Public Speaking Basics

You tried to avoid this class but your advisor said you need it to graduate. You dread the thought of speaking in front of a large group. It’s too much to bear. How will you survive this public speaking class? I’ve learned a thing or two in my time as a student and instructor, so let’s break down this daunting subject with the hopes of making it bearable. You just may learn a thing or two to make the experience less painful. Let’s start with what’s likely to be your first concern. 1.) What to do about anxiety You may think you’re one of very few people affected by public speaking anxiety. This couldn’t be more wrong! It’s entirely normal to get stressed out or even paralyzed with fear before an upcoming speech. Anxiety is often a sign that you care, and that’s a good thing. Harness that anxious energy towards preparing your notes and rehearsing your delivery. In this way, anxiety can be beneficial. But public speaking anxiety is extremely uncomfortable and we...

Donald Trump's rise is extraordinary and unprecedented. He beat out all Republican opponents as well as the Democrats’ strongest candidate. He ran a fierce campaign through rallies, interviews, speeches, press conferences, and social media. He said terrible things which only made him more popular.  Media made him out to be a total monster… yet millions of Americans voted for him to be our next president despite having no experience in governing. So what’s his appeal? I noticed a few things about his speaking style that struck me as a speech teacher. I will intentionally avoid getting into all of the controversies and the more offensive aspects of his campaign. In short, Donald Trump’s main persuasive appeal is of strength. I really think that sealed the deal for him. He is, physically, a large individual. The Washington Post recounted his appearance on Dr. Oz’s show where he was said to be 6 foot 3 inches tall and 236 pounds. That’s a big guy. Whenever we see him on...

It doesn't matter how great your speech is written, if your delivery is boring. I see a familiar pattern in speeches. People put lots of work into their outlines, citations, and in formatting their pages correctly. Then they just recite the work they've prepared with a basic and uninteresting delivery. This totally takes away from all that good work they've put into the assignment. Don't neglect delivery. A speech must be well written, that's very important. But equally important is making the delivery interesting and exciting for the audience. Be creative, make your speech different in some way. Give your audience a reason to listen to you. People dread listening to routine presentations. Try something different. Your audience will perk up and begin paying attention to you. Here are some ideas about what that entails. Use multimedia, a brief audio clip or video. Pose relevant questions to the audience. Draw from your prepared points but deliver extemporaneously...

Chances are that if you are reading this, you are also breathing... It's so basic that we tend not to think about it too much. This may be why people tend to forget to breathe in speech. It's frustrating to have sat through countless speeches and to still see one recurring issue - people rush through their speech while hardly taking a proper breath. It's difficult to watch somebody push through their entire presentation while short of breath. I sometimes want to stop a speaker dead in their tracks and tell them to take a breath! It's hard to focus on what someone is saying if it looks like they're struggling to speak with such short breathing. Don't forget to breathe during your speech. Take a deep breath before you begin. Wait a moment before moving on to each of your next points. Avoid rushing through your entire speech. Breathe deeply throughout your presentation. Give your audience a chance to catch up to your message. Take one deep breath to calm ...

A powerful voice is vital to speaking in public. Your message is literally projected through your voice, whether big or small. You must speak up to be heard and, importantly, to be understood. I must admit that some really good speeches come from people with soft voices. But this can only work if you're in a quieter environment. In most cases a big, booming, and resonant voice is key to getting your audience's attention and keeping it. Various techniques can help to improve your volume which in turn gives you a commanding voice. Be sure to embody strong posture. Your voice will carry farther when your back is straight, shoulders are back, and chest is out. Also, be sure you are using all of your space on the stage. The audience will hear you better when you are closer to them. You can even visualize your voice carrying through the air and reaching all the corners of the room. You must also learn how to breathe from your diaphragm. Try this to see the difference - put ...

A particular concern often comes up when taking pictures, while hanging out at parties and… of course, in speech. “What am I supposed to do with my hands?” You may have wondered about this so I’d like to address the topic of gestures here. You have several options when it comes to what to do with your hands. Perhaps the most important thing to remember is that it’s often perfectly fine to keep your hands by your sides. It can be painful to watch people gesture around nervously, without a rhyme or rhythm. Simply place your hands straight down in a neutral position and focus on your speech. It may feel incredibly uncomfortable at first but it’s far better than moving around uncontrollably. Consider using big movements. Take up plenty of space. Move your hands and arms around forcefully and with power. This can help you to seem more powerful in the eyes of your audience. It will also help you to feel more powerful. Try to do this responsibly and only when appropriate. Otherwise it can...

The act of sharing eye contact can be rather intense and personal. That is exactly why it can be hard to know exactly how to give proper eye contact during your speech. Some people may be pretty comfortable giving eye contact. Others are more sensitive to people looking at them directly in the eye. It can also vary due to a person's culture or background. I think anyone will agree that it's intimidating to have a room full of people staring at you. Nevertheless, public speaking requires you to at least make some eye contact. A speaker's message will be more direct and personal if they give the right amount of eye contact to an audience. Perhaps you've experienced a time when a speaker read completely from their notes or a PowerPoint while giving no direct eye contact. You also may have experienced a speaker too shy to give direct eye contact which takes away power and authority from their delivery. In order to avoid these kind of scenarios, let's look at some ways...

Mindfulness can be an important 'thing' for anyone seeking to improve their speaking skills. Many physical and emotional benefits can come out this practice. My experience has also been that it can help to gather my thoughts during speech, to reduce vocal fillers and to increase my ability to think on my feet. It is through this refocusing of attention that I believe true 'stage presence' can be learned. Perhaps counter-intuitive as it may be, thinking less can help you to think (and speak) more clearly and with more power. So then, what is mindfulness?  Jon Kabat-Zinn, a prominent author, speaker and researcher on the subject provides a useful definition of mindfulness as, "Awareness, cultivated by paying attention in a sustained and particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally." It's a kind of focused awareness that lies beyond our usual patterns of thought. Taking a few deep breaths to 'clear your head', stopping t...