Public Speaking – A Very Powerful Tool
Those among us who learn and perfect the art of public speaking attain the means and the power to control and even suppress the rest of us.
This world is run by those who can express themselves better and convince his or her fellows that he or she has their interest at heart. If the masses listen and perceive that you understand and express their concern in a way they understand, they place the responsibility of determining their lives entirely on your hands. That is why the finest orators in our society are always leaders of different causes.
Essentially, public speaking is a process of speaking to a group using a creatively structured speech, a deliberate style and manner intended to subjectively inform on matters important to the speaker. If a public speaker can convince, interest and entertain the listeners in a way that influences their convictions and consequent decisions, that is successful public speaking.
Results of a public speech are always gauged by its influence on listeners and how effectively it coerces them to assume a particular course of action or behavior. Simply put, the essence of public speaking rests in controlling the behavior, beliefs and actions of the masses. Most leaders are voted into offices because their speeches best- expressed a message that resonated with the wishes of the masses.
Let’s get practical. The immediate former US president, George W. Bush, was voted back to the office because he successfully convinced the American voting public that the priority concern of their nation was to successfully wage an anti-terrorism campaign. When John McCain a fellow republican used an almost similar platform in the last general election, he lost. In fact, Obama is now the president because he successfully convinced the same voting public that war and vengeance was outdated and that America needed to spearhead peace initiatives even with known terrorist-harboring nations.
There you have it. It is never about the message. Never about the person. It is all about who uses the public forum successfully to convince, influence and then control the masses’ point of view. Power is granted to those who best use the tool of inspirational black speakers to express a message that the masses can feel have a meaning for them. Zander Smith
Site representative
Greatblackspeakers
Member of black motivational speaker group
Getting The Best Out Of Practicing Your Presentation
One of the best tools for improving your presentation skills is to video-record yourself as a means of practice. While you may think this is a bit extreme, it really isn’t: you will learn so much by watching yourself on video. A lot of people are recorded during their presentation, but imagine the advantage if you record yourself beforehand so that you can correct your mistakes as well as the ‘tics’, the ums, ahs & uhs, and any other mannerisms you may not like.
The first step, however, is to practice your material out loud. I tell this to my clients and my students over and over; and still, I have people that don’t practice their material. My question is why?
If you were to give a piano recital, you would practice; if you were to enter a golf tournament, you would practice; if you were to take a driver’s test, you would practice. What makes you think you can give a presentation or deliver a speech without practicing? Going over it in your mind is not practice…saying it OUT LOUD is!
After practicing your material, do it again with your camcorder on. [As an aid for my clients, I place a huge stuffed gorilla on the sofa and 'Goofy' on an adjacent chair so that my presenters feel like they are talking to an audience. Dolls and mannequins will also work.] Go through your entire presentation and then play it back and study it. Decide what you like and what you don’t like.
Then ask yourself an important question. Overall, did you enjoy your presentation? Forget the mistakes, just look at the entire piece and judge it in its entirety. Mistakes are not important at this particular time. Was your delivery good? Did you convey what you wanted to say in an entertaining, enjoyable, interesting manner? Feeling good about your presentation skills is an important acknowledgement because if you enjoyed it, so too will your audience.
If, on the other hand, you didn’t like it, ask yourself why.
Did you acknowledge your ‘audience’ or were your eyes glued to your notes or your script? Did you show any emotion in speaking or was your face frozen in fear? Did you move during your delivery or were you standing perfectly still? Did you read to your audience or were you able to sound conversational? (Remember: this is not a reading at the library or Barnes & Noble!) Were there a lot of ums and ahs or was your speech smooth flowing?
These are just a few of the questions you need to ask yourself about your style of delivery; but, more importantly, ask yourself if you are able to correct these faults on your own or could use some training.
Just as all musicians and athletes have had training so too should those involved in public speaking. Most people are not born natural speakers; it takes practice; it takes constructive criticism; and, it all begins by recording yourself on a camcorder first.
The Voice Lady Nancy Daniels offers private, corporate and group workshops in voice and presentation skills as well as Voicing It!, the only video training program on voice improvement. Visit Voice DynamicYour Least Developed Tool! and watch Nancy as she describes
Public Speaking – The Timeless Tenets
The history of public speaking is as old as that of mankind.
The advances of technology have only but increased the audience potential of orators but the art and structure of public speech remains persistently the same as that of old. Surprisingly, the art of public speaking has been developed and studied mostly at the level of politics. Public speaking is even today regarded as a means of communicating, influencing and controlling the masses by either the ruling classes or elites.
The pioneer scholastic work on the art of speaking was in Greece at around 1600AD. An elaborate set of principles was developed mainly drawn from the experience and practices of famous Greek orators at the time. Though these basic principles have been transformed over the years and modified to fit in with the times, the three fundamental tenets of public speaking remain solidly rooted in these pioneer principles.
The first tenet is oratory, and it refers to an ancient art of public speech. Oratory was practiced in Greece and Rome during their respective civilizations and studied as a component of rhetoric. This tenet has definite rules and models emphasized by the liberal arts since the Renaissance and Middle Ages. Oratory has significance in publics speaking because it constitutes the composition and delivery of speeches. The second tenet is that of using extra linguistic features other wise called gestures as accompaniment to speech. What a person says is equally important as what he does while doing it. Public speaking skills entail conscious use of facial expressions, hand movements, body postures and other gestures as accompaniments to the spoken message.
Control of the voice through intimate inflection is the other key tenet, which makes a public speaker either boring or interesting to listen to. How one combines the lows and the highs in the voice quality, the soft and the deep, the appeals and commands etc. determines the effect of public speech to the audience.
There are other key principles of public speaking and black motivational speakers that are included as additions of the basic three exemplified above. These include command of an impressive vocabulary inventory from which an appropriate register is handpicked with a precise and deliberate word choice, the relevant and sensitive use of humor in speech and the use of speaking notes as preferred over reading word-by-word speeches. Zander Smith
Site Representative
Great black speakers
Member of Great inspirational black speakers society
Public Speaking – Tips To Help You More Than Survive
The three greatest fears for humankind are Death, Tax Time and Public Speaking; but the greatest of these fears is Public Speaking. For some, the idea of standing up in front of a roomful of total strangers is worse than being audited; and for many, death itself would be preferable to having to speak publicly.
Maybe this has happened to you. Someone introduces you and you walk up to the podium. You look out on that sea of unfamiliar faces, and your heart starts to pound in your chest, your mouth goes dry, your palms begin to sweat and your stomach gives a lurch. You had a speech prepared, but every bit of information you had intended to share just flies out of your brain, like so many uncaged birds. The butterflies in your stomach have become iron pellets. And like a bad sitcom, everything goes into slow motion, and you imagine that the audience is now pointing at you and laughing.
Stop right there, take a deep breath and relax. Every public speaker has had a nerve- wracking experience at least once in his or her life. But it doesn’t have to be that bad, and there are several ways to make your next public speaking experience less stressful, maybe even fun. The good news is that public speaking isn’t fatal.
The first thing to ask yourself is to whom will you be speaking? Speaking to a convention of bankers or investors is completely different than speaking to a convention of say, meat packers, or giving a toast at a wedding. Know your audience. If you are giving a speech at a seminar, you have information to impart to your audience; they’re there because you can teach them something.
Once you’ve determined who your audience will be, it’s time to prepare your speech or presentation. The more you know about your topic and the better prepared you are, the less nervous you’ll be, so really get to know your material. Practice your speech or presentation in front of a mirror and pay attention to your body language.
Should you bring notes or depend on your memory? Because it is a stressful time, most speakers bring notes with them. How awful would it be to become so nervous, you forgot everything you were going to say, and you just stood there, trying desperately to remember your speech? Always take notes with you. But just use them as a guide; don’t recite from your notes, unless you’d like your audience to nap while you speak to them.
The first thirty seconds are the hardest to get through, but are of the greatest importance. In that first thirty seconds, you must grab your audience’s attention; get them interested in what you have to say. You’re probably asking, “How exactly do I do that?” Well, you could start with a joke, depending of course on your audience. Humor might not be appropriate for some gatherings. You could ask a provocative question, or quote a famous person.
Watch your body language. If you’re using a podium, stand naturally behind it; don’t grip the edges, as if you’re afraid of being blown off the dais. Place your notes on the podium, smile at the audience, and while maintaining eye contact, begin your speech or presentation. Hand gestures and facial expression are important. Moving about a little is okay, but try not to pace back and forth across the stage or dais. It can make your audience nervous.
Remember to take it easy and not rush through your presentation or speech, pause now and then, consult your notes when necessary and try to relax. Remind yourself to speak slowly and clearly, avoiding slang. Stick to your speech or presentation; try not to go off on tangents that are sure to confuse your audience.
Know when you’re done. Avoid rambling on, repeating yourself, or going off topic. Tell them what you need to tell them, give them the information they came to hear, then wrap it up. If you planned on a question and answer period, let them know you’re ready for their questions. When you’re done, say thank you and walk off the dais.
Dales Carnegie was quoted as saying that, “Great speakers are not born, they’re trained.” That means that, as with most things in life, preparation is the key. When you’re prepared, when all your ducks are in a row, and you feel like you know what you’re doing, you’ll be much less nervous.
So, walk up to that podium, look your audience in the eyes, smile, act like you own the place, and begin. You will survive; in fact, you will be good and interesting. You might even learn to enjoy the experience as a public speaker.
HOW TO BE A PUBLIC SPEAKING SUPERSTAR SPEAK OUT: Guide to Making Impressive Speeches http://tinyurl.com/c55xmm Kevin has written articles regarding health, self-motivation, public speaking and today’s environment. He speaks at business clubs regarding personal development. His website is: www-powerbooks.com
Presentation Skills Training – How To Be More Expressive
That which makes the voice truly interesting to listen to is color. Color is the life, the emotion, the animation one exudes in talking, be it at the lectern, in the sales meeting, over the phone or in a one-on-one conversation. Through my many years as a voice specialist, I have discovered some very interesting correlations between the professions we choose and whether we speak with color. At the top of that list are athletes, research scientists, and CPA’s who often exhibit little or no expression in their delivery. (Please understand that I am generalizing.)
Color is heard not only in the voice but is seen in one’s facial expression as well as one’s body language. Harrison Ford is a wonderful example of excellent facial expression, excellent body language. The tone of his voice is somewhat static – he doesn’t display a lot of variety in his voice – but as an actor in the types of roles he plays, he almost doesn’t need vocal variety: his face and his body display or ’speak’ every emotion he is feeling.
Step 1
To see just how expressive you are (or aren’t!), watch your face in a mirror and say the following statement – She said yes – as if you were delighted. Now say those words again – She said yes – as if you were disappointed. Did you notice a difference in your facial expression between delight and disappointment? If there was no difference, then you probably need some work.
Step 2
Let’s work with – She said yes – again. This time when you look in the mirror, smile when you say it and nod your head up and down just a bit. (Don’t overdue it.) Did you notice a difference? Now when you say – She said yes – I want you to frown and shake your head back and forth as if you were sad or disappointed. Was there a difference? If you noticed a difference, then you’ve just taken the 2nd step to speaking with color.
Step 3
Record yourself saying – She said yes – the first time as if you were delighted (you just found out you won the lottery) and the second time as if you were disappointed (your mother-in-law is coming to visit for 6 months). Play back the recording. You should notice quite a difference if you can ‘act’ in those two manners. I’m not advising you to act in normal conversation; however, expressing some emotion after finding out you just won the lottery or discovering your mother-in-law’s impending visit is normal. It is natural. It is what most people do.
When I teach color I explain to my clients that I want them to straddle the fence, meaning too much color is as bad as not enough color. Sometimes a client will exaggerate his/her ‘color’ which is not what I’m looking for. Exaggerated color is seen on the stage. That is the only place for it. Exaggerated expression sounds ridiculous because it is inappropriate. So if you already express emotion when you speak beware that you don’t go too far in improving on your delivery.
At the lectern, however, I often find that many people who are normally quite expressive have a tendency to lose their life, their color, their emotion. They are so overcome with panic and fear, that they don’t allow themselves to be expressive. Their voices become flat and their faces pale as they spit out a pile of words with little or no emotion. If this sounds like you, then you need to change.
A colorful delivery of your presentation or your speech is what is going to grab and keep your audience’s attention. When you can be expressive on the podium, then you are on the path to becoming a dynamic public speaker.
The Voice Lady Nancy Daniels offers private, corporate and group session in voice and presentation skills as well as Voicing It!, the only video training program on voice improvement. Visit her website at: http://www.voicedynamic.com
Anxiety Is Normal But Give A Powerful Presentation Anyway
Anxiety public speaking is normal and natural. Even the best speakers do have them each time before their speeches. But you need to harness the fear of speaking in order to give an impressive presentation or powerful speeches.
Here are ten useful tips on how to stand up before an audience to deliver that powerful speeches or give an impressive presentation.
1.Know your material inside out. Make sure you know the topic very well. Take time to research and have more than enough materials. Incorporate humor, personal anecdotes, popular quotes, relevant current topics or headlines into your presentation.
2.Practice. After having outlined your speech, rehearse out loud with your supporting visual aids at home. Check the timing of your presentation. Add or reduce some of content as necessary. Use certain keywords as your hook in your speech.
3.Standby humor. Or rather self-effacing humor. If you happen to make mistakes or goof up during your presentation, then use self-effacing humor to poke fun at your mistakes to divert or diffuse the situation.
4.Know your audience. Arrive earlier to greet some of the audience as they arrive. Exchange some pleasantries and get acquainted. You will be comfortable speaking to them later.
5.Know the venue well. Check out the place of your presentation. Walk around the room and familiarize with the place. Stand and look from different vantage points and make yourself feel at home, so to speak. Remember to check your equipment and visual aids.
6.Impactful introduction. Walk up, smile and begin your speech with a bang. It can be a current joke, a startling statistics, or other related and relevant materials. Make it short and punchy. As they say: Well begun is half done.
7.Move and Deliver. Don’t stand rooted to one spot. Move about and gesture with your hands if necessary and not forgetting your facial expressions. You don’t need to over dramatize. Remember to smile.
8.Cover up mistakes If you do make any boo-boo. Don’t panic and don’t apologize profusely. Stay calm and you make use one of your prepared self-effacing humor to control the situation.
9.Deliver the message. If you are well prepared, everything will fall in place as planned. Focus on the message of your speech. Talk to them as if you are sharing a conversation with friends. And before you know, it is over.
10.Learn from experience. As they say, if you want to learn how to dance, then you have to dance. Similarly with public speaking. Do it a few times, and you will find easier the following time around. Experience builds confidence, which is the key to giving that powerful speeches or an impressive presentation.
You can find out more about how to deliver effective communication skill and all about good presentation skills from Malcolm Dexter.
Public Speaking – The Key To Better Presentation
When I was in high school, I played clarinet in the school band. Every afternoon, I climbed up the hill from the bus stop carrying my clarinet case and every morning, I trudged back down the hill carrying my clarinet case, still unopened and untouched.
My performance on the clarinet failed to improve because merely carrying the clarinet was not enough to help improve my skill at playing it.
The same is true for presentations. When you’re preparing to speak to a group, no matter how small or large, it’s not enough to think about what you’re going to say or flip through your slides while you’re sitting at your desk. That doesn’t count as practice.
Practice means that you actually open your mouth and say the words out loud in as close to the real environment as possible. So, for example, if you’re going to stand while presenting, stand while practicing. If you’re going to present while sitting around a conference table, then practice while sitting around a conference table. The purpose of practice is to become comfortable enough with your material and the mechanics of presenting it in the environment that you will be able to deliver your presentation naturally and effectively.
You should practice going through your presentation at least a few times. Memorizing it may make you more anxious since you’ll be worried about forgetting the exact words you memorized. Instead, become familiar enough with your key ideas and message that you can use different words and phrases to express them each time you practice. If you choose to use notes, practice how to use them effectively without clinging to them or reading from them.
There are three major areas of content that you should focus on during your practice:
Introduction
This is your opportunity to engage the audience and also to build your confidence. You should be so comfortable with your introduction that you can deliver it effortlessly, with full eye contact, a strong voice and few pause words (like “um” or “ah”).
Transitions
Presenters often get lost between points or slides. You want to practice how you will move smoothly and logically from one idea to the next. Having a well-organized presentation makes transitions easier because you can say something like, “the second reason we need a new process for handling customer complaints is…” or “the next phase of the project involves testing the software against the requirements…”
Conclusion
This is your last chance to remind the audience of your message. Don’t just let your voice trail off with “well….. that’s it, I guess….” You should end with a powerful conclusion such as a call to action or a strong reiteration of your message and its importance to the audience.
I learned the hard way – it’s not enough to carry the clarinet around and think about practicing. To improve, you actually have to open the case and play it. So the next time you have to give a presentation, make the time to practice the right way by saying the words out loud in as close the real environment as possible. As a result, your actual delivery of it will be smooth and effective. Gilda Bonanno is a speaker, trainer and coach who helps entrepreneurs, small business owners and corporate professionals improve their communication and presentation skills.
Get a FREE Report “6 Mistakes to Avoid in Public Speaking” when you subscribe to Gilda’s e-newsletter. http://www.gildabonanno.com
How To Calm Your Nerves Before You Give Your Presentation
If the idea of standing up in front of an audience and giving a speech (even a short speech) scares you to death, you’re not alone. In fact, most surveys will tell you that people are more comfortable with the idea of dying than they are about speaking in public.
However, there are plenty of things you can do to minimize the nervous feelings you have prior to giving an acceptance speech. Here are six sure-fire ways to reduce your anxiety and boost your confidence.
1. Put it on paper. Psychologists believe that writing your fears down on a piece of paper can be an empowering experience. If you’re nervous about speaking in front of a group, write it down, look at it, think about it, and then crumple it up and toss it in the trashcan.
2. Visit the venue. One of the best ways to calm your nerves and gain a feeling of confidence is to visit the room in which you’re going to give your speech beforehand and get comfortable being “on stage.” This is especially true if you’re presenting somewhere for the first time like a hotel meeting room or a banquet hall.
I recommend that you actually stand where you’ll be giving the speech and picture the audience sitting in front of you. Then get a feel for the lighting, the podium, the size and layout of the dais (stage), etc. This will go a long way to embolden you.
3. Be prepared. It is paramount that you know your speech like the back of your hand. You don’t necessarily have to memorize it (in fact, that’s not wise), however, you need to be familiar with the words you want to say.
Motivational speaking legend Zig Ziglar, after 40 years in the speaking business, once told a journalist that he prepared four hours for a 25-minute radio interview knowing full well that he was not going to be asked anything he had never heard before. Nothing goes further in soothing public speaking jitters like knowing exactly what you want to say and how you want to say it.
Be sure that you’re so comfortable with the first line of your speech that it just rolls off your tongue without even having to think.
4. Hold your breath. Here’s a breathing exercise you can do just prior to giving your acceptance speech that will help calm your nerves. Take a deep breath through your nose and hold it for 5 seconds. Then let your breath out of your mouth in short, controlled (quiet) spurts until all the air is out of your lungs.
To do it right, it should take about 10-15 “mini-exhales” to get all the air out. Then repeat this two more times. You’ll be amazed how relaxed it makes you feel.
5. Clench your fists. Another exercise similar to #4 above is to clench your fists several times right before you get up to speak. Here’s how you do it.
Clench both fists as tightly as you can, hold it for 10 seconds and then let go. Wait five seconds and than repeat this exercise two more times.
This simple technique has the power to release muscle tension and thereby help you relax. Plus, it’s something you can do sitting around the table waiting for your name to be announced.
6. Watch what you eat. Believe it or not, the foods you eat can affect the outcome of your speech starting with orange juice. (It’s not just for breakfast anymore.) The vitamin C found in orange juice has been shown to lower stress hormones in less than 15 minutes.
Plus, foods that contain high amounts of tryptophan like turkey, nuts and cheese contain an amino acid that helps people feel less anxious. If nature’s willing to give you a hand, grab hold of it.
Also, try to avoid caffeinated beverages because they can make you even more jumpy than the natural adrenaline rush you get from public speaking.
No matter what happens up at the podium, keep in mind that your audience cannot tell how nervous you are on the insides. In public speaking seminars when people have a chance to see themselves on video giving a speech, many are surprised to see that they do not appear nearly as nervous as they felt.
And unless you give your audience a reason to think otherwise, they will give you the benefit of the doubt and assume the best about you.
So, try out these nerve-reducing ideas and rise up to your audience’s hopeful expectations. Learn how to write an acceptance speech in less than 60 minutes and discover the secret to confidently delivering your speech from a St. Louis Public Speaking Training expert.
Public Speaking – Speech Writing Tips
Speech Writing Tip
You need to know the audience.
One of the key speech writing tips is you need to know who your audience is. To relate to your audience, you need to know as much about the people in the audience. You must gather an audience analysis or demographic information.
Find out about the age, gender and occupations of the audience. Their background knowledge of the subject and their attitude towards the subject you are going to talk about. Plus the the size of the audience.
The more information you have, the more you can target your speech to reflect an audience’s interests. And that will increase the likelihood of them listening to you attentively. In another word, you have an effective speech. By having an audience analysis, you can tailored your message precisely to their needs and interests.
How to prepare a speech.
After knowing specifically who your audience will be, now you can prepare your public speaking outline better.
Firstly write down the objective or the statement of purpose for your speech. Do you want to inform, to persuade, to entertain, to recommend or what? Then do your required research thoroughly so that your speech is accurate and extensive.
After this, make an initial outline by organizing all the main points together. The outline must have an introduction, body of speech and conclusion. Fill it up with the key points.
Put your ideas in order so that one leads logically to the next. Write down the connecting thoughts as soon as you have them. Make sure the audience can see the main points clearly. Here coherence is crucial.
Don’t write it all out in elaborate complete sentences. Just jolt down the basic thoughts and the angle you want to approach your presentation.
Now it is time to decide the opening or introduction and the conclusion of your speech. Always have a powerful opening to grab your audience’s attention right away. Put extra time and effort to write out the opening and the closing of the speech. These two parts are very important. They have to be impactful, precise and arresting. Preferably, you write them out in full sentences and rehearse them well.
The body of the speech must have enough content with supporting facts and figures. Check the flow of your points and make sure they do not digress from the objective of your speech.
These are the main tips on speech writing tips. It is not difficult as many envisage it to be. Personally I find it easy, enjoyable, and educational at the same time. Most of what makes an effective speech is done before you ever stand up in front of an audience and open your mouth. Remember an effective speech has to be engaging, clear, concise and it has to be tailored to the audience. But the first vital strategy in making the oral presentation is gathering information about the audience you are going to address, then only you can achieve the desired objective of your oral presentation.
Malcolm Dexter can show you how to overcome the fear of public speaking phobia and many other tips on public speaking.
Presentation Skills – Developing The Power Of The Pause
Is silence beneficial?
When speaking in front of a group of people, it is natural for some of us to encounter stage fright, as we may not be used to public speaking. Our anxiety may cause us to start to talk very quickly, and at the same time feel unable to insert pauses into our speech.
Alternately, talking endlessly may be a sign of having a fear of silence. This comes about because people tend to associate silence with incompetence, and thus avoid it like a plague to avoid appearing amateurish while speaking.
In reality, silence is beneficial. Making a point to pause now and then during your presentation allows your audience time to take in and understand your material to a greater extent. They can then retain the given information better.
Understand your audience
One way to understand how your audience feels when you speak quickly without pausing is to think back on your school lecture days. There must have been at least one lecturer who bombarded you with facts, and gave you little time to absorb what you heard.
Therefore, to avoid becoming such a lecturer when presenting, pause frequently to help your audience absorb the information presented. Also, hold their attention during these pauses by engaging them through eye contact, checking to see if they are following the presentation.
Pauses are beneficial to the speaker as well! When you pause, you give yourself time to consolidate your thoughts so that you can be clear when communicating. Your audience will understand and respect that you are both able to keep them attentive and satisfy their needs, and thus be more accepting of what you have to say.
What about PowerPoint Presentations?
Of course, this technique can also be applied to your PowerPoint Presentations.
After going through each slide, pause to give your audience time to take in the information they have been given. This means that you should pause for a longer period of time if you give them more information to absorb.
To make sure you have a hold on your audience’s attention, do not ever display all the points on your slide immediately, because the new information displayed on the screen will distract the audience from the point you are presenting.
Your presentation would be more effective if you employ the use of the PowerPoint’s “On-Click” feature in the animation section, so that points are displayed one by one. Your audience can then focus on one point at a time, and be able to understand your presentation better.
Remember, it’s important that you give time for your audience to think through your material. Click here to see this technique in practice. Kelvin is a dynamic and eloquent communicator and an experienced trainer of Power Presentations workshops. He is a certified Microsoft PowerPoint specialist and also specialises in giving corporate slides makeovers. To receive free tips and techniques on PowerPoint Presentations, visit http://figtree.com.sg/ppt_tips