Whether it's the first time you speak in public, or the hundredth, a lecture at the university or a school project, if before you many people from your sector that you admire will speak, or it will have to be just you to speak, speak in audience can scare you. So how can you transform yourself from a panicked person to a self-confident speaker? The best way to do this is to gain experience, but there are some methods that can help you improve your confidence in your means. Keep reading!
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Preparation
Step 1. Know your audience - knowing your audience will make the experience easier
Having as much information as possible about the education, age, and number of people to speak to will allow you to prepare yourself more effectively, because you will know what the audience is hoping to achieve from your speech.
Step 2. If you have been asked to speak on a specific topic, it is essential to know if the people you will be teaching are laymen or experts
This aspect will determine the quality of your searches and the content of your speech. If they are beginners, you will not have to talk too complexly, and if they are experts you will need to be careful not to repeat what they already know.
Step 3. The tone of your speech will also need to change according to the amount of people you are speaking to
A lecture to a large group (50+) will be much more formal than a lecture to a small group of people. When you talk to a few people, you can involve them in the conversation by asking questions and addressing them directly.
Step 4. In some cases it is not possible to get all this information before the talk, so you will have to try to adapt
Imagine getting ready to give a lesson to 50-70 experienced people, but due to bad weather, your audience only consists of 6 beginners. The situation will be much less formal, and you can start by asking what they expect from the lesson, what their background is, and comparing your ideas.
Step 5. Do your research - The better you are prepared on the subject, the better the speech will be
It is better to be too prepared than poorly prepared. If you don't have much experience, write down everything you want to say, including jokes and jokes. Many people argue that this is bad practice, but if you are able to read your notes naturally, you will be able to get away with it. Only very experienced speakers can speak without notes. You can write these notes in whatever form you like, and you shouldn't try to follow any particular method.
Step 6. Keep in mind that all of your preparation holes will be noticed and questioned by audience members, so to prevent embarrassing moments, make sure there are no holes, incorrect statements or uncertainties
Never assume that "no one will notice" or "no one will ask a question about this." Always be prepared to answer these kinds of questions. Try to think of as many questions as possible and prepare an answer.
Step 7. If you find yourself thinking "I hope no one asks me anything about it
.. ", you will most likely be asked, so prepare an answer. But if you are asked a question that you don't know the answer to, don't be afraid to admit it. You can soften the impact of your answer with phrases like" I don't have yet researched that topic "and" is an interesting line of thinking, which I hadn't considered ", instead of saying" I don't know. "Don't risk making up an answer; someone would notice.
Step 8. Timing - You will be given a time window for your speech, in some cases flexible (eg between 10-15 minutes), which you will need to respect, as running out of time is considered rude
It is important to respect the deadlines, because otherwise you risk having to rush the final part of your speech or being interrupted. For example, if you are given 20 minutes, the audience will be aware of it, and will start to move and get impatient if you run out of time, distracting you, and you will know that they will no longer be listening to you, but thinking about lunch or coffee break.
Step 9. Assume that speaking 2000 words will take approximately 10 minutes
So for a one-hour speech, about 10,000-12,000 words will be needed. It might seem difficult to write so much for a speech, but it's a great guideline for gauging the amount of information you will need. As you get more experience, the size of the speech will come naturally to you, and you won't need such meticulous preparation. It is better to have too much information prepared than to finish a lesson ten minutes early, because if you are a speaker you begin, you will hate those ten minutes devoted to questions. If you're getting paid to talk, you might not look like it was money well spent.
Step 10. Practice giving the speech at home, and time yourself
Remember to speak slower than you normally would to be heard and understood.
Method 2 of 2: Diction
Step 1. Now that you've prepared your speech, comes the hard part, delivering it
The better your preparation, the easier it will be to deliver the speech. There are tons of excellent speakers in the world, so don't be ashamed to look at a few and observe their style. However, it is essential to remain yourself to become a good speaker.
Step 2. Even though every speaker gets into "character" when they step onto the podium, it doesn't change their personality
For example, if you don't make jokes in real life, don't do it during a speech - there's nothing worse than an "academic joke" that doesn't make anyone laugh. If you are lively and impetuous in life, behave the same way when you talk. You can be professional and fun at the same time if it seems appropriate to you.
Step 3. To begin, just focus on delivering your speech clearly and concisely
You can do this in different ways. Some people help themselves with notes, writing notes, which contain keywords or headings of sections of the speech. As you become more experienced you will be able to speak following only a list of key information, such as names and data or slides.
Step 4. You will have to experiment with different note-taking methods, and choose the one that helps you the most
A good speaker is a confident speaker, so worrying about which note-taking method to use and forgetting something important won't help you. If you need to write everything down, to avoid making a "silent scene", go ahead and do it. There is nothing wrong with talking to a safety net; you will be a better speaker if you are ready for anything.
Step 5. Always read your notes before arriving at the place where you will deliver the speech, so that they are fresh in your mind and you don't need to rely on your notes entirely
Also remember that you are the only person who knows EXACTLY what you want to talk about, so if you skip somewhere, no one will know.
Advice
- The audience showed up to hear you speak, so they're interested in what you have to say. Enjoy the feeling of being the center of attention. Nothing is better than someone who is openly interested in your ideas, opinions and knowledge. So enjoy this experience, and deliver a speech that reflects yourself, your personality, and your interests. Public speaking should be a pleasure, not a nuisance.
- Public speaking will get easier and easier with experience, so don't be discouraged.
