How to Be a Great Speaker
Listen to recorded speeches.If you want to become a great speaker, you should first have an idea on what it means to be great., Talk slowly.As a public speaker, you should never feel the need to rush through a presentation., Minimize filler words...
Step-by-Step Guide
-
Step 1: Listen to recorded speeches.If you want to become a great speaker
Famous speeches became that way in part because the speaker knew how to wring the most feeling and meaning out of what he was saying.
Pay attention to the pauses they take, the words they emphasize, and the steady pace most famous speakers perform at.
Public speaking is ultimately an art.
There are countless ways you can perform the same speech.
The most famous speeches of the 20th century are easy to access.
Their iconic status also goes to show how much power a gifted speaker has to change peoples' minds. -
Step 2: you should first have an idea on what it means to be great.
Because anxiety tends to make people speak much faster than they normally would, you should be aware of your rate of speech.
Make a conscious point of speaking slowly.
If your speech is happening at a more manageable rate, it will be easier for you to feel like you're in control.
Speaking slowly does not mean speaking in a monotone.
Just because you're taking your time doesn't mean you need to be boring.
The best public speakers will keep a steady speaking pace and use that extra time to inject more expression into their act. , Filler words include things such as "like" and "um".
They are words that only exist in a live presentation because the speaker's mind need a second to catch up with the rest of the speech.
Mishaps like this and other verbal slip-ups are most often the result of anxiety.
While anxiety is totally natural and is to be expected, it's a good sign you need to slow down.
A speaker speaking really slowly is better than one who is stuttering through important lines.
If you need a moment to recollect yourself in the middle of your speech, you should allow yourself the time to pause.While filler language only serves to detract from your presentation, a pause can be beneficial for the audience to digest what you've said so far as well. , In the case of these especially important lines, it's crucial you bring added attention to them somehow.
This can be done by saying them more slowly, more loudly, or repeating the same line twice.
Your audience will immediately pick up on the tactic you used and will take extra care to remember that point. , Although you may feel very anxious going into a speech, it may actually make things easier if you allow yourself the ability to connect emotionally with the topic and express yourself.
Raising and lowering your voice to denote certain feelings can do a ton to engage an audience.
As a general rule, people like to feel like they're being spoken to by a red-blooded human being.
Acting like a robot may seem like a safe route if you're nervous about speaking, but you'll get a lot farther if you're candid with your audience.
Avoid a monotone delivery.
This approach is common with people who put too much emphasis into a rote memorization of the speech lines, and didn't leave room for an organic quality. , Much as with an emphasis technique on a given word, a well-placed silence can say a lot.
Pauses are a good thing to place after a particularly heavy or important idea has been stated, or in between relatively unrelated points to serve as a sort of paragraph break.
A pause also gives the audience a chance to show their appreciation.
Even if you don't need the warmth, members of your audience will feel more confident in your abilities if they see other people in the crowd cheering you on. , If an audience member has a question, it would be a wasted opportunity not to answer it.
The audience will be impressed by your willingness to play off the books and interact seemingly spontaneously.
An audience won't interact with a speaker unless some stakes have already been raised.
You have to get an audience interested in what you're talking about if you want them to respond actively.Trying to engage the audience yourself is always a risk.
You can't control what an audience member will say, and you'll need to improvise a response to whatever they say.
Worse still, getting no response from an audience will embarrass you as a presenter. -
Step 3: Talk slowly.As a public speaker
-
Step 4: you should never feel the need to rush through a presentation.
-
Step 5: Minimize filler words and stammering.
-
Step 6: Emphasize or repeat particularly important lines.Even if you have gone over every word of your speech with a fine-toothed comb
-
Step 7: there are going to be lines that are most important to the central idea you're discussing.
-
Step 8: Express emotion through inflections.
-
Step 9: Pause for effect.
-
Step 10: Interact with your audience.Speeches can be memorized with enough time and practice
-
Step 11: but a truly gifted orator will use parts of his speech as an opportunity to communicate directly to the audience.
Detailed Guide
Famous speeches became that way in part because the speaker knew how to wring the most feeling and meaning out of what he was saying.
Pay attention to the pauses they take, the words they emphasize, and the steady pace most famous speakers perform at.
Public speaking is ultimately an art.
There are countless ways you can perform the same speech.
The most famous speeches of the 20th century are easy to access.
Their iconic status also goes to show how much power a gifted speaker has to change peoples' minds.
Because anxiety tends to make people speak much faster than they normally would, you should be aware of your rate of speech.
Make a conscious point of speaking slowly.
If your speech is happening at a more manageable rate, it will be easier for you to feel like you're in control.
Speaking slowly does not mean speaking in a monotone.
Just because you're taking your time doesn't mean you need to be boring.
The best public speakers will keep a steady speaking pace and use that extra time to inject more expression into their act. , Filler words include things such as "like" and "um".
They are words that only exist in a live presentation because the speaker's mind need a second to catch up with the rest of the speech.
Mishaps like this and other verbal slip-ups are most often the result of anxiety.
While anxiety is totally natural and is to be expected, it's a good sign you need to slow down.
A speaker speaking really slowly is better than one who is stuttering through important lines.
If you need a moment to recollect yourself in the middle of your speech, you should allow yourself the time to pause.While filler language only serves to detract from your presentation, a pause can be beneficial for the audience to digest what you've said so far as well. , In the case of these especially important lines, it's crucial you bring added attention to them somehow.
This can be done by saying them more slowly, more loudly, or repeating the same line twice.
Your audience will immediately pick up on the tactic you used and will take extra care to remember that point. , Although you may feel very anxious going into a speech, it may actually make things easier if you allow yourself the ability to connect emotionally with the topic and express yourself.
Raising and lowering your voice to denote certain feelings can do a ton to engage an audience.
As a general rule, people like to feel like they're being spoken to by a red-blooded human being.
Acting like a robot may seem like a safe route if you're nervous about speaking, but you'll get a lot farther if you're candid with your audience.
Avoid a monotone delivery.
This approach is common with people who put too much emphasis into a rote memorization of the speech lines, and didn't leave room for an organic quality. , Much as with an emphasis technique on a given word, a well-placed silence can say a lot.
Pauses are a good thing to place after a particularly heavy or important idea has been stated, or in between relatively unrelated points to serve as a sort of paragraph break.
A pause also gives the audience a chance to show their appreciation.
Even if you don't need the warmth, members of your audience will feel more confident in your abilities if they see other people in the crowd cheering you on. , If an audience member has a question, it would be a wasted opportunity not to answer it.
The audience will be impressed by your willingness to play off the books and interact seemingly spontaneously.
An audience won't interact with a speaker unless some stakes have already been raised.
You have to get an audience interested in what you're talking about if you want them to respond actively.Trying to engage the audience yourself is always a risk.
You can't control what an audience member will say, and you'll need to improvise a response to whatever they say.
Worse still, getting no response from an audience will embarrass you as a presenter.
About the Author
Jonathan Perez
Specializes in breaking down complex crafts topics into simple steps.
Rate This Guide
How helpful was this guide? Click to rate: