Understanding Who Your Audience Is

There is one all important item that makes public speaking, public speaking....HAVING AN AUDIENCE. If you don't have an audience then you aren't public speaking, you're talking to yourself.

In sales there is a saying that the customer is number one; the same holds true in public speaking.

In a MUST READ article by Shawn Doyle of Toastmasters titled
Tips for a Terrific Talk: Secrets from the Pros
states that "when speaking to an audience, it's not about you; it's about them."

In order to be a successful public speaker you MUST understand who your audience is!

IMPORTANT!!! Your message is only as successful as how well it is received.

In order to have the greatest chance of success, a great public speaker will do the following:

1. Prepare a message that will meet audience needs and wants.
   
   It is important to realize that an audience will evaluate a message in their own way, based off their own perception, rather than your own attitude, beliefs, and values. There is skill (and practice) that is involved in preparing a message that allows you to keep your own style and convictions while still giving a speech what they want or need.
   
   Usually you will be asked to give a presentation and this is where the discovery process begins. Ask lots of questions to the person who asked you or the person in charge of organizing the event. Some questions might include:
1. What is my topic and why does the audience want to hear it?
2. How much does the audience know already about the topic?
3. What does the audience (or those organizing the presentation) want to accomplish? 
4. What's the goal or end result supposed to look like?
5. How will you know that you as the speaker have been "wildly successful?" (This is one of my favorite questions to ask myself)
6. What is the age, socioeconomic status, education level, religious preference, political preference, and cultural of the audience?
   
2. Evaluate the audiences attitudes, beliefs, and values toward message topic.
   
   Knowing your audience attitudes, beliefs, and values goes back to asking questions in the very beginning and doing your homework. Here is a quick breakdown of each one:
   
   Attitudes are our general evaluations of people, ideas, or events. Attitudes deal with how someone feels about something (i.e. "Public speaking is fun," or "Public speaking is hard").
   Beliefs shape attitudes. Beliefs are the ways people perceive reality.
   
   Belief is the level a confidence that is felt about something (i.e. "I know/believe that Bigfoot is real"). Often belief coincides with faith, which is believing in something that has not been seen but is "felt" to be true.
   
   Values actually shape attitude and belief. Your value system is your ultimate judgment about right and wrong and is shaped by culture, experiences, and knowledge.
   
   Once you determine your audience's core values, beliefs, and attitude, you can refer to them in you speech, which will help you build TRUST. (Trust is key in creating value)
3. Establishing trust with the audience.
   
   There is a secret that will help you build instant trust with an audience (or anyone). The quickest way to build trust is by making someone smile and laugh. Now once this trust is established you must build upon it and strengthen it.
4. Prepare a message at the level of understanding for your audience.
   
   We are living in a time where there are some very distinct generations that affect "understanding." Each generation, each business industry, level of education, culture, etc. will impact how information is received and processed. We are currently living in a time of a MASSIVE CHANGE AND INNOVATION and there are some generational gaps that one must understand.
   
   CLICK HERE for a great article on Generations.X, Y, Z and the Others.
5. Prepare a message at the level of knowledge of the topic the audience has.
   
   Here are the guidelines for appealing to different types of audiences (Comes from the Speaker's Guidebook).
1. If the topic is new to the audience...Show how the topic is relevant to them by relating it to familiar issues and ideas the audience already holds a positive attitude towards.
2. If the audience has some knowledge about the topic...Explain the topic's relevance to them, use background information and defined unclear terms to help the audience connect, and stay away from jargon.
3. If audience holds negative attitude toward the topic...First establish trust, rapport, and credibility. Find areas of agreement rather than challenging the audience (they will win). Offer credible evidence of why topic is positive/good (not why the audience is wrong in their perception). Have good reasons why DEVELOPING a positive attitude is beneficial. It's all about baby steps.
4. If the audience holds a positive attitude about the topic...Reinforce their positive attitude with vivid and colorful language and stories.
5. If you are working with a captive audience...Pay close attention to time. Find areas of interest and relevance. Pay close attention to body language if possible.
   
6. Take in consideration the socioeconomic, religious, political, age, race, and cultural differences of audience.
7. Avoid stereotyping and using sexist language.
8. Aware and prepare for audience members with different types of disabilities.

Other Ways to Gather Audience Info

There are some good techniques that you can use to gather information on your audience, they are:

• Interview the person who set up the presentation or you can interview potential audience members. Interviews can be done face-to-face, over the phone, or via email.
• Surveys or questionnaires. There are many different surveys or questionnaires out there (Google it). The best advice for using one of these it to make sure it supplies you with what you need. Ask a better question and you will get a better answer.

Another resource to learn about an audiences are published sources such as:

• Pew Research Center
• National Opinion Research Center (NORC)
• Roper Center for Public Opinion Research
• The Gallup Organization

Analyze the Speech Setting

• Know the size of your audience and the physical layout of the setting. This will help determine how you can present and how personal (up-close) you will be.

Know the time and length of your speech

• A good rule of thumb is:
• An award acceptance speech = 3-5 minutes.
• A toast = 1-2 minutes.
• A presentation to boss = 1-10 minutes.
• An in-depth speech = 15-20 minutes.
• A training = 30-45 minutes.

Questions

1. What generation are you and how is your generation (Boomer, X, Y, or Z) different from other generations? Why would it be important to understand the values, beliefs, and attitude of your generation and others? (See article link on Generation X, Y, Z and the Others)
2. What does it mean to avoid stereotyping and sexiest language? Have you ever experienced this (giver or receiver)? What is the fallout of such language?
3. In the article Tips for a Terrific Talk: Secrets from the Pros, which tip do you like and why?

Ethics of Public Speaking

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines ethics as "the principles of conduct governing an individual or a group."

As a public speaker you have the responsibility to make sure that the information you use and provide is credible. This is where Ethics comes into the picture.

Ethics in public speaking refers to the moral conduct and responsibility we have in what we do and say.

You "get to" take responsibility for the information and the words you use in your speech. All words are not equal and how you say something has even more impact that what you say. And when you are developing/gathering information for your speech, realize:

EVERYTHING ON THE INTERNET IS NOT TRUE!

Often you will need to decide if information is credible or not by using critical thinking skills and logic. If something sounds to good to be true, it probably is.

Your ethical conduct is a direct reflection of your personal values. This holds true for all your audience as well so it is important to construct your speech with your and the audiences values in mind (see Lesson on Your First Speech and the section on understanding your audience).

There is a balance of free speech and there are responsibilities that accompany it. Ideas are to be challenged, inspected, dismantled and re-evaluated.  People, on the other hand, are to be treated with respect, even when we disagree. If you tick off your audience you will soon find yourself out of opportunities to speak (You can't be a public speaker if there is no one that will listen to you?)

To understand more about values that are important to people, Milton Rokeach, a prominent psychologist, identified prominent values that are important to most people. You can link to it here:
VALUES LIST

An ethical speaker will avoid speech that provokes people to violence, is hurtful to other's reputation, or invades someone's privacy.

Believe me when I say that there are times that it would be satisfying at some level to be what I term as "brutally honest." This of course is in theory only, as I am sure I would feel bad when I tell the guy next to me at my daughters soccer game to shut up because he sounds like a bumbling idiot (well maybe I wouldn't feel that bad although I might get punched).

Sometimes you may have an urge to "exaggerate" or "distort" the truth some to make your speech more exciting. Don't do it! Just find a better, more creative way of expressing your point. A stretched, exaggerated, or half truth is nothing more than a lie.

I compare that to someone saying they are "kind of pregnant" or "half pregnant." That doesn't work, you are either pregnant or you are not.

A good speech is one that contributes to the audience in a positive way. That's not to say that a speech must be exactly what the audience wants, it can allow the audience to question their assumptions or beliefs on a given topic, clarify a topic that has been misrepresented, or provide another view point. We will discuss this more when we get into Persuasive Speeches.

The key in expressing these "alternative" points of view is how you convey the message. Public speaking is learning to master the art of language.

Good ground rules for ethical speaking include what I learned from the Boy Scout law. I have added to to the law with how it applies to public speaking.

A Scout/Public Speaker is:

• Trustworthy- speak the truth
• Loyal- be steadfast in doing what's right
• Helpful- helping your audience have a "meaningful" experience
• Friendly- smile be an enjoyable presenter
• Courteous- show respect for others beliefs, values, and opinions
• Kind- be friendly, generous, and considerate
• Obedient- do what you're going to say you're going to do
• Cheerful- be someone that makes others feel better
• Thrifty- Be resourceful
• Brave- It takes courage to speak in front of others
• Clean- Dress nice and always use clean language
• Reverent- show respect for rights and responsibilities that come with Free Speech

Give credit where credit is due

Just like much of my material comes from my experience, Toastmasters, a variety of books (e.g. Speaker's Guidebook), much of your material will come from other resources.

When giving a speech let the audience know where the information came from (if it did come from another source). Granted, giving a speech is not like writing a term paper in APA format in which there is a specific format for citations and a reference page, but you need to let people know that you are using information from somewhere other than your genius.

Simply put you would state that the information is from (insert name and source).

Some important items to consider when using other people's information (OPI).

1. If there is a name or names attached the info, use it.
2. If it is a study or source that does not have a person's name, then use the organization's name.
3. You may want to use both the person or persons names and the name of the organization if it will lend to more credibility.
4. You may want to use a date that is associated with the information if it will help with the credibility of the information.

If your information is on a PowerPoint you will want to be more structured in citing the information and will want to include:

• Source type (magazine, Web site, interview)
• Author or origin of source
• Title or description of source
• Date of publication or interview

Also let the audience know if it is a direct quote or if you are paraphrasing the information.

Any time you use a fact or statistic, it is important to cite where that information came from. Make sure the site is a credible site or source (not your Uncle Joe, unless your Uncle Joe is the head of the Bureau of Labor and Statistics).

Always check the copyright laws on material/information you are using.

The "doctrine of fair use" is a nice thing to know as it permits to the limited use of copyrighted works without permission for the purposes of scholarship, criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, and research.

For more information on copyright CLICK HERE to visit the U.S. Copyright Office Website.

Question

1. How does the use of cited material help bring credibility to your speech?
2. Why would you want to make sure that what you are saying is true (not a half truth or exaggerated truth)? Is there ever a time that it is okay to lie while speaking to others? Think about this one. What if your wife/girlfriend/friend asks you if she looks fat in the dress she is wearing, and she does.
3. What makes a great public speaker to you? 
4. What "Boy Scout laws" are your strength and why?

Active Listening and Speaking

Being a great listener is just as important as being a great speaker (maybe even more). In the world of public speaking, if you don't have anyone that will listen to you then you have no reason to speak. Listening and speaking go hand in hand (or maybe ear to mouth).

IMPORTANT TO KNOW: A skilled listener will always be a better speaker.

Active Listening is PURPOSEFUL LISTENING that will allow you to RECOGNIZE, UNDERSTAND, and ACCURATELY understand what is being said by others.

Each audience member listening to the same speaker is not going to pick up on the same message exactly as everyone else because we all use a process known as selective perception to gather information.

With selective perception:

• We pay attention to what we feel is important. If it's important to you, you will pay attention. Of course, we don't all think the same things are important.
• We pay attention to information that we can relate to through personal experiences, our belief system, our attitude, and what we have observed.  HERE'S AN EXAMPLE- Click here to watch this Fedex Commercial!
• We sort and filter new information by connecting it to information we already know. This is a great "conscious" strategy you can use with new information you must remember; just link it something you already know. You can do this to remember names. Here's a good video that demonstrates this (in a funny way).

The best way to learn Active Listening is to first understand what gets in the way of Active Listening.

Distractions: External, Internal, and Other Barriers to Listening

Squirrels are distracting

An External Distraction is anything in the outside environment that is competing against the speaker. It can be a noisy fan, a radio, a baby crying, a shiny object, a pretty lady, a good looking guy, a stinky smell, a squirrel, or whatever takes your attention away from what is being said.

There is some control over these distractions and we'll get to that in a bit.

C'mon 9th Floor, Get There

Internal Distractions refers to what is going on inside (that's inside your head). This can be a worrisome thought, an excited feeling, a sickness, stomach issues, bad gas (which also creates external distractions), anxiety, or anything that you are thinking or feeling that takes your attention away from what is being said.

From personal experience the hardest internal distraction comes when I hear something that sparks a memory or thought and my mind then drifts to that event. We all do this when we listen and even when we are reading. There's a good chance when you read "bad gas" you had a memory of some unpleasant odor that was released (either by you or someone nearby) that created a lasting impression. For that brief moment, you were distracted.

Other barriers in active listening include scriptwriting listening, defensive listening, laziness, overconfidence, and cultural differences.

Scriptwriter listening is when you are more focused on what the speaker is going to say next rather than what is being said now.

Defensive listening occurs when you decide (usually prematurely) that you don't like what is being or will be said (goes against your values or is challenging a belief or opinion). Here's great example of this occurring in politics.

Czech Officials Fighting

Laziness is another barrier. You are too lazy in your attitude to put forth an effort to actively listen.

A close cousin to laziness is overconfidence. You have decided that you already know (or know more) than the speaker. Rarely do we know as much as we think we know (This does not apply to me because I know everything I need to know except for the things I don't know that I will know when I finally know them).

Finally there are cultural differences that get in the way of active listening. A great example of that was my statement above about me knowing everything except for what I don't know…etc. If you don't know me personally, this may seem like a dumb statement. Those that do know me may understand that it's my dumb sense of humor. Those from another country, may not understand the statement at all. Often we use "slang" words and phrases that may only be understood within other culturals. In the South (United States) they often use the word "fixin" as some kind of decision, like "I'm fixin to go to the store." Where I come from, I add a "g" to the end of that word and use it differently, such as, "I'm fixing my bike tire that has a hole in it."

Hopefully I haven't confused you and made you "dumber than a bag of hammers." 

(Figure that one out)

Now the good stuff-

How to Become a Great Active Listener

Control the distractions that you can control. You may have some control over external distractions by preparing ahead of time. Get to the speaking event early so you can be close and not be bothered by others around or in front of you.

Control your inner distractions by consciously preparing for the speaking event.

• Set listening goals- what you want to get out of the speech.
• Listen for main ideas (and write them down).
• See if you can pick up on the organizational patterns of the speaker.
• See if you can pick up on the speakers nonverbal cues.
• Take notes on those ideas, concepts, or delivery method that you liked or didn't like.

*A Note on Note Taking
There are many different styles to note taking. Find/experiment with what works best for you. Depending on the speaker and YOUR purpose, the note taking may change. One thing I discourage is writing in full sentences because it just takes too long. I personally like to use the 2 column method. I put a line down the middle of my paper and on the left side I write down anything I feel is important that the speaker says. On the right side I right down how it applies or is important to me (this is sometimes done after the speech).

The great thing about Active Listening is it make you a better critical thinker. In the world of business, critical thinking is highly sought after because those that posses good critical thinking skills can evaluate claims on the basis of well-supported reasons.

An increase of critical thinking ability allows you to discern between a speech that is valid and credible and one that is not.

Active listening and critical thinking are used together. When you use critical thinking you can learn to:

• Evaluate the evidence used as accurate or not.
• Assess an argument's logic (Is it solid logic based on facts or fiction?).
• Resist the trap of believing everything you hear, especially if it's from a "perceived" credible source. It's okay to question and challenge an argument.
• Consider multiple perspectives. 

REMEMBER THIS- YOUR TRUTH IS BASED OFF YOUR PERCEPTION, AND YOUR PERCEPTION CAN CHANGE.

Active Listeners are Better at Evaluating Others

Often in the realm of public speaking you will be called upon to evaluate others. Because your are more aware of what is being said and how it is being said, you become a better at evaluating someone.

Keep this in mind when you are evaluating others.

• Have a plan to evaluate. Have some kind of score card or rubric to evaluate from if possible (see Evaluation Form Examples).
• Understand the level of experience of the speaker you are evaluating. A good speech for a novice is different than a good speech of someone who has been professionally speaking. 
• Be honest in your evaluation. Remember that you are evaluating from your experience and what you believe to be good or bad. Just be honest and fair.
• Find positives to evaluate as well as some areas of improvement.
• Separate the speech from the speaker. You may or may not like the individual giving the speech. Focus on the speech rather than the individual.
• Give feedback that can be used. Often I see evaluations that say "You did a great job." Well that doesn't help. You need to explain how and/or why they did a great job. BE SPECIFIC.

In conclusion, I would say that becoming an active listener will help you in all areas of your life. Being a good listener takes practice, lots of practice.

Questions

1. How has active listening helped you personally or professionally in your life?
2. How has the lack of active listening hurt you in your personal or professional life?
3. Why is critical thinking so important to you? How can increasing your critical thinking skills help you get what you want in life?
4. Think back to the statement, "Your truth is based off your perception and your perception can change." What does that mean to you and how does it affect your listening skills?

Overcoming Armpit Tacos (Speech Anxiety)

Everyone gets nervous their first time in front of a big audience, and many get nervous after their hundredth time in front of an audience.

The fact is, we all experience the emotion of anxiety, and we all experience it differently (like getting sweating armpits that soak through your shirt (aka Armpit Tacos).

The purpose of this lesson is to help you understand public speaking anxiety and what you can do to lessen those "jitters."

PSA (public speaking anxiety)

Yes that is a real term (at least in textbooks). By definition it is "fear or anxiety associated with either actual or anticipated communication to and audience as a speaker."

Experts have identified some potential causes of PSA. They are:

1. No experience in public speaking.
2. Having had a negative experience when giving a speech.
3. The feeling of being different from the audience.
4. Being the "center of attention."

Solutions to your anxiety

Everyone experiences anxiety differently and at different times throughout the speechmaking process. As you become more comfortable and advanced in your public speaking abilities, your anxiety(s) will also change.

Number one solution to control your anxiety in public speaking is…to be as a Boy Scout and to always be prepared. Of course that is a good rule for anything you are doing in life-BE PREPARED.

How to BE PREPARED

1. Research. Know your topic, your audience, the environment you will be presenting in, etc. (See Lesson 2)
2. Practice. Repetition is the mother of skill and the more you practice giving your speech (in front of a mirror, in front of family/friends, in an empty classroom) the better you will be. 
3. Expect Anxiety. Yes, you need to expect that you will have some butterflies. It's better to expect this feeling than try to deny it. Some feel anxiety before the speech (during preparation), some feel anxiety during the speech, and some will feel anxiety before and during. It's okay, it's expected.
4. Visualize. Yes this actually works and can help you while you are practicing. Close your eyes while you are practicing your speech. I have used this technique with numerous students and many have commented that it helped considerably. 

Other Solutions to Speaker Anxiety

Fake it Until You Make It. This saying has stuck with me since I was a young buck in college. I was stressed out that I wasn't going retain everything from all of my studies. One of my professors told me that sometimes in life I will need to fake it til' I make it, in other words, be confident and act like I knew what I was doing until I did know what I was doing. Hey, it worked, and it still works to this day.

**This is not good advice for doctors and those who are in the profession of saving lives.**

Be Positive. Having good "positive" thoughts about speaking will relieve your stress. Have you ever heard the saying "Attitude is Everything!"? Well it's another one of those cliches that are true.

Create a Checklist. Some people feel better when they have a checklist to check off, such as:

• Appropriate topic selected.
• Researched information for topic.
• Audience researched.
• Outline completed.
• Practiced in front of mirror.
• Visualized the speech.
• Timed my speech (Time was_______).
• Checked out all audio/visual equipment.

Learn to Meditate. I'm a personal fan of Dr. Wayne Dyer and his book/CD on relaxation called "Getting in the Gap."

Relaxation Breathing. Inhale slowly through your nose and let your abdomen fill up (your belly not your chest). Hold it in for five seconds and imagine little oxygen cells cleaning out your body. Exhale slowly while imagining all that anxiety leaving your body in a black cloud. Feel yourself being cleansed from the inside out.

Move Around. You can control anxiety by moving around when you talk. Make sure these are natural and "non-distracting" movements. You might just want to video yourself speaking to see what your body movements are.

You Get to Speak. Choosing to, or getting to speak is much more relaxing than having to speak. Enjoy the opportunity that you "get to" speak.

Dress for Success. It is a fact that your dress changes how you act. Dress nice, comb your hair (get a haircut), ladies get your hair and nails done (yep, I just gave you an excuse) and there is a good chance you will feel better. Oh yeah, wear clothing that will not show perspiration (Armpit Tacos).

Drink Water. It is acceptable to have bottled water when you speak (it will help with dry mouth). It is looked down upon to have anything else to drink. Your 64 oz Big Chill mug is not "cool" (actually, it's never cool looking in any setting). Your Starbucks Grande Machachino Whatever is also not considered professional. Coffee is casual not professional.

Evaluate yourself appropriately. Don't be hard on yourself. List all the positives that you did during your speech and then list all the areas you "get to" improve on. It is "highly recommended" to always list more things you did well than those things you want to improve on. I recommend a 2:1 ratio- two positives for every one area of improvement.

Questions

1. What are some other techniques that you use to help with anxiety?
2. Describe a time that you felt confident in an activity you were doing. How did you feel, what did you do to prepare, and how can you recreate that feeling when you are going to give a speech?
3. What is your biggest fear in public speaking and how can you overcome it?

Your First Speech

Every journey begins with your first step and every great speaker had to start with their first speech. Your first speech is meant to “test” the waters and begin to get a feel for what public speaking is all about. Experts will tell you that the best way to overcome nervousness about speaking in public is to get up and deliver a speech (a short one preferably).

There are many tools and techniques in giving a great speech and you will learn those in later lessons, but for now you will just need to have a sense of the various steps involved in developing and presenting a speech. Really, preparing a speech is not very different than organizing and writing a paper (one you did in 5th grade).

The Speech Development Process

Select a Topic. You can’t speak if you don’t know what to speak about. Your first speech (and most speeches) is about a topic that you are familiar with, and better yet, passionate about. Here are some questions that will help you discover a topic.

1. What am I passionate about?
2. What inspires me?
3. What is something that I am good at?
4. What is unique about me?
5. What is a good story about me?
6. What is controversial?
7. What is a hobby of mine?
8. If I could be doing anything right now, what would it be and why?

The “what, why, and how” statements are always good for starting the thought process. One of my sayings is, “Ask a better question, and you get a better answer.” This applies to so many problems in life, including finding a topic to speak on. There is a book that I highly recommend that deals with asking yourself good questions, it’s called The Question behind the Question. This is a book I have included in my resource library.

Analyze the Audience. The process of analyzing your audience is actually a highly systematic process that I will discuss in another lesson, but just know for now that it is important to know whom you are going to be speaking to. What is the audience’s age, gender, religion, interest, etc. What does the audience already know and how much do they know about the topic you have picked? The more you know about your audience, the better off you will be.

Speech Purpose and Specific Purpose. Once you have selected an appropriate topic and you understand your audience, you need to determine the purpose of your speech. There are two types of purpose, general and specific. A general purpose would be to inform, persuade, or for a special occasion such as a wedding or dinner event. A specific purpose is a declarative statement that states what you expect your speech will accomplish. An example would be: To persuade the audience that running is the best form of exercise.

Compose a Thesis Statement. A thesis statement clearly expresses the central idea of your speech. It follows the general and specific purpose you have already created. A thesis statement is often called a topic sentence.

Main Points. Main points are the primary concepts or arguments of your speech. Each main point directly relates to your specific purpose and thesis statement.

Supporting Material. Supporting material “supports” the main points. Each main point will need additional material to help clarify and give strength to your speech. Supporting material can be direct quotes, statistics, personal experiences, research, etc. The more reputable your supporting material, the more credible your speech will be. Remember, everything on the Internet is not true!

Outline Your Speech. Every speech is made up of 5 major parts: attention-getter, introduction, body, conclusion, memorable ending.

1. Attention-getter: does just what it says, gets the audience's attention. A good speaker will use some kind of material that will resonate with the audience. It's important to remember that an attention-getter enhances the topic and purpose. Attention-getters can be:
1. A clean, funny joke that ties into the speech.
2. A story (personal or narrative).
3. Some "secret" information or information that is not widely known.
4. A quote.
5. A poem.
2. Introduction: welcomes the audience, introduces yourself, introduces the topic and purpose, catches the audience’s attention and interest, and provides a clear transition to body of speech.
3. Body of Speech: introduces the main ideas of the speech and illustrates them with supporting material. The body of the speech is an organization of your ideas and is well suited for the audience. There is a transition statement at the end of the body to the conclusion statement.
4. Conclusion Statement: tells the audience what you just told them (reiterate the specific purpose and main points). A good conclusion leaves the audience satisfied and with something to think about. This is your last chance to be memorable.
5. Memorable ending: wraps up the speech and leaves a "powerful" impression with your audience. It ties into your speech and enhances the topic you presented. A memorable statement can be:
1. A highlight or main point of the speech you want to emphasize.
2. A rhetorical question/statement.
3. A story (funny or emotional)
4. A quote
5. A poem

Presentation Aids. Always consider what presentations aids will be used to make your speech more effective. You will also need to consider the venue you will be presenting in because it may not be equipped with the technology or layout for your presentation aids (PowerPoint, audio, video, displays, etc.).

Practice. Practice your speech ahead of time. If you can video yourself or record yourself (it will surprise you and may even embarrass you). You will want to practice the following:

• Using appropriate body language.
• Volume of voice.
• Speed at which you talk (most beginners will talk much faster when presenting, even after they have practiced).
• Using words correctly (pronunciation).  
• Reducing your filler words (um, and, uh, and so, yah, etc.).
• Smiling and using appropriate facial expressions.
• Making eye contact with your audience.

Your first speech will be a lot easier than you think.



Questions

1. What are some other tips and tricks that will help you prepare for your first speech?
   
2. Reflect back on a recent speech (or your first speech) you have given, what would you have done differently and why?
   
3. Do you really think picturing your audience naked or bald is a good technique to use (especially in your first speech)? Why or why not?
   

The Benefits of Public Speaking

Why should you become really good at public speaking?
The ability to speak confidently and convincingly in public is an asset to anyone who wants to take an active role in the classroom, workplace, and community. Mastering the skills of public speaking will accelerate your professional and personal goals.
Let me repeat that. MASTERING THE SKILLS OF PUBLIC SPEAKING WILL ACCELERATE YOUR PROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL GOALS.
Public speaking is a vital part of communication, and effective communication is critical to living successfully and happily in today’s society. There have been studies that have shown “a direct correlation between how well you communicate and how well you are satisfied with life." Unless you live on a deserted island with a volleyball named Wilson, there is a good chance that you will need to master your oratory and nonverbal skills while incorporating and understanding the appropriate uses of rhetoric (if not for your personal and professional success, at least for your personal happiness).
Side note- Rhetoric is how we use (or study) language effectively and persuasively, or as the ancient Greeks said, “The use of words to change ideas.”
In a job survey performed by the National Association and Colleges and Employers (www.naceweb.org), they found that the top personal qualities and skills rated by Employers included:

1. Communication skills (written and verbal
2. Honesty/integrity
3. Interpersonal skills (relates well to others)
4. Motivation/initiative
5. Strong work ethic
6. Teamwork skills (works well with others)

As you can see, all of these tie into communication skills directly or indirectly.
Enhancing your ability to communicate through public speaking will:

1. Help you more quickly accomplish your personal and professional goals (and most likely achieve even a higher success than what you imagined).
2. Enhance your career as a student, employee, employer, family member, and all the different social circles (social networks) you belong to.
3. Allow you to explore and share your values. (Speaking to an audience whose knowledge or opinions differ than your own can quite rewarding).
4. Allow you to hone in your critical thinking skills and listening skills.

Please respond to one (or more) of the following questions.

1. How will public speaking help you accomplish your goals or how have you seen public speaking help you accomplish your goals?
2. How can public speaking help you enhance your career or how has it helped you in your career?
3. Why would speaking to an audience that does not share your some views be rewarding or have you had an opportunity to speak to an audience that does not share your views- what did it feel like and how did it turn out? What would you have done differently?
4. How does public speaking enhance your critical thinking skills and listening skills?