"A good speech should be like a woman's skirt; long enough to cover the subject and short enough to create interest" - Winston Churchill.
Everyone needs to acquire public speaking skills in life. There are various occasions in your personal and professional life when you must address a group of people. Public speaking is defined as addressing a number of people to achieve various goals. One can address an audience to convey one's opinion on various matters and bring people to their side. Oratory skills are also required if you want to sell an idea or product. This is why everyone must try and become a good public speaker.
Public speaking occurs in various places to achieve different aims. It can be classified into three groups on this basis.
- Informative Speaking - In this type of public speaking, imparting information is the aim. This can happen in workplaces, colleges or in any place. The main idea is to pass on information to the audience. In offices, reports are often orally done to the superiors using aids like slideshows. In project sites, supervisors may inform the workers about how they must use certain tools or what work should be completed by the end of the day. Government authorities also address the public to pass on important information to the people.
- Persuasive Speaking - This is one of the categories where public speaking skills are put to the test. In this type of speech, the speaker must convince the public to buy an idea or product. This is also the type of talking that political leaders are good at. They can convince the public that they will do good if elected, even if they have nothing to show. This type of speech certainly needs you to learn how to become a good public speaker because you must be able to persuade people to agree with your ideas.
- Entertaining Speaking - This type of speaking aims to keep the audience engaged without really passing on any valuable information. It is not easy because the speaker has nothing to give to the audience or take from them. It is often found in award ceremonies or wedding speeches. Reading poetry or a book also comes under this category. Though it may sound to be inconsequential, such speakers are in high demand by event organizers. A proficient public speaker can keep the audience entranced for a long time.
Public speaking is not a new phenomenon. A detailed study of this art is believed to have originated in Greece. Even the common people were required to be good at public speaking. We know of various eminent public speakers whose speeches are even now rendered in competitions. Many famous public speakers in India have held the audience spellbound with their speeches. Regardless of the field the person works in, and every good leader is expected to be a good public speaker. They must have the ability to convey messages clearly to a large number of people to achieve success.
Anatomy Of A Public Speaker
Before you think about how to become a good public speaker, it is essential to know what qualities define a good public speaker. You will understand what skills you already possess and which ones you must acquire to excel in this art when you understand. So, what qualities must you have if you want to be a good public speaker?
Confidence
It is necessary for any job in the world. But it is of utmost importance to a public speaker because that will decide if you perform successfully. Your audience can perceive your confidence or the lack of it. People believe what a confident speaker says even if they don't know anything about the subject. Confidence will also make you speak more fluently and naturally. If you are confident, you will not mind deviating a bit from the story and getting back to it. That will make your speech more interesting. Any successful public speaker will possess this skill.
So, how do you gain confidence? Being thorough in the subject is one of the main requirements for gaining confidence. Preparing well before the speech will also make you feel bolder. You must anticipate the reactions and be ready with responses for them. Feeling excited about the subject you are talking about will also help build confidence. Being yourself is another route to being a confident speaker. Any proficient public speaker can tell you that it will be difficult to gain that confidence in the beginning. It will only come after you have made a few mistakes and learnt your lessons.
Passion
This is another quality one must develop if the goal is to become a good speaker. It is essential to feel passionate about what you present if you want to do it well. You must also be passionate about public speaking. When you are presenting something that you do out of liking, then it is easy. But if you are going to speak about something related to your workplace, it may be not easy to feel passionate about it. One of the ways good public speakers in India use to feel that passion is to study deeply about the subject.
It would help if you also felt a passion for the listeners. You must be convinced that what you tell them will affect them positively. This will give you added energy to speak in detail about the topic. Whether you are giving information or trying to get them to accept your ideas, you will automatically become a better public speaker if you sincerely wish good for the listeners. You must study your audience very well to give a good speech. Public speakers must essentially love their audience to excel in this art.
Authenticity
This is something that your speech must-have. People must believe that what you say is correct and you are sincere about it. This is the only way you can make them accept your ideas or act in a way you want them to. So, how do you bring authenticity to your speech? The only way is to be natural and yourself. Don't try to speak like someone else. Your audience will easily understand the fakeness and will disbelieve whatever you say. Courses on how to become a good public speaker insist that authenticity is crucial in public speeches.
One of the ways to exhibit sincerity in what you say is to speak naturally. Practice your speeches very well, but never memorize them. Your words should come out in a natural manner. Your audience should never know that you are delivering a rehearsed speech. You can change your words in between. Leaving pauses and repeating a few sentences in different words will add authenticity to your speech. There is no need for you to be perfect in your delivery. A little stumbling here and there will make your words sound more sincere. Proficient public speakers use such techniques to sound natural.
Brevity
Brevity is a quality that speakers must acquire unless they are speaking to entertain and keep guests from moving out. If you are allowed a certain amount of time to speak on something, it is not necessary that you take up the whole time. If you feel that the listeners have understood the point, it is better to stop. If you stop early, it is also an opportunity for the audience to ask questions and clear their doubts. This will add value to your speech, and people will be inclined to believe what you say. Public speakers in India or elsewhere must develop this skill to become good speakers.
The need for being short and sweet is because the human attention span is very little. Research has proved that adults can only pay attention to something for only 20 minutes. After this, their minds start straying. When you extend one topic beyond this time, you run the risk of losing your audience's attention. It is best to dwell on one topic only for 20 minutes and then give the audience time to absorb and think about it. It is necessary for public speakers to practice being short and to the point.
Connection
Establishing a connection with the audience is essential if you want them to listen and understand what you are saying. So many distractions can take their minds away from your speech. Mobile phones are something that can grab anyone's attention and make them stray away from you. It is necessary to build a connection with the audience in the first few seconds of your speech if you want them to be with you. It is not enough to know how to become a good public speaker. You must know how to make your speech a conversation.
One of the things that can make your audience sit up and listen to you is to say something that can excite them. If you are trying to sell something, telling the listeners first what they will gain from it can make them listen till the end. If you are reading a report to your superiors, tell them something that will tickle their curiosity. Stories are a good way to keep the audience engaged, but you must ensure not to drag it and forget the main points. A proficient public speaker will keep the people's attention till the end.
Poise
It is not just enough for you to feel confident. Your audience must feel that in your appearance. Poise is very important for any speaker. It is not something that can come very quickly. Public speakers in India exhibit extraordinary grace on the stage only after years of performing before various types of spectators. You can cultivate this quality by regularly practising in front of a mirror. You can also ask friends to be your critics and tell you the areas that need improvement. The more poised you appear, the more your audience will love you.
It is easy to maintain calm and grace when communication is only one way. But when the listeners start asking questions for which they are unprepared, many speakers can lose their bearings and appear uncertain. This will give the listeners a reason to doubt what you say. Even if the speech is not going the way you expected, you must learn to appear unruffled and continue in a calm manner. A good public speaker may feel nervous when things don't go as expected but will remain calm and continue the performance.
Steps To Become A Good Public Speaker
It is not just enough to develop the above qualities. You must also take certain actions before your speech. Most of this must be done before every one of your performances. This is because the topics and audience can differ. Even the situations may be different between one public performance and the next. There are many things that affect the mood and mentality of your listeners, and you must be aware of that. Here are a few steps that show you how to become a good public speaker.
Know The Audience Well
As much as you know the subject, you must also know the people you are going to address. Audiences can be different in different places. Their level of education can be dissimilar, and this means that their ability to understand will differ. You will have to alter the words according to the level of understanding of your listeners. Sometimes your audience may have good knowledge of the topic you are speaking about, and this necessitates you prepare even better for the speech. A proficient public speaker will do research on the people he is going to address before performing.
You must also be sensitive about people's attitudes towards certain topics. Public speakers in India must know this because there are cultural differences among the people of different states. The speaker must first know if there are any topics that can irritate the crowd. Speakers must also find out what the goals of the listeners are. Everyone comes to a speech with certain expectations, and a good speaker should be able to fulfil them. The size of the audience will also decide the language you use. It is always wise to use informal language in smaller groups.
Proper Planning Results In Best Performance
Planning is necessary for any job. But it is all the more important in public speeches. It is not a one-time action but must be performed before every speech. Good public speakers will put a lot of effort into planning for their speeches. This includes researching the topic in-depth before writing your speech. When you prepare your speech, it is essential to consider the type of audience that you will address. The language you use must be easily understandable for the audience. You must set the tone of your delivery based on the topic and the audience.
Another area where planning is important is in giving what the audience wants. You must place yourself in their situation and consider what they will be expecting to hear. If you are trying to get them to perform a certain action or do a job in a particular manner, you must think about what will trigger them to make your wish. You must also plan your appearance in a way that will endear you to the crowd. You must dress up to become one among them. The course on how to become a good public speaker gives much importance to planning.
Practice Makes You Perfect
Practice is important for almost any public performance. But it is all the more critical in the case of public speaking. Proficient public speakers will tell you how important it is to rehearse the speech as many times as possible. One of the reasons why practice is important is that it will help to familiarize you with words that you may not have used before. This is especially true in the case of speeches where there are many technical words. You cannot sound like you are saying it for the first time when you address the public.
The other benefit of rehearsing your speech is that you can eliminate speaking flaws that may occur. You will understand if there are any mistakes in your gesture or posture. You will get the chance to correct this. Another important reason for practising before your actual performance is to ensure that you finish the speech within the given time. You will learn to cover all the important points within the time allocated for you. Practising will also help you get over the fear of facing a crowd. Prominent public speakers in India will affirm that practice improves your confidence.
Deliver Content Perfectly
The debate about whether content or delivery is important has been going on for a long time. If you speak with experienced public speakers, they will tell you that both are equally important. If you are going to speak to a group of people, there must certainly be something of value for them. Most audiences can understand this in the first few minutes. If they don't find that their needs are met, it is most likely that their attention will waver.
Your content can be excellent and most useful to the people you are addressing. But unless you deliver it well, the audience is not going to listen to you. If you falter during your speech, they will take it that you are speaking something which you don't yourself believe in. If they sense a lack of confidence in you, then all your talk will go to waste. A course on how to become a good public speaker will tell you the importance of delivery.
Watching TED Talks Can Improve Confidence
TED talks are loved all over the world because they impart knowledge that people seek. These speakers are excellent motivators, and you can learn a lot from them. There are many TED talks on public speaking from which you can learn the secrets to making an extraordinary speech. They are proficient public speakers who have mastered the art and are able to capture the attention of people worldwide. Watching and listening to them will help you learn how to deliver the speech and what actions are important on the stage.
What Makes A Proficient Public Speaker Different?
There are many qualities that make a proficient public speaker better than ordinary speakers. Confidence is the most important characteristic that you will find in them. Whatever topic you give them, you will never find them fumbling on the stage. A good speaker will also have a purpose in mind. The person will have something to deliver to the audience. They will also be highly passionate about the subject. Most good public speakers in India are able to make a connection with the audience within the first few seconds. They use language that anyone can easily understand.
From Nothing To Becoming An Expert Public Speaker
Anyone can become a public speaker. It is a necessary skill in life. All one needs to do is develop a passion for the art and start preparing early in life. This is why children must be made to attend courses on how to become a good public speaker. These courses can teach them important skills for public speaking. Practice is another thing that makes one a good orator. Continuous practise helps to eliminate mistakes and make you a better speaker every time.
There can be many failures before you gain expertise. But the crucial thing is to not give up. One must learn from their mistakes and correct them. Doing plenty of study on the subject you are going to speak about is essential to excel in the art. Regularly watching the speeches of proficient public speakers can also help in developing a good stage presence. It is not a smooth journey, but you will certainly find success if you work on it sincerely.
To Sum It Up
It is not possible to say enough about the importance of public speaking in life. The earlier you start learning the art, the faster you will become proficient in it. Good public speaking is a necessary quality for anyone aspiring to be a leader in their profession.
