Public Speaking

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What are some of the tips for better public speaking? Overcome your fear of public speaking and become a better public speaker with these simple tips for public speaking.

Tip 1 - Speak in a Loud and Clear Voice

This is so simple and obvious that it is often forgotten. People have the instinctive fear of public speaking and tend to have the tendency to speak more softely when we are scared.

Speaking confidently in a loud and clear voice is a simple, yet difficult tip to achieve.

Tip 2 - Speak at a Reasonable pace and use Appropriate Pauses

Some people ramble on too fast while others speak too slowly. We should all endevour to speak at a reasonable pace.

Do not be afraid to use appropriate pauses to emphasize certain points as well as to think about your next point.


Tip 3 - Use Hand Gestures

Public speaking in from of an audience does not involve the voice alone. Hand gestures are important as well.

Good use of hand gestures help to add emphasis to the speaker's important points as well as make the speech more interesting.

Tip 4 - Talk Candidly (if possible)

I was watching a good speaker talk about his points when halfway through his speech, he mentioned that he had drifted away from his points. Thats when it hit me! The truely great speakers do not speak from a memorized script. They just speak from the top of their head.

Speak just as if you were talking to a friend.

Follow these four tips in order to become a more effective public speaker.

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How to Make a Great First Impression

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In my previous post entitled: First Impressions, I illustrated the importance of making a good first impression.

In this article, we will look at some tips on how we can achieve this.

Appearance Matters!!

Do take care of your appearance. This counts for a lot to the person whom you are meeting for the very first time.

The factors which we frequently neglect in our appearance include the condition of our shoes and socks as well as the condition of our nails.

Speak Eloquently and Articulate Clearly

Do speak in a clear and confident voice.

Remember to speak at a moderate pace and try to minimize any slang if speaking to somebody from another country. You want the other person to be able to understand you.

Remember to use a tone of voice appropriate to the situation.

Talk in Terms of the Other Person's Interests

Try to talk about things that the other person might be interested about. For example, if you are at a party, ask who invited him or her and how did they know each other.

Check out my post on Conversation Starters for tips on how to better initiate a conversation.

Smile and be Confident

Smile and watch the world smile back at you. Smiling is an excellent way to create a great first impression. But remember not to overdo it.

Remember that non-verbal cues communicate as much information to the other person as compared to what we say. So do remember to be confident and adopt positive and open body body language.

Much of what I've talked about here is common sense. However, once a first impression is created, it will be virtually impossible to change it.

Considering the impact it will have on your future relationship with the other person, it is worth giving your best effort to make the best of any situation.

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Establishing Effective Communication Skills

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Effective communication skills are indeed important, not only in our interpersonal relationships but also within the workplace. Fortunately, communication skills can be learned, and can also be improved upon over a period of time.

Apply the five following techniques of effective communication. These basic principles will help you achieve improved interpersonal relationships as well as outstanding workplace success.

Technique 1: Listen

It is ironic that the passive skill of listening is a core component of good communication. Listening focuses your attention on the other person, allowing you to be audience-centric your interactions.

Listening also allows the other person to get his or her point across and thus may cause him or her to reciprocate your kind attention and listen to what you have to say. Listening has also the added bonus of supplying the time needed to perform the next step well.

Technique 2: Speak Slowly and Clearly

The next step to better communication is to speak clearly at a suitable pace. Have you ever spoken to someone who rambled continuously in an incomprehensible manner? You can avoid this by framing your thoughts in a clear and concise manner.

When you do speak, do not rush; speak slowly, in a clear and logical tone. With the diverse nationalities in today’s globalised workplace, speaking clearly becomes even more important in the communication of thoughts and ideas in the workplace.

If you tend to get nervous when speaking, try this tip. Imagine the person whom you are speaking with to be a small child, and that you are trying to explain something simple to him. This will help to reduce any nervous tension out from your voice. However, try to avoid sounding condescending.

Technique 3: Be Considerate

Always be mindful of the other person’s feelings. Speak in terms of the other person’s interests. Don’t ramble on and on about something that the other person is not interested in. Do smile, and maintain good eye contact.

Technique 4: Give Complements

Everybody wants to be appreciated, and so the person who is able to give this recognition will be extremely valued. A complement, given sincerely, is a simple and effective way to create bonds with any individual you desire. It costs nothing to give, and is of infinite value to the person receiving it. John Maxwell, leadership expert has his 30 second rule. Give the other person a complement within 30 seconds of meeting him or her.

Technique 5: Have Confidence

Confidence helps you to communicate in many ways. People enjoy communicating with other people who appear to be confident. Maintain eye contact, smile. Initiate contact if the other person is shy. Show off your personality.

Be mindful of these five techniques highlighting the basic principles of effective interpersonal communication the next time you interact. Interpersonal skills are indeed important in our everyday life. With time and practice, you will definitely before a more effective and successful communicator.

Charlie Chaplin's Greatest Speech

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Most people remember Charlie Chaplin for his silent comedic films, but Chaplin was much more than just a genius with his non-verbal communication. He was a master at vocal communication as well, and this can be seen from his speech in the movie "The Great Dictator".

This speech was choosen as the best movie speech according to List Universe.

Charlie Chaplin’s Speech in "The Great Dictator"

When I saw this speech, I was awestruck…. Charlie Chaplin, famous for his comedic monologs, actually pulled off one of the most powerful speeches of all time.

Whats more, he achieved it without the use of gestures with his arms. What he did employ, however, was the use of the powerful facial expression.

His voice is firm and dramatic, with the proper emphasis when it is needed. Chaplin changes speed smoothly and easily, and this helps to highlight the points that he is trying to make.

For example, he suddenly slows down and extends the word “Greed…” (1.42) for emphasis. His voice, rich with color and expression.

The use of contrasts is also used well here. “We think too much and feel to little.”(2.02) “We have developed speed, but have shut ourselves in.” (1.50)

He uses triads effectively “Tell you what to do, what to think and what to feel.” (3.06)

At the climax of the speech (3.30), Chaplin lifts his pace of speaking and correspondingly gradually raises his tone of voice like a rising crescendo.

This speech, from one of Chaplin's most commercially successful films, is not only powerful and dramatic, but still remains relevent even in today's world.

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It also highlights Chaplin's capability as a effective communicator, both verbally as well as non-verbally.

If you're interested, you can buy this classic DVD from Amazon.

The 3 Simplest Steps to a Better Vocal Presentation

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I have talked a lot about oral presentations thus far. Today's tip involve 3 simple steps to improving your voice in an oral presentation.

These are simple, basic and fundamental steps that anybody can learn and integrate into their speaking style easily and effectively. Not only can they be used in public speeches, but can also be used in your daily conversations to make you sound more confident and more knowledgable.

Have i sold you these steps yet?

Here they are! (Ranked from the easiest to control to the hardest)

Key 1: Volume

The volume of one's voice is of paramount importance in a public speech or a conversation. It is important to vary your voice taking into consideration your surroundings as well as the size of your audience. Generally, speakers tend to speak too softly. This is because one’s own voice always sounds louder to you than to a listener.

Remember to pay attention to your audience’s reactions to have a gauge whether are you speaking loudly enough. Remember, be audience-centric.

Key 2: Rate

Rate refers to the number of words spoken per minute. There is no such thing as an “ideal” rate of speaking. It all depends on factors such as the nature of the speech, the mood which the speaker is trying to create as well as the natural attributes of the speaker.

Typically, people tend to deliver public speeches at a rate that is too fast. I personally find that presenting at a slower rate allows me more time to think about my points, as well as reducing the frequency of my pause fillers such as “err” or “em”. Rate is a factor, similar to volume, that can and should be improved fairly easily.

Key 3: Pauses

Adding pauses to your speech is another simple and easy way to make a speech more effective. It is used, by poised and confident speakers (such as Obama: refer to the previous post) to build tension or to allow audiences to ponder over an interesting point made by the speaker. There is also a matter of the length of the pause, but improving upon this can only come from valuable experience.

In order to improve on the above points, you will have to rehearse. And as your rehearse, you will only get better and gain more confidence. Do join a local toastmasters club to provide you with the opportunities to practice your speeches and soon, you will be on your way to becoming an excellent public speaker and overall better communitator.