EFFECTIVE SPEAKING

Rumessa Naqvi

AIM

• To discuss the art of Communication with special emphasis on Public Speaking

Speaking Opportunities

• • At work – Selling your ideas – Technical presentations – Customer Presentations and Reviews Daily Life – School Board Meetings – Town Zoning Board Meetings – PTA Meetings – Dramatic/Debating/… Society Meetings

• • • Differences between Public Speaking (PS) and Conversation PS is more structured – Usually time limited – Questions not allowed to interrupt the speech, • usually left for at end (time permitting) PS requires more formal language – No slang, jargon or bad grammar – Speeches should be something special so that they qualify as life events and are remembered PS requires a different method for delivery – More formal delivery • No vocalized pauses – “uh”, “ah”, “um” • Don’t use stock phrases repeatedly – “you know”, “basically”, “I mean”

FOCUS

• Unifying your talk around a central theme or idea.

Concentrate on: • What is most important?

– What is the exact problem?

– What is the “bottom-line”?

Content

Choosing the content 1. Choose a topic you can handle 2. Strictly define the topic 3. Gauge the audience 4. Determine the kind of occasion 5. Check out the setting

Organization Brainstorming is essential!

Clustering

Organization

For every ten bad ideas, there is one good one; and for every ten good ones, there is one that is practical.

--Michael Eisner Former CEO, Walt Disney Company

ORGANIZE

• Structure your talk 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

State the main issue Develop your viewpoint with specifics Handle any questions End with a clear summary Make a last statement or request

Organization

Organize into 3 parts

Introduction Body Conclusion

Preparation

• • Always plan the closing first.

Sequence of preparation: Closing Body Opening

Organization

The Introduction • Introduce the message—focus the audience • Anecdote, fact, quote—grab their attention • State your intention

Beginnings

• Some ways of beginning that should be avoided: 1. Apology 2. Complaint 3. Webster’s dictionary 4. Reference to the title

Organization

The Body • Deliver the message— convince the audience • 3-5 main points, covered equally • Clearly identify the points as you make them

Organization

• • The Body • I will present three approaches to protecting endangered species.

The first approach is captive breeding… Now, the second approach, reintroduction...

• The third is my favorite—habitat protection…

Organizing a Speech: Supporting Materials

• Supporting Materials – The “flesh” that fills out the skeleton of your speech – By themselves main points are only assertions.

– Listeners need supporting materials to accept what the speaker says – Three major types of supporting materials: • • • Examples Statistics Testimony – Always provide sources to give credibility to the supporting materials

Organization

The Conclusion • Synthesize the main points • Motivate the audience • Give the audience a specific challenge • Strong finish, so audience knows when you’re done!

Practicing

Practice is a process, not an event

• Practice is • Practice is not not rehearsing the night before memorizing the talk • Practice

IS

gradually getting to know and love the talk

Performing

Like it or not, you are a performer!

• Listeners judge you by performance, more than content • Listeners decide to like/dislike you in the first few minutes.

DRAMATIZE

Don’t just tell it,

show it

• What is your main idea?

– Find a vivid memorable way to make your point – Can you tell the story visually?

• Chart, graph, photo, demonstration

Use your creative imagination

HUMANIZE

People are more important than things • Don’t get lost in numbers • Cut the jargon • Think: how does my main idea relate to real people in their own day to day lives?

Strategies For Getting Started With Confidence

• • • Prepare and Practice Visualize Success Use Relaxation Techniques

Strategies for Getting Started With Confidence:

Freedom to Walk

• Walk around as you make some of your points  Movement relieves tension, and it helps to hold the audiences attention

Strategies for Getting Started With Confidence:

Natural Gestures

• Practice some controlled, natural gestures that might be useful in enhancing your speech, such as holding up your index finger when starting your first main point

Strategies for Getting Started With Confidence Gestures • Don’t …put hands in pockets • Don’t …wave the pointer like a conductor • Don’t …lean on the podium • Don’t …stare at the floor, window, screen • Don’t …hide behind the podium

Avoid

11 deadly dangers

while speaking publically

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

No clear objective Forgetting the audience.

Anticlimactic ending.

Mysterious opening.

Loss of focus.

No script.

Poor delivery.

Bad visuals.

9.

Weak evidence.

10.

Negative attitude.

11.

No follow-up.