Effective Public Speaking:

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1 Effective Public Speaking: (Even If Your Knees Are Knocking!) Janie Walters Champion Communications P. O. Box 443, Madison, MS Office: Cell: Web site: 1

2 Effective Public Speaking: Even If Your Knees Are Knocking! Janie Walters, BS, MS Champion Communications P. O. Box 443, Madison, MS Office: Cell: Website: Course Overview: I. Conquering Stage Fright II. Selecting the Content A. Audience analysis B. Types of content C. Use of visual aids III. Organizing the Content A. Basic Three-Main-Point Outline B. Using verbal cues IV. Delivering the Speech A. Methods of delivery B. Tone of Voice C. Body language I. Conquering Stage Fright A. General Observations 1. All people experience stage fright. 2. All people share the same physical symptoms. 3. Primarily, too much adrenaline and too little oxygen cause all symptoms. 4. It is better to be nervous than over-confident. 5. Stage fright feels worse than it looks. B. Tips for controlling Stage Fright 1. Prepare thoroughly. 2. Relax before you speak: breathe, exercise, and visualize success. 3. Focus on your topic, not on your fear. 4. Care about your audience don t worry about yourself. 5. Realize that fear is good and will pass. 6. Inject humor. Laughter helps you and the audience. 7. Use gestures, eye contact, platform movement. Note: visual aids help a speaker to apply all three of these. 8. Use note cards if you fear your hands will shake. 9. If your mouth becomes dry, slow down. 10. If you re feeling inferior, dress up. 11. Speak as often as you can. Experience is a great teacher! 2

3 II. Selecting Your Content A. Audience Analysis To analyze an audience means to examine the people in the audience and the speaking situation to determine the important aspects of each. A simple way to accomplish Audience analysis is to use the journalistic W s Who, Why Where When, and What. 1. WHO requires a demographic profile, or more simply, an examination of the physical, mental, and emotional characteristics of the audience, i.e., age, sex, education, race, religion, political affiliation, social status, probably attitude, etc. 2. WHY am I speaking for what occasion? Regular club meeting, formal banquet, keynote at conference, weekly staff meeting? Why am I speaking? What is my purpose? What do I want to accomplish? Most important of all, why does the audience need to hear this speech? 3. WHERE am I speaking? Where includes considerations like in a large or small room, inside or outdoors, Southern or Eastern part of the nation, with or without a microphone, bright lights or dim candles? 4. WHEN am I speaking? Consider making adjustments for before or after lunch? when on the program you speak 1 st speaker or 5 th? Are holidays near? 5. WHAT must I include to meet these needs: jokes, facts, stories, visual aids, audience participation? B. Types of Content 1. Facts anything that can be proven to be true. 2. Statistics facts in number form i.e., 75%, 9 out of 10 doctors, 300,000, Illustrations examples, details, instances that throw light on a subject 4. Quotations statements from authoritative sources 5. Anecdotes short, true stories, sometimes humorous 6. Jokes a humorous story or observation that contains a punch line 7. Analogies comparisons of two unlike things, explaining one by using the other 8. Stories personal references, historical references, literary references 9. Current events announcement or commentary 10. Visual material charts, pictures, drawings, tangible objects, etc. 3

4 C. Rules for Using Visual Aids 1. Stand beside your visual aid --- not between it and the audience. 2. If the visual is an object, hold it high enough to be seen by all. 3. Talk to the audience, not to the visual aid. 4. Display the visual aid when it is needed and remove it when you are no longer referring to it. 5. When using a printed visual aid, check for readability from every corner of the room. Too much writing on a visual makes it difficult to read. Keep it simple and utilize white space. 6. Written visuals should have a title, i.e., How To Write A Resume, Topographical Map of Iraq, Five Ways to Save Money, etc. 7. Double check spelling and punctuation of all written visuals. 8. Avoid passing visual aids around the room. It distracts listeners from current information and leads to loss and damage of the visual. 4

5 III. Organizing The Content Basic Three-Main-Point Outline I. Introduction A. Attention Device something to capture attention i.e. a joke, story, quotation, statistic, startling statement, visual aid, action, etc. B. Purpose For Speaking Identify the specific purpose for speaking, which is the topic you will be discussing. Note: Do not actually say the words, My purpose for speaking today is to. C. Reason For Listening Give the audience a reason to listen to you. What will they gain if they listen? D. Preview of the Body (Verbal Cue: There are three. ) 1. Same as A. of the Body 2. Same as B. of the Body 3. Same as C. of the Body II. Body A. Same label as A. of the Preview. Give the content related to this point. Verbal Cue: First. B. Same label as B. of the Preview. Give the content related to this point. Verbal Cue: Second. C. Same label as C. of the Preview. Give the content related to this point. Verbal Cue: Third or Finally. III. Conclusion A. Summary of the Body (Verbal Cue: In summary. ) 1. Same as A. of the Body 2. Same as B. of the Body 3. Same as C. of the Body B. Return to Purpose Refer back to your statements in B. and/or C. of your Introduction, reminding the audience what you set out to do and showing them that you have accomplished it. C. Amen One sentence that summarizes the main idea of the entire speech. 5

6 IV. Delivering The Speech A. Methods of Delivery 1. Memorization Learn the speech word for word and recite without the use of notes. a. advantages good eye contact, free platform movements, great word choice, good organization b. disadvantages might forget the speech, often sounds memorized, can t respond to feedback, time-consuming c. occasions for use a contest 2. Manuscript The speech is written on paper and read word for word from the paper. a. advantages good organization, great word choice, will not forget the speech b. disadvantages poor eye contact, often sounds read, limited platform movement, limited hand gestures c. occasions for use any time you are going to be quoted in the media, to explain complicated material, to observe strict time limits, if your speech will become a part of an organization s history 3. Impromptu Speaking on the spur of the moment with little or no preparation time. a. advantages not time consuming, low audience expectation b. disadvantages you actually have nothing to say, tend to ramble, may give inaccurate facts, more prone to verbalized pauses c. occasions for use club meetings, conferences, staff meetings, classroom, and church meetings 4. Extemporaneous A well planned and rehearsed speech delivered using limited notes. a. advantages great organization, good word choice, good eye contact, freedom for platform movement, adjusts easily to respond to feedback, natural voice tone, sincere expression b. disadvantages time-consuming, might omit something you planned to say c. occasions for use any time you know about your speech in advance 6

7 B. Tone Of Voice (Also known as paralanguage not what you say but how you say it.) A sincere, confident, and enthusiastic tone of voice is created by effectively utilizing the following vocal techniques: 1. Articulation How clearly one sounds the words, stressing mainly the consonants. 2. Pronunciation How one says a word, stressing mainly syllables and vowels. 3. Resonance The amplification of the voice in the hollows of the head. 4. Pitch Where on the musical scale one speaks. 5. Range Distance between your highest and lowest pitches. 6. Inflection the rise and fall of the voice on the musical scale. 7. Pause A brief hesitation of the voice. Pause is used for clarity, emphasis, and expressiveness. 8. Volume Loudness of the sound. 9. Force Strength and vigor of the sound 10. Intensity Controlled vocal energy. 11. Rate Speed of speaking. 12. Emphasis Stress placed on words or syllables. 13. Flexibility Ability to use all of the vocal mechanisms in a pleasant and interest-sustaining way. 7

8 C. Body Language 1. Approach the speaker s stand with confidence. 2. Don t begin until you are set. Don t leave until you are through. 3. Make intense, constant eye contact. a. Why? To establish the feeling she s talking to me, and to monitor feedback. b. How? Randomly let your eyes float across the room, making contact in no certain pattern. Don t glance up and down too often. Don t look out windows or at ceilings and floors. Do not read your speech to an audience! 4. Gestures What to do with my hands?! Standard holding positions: (holding, waiting to gesture) 1. One or both hands hanging naturally by your side 2. One or both hands resting on the speaker s stand 3. One or both arms bent comfortably with hands cupped at waistline Rules Governing Gestures: 1. Gestures should have a beginning and an end. 2. Match the size to the size of your audience. 3. Gestures should be well-timed. 4. Gestures should range from waist to shoulder height. 5. Gesture away from, and in front of, the body. 6. Broad gestures indicate confidence. 7. Facial and head expressions are more important that hand and arm movements!! 8. Gestures should include descriptive gestures (actually forming the look of the object or feeling, as in pantomiming) and non-descriptive gestures (the idea of simply underlining the importance of the word). 9. There are 12 levels of physical energy. Gestures should fall between levels 4 and 9 for normal expressiveness. 10. Avoid: slapping your thighs, repetition, fidgeting, and hands in pockets, hands behind the back, hands on the hips. 5. Platform movement Walking around on stage When to move: 1) to tell the audience something confidential or personal (like whispering), 2) to address all of the listeners (some tables may be blocked by posts, heads, etc.), 3) to change to a new topic or to change moods, and 4) to provide variety. Don t pace. All movement should have purpose! 6. Appearance: 1) We make our first judgments about what kind of a speaker you will be based on the first moment we see you. Your appearance speaks volumes! 2) Dress to suit your personality, your audience, and the occasion. Neatness is always a must. Ladies, avoid lowcut necklines and really short mini-skirts. 3) Smile! Audiences are more accepting of your ideas and forgiving of your mistakes when you smile!! 8

9 Janie Walters Champion Communications Workshops available through Champion Communications include: Blow A Bubble, Not A Gasket! (Stress Management Techniques That Really Work!) Popeye and Popsicles or POP Goes The Weasel! (The Importance of Humor in the Workplace) The Garbage Truck Comes On Tuesdays and Fridays! (Neutralizing Negatives Accentuating Positives) Normal Is Gone, And It Won t Be Back! (Coping With and Embracing Change) YOU SAID WHAT?!#$%?&#?? Communicating Effectively: Listening and Speaking, In That Order! (Presentation can be divided into just Listening Effectively or just Speaking Effectively.) It s Been A Pleasure Doing Business With You! (Customer Service Redefined / Salesmanship Skills) When Your Blood Starts Boiling, Don't Let It Cook Your Goose! (Conflict Resolution and Anger Management) To Boldly Go Where Few Have Gone Before: Leadership Skills for the 21 st Century!! A New Day Or Just Another One? (Living Your Dreams; Goal-setting; Time Management) Teamwork: United We Stand, Divided We Need Excedrin! The Little Engine Did, And So Can You! (The Power of Optimism to Move an Individual or Organization Forward) God Bless Em, Change Em, or TAKE EM! (Dealing Successfully with Difficult People) Effective Public Speaking: Even When Your Knees Are Knocking!!! Sharpening Mighty Pens! (Learn to Construct Sentences, Paragraphs, and Articles with the Precision of Pros!) For more information on how you can schedule one of these presentations, call or write: Janie Walters, Champion Communications Office joyfullyjanie@aol.com 9

The Little Engine Did, And So Can You!

The Little Engine Did, And So Can You! The Power of Optimism Key Definitions Optimism an inclination to put the most favorable construction upon actions and events or to anticipate the best possible outcome.