Snakes? Fine. Flying? No issue. speaking in public? Yikes! Your palms may start to perspire just thinking about public speaking, which is frequently cited as one of the biggest (and most frequent) concerns. However, there are numerous strategies to deal with this fear and develop a memorable speech.
I discussed techniques to help you communicate better in part one of this series, Mastering the Basics of Communication. I looked at how to use these strategies when interacting with coworkers and superiors at work in part two, How to Communicate More Effectively in the Workplace. In the third and last installment of this series, I'll give you some advice on public speaking that will help you feel less anxious, bust some myths, and perform better.
Here Are My Top 10 Public Speaking Advices:
1. Feeling anxious is normal. Prepare and practice!
Everybody experiences certain physiological reactions, such as racing hearts and shaky hands. Do not connect these emotions with the fear of performing poorly or embarrassing oneself. Not all nerves are bad. You become more aware and prepared to perform at your best as a result of the adrenaline rush that causes you to sweat.
Preparation—preparation, preparation, and more preparation—is the best remedy for anxiety. Spend some time reviewing your notes multiple times. Practice a lot after you've gotten used to the material. Make a video of yourself, or get a friend to watch it and give you feedback.
2. Understand your market. They are the focus of your speech, not you.
Think on the audience for your message before you start to write it. As much as you can, find out who your listeners are. This will assist you in deciding on your word choice, informational level, organizational style, and motivating statement.
3. Arrange your information in the most useful way to achieve your goals.
Set up a structure for your speech. Topic, broad goal, detailed goal, main points, and central thought should all be noted. Aim to capture the audience's interest inside the first 30 seconds.
4. Pay attention to criticism and adjust.
Keep your audience in mind. Evaluate their responses, modify your message, and maintain flexibility. Even the most loyal listeners will become distracted or perplexed if you deliver a prefabricated speech.
5. Allow your personality to shine.
In any form of communication, stay true to yourself and avoid becoming a talking head. Your credibility will increase if your personality comes through, and your audience will believe you more if they can relate to you on a personal level.
6. Tell stories, use humor, and language that is effective.
If you include a humorous anecdote in your presentation, your audience's attention will be captured. In general, audiences appreciate speeches with a personal touch. That can be given in a tale.
7. Read only when necessary. Work off of a plan.
The interpersonal relationship is harmed when someone reads from a script or PowerPoint. By maintaining eye contact, you can retain the audience's attention on you and your message. A quick outline might help you stay focused and stimulate your memory.
8. Effectively use your voice and hands. Leave out tense gestures.
Most messages are communicated through nonverbal means. In contrast to drawing attention to itself, effective delivery simply and unobtrusively communicates the speaker's ideas.
9. Draw the audience in from the start and draw it in with a dynamic conclusion.
Are speeches that begin, "Today I'm going to talk to you about X," to your liking? The majority don't. Use a stunning statistic, a fascinating narrative, or a condensed quotation as an alternative. Put a strong message at the end of your speech that your audience will remember.
10. Make wise use of audiovisual aids.
Use them judiciously because using too many can sever the audience's direct line of communication. They should either improve or clarify your material, or grab and hold of the attention of your readers.
It Takes Practice to Get Perfect.
Nobody expects you to be flawless, and good communication is never perfect. But taking the necessary time to prepare will improve the quality of your speech. You might not be able to completely control your anxiety, but you can learn how to manage it.
