Public speaking
Create a pre-speech routine
Construct a clear narrative
Support your words with your body language
Be authentic
Personalise the talk to the audience
Use a conversational voice
Have a clear purpose
1) Create a pre-speech routine.
Detailed rehearsal reduces the amount of information your brain needs to process. Fewer decisions result in lower stress and a better performance. For small speeches, a few moments of preparation beforehand can make a big difference. For larger events, it's worth investing more time up front. The aim is to recreate the event in as much depth as is reasonably possible. Scout out the location, understand your view of the audience and test the equipment. The closer you can get to recreating the experience the more fears you can eliminate. This will enable simple, calm focus on the job at hand.
2) Construct a clear narrative.
A narrative provides a common structure for you and your audience. This makes it easier to touch their heart and get them to care. A consistent train of thought should connect the start, middle, and end of your speech. An ideal start incites enough curiosity to engage your audience which will relax you in turn. Audience participation or a personal story can get an audience's attention. You can then introduce relevant concepts to support this. Ideally in a way which builds momentum and maintains engagement through the story. A strong finish will motivate the audience to action. There should always be actionable steps a positive last impression. Typical narrative structures such as 'the man in a hole' and 'boy meets girl' can be helpful as frameworks.
3) Support your words with your body language.
Passion is contagious and it's demonstrated with full body commitment. So it's helpful to be in sync with your words and use your body to demonstrate a conviction in them. This can also help to keep you calm and in control. Helpful tricks are to keep a low centre of gravity and clench your bum to stay centred. You can also demonstrate your personality through your movement. Hands open and away from your body makes you look more trustworthy and expressive.
4) Be authentic.
The one thing you can always give your audience which no-one else can is your own experience. This will enable you to have confidence in your narrative. As well as providing your story with more of a soul. An individual message also encourages you to speak person to person. Relating to the audience as individuals demonstrates a respect for them. You can show a personal touch by using eye contact and authentic passion and humour. These will bring people together through their humanity.
5) Personalise the talk to the audience.
First, put yourself in their position. Then use the mental imagery which they will relate to. These can be broad metaphors such as a journey, to explain new concepts in terms they will be able to relate to. Or niche references to bring your audience together. Personal stories act as a bridge between speaker and audience. Vulnerability and relatability can be extremely useful to turn abstractions into tangible stories. As long as they are free from ego. Bear in mind it's important to appeal to all three of the mind (logos), ethics (ethos) and heart (pathos). Influence the combination and influence how people feel.
6) Use a conversational voice.
Speak as if speaking to a friend. So keep messages clean and clear, without using complex words or sentences. Be clear but not loud. A comfortable speed is 165 wpm. Different styles of rhetoric go through fashionable stages. Often with reference to changes in fashion and technology. Microphones and videos a lighter touch than poets’ corner. Usually, the aim is not to preach but to build a conversation, which is best done in a conversational style.
7) Have a clear purpose.
Find out what is truly important to you, something which resonates with your self-image. Your mission as a speaker is to take this feeling and rebuild it as a gift to your audience. So it's helpful to work out and communicate your motivation for this subject. The greater your motivation the more effective you'll be at transmitting it. Bear in mind this is absolutely not a sales opportunity. Try and give to your audience without expecting anything in return. They will join your cause if it's an engaging and inspires passion within them.
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