The Essential Elements of Giving a Speech free essay sample

Educational level varies from high-school graduates to degree-holders. Economic background is mostly middle class, with a minority from the poorer classes, and only a few have more privileged backgrounds. SPEECH: Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen, and thank you for attending this workshop. My name is Kerry Chin, from BBC Private Limited, and I am here to present a little speech on, ironically, The Essential Elements of Giving a Speech. . First I would like to thank my employer for giving me the opportunity to present a speech, and I would Like to thank my dear colleagues for supporting me during my reparation.I would also Like to thank the organizers for preparing such a wonderful and useful workshop, and for handling all the details so well. Now that we have the notable mentions out of the way, let us move on to the topic at hand. Since I dont want to bore any of you, Im going to keep this speech short. We will write a custom essay sample on The Essential Elements of Giving a Speech or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Basically, I will talk about the three basic components of a speech: the beginning, where I will tell you how to catch your audiences attention; the middle, where I will inform you how to keep your audience engaged in the speech; and the end, where I will teach you how to make your speech memorable.Some of you may be asking: why do we need to know how to give a speech? You many think: l dont Intend to go up on podiums and address the public at large, so why should I learn about giving speeches? . But let me tell you this, ladles and gentlemen, that there Is no greater skill that can make or break your career and business better than effective public speaking. It doesnt matter whether youre In a boardroom speaking to a small committee of five decision makers, or in an arena raise, knowing how to present your point of view persuasively without being pushy an really make a difference in thriving or Just merely surviving in the competitive world of corporate business. Why do we give speeches? The basis of a speech is to create awareness for your chosen topic. From a marketing point of view, awareness is always the first goal you have to achieve in public speaking. Im sure most of you know that if you and your idea never receives exposure, there is no way you can present it to the public at large.Public speaking, when well-executed, can deliver your message better than any other medium, simply because you are talking about something that is important to tooth you and the audience. But practically any speech will create some awareness for your message. If you truly want to see the results you want, you have to go beyond that superficial first i mpression. You have to make your audience understand your message. To do that, you have to deliver your presentation of your message with skill and charisma. The stronger your presentation skills, the better your audience will remember and understand the key points of your message.Even so, it isnt enough. Your audience may understand what you are trying to say, but it doesnt mean that they would agree to your message. So you have to persuade your audience to not only remember the key points, but also to actually buy that message. You want your message, combined with your speech style to reach these people on an emotional level where they can find interest in your message. Finally, the ultimate result is to present your message so powerfully that your audience is moved to take action Suggested by you, of course.This is certainly the most difficult result to obtain from giving a speech, but this is the ultimate goal you as a speaker must have in mind. What are the benefits you can get from learning how to make speeches effectively? Lets see, how does increased credibility sound to you? Since most people are afraid of speaking to a group, the fact that you can, and do it with passion and skill, will definitely draw admiration from your peers, and theyll be convinced youre an expert if you deliver your message well. Also, if you are able to speak on a subject with authority and enthusiasm, people will regard you as an expect. After all, you wouldnt be constantly called upon to speak unless you know what youre talking about and can talk about it well, would you? Secondly, youll get increased exposure. Exposure is the very bare bones of every marketing strategy. Since most of the time youre putting yourself on a pedestal, literally or figuratively speaking, more people will start to notice you, and what better way to show off your leadership skills? With the credibility youd from the early stages, you may find yourself invited to conduct seminars or give motivational talks.A one-hour keynote speech may lead to a half-day seminar at a national convention. Who knows? You may be even asked to make videotapes or to write articles, and all those recording and printing copyrights will generate a pretty tidy sum of money. Look at Donald Trump and all those books he wrote! Okay, maybe not all of us can be hat good, but we can dream, cant we? In short, public speaking makes you visible, and can lead to other forms o f exposure that will make you even more visible, and it and business an edge above your competitors.In short, public speaking makes you visible, and can lead to other forms of exposure that will make you even more visible, and it is this snowballing of exposure that will put you on the fast track, giving your career and business an edge above your competitors. But first, how can you deliver an effective speech? First, you have to catch your audiences attention. Most of the time when you start your speech youll see people ailing about, talking with each other, eating, or even napping. So grab their attention! Ever seen how a coach catches the sports teams attention?There is a good reason why they have that whistle dangling around their neck. One sharp blow, and everyone is alert. The speakers equivalents to that whistle are humor and anecdotes. A quick Joke, or an appropriate story, or even a catchy phase, will do wonders to catch attention. In addition, little things like Jokes and stories will develop and build a rapport with your audience. This in turn allows them to become more receptive of your message. We hear what we like to hear, after all, and if you like someone youll tend to listen more. The best of stories, of course, are short ones that nevertheless are full of meaning.Using the words of the poet Cooper: A tale should be Judicious, clear, succinct, The language plain, the incidents well-linked; Tell not as new what everybody knows; And, new or old, still hasten too close. When looking for anecdotes, try to keep to personal ones based on your own experience. Not only are they original and safer, there is also less risk of repeating a story everyone else had heard before. Unless, of course, you are a well-established speaker will a massive fantasy, at that point which you should be good enough to keep looking for new material to keep your speeches from being repetitive. Your stories can be humorous, or they can be dramatic, but more importantly, be sincere about your stories. The point of using anecdotes based on your own experiences is to show your audience a little bit of yourself, and that enables them to connect with you. It isnt necessary for you to recite every detail from a certain event, but using your own experiences that are relevant and appropriate of your audience ill help you enforce or drive home a point while at the same time allowing you to build that all-important rapport between you and the audience.All right, some of you may be asking: is humor necessary for making a good speech? The answer is no, but it can be a useful tool. Some of the best speeches in the world, like Winston Churchill Iron Curtain in 1946, or Nelson Mandelas l am Prepared to Die in 1964, are some of the best historic speeches in the world, and both are perfectly serious. We also cannot forget about Martin Luther King, who was not trying to be funny at all when he said l Had a Dream at the March on Washington of 1963. But when well-utilized, humor can become a critical part of an effective presentation. As Ella Wheeler Wilcox wrote: Laugh, and the world laughs with you. Proper use of humor not only maintains the interest of your audience, but also that, your audience is more likely to remember a point that is delivered with humor than with seriousness. More importantly, however, it builds more rapport between you and the audience. The downside, however, is that humor is difficult to master. Not everyone is funny, and if youre the kind that isnt, then its better not to try. Trying to be funny when youre not is intensely embarrassing to both you and the audience.So how does one utilize humor in presentations? One, it must, of course, be funny. Something that tickles your funny bone may not work with the audience. Two, it must be original. Repeating old Jokes and cliches may be easy, but might not get any reaction from the audience simply because they are too stale. It doesnt mean you have to totally come up with new material, of course. Simply putting your own original spin on a funny story thats relevant to the point youre trying to make is good enough. Three, whatever humor you want to use, make in relevant.Remember, people are spending precious time with you to learn something. If you spend half that time more on getting them in stitches than trying to deliver your message, then join a comedy club. Always remember that humor is a tool, not the whole point of your speech. Whether you used humor or storytelling, once you have the attention of your audience, only then you can start to interact with your audience. Involving your audience in your presentation is a powerful and incredibly useful way to connect with your audience, and it will drive your message home even more.Some of the techniques used include audience surveys, quizzes, handouts, and written exercises. But you must do it with a purpose in mind. Only use audience participation when you want to enforce a point or want to uncover information you need to make a presentation, not simply because you can. For example, the nine-dots-in-a-box puzzle. In a speech or seminar on thinking beyond the boundaries, this is a very effective way of conveying that message. Your goal is to connect all the dots with four straight consecutive lines, without repeating a line or lifting your pen off the paper.A reader version involves using only three consecutive lines. While this is a fun exercise, if youre presenting this puzzle in a speech on, say, preventing drug abuse, you will not only distract the audience, but you will lose credibility because the audience may think that youre trying to manipulate them. But if there is one thing that can quickly turn off an audience more than anything else, it is a boring speaker. Drone on in a monotone, with a robotic expression on your face, and most will be nodding in their seats in a heartbeat. Always remember: be lively, be energetic. Nothing spurs the audience more than an enthusiastic beaker. Use eye contact, and adjust your voice according to the importance of what youre saying. If you can put your emotions into your speech, by all means go ahead. Remember, you are in the public eye, and you are there to portray a certain image, whether you like it or not. So embrace the spotlight and be an actor, but be very careful to not become over dramatic, which will drawn snigger more than respect.A person of power knows how to restrain himself or herself, so to project an image of authority and control, use sharp, well-controlled gestures that makes you seem as if oh move with purpose; which is basically what you should be doing. Gestures, body language and voice modulation. Firstly, gestures. Gestures can be the most powerful form of non-verbal communication that you as a speaker can employ. Gestures clarify and support your words, provide emphasis, act as a kind of visual aid, are highly visible, helps dissipate nervousness, and more importantly stimulates audience participation.To use gesturing, simply allow your body to respond naturally to your thoughts, words and feelings. Natural, spontaneous gesturing that looks smooth and well-time can do wonders for maintaining your audiences attention. But keep nervous gestures like head-scratching and the fig-leaf, where you stand with your hands over your body near your abdomen, to a minimum or get rid of them altogether. They serve no point, and only conveys your nervousness. Just remember not to overdo your gestures, and you shouldnt have to worry.While gestures refer to the use of hand and arm movement, body language refers to the way you carry yourself. In other words, you posture, and the way you move onstage. Your body language reveals exactly how confident you are, and can deliver a stronger impact than merely gesturing alone. Lets say for example that if you speak with shoulders slumped, head down and eyes on the floor, while walking with a shuffling gait. You can have the most expressive gestures in the world, but the audience is only going to see one thing: lack of confidence. On the other hand, if youre bouncing around in a hyperactive manner on stage like a Durable bunny that just swallowed a whole coffee farm, donkeys and all, you are going to project an image of nervousness. Body language has a great part in influencing your audiences reception of your words, so make sure that you project positive body language. The simplest way is to give an image of confidence: shoulders back, spine straight, chest out, and chin up. This not only gives you an air of self-confidence, it also helps relieve whatever nervous tension you might have.Creating positive body language is a lot to do with practice and habit. Make sure that when you are on stage, you do not overdo any kind of movement unless you are deliberately using it for dramatic effect in a story. Dont try imitating others; let your body respond in a natural, smooth-flowing, and spontaneous way. Let yourself mirror your own feelings. You must strive to look as if oh are speaking informally with friends or family. And yes, as contrary as it sounds, you need to practice how to be spontaneous so that you make it into a habit. Again, practice, practice, practice comes to play here.Nothing builds confidence faster than good preparation. If you are prepared, the knowledge itself will translate on stage as confidence. What about voice modulation? Its simple, really; nothing kills a presentation faster than a powerful word or statement spoken in a monotone. Martin Luther King is a historical figure who has a powerful way of using voice modulation. I have a clip here n Powering showing his voice, an excerpt from his The Drum Major Instinct. As you have heard, his voice places emphasis on certain words, like wonderful, greatness, and serve.He raises his voice, or lowers it, as he sees fit to emphasize his message. To learn how to use voice modulation, start by recording your speech. Listen to that recording. Then practice, practice, practice. Once you go out onstage, have a group of listeners whose opinion you trust and respect listen to you, and later your speech, then you have a keeper. After that, you must make sure your audience remembers your speech. You may eve the greatest idea in the universe, but if two hours later everyone has forgotten about it, there is simply no point.How do we go about making an impact? First, encourage your audience to take notes on important points of your speech, and after the speech give handouts containing details. This double emphasis will let the message sink more in your audience. You can also provide visual aids, which will serve as memory Joggers. By stimulating you audience in both sight and sound, youll create a greater impact in their minds. In addition, try to use visual aids at any appropriate chance you get; they an do wonders for creating interest and variety in your presentations.Visual aids not only allows your audience to understand and retain your message better and faster, it helps keep your presentation on track and eases your nerves, since you are essentially doing no more than demonstrating and embellishing what is shown through your visual aid. Of course, make sure that the equipment provided will actually help you present your visual aids. Theres no point bringing a DVD with a killer Powering Presentation using the latest techniques when you arena doesnt even have video projectors. Always do your research before doing something.What are the best kinds of visual aid? There is no answer to this. It depends on available equipment, on available time, and on available resources. It depends on the size of the room, the number of participants, and the location of the event. Visual aids can range from simple written or printed material like flowcharts, to physical objects like props, to electronic and mechanical equipment like transparencies, 35 mm slides, prerecorded videos, and computer presentations. Each allows you to prepare them well in advance of your scheduled presentation.However, only aliphatic and transparencies allow you to create the visual DURING your presentation. This is why they are often used during parts of the talk that involves audience participation. Chalkboards and whiteboards cannot be pre-prepared and is used exclusively for on-the-spot visuals as you present your material. Take the Powering presentation, of which I am sure that all of you are familiar with. With the ever-increasing advances in information technology, most of use nowadays would have used or been exposed to Powering in one way or another.A program like Powering allows you to design screens on your computer with a omelet array of text, colors and illustrations. In fact, with slightly more advanced knowledge you can incorporate music, videos, and graphic images. Then you can arrange these screens in any sequence you which, and you can even use limited animation to create interest in your slides. But in order to use Powering to present information during your presentation, you need two pieces of equipment: a notebook and a projector, whether video or standard overhead.Both of these equipment are not only rather expensive and thus poses a bit of cost and some security risk, they are also relatively bulky and hard to transport around. Also, it is difficult to change the sequence of your screens while in the middle of your presentation, which can pose a bit of a problem when y our audience wants to move in a slightly different direction, and you might not able to bring the visuals along with you. Not to mention means that there is a margin for error, since the program can easily crash or fail to work properly.When it works correctly, Powering presentations can provide a very impressive and memorable impression on your audience. But when something goes wrong, it can easily disrupt your whole speech. In the end, the choice of visual aids lies in your hands. It very much depends on where and when are you giving your speech, as well as your own personal preference. You can also use props, which is essentially a three-dimensional object you have bought or made. When you want to use props in your presentation, make sure you plan, plan, plan. Plan how to use the prop.Plan when to use the prop. Plan where to use the prop. And make sure that when you use it, you inform your audience why you are using it. The process is relatively simple. First, go through your speech or your seminar outline and identify a point or a story where a prop can be used to enhance and enforce your message. Make or buy the prop that you need, and then practice using it in your presentation until you feel confident and comfortable using it. Then demonstrate this in front of friends who can provide feedback, and use their suggestions to modify or correct your presentation.Once youve perfected your delivery with this prop, simply repeat the process for the next prop. Props can generate impact, but used in the wrong context, can be outright distracting and may actually hurt your presentation. So chose wisely, and make sure you are confident enough to use it. When it comes to transporting props, it depends on its bulk, rigidity, and how dangerous it is. Certain props that include gimmicks like pyrotechnics are sometimes tricky to bring around, especially when you have to go through places with security measures, the airport being a good example.But I always maintain the belief that YOU are your best visual aid. An effective speech, in the end, always comes from the heart, and with the use of emotions, gestures, and a bit of acting, you can deliver a strong message on your own. How you dress, move and sound already does most of the talking for you. To impact your audience, you have to master your non-verbal communicating skills; facial expression, tone of voice, and movements all contribute to you making an effective and evocative speech. Use your hands to gesture and illustrate movement and form, and when you move make it natural and confident.Use your voice to reflect emotions. Slow down, speak distinctly without straining your voice, and use occasional pauses to catch and hold attention. Dress in proper attire suited to the occasion, and try to keep colors and accessories from being too loud. If your audience cant keep their eyes off your technicality batik shirt, for example, or the massive flower youve mined to your color, then youre definitely going to lose impact since their so distracted by your colorful fashion sense. Repetition is also an important key in getting your audience to remember you. Devices like this heightens drama, which leads to greater impact.Remember the speech from Martin Luther King youve Just heard? See? You remember his words because he uses a lot of repetition. With the use of repetition, hes driving home the point that you have to serve. But remember to limit your contents. Too much detail can be overwhelming to the average listener, and he or she will respond by immemorially tuning you out in order to process all that information youve bombarded handful of well-chosen points, illustrated with simple supporting ideas, and summed up with a powerful conclusion, will almost always be remembered better than a 50- page long speech filled to brim w ith data. Finally, review and summaries. This is the oldest teaching principle in the book, and there is a good reason why professional speakers still use it today. Because essentially, your audience is going to remember two things most clearly, the beginning of your speech, and the end of your speech. By first telling what youre going to tell, telling it, then telling what youve Just told, youre essentially using repetition. For example, you first state your thesis statement in your introduction, which is basically a summary of the main points in your speech.Then you move on to your speech, where you elaborate and embellish your main points with supporting statements and arguments. Finally, when you reach the end of your speech, you restate your thesis statement, slightly modified, and inform the conclusion of the speech. This Three Times Over method is the single most effective way to imprint our message in your audiences brain. If you are able to use your conclusion to reinstate your points As Lord Macaroon once said: A speech is like a love affair-?any fool can start one, but to end it requires considerable skill. Finish off with a strong, powerful conclusion that summarizes all your points and reinforces your thesis statement, and youll leave behind a powerful memory. Ladies and gentlemen, before I finish off I want you to remember that when all things are said and done, a speech is a speech, and a speech is nothing more than a way to deliver your message to your chosen audience. All of us, I am sure, have something of interest to say, yet do not know how to say it.The tips I have given you today are simply the very bare bones of the art of successful speaking, of how to gain trust and enhance your credibility. I have told you how to capture the attention of your audience with the use of humor an d well-chosen anecdotes, how to hold on to their interest as you deliver your message by controlling your gestures and modifying your voice tone and volume, and how to leave a great impression once youve finished using repetition and visual aids. The nature of oral communication is fleeting one, and the best way to learn how to speak is to go out and do it.