Public speaking is an art and not just habit. In fact, effective public speaking can also be linked to effective leadership, and that is something to consider when it comes to your current and future professional goals.
In his article The Power of Public Speaking, Especially for Young People (2018), author Roberto Carmona identified ten elements and tips to use in preparing for presentations:
Know your audience’s needs and expectations to define the topic.
Research the topic (data and stories).
Structure the speech for the audience needs.
Check out the location and the room prior to the presentation.
Respect people’s time by knowing the timeframe you are given.
Set goals for impact prior to giving speech.
Practice the presentation many times.
Study other speakers and public speaking techniques.
Think of “worst case” scenarios, and what to do if there are technological difficulties or unexpected distractions.
Remind yourself that the speech is not about you: it is focused to serve the audience.
During this course, we will explore each of these effective public speaking tips in more detail, and you will have an opportunity to present speeches and develop visual aids for various presentations.
Remember that a good speech is like a delicious 3-course meal:
Your introduction should be like the appetizer. This would be compared to a salad or other small snack served before your main meal at a restaurant.
The body of your paper should be like main course. This would be compared to your entrée that you order for your main meal: chicken, steak, fish, or pasta, for example.
Don’t forget that a 3-course meal ends with a dessert, and that compares to your speech’s conclusion. This would be like ice cream or cake.
As you get stronger at speech development, you will also start to think about transitions, which are sentences that help you move from the introduction to your first main point, from your first main point to your second main point, and your main points to your conclusion. Effective transitions can you’re your audience see the connections between points, and they also make your speech sound seamless and polished!
Objectives
Define the essentials of public speaking in a variety of settings