’If your lips would keep from slips,
Five things observe with care;
To whom you speak, of whom you speak,
And how, and when and where.’
~William Edward Norris
That sums up the tips for an effective speech!.
Just to finish my words lets elaborate.though nothing new is said here.It just stresses the points already known.
Many a times we give a speech or two without knowing that it is actually a speech we are making, be it in our appraisals, to put our point across in a group of friends, to propose a girl/guy or speak on a subject in front of a large audience.
All these happen to be some variants of speech in their own sense and require due care and attention before delivering the same.
Delivering an effective speech requires that we give some thought and time and work over the following points.
1. To Whom you speak.Know the audience
This is the part on which most people fall short of.
As is said rightly.
’Discretion of speech is more than eloquence;
and to speak agreeably to him with whom we deal
is more than to speak in good words or in good order’
~Francis Bacon
Before even preparing your speech, one most important thing to note is to get to know your audience. Their background, their family types, their culture, their work, their interests.
The first step towards preparing a speech needs to start from here.This would give the speaker an opportunity to align his/her speech to the taste of the audience.
Afterall speech is a way of communicating one’s ideas in way that is acceptable and believable to the audience.
2. Of whom you speak-Know the subject
’Keep the golden mean between saying too much and too little’.
No need to elaborate much on this aspect.Extensive research needs to be made on the subject, however keeping the speech short.The disadvantage of making extensive research is that there is a possibility of getting dragged too much on the
facts and facets on the subject leading the audience to go wary.
An optimality has to be arrived when gathering facts.summarize and resummarize the points to be covered.
The result - you will be avoiding such comments as’Man!, he thinks as if he is the one who knows it all’
3. And how you speak.Know the art of speaking
’The most precious things in speech are the pauses.’
~Ralph Richardson
Speaking is an art and so is silence in between.The good thing about a lil bit of silence in between is that it gives time to modulate one’s voice, gather audience reaction and adjust the pace, the flow and adapt oneself accordingly.
One example for such a speaker would be our ex PM Atal Bihari Vaajpayee.though some times the pause would cause a real hodgepodge!
’Sandwich the actual speech with
a colourful beginning and a thoughtful ending’
As gifts need to be packaged with a colourful package, so is the case with the speeches.The first line needs to be very catchy, yet should not deviate from the essence of the speech that is to follow.
One of the managers in our firm, while delivering his speech in the evening time starts the speech with’Good morning everybody, the weather seems so fresh and its good to see the sun just rising!’
Such things would make the audience alert, a smile on their face and make them more attentive.
Be on the lookout for something innovative though they may not rhyme or be already tried and tested.
I personally feel that using quotes at the beginning of the speech looks very artificial.Its better to come up with something of your own rather than quoting some one else’s speech in your speech.
’As is our confidence, so is our capacity.’
Confidence remains the background process in delivering an effective speech.Many beginners are not confident while giving a speech especially on the diaz.Here it is better to approach the tried and tested way of delivering the draft speech in front of freinds and colleagues and correcting oneself with constructive inputs.Practicing a lot by creating a virtual speech environment would build up the confidence level.
4. And when and where you speak.Know the time and the place
Nothing much to stress here.its better to know the time and venue of the speech and make sure that all is ready and get a feel of the atmosphere there.Though these things are taken care by the organizer.Knowing this would assist in proper planning to be at the venue and make any specific arrangements just before the nth minute.
That ends the written speech on delivering an effective speech.Happy speaking!
Cheers,
Amaresh