For the past three decades, the top fear expressed by Americans is periglossia, or fear of public speaking. Death is number two. Most Americans, it seems, would rather be in the casket than giving the eulogy. This is surprising, considering modern Americans are more communicative than ever. Between phone calls, email, texting, social media messaging, Skype, commenting, and the good ol' fashioned face-to-face conversation, people are communicating more than ever.
Yet something about speaking to a large crowd still terrifies people. It's shouldn't. Talking to a crowd is really no different than talking to a single person--the only true difference is that you hear a reply in a conversation, while a speech is one-sided. The idea behind such a one-sided exchange is for a single person to stimulate a larger discussion by addressing a group rather than individuals.Public speaking is a skill that permeates most of our lives. Graduations. Weddings. Funerals. Political campaigns. Business meetings. Legal defenses. Artistic presentations. All depended on speeches of various types.
Here are some tips to strengthen your skills in public speaking. Break them out next time you have to address a large crowd.
Yet something about speaking to a large crowd still terrifies people. It's shouldn't. Talking to a crowd is really no different than talking to a single person--the only true difference is that you hear a reply in a conversation, while a speech is one-sided. The idea behind such a one-sided exchange is for a single person to stimulate a larger discussion by addressing a group rather than individuals.Public speaking is a skill that permeates most of our lives. Graduations. Weddings. Funerals. Political campaigns. Business meetings. Legal defenses. Artistic presentations. All depended on speeches of various types.
Here are some tips to strengthen your skills in public speaking. Break them out next time you have to address a large crowd.
Make an argument
Speeches depend on rhetoric-- they are essentially rhetorical essays read aloud. Any time you make a speech, you are giving an argument. Looking at a historical event? Argue what people in the present should learn from it. Explaining research you gathered on a topic? Argue why the topic is important to know. Giving a commencement speech? Argue why your years at your school mattered. The audience should walk away with a changed opinion or feeling like they should act. If you need help on how to structure the argument of your speech, read the section on rhetoric.
Make it short and sweet
Make sure to keep it short-- debate speeches are usually two minutes, toasts and eulogies around five minutes, and even political addresses rarely top twenty minutes. About ½ page = 1 minute spoken aloud.
Know what you want to say
Memorize short poems and speeches; for longer speeches, use notecards adapted from a written outline. Do not read off these notecards, but occasionally refer to them. While you do not have to write your entire speech on notecards, it is a good idea to have the big points in case you forget them. Make sure to number your cards so they stay in order.
Know your audience
Unlike most writing, speeches have a live audience-- and that audience will give you immediate feedback, whether it's a laugh, a cheer, a gasp, applause... or booing. Some audiences are even more interactive if the speech is followed by a Question and Answer session. You need to make sure that your speech is tailored to your audience in order to reach them and get them to react the way you would like.
Practice makes permenant
Rehearse your speech several times. Identify any words you cannot pronounce and learn how to say them. Practice speaking slowly so your words are clear. Practice both being loud and articulate in the words you say. The more you do this, the more the speech will become natural and smooth.
Breathe
The biggest mistake most speakers make is not breathing, which can get a speaker panicked and drive them to go faster or even faint. Start your speech with a deep breath and keep breathing. This will steady your rate and improve your projection. If you need a reminder, put breathmarks in your speech notecards.
Look sharp
A good speaker makes a good impression. Dress nicely (no logos or denim and hair out of your face). Stand up straight, plant your feet, and face your audience. Keep your head up, so the audience can hear you. If you are shaking, keep your hands to the side to keep anyone from noticing.
No matter what, KEEP GOING
Sometimes things will go wrong--you'll stumble on a word or your slides are out of order or the intercom makes an announcement. Don’t make a joke or go off-script; ignore it and keep going. If you make a mistake, take a deep breath, and keep going from where you left off; never start over or comment on what went wrong!