly newspapers are just one source of material for speeches. Countless magazines and books are stuffed with human interest stories. Literature, history,as well as biography are fertile fields. A speaker should read plenty of biographies, searching for human interest to assist his speech subject. The principle of selection is significantly the same regardless of the source. Have a preference for material that puts a man rather than a bird in the tree, the kind that is unusual, but quite credible. Seek out real human interest, unusual action, drama, or suspense.
Speakers ought to avoid old chestnuts which have been “cracked” too often.
Not too long ago during a public speaking class, for examplea speaker used Christopher Columbus’ discovery of the new world to illustrate courage and determination. Listeners seemed to be uninterested, probably since they had heard this particular story so frequently it had grown to be trite. The tale of Fridtjof Nansen’s battle for three years on the ice in search of the North Pole, or Mary Lyon’s determination to build a school for women would have been just as remarkable plus more fascinating because, although these stories are old, they are not nearly so well-known as Columbus’ ordeals. The average listener has not heard them from the first grade to the current moment. So many people have talked about Columbus! He needs a rest.
Effective speech material is a lot like gold -when you find it. A chat, a sign on the highway, a joke overheard, anything at all read or heard, or illustrations other speakers use can be great ideas which can be used in other speeches.

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