How to Train to become an Effective Public Speaker
Every day people engage in conversation and have no problem getting their point across, yet suggest to those very same people to speak in front of an audience and chances are your suggestion will be met by protest. Why do so many people fear public speaking? Because they think they will be judged.
Faced with the prospect of having to speak in front of a large group of people, men and women alike become a little self-conscious. Suddenly they are aware of the way they look, the way they stand, how they speak and their word choice.
To overcome this fear and become an effective public speaker there are any number of things that can be done.
There are courses that teach public speaking. Different segments concentrate on different aspects of an effective public speech. Attention will be given to posture and movement, hand and arm gestures, facial expressions and proper diction Most people who enrol in such a course not only enjoy the classes, but walk away with a greater sense of confidence.
Alternatively you can involve your family and friends. You can practise your speech on them and ask for feedback. Did you speak too slow or too fast? Did you enunciate your words? Was the speech engaging? With people you know it is of course important not to get defensive when they criticize you. You asked for their help, so be prepared to take their advice.
If you get nervous before giving a speech, do something to relax you. Whether you like breathing exercises, reading a book or listening to music, take your mind off the speech. At this time you might want to remind yourself that the audience is not there to criticize you. You have something to teach and they are there to learn.
It also helps not to talk to an audience as a group, but rather concentrate on one person at a time. Look at the men and women in front of you, select one individual at the time, forget that you are giving a speech and just talk to them.
Should you get the impression that your audience is getting restless, introduce a question and answer session. There's nothing to get an audience to ‘wake up’ than to let them have a say.
Unless the event is of a very serious nature, try injecting a little humor, make them laugh. An audience loves entertainment.
On the day of the event, pick your outfit with care. You need to look your best to feel your best and once you feel your best, confidence is just around the corner.
