Who is a good speaker ? Or an Orator ?
Want to become one !
Then make it a point to listen, because thats when You will realise that the most endearing speaker is the one who makes it a point to listen to what his audience wants.
Always remember to understand what kind of audience you are addressing.
Understand the relevance of the topic given to you vis a vis the target audience.
Keep a sharp look out for tell tale signs of a yawn, or a distracted look - your first signs that you are not holding the attention of the crowd.
Get your audience to warm up to you-Remember that the listeners need to feel important enough to WANT to listen to you.
Try to win over the audience by either relating a humorous incident or a heart touching one. In both circumstances, KISS (Keep It SHORT & SIMPLE)
Time your talk. Never exceed your given time.
The most important thing you can do is to PLAN and Prepare before hand.
Plan your speech into 3 very basic parts. viz.
Your Introduction (light and invigorating)
Your body (To the point but descriptive)
Your Conclusion(Again light but leave a lot of food for thought)
Have a warm glass of water or coffee (a great morale booster) before your talk to whet your parched throat - not a cold drink which freezes your throat in an air-conditioned environment and causes you to lose your voice and sound like a frog’s croak (or a voice that even you’ll be surprised to hear yourself)
Take a couple of deep breaths or blow strongly into the cusp of your hands to minimize stutter.
The first part is your make or break affair with the listeners. It’s the Ice-Breaker segment where the audience gives you a once over and decides in a few minutes or seconds whether they want to listen to you or not. If you falter here, you might as well say good bye to your connection with your audience. Hence plan it well. And make sure it has relevance to your main topic and body of your speech.
The body of your Speech should be well researched and please be sure of the facts. If not, then please admit it.
Ideally, your audience would expect you to be an expert on the TOPIC.
Preferably have small cards with basic points written in clear bold letters that summarize what you intend to speak about. Let these cards be large enough for you to read without any difficulty - yet small enough not to be too visible to the audience. And, do not keep shuffling these papers/cards - a sure shot sign of nervousness.
Conclude with a brief wrap over of what you have stated. Leave the best for the last. Use strong punch lines to create a lasting impression.
Voice modulation helps in achieving your goal. Lower and raise the pitch of your voice to make your point. Sometimes you need to whisper softly to be heard and sometimes even raising your voice will not get you the attention that you may be seeking.
Be careful when using the microphone or an audio system. Acoustics can make convert your most discreet cough into a Lion’s roar. Avoid clearing your throat on the mic. Keep the mic at least two inches away from your mouth. You don’t have to ’EAT’ the mic to speak into it. Don’t hold the mic as if you can’t live without it. Don’t keep bobbing your head to the left and right if the mic is stationary on a stand - your voice will suddenly become too loud or sometimes barely audible. Turn you body around but let your mouth be at equidistance from the mic.
You must SWITCH OFF your mobile when using a mic. Keeping your mobile on silent in your pocket can be disastrous if you receive a call in the middle of your presentation-The electronic waves play havoc with the sound system and can be a major distraction during a speech.
All the time, keep sharp eyes out for tell tale signs of boredom or losing your connection.
If a podium has been provided, do not try to always hide behind it. Keep your hands where they can be seen and use them to emphasize your talk. Do not stuff your hands in to your pockets or hold them behind your back nor hold them together in a sweat.
Use your eyes to sweep your audience and try to make eye contact at random all across the hall. But, do not stare at any one pair of eyes too long - you may either scare him off or offend him into a defensive.
Keep your posture erect - Lean over if you need to pay special attention to a point raised by someone - or if you need to particularly reach out to somebody in the audience. Feel comfortable and relaxed as if you are having a normal conversation among friends.
Do not cross your hands across your chest - a sign of Smugness -shows that you do not care what the audience thinks.
Remember to always connect - connect - connect with your audience - Be sincere, Be Honest, Stick to facts - Always admit your mistakes, its only human to make mistakes - and your audience will always appreciate and be with you for this - If you try to hide behind lies, you’ll have to say many more to cover up for one - till you get busted in the end.
Sometimes, I have observed that the use of the local language also works to an advantage ( with disastrous results if you trip and make goof ups)
A surprise element can be quite a stress reliever in a speech ( like maybe burst into a song - or come up with an impromptu one minute comedy impersonation )
Use of Power Point Presentations have become quite the norm - and most find it an easy way out for corporate executives who can’t talk but can work well with numbers and graphs or text. Use these .ppt presentations by all means as a tool but not as your speech - make it a prompt for you to stick to your intentions and plans - but not the focal point of your talk.
I am no expert - And, I am still always nervous before I stand up before an audience - Yet, I have observed that Honesty, Truth, and Sincerity always ends up pouring out of a speaker if he/she is a genuine person deep inside.
Its the reverse In the case of a street smart con who will prove it with his spit and polish and arrogance.
All the best and looking forward to listening to the expert comments of the readers of this forum.
Must acknowledge the 2 day workshop conducted by Kartik Vyas (kartikvyas.com) and some gifted speakers like Ghulam Vahanvaty (solicitor General of India) Gulam Vahanvaty, Bharat Pandya, (who arranged the Kartik Vyas workshop) Harsha Bhogle, besides some more.
Regards
Raja