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Public Speaking as an Effective Skill Essay

Public speaking is a highly important and useful skill that carries multiple advantages for personal life and professional career. Public speaking skills are required for specialists of various kinds. In this regard, mastering public speaking is going to serve as great enforcement for anyone. The purpose of this essay is to demonstrate different situations where public speaking skills play an important role to show the reasons why public speaking is considered an effective skill.

First of all, the knowledge of theoretical and practical sides of public speaking provides one with multiple benefits such as understanding the ways people think and process the information, communicating thoughtfully and with higher efficiency, using the critical thinking, knowing how to organise and prepare presentations, researching the unfamiliar audiences and using appropriate communication strategies (Coopman, Lull 2014, p. 12). It is a well-known fact that most people experience certain difficulties in adjusting to a new society. For example, in a situation when a person starts working at a new place, they would feel the need to fit into the group of new co-workers, find a common language and establish friendly atmosphere at the workplace.

Public speaking skills provide a person with an ability to evaluate the audience, analyse their needs, learn their potentials, and successfully build contact with them. Proper application of public speaking knowledge will allow the new member of a group to move through the stage of getting to know the colleagues and feel comfortable talking with new people in unfamiliar situations (Coopman & Lull 2014, p. 12). In this case, public speaking skills will allow avoiding the discomfort at the workplace, which may lead to disruption of the work process and create problems for the whole company.

The most obvious situation where public speaking skills are always very useful is an actual performance in front of a group of people such as a public address, presentation of a new project at work, or a motivational speech. In such situations, the speaker can represent a group of fellows or the ideas important for many people. Due to this, a successful performance and efficient delivery of information are highly valuable and important (Keith & Lundberg 2013, p. 4). When one person is chosen to speak on behalf of many, it creates a certain pressure and responsibility for the speaker. In the case of the successful performance of one, the whole group will benefit. The good public speaker has to be able to present the information, keep the audience interested in the delivered ideas, and defend the point of view in case of criticism or counter argumentation.

The skills of public speaking provide one with courage, confidence, and the ability to fluently express themselves. One more situation that demonstrates the importance of public speaking skills is a casual conversation with a stranger. People are social creatures, interpersonal relationships of different kinds are highly important for us. Starting and maintaining friendships, being close to family members, having romantic relationships makes our lives easier and fuller. A skillful speaker will be able to represent themselves in the best and most appropriate way. This can be quite a challenging occupation. Performing in front of just one person is another variation of public speaking (Goldwasser 2006, p. 42). Successful personal representation in any situation, will it be a first date or a job interview, is extremely meaningful for anyone. This is why the development of public speaking skills is considered highly beneficial.

To conclude, almost every day, people face situations where speaking in front of an audience is required. The size of the audience may vary from one to hundreds or thousands of people, but the importance of professional and efficient delivery of information is always high. Knowledge of theoretical and practical sides of public speaking will enable the speaker to feel confident and comfortable and to present themselves and the necessary information in the best ways.

Coopman, S. & Lull, J. 2014, Public Speaking: The Evolving Art. Cengage Learning United States, Boston.

Goldwasser, I. 2006, Interactive Communication: A Guide to Effective Communication. Pearson Education Australia, Sydney.

Keith, W. & Lundberg, C. 2013, Public Speaking: Choice and Responsibility. Cengage Learning United States, Boston.

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Why Public Speaking Skills are Crucial for Career Success

The importance of communication skills in the workplace

Effective communication skills are essential for success in the workplace. Whether it's presenting ideas to colleagues, negotiating with clients, or leading a team, the ability to communicate clearly and persuasively is critical. Good communication skills can help build strong relationships with colleagues and clients, improve productivity, and enhance teamwork.

In addition, effective communication can also help individuals advance in their careers by demonstrating leadership, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills. Therefore, it is important for individuals to invest time and effort in developing their communication skills to achieve career success.

Why public speaking is a crucial communication skill

Public speaking is a crucial communication skill because it allows individuals to effectively convey their ideas and opinions to a larger audience. Whether it's presenting a proposal to a group of colleagues or delivering a keynote speech at a conference, the ability to speak confidently and persuasively is essential for career success.

Public speaking also helps individuals build their personal brand and establish themselves as thought leaders in their industry. Additionally, mastering public speaking can boost one's confidence and improve their overall communication skills, leading to better relationships and more successful collaborations in the workplace.

Building Confidence

Overcoming fear and anxiety.

Overcoming fear and anxiety is a crucial step in developing public speaking skills. Many people experience nervousness and anxiety when speaking in front of a group, but with practice and preparation, these feelings can be managed and even overcome.

Techniques such as deep breathing, visualization, and positive self-talk can help to calm nerves and boost confidence. It's also important to remember that making mistakes is a natural part of the learning process and should not be feared. By facing and overcoming these fears, individuals can develop strong public speaking skills that will benefit them in their careers and personal lives.

Developing a strong presence

Developing a strong presence is a crucial aspect of public speaking. It involves projecting confidence, authority, and charisma while delivering a speech. A strong presence can captivate the audience and keep them engaged throughout the presentation.

To develop a strong presence, one must practice good posture, maintain eye contact, and use appropriate gestures. Additionally, it is important to speak clearly and with conviction. With practice, anyone can develop a strong presence and become a more effective public speaker.

Improving body language

Improving body language is a crucial aspect of public speaking. It involves using nonverbal cues to enhance the message being conveyed. Good body language can help to establish credibility, build rapport with the audience, and create a positive impression.

Some tips for improving body language include maintaining eye contact, using appropriate gestures, standing up straight, and avoiding fidgeting or nervous movements. Practicing these techniques can help to improve the overall effectiveness of a presentation and increase the chances of career success.

Effective Communication

Crafting a clear and concise message.

Crafting a clear and concise message is essential for effective public speaking. It involves identifying the key points that need to be conveyed and presenting them in a way that is easy to understand and remember. A well-crafted message can help to engage the audience and keep them interested in what you have to say. It also helps to ensure that your message is not lost in a sea of irrelevant information.

By taking the time to craft a clear and concise message, you can increase your chances of delivering a successful presentation and achieving your career goals.

Engaging with the audience

Engaging with the audience is a crucial aspect of public speaking. It involves establishing a connection with the audience and making them feel involved in the presentation. This can be achieved by using humor, storytelling, or asking questions.

Engaging with the audience not only makes the presentation more interesting but also helps to keep the audience focused and attentive. It also helps to build trust and credibility with the audience, which is important for career success. A speaker who can engage with the audience is more likely to be remembered and recommended for future speaking engagements.

Handling questions and feedback

Handling questions and feedback is an essential aspect of public speaking. It is crucial to be prepared for questions that may arise during or after a presentation. A good speaker should anticipate potential questions and have answers ready. Additionally, it is important to listen carefully to feedback and respond appropriately.

Constructive criticism can help improve future presentations and enhance overall communication skills. A skilled speaker should be able to handle questions and feedback with confidence and professionalism, which can leave a lasting positive impression on the audience.

Leadership and Influence

Inspiring and motivating others.

Inspiring and motivating others is a key aspect of leadership, and public speaking skills are essential for achieving this. Whether it's delivering a speech to a large audience or simply presenting an idea to a small group, the ability to communicate effectively and engage with others is crucial.

A skilled public speaker can inspire and motivate their audience, encouraging them to take action and achieve their goals. This is particularly important in the workplace, where leaders must be able to inspire their teams to work together towards a common goal. By mastering public speaking skills, individuals can become more effective leaders and achieve greater success in their careers.

Establishing credibility and authority

Establishing credibility and authority is one of the most important aspects of public speaking. When you speak confidently and knowledgeably about a topic, you are more likely to be perceived as an expert in your field. This can lead to increased trust and respect from your colleagues, clients, and superiors.

Additionally, establishing credibility and authority can help you to persuade others to your point of view, whether you are presenting a new idea to your team or pitching a proposal to a potential client. By honing your public speaking skills, you can become a more effective communicator and establish yourself as a leader in your industry.

Networking and building relationships

Networking and building relationships is an essential aspect of career success, and public speaking skills can greatly enhance this process. When attending networking events, conferences, or even in everyday interactions with colleagues, being able to communicate effectively and confidently can leave a lasting impression. Public speaking skills can also help individuals build relationships by allowing them to share their ideas and expertise with others, which can lead to new opportunities and collaborations.

Additionally, being a skilled public speaker can help individuals establish themselves as thought leaders in their industry, which can further enhance their professional network and career prospects.

The benefits of public speaking skills for career success

The benefits of public speaking skills for career success are numerous. Firstly, effective communication is essential in any workplace, and being able to articulate ideas and thoughts clearly and confidently is a valuable asset. Public speaking skills also demonstrate leadership qualities, as individuals who can speak persuasively and engage an audience are often seen as influential and authoritative.

Additionally, public speaking skills can enhance networking opportunities, as individuals who can confidently present themselves and their ideas are more likely to make a lasting impression on potential employers or clients. Overall, public speaking skills are a key component of career success, and individuals who invest time and effort into developing these skills are likely to reap the rewards in their professional lives.

Tips for improving your public speaking abilities

There are several tips that can help you improve your public speaking abilities. Firstly, practice makes perfect. The more you practice, the more comfortable and confident you will become. Secondly, know your audience and tailor your message accordingly. This will help you connect with your audience and keep them engaged. Thirdly, use visual aids such as slides or props to enhance your presentation.

This will help you convey your message more effectively. Lastly, be authentic and passionate about your topic. This will help you connect with your audience on a deeper level and leave a lasting impression.

Now it's up to you!

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The Importance of Public Speaking & How to Do it Well

How does one form connections, encourage change, impact decisions, and inspire people?

Through the power of public speaking and communication.

Public speaking skills are useful in every area of life, from personal to professional. From being able to discuss your ideas with your friends, to addressing important information at a company-wide meeting, effective communication proves to be a crucial skill in our lives.

Public speaking is a vital skill to have and hone. We utilize these skills when we speak to coworkers, bosses, employees, clients, and maybe even big audiences. Having the ability to deliver your message confidently and effectively can have an enormous impact on your career path and your success in your industry.

The Importance of Public Speaking

Why is public speaking important? What are the benefits of public speaking ?

Public speaking is useful in every area of life, personal and professional. Being an effective public speaker can escalate your career, grow your business, and overall improve the quality of your life. The benefits of public speaking are obvious; you can spread your message to audiences and create a lasting impact in their lives.

From business pitches in work meetings to TedTalks, having confident and passionate public speaking skills and oral communication skills, in general, can get you far. Regardless of the size of your audience, your communication skills need to be top-notch in order to effectively inspire people.

Communication Skills

Before learning how to improve in the world of public speaking, you must learn to listen. Being an active and attentive listener allows you to develop your communication skills, as well as your critical thinking skills. Your ability to listen will help you adapt to and understand what it is the audience is looking for, even if they don’t tell you.

Being an open-minded listener will teach you how to communicate effectively. Understanding what is being said, the meaning behind it, and what hopes to be gained from it will strengthen your ability to communicate your own message.

Being an effective communicator helps in everyday life as well. Being able to attentively listen to what someone is saying and processing what they said before formulating a response will allow for less miscommunication and better overall understanding. If you can be a good listener, the people you interact with will feel heard and understood.

Your communication skills are also effective in helping you achieve your goals and get what you want. If you can effectively communicate your needs in a way that the other person – or audience – relates to, it is much more likely that your message will be heard.

Leadership Skills

Being a great public speaker goes hand in hand with developing leadership skills. Public speakers are often seen as leaders in their field. Their knowledge and expertise allow them to be thought leaders .

Being a powerful leader and having a strong public speaking ability can also help you rise in the ranks of your organization or even scale your own business exponentially.

Being a powerful leader and speaker will also improve your networking skills. Being able to communicate your message confidently and passionately will make others keener to listen and engage. Being confident in your approach can open doors for you that may have never been possible before.

Becoming a great leader and establishing better skills takes time. Learn and watch other great leaders; consider their routines and the steps they took to get where they are. You can even learn how to be a great leader by listening to those who have been led by great leaders. What did they appreciate about that leader? What did that leader do to inspire them?

Learning how to improve your public speaking skills will also help in developing leadership skills you will learn how to inspire people and help them expand their scope.

Critical Thinking Skills

To be a great leader and public speaker, you must also have impressive critical thinking skills. According to the University of Louisiana’s studies of definitions of critical thinking, it was determined that “critical thinking is the intellectually disciplined process of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and/or evaluating information gathered from, or generated by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication, as a guide to belief and action.”

Being a critical thinker means that the information you intake can be analyzed and utilized in even the most stressful situations, like public speaking engagements. Being able to reframe the delivery of your message based on the audience’s reaction can prove to be incredibly helpful.

In order to develop critical thinking skills on your own, you should always be open-minded and willing to listen. Process the information you hear and consider your own opinion of it, rather than falling back on the opinions of others. Stay up to date on current events, and always challenge your own dated and limited beliefs. Keep your mind sharp, while also being open to learning more.

Personal Development & Everyday Life Skills

With heightened communication, leadership, and critical thinking skills, you will be able to level up in your personal and professional life. You will notice how the benefits of public speaking and the skills you develop prove to be instrumental in your everyday life.

These skills will help you achieve an increased sense of confidence. They will help you connect with the people around you more effectively. They may even motivate you to reach for goals you previously thought were out of your reach.

How to Improve Public Speaking

So now, we can begin discussing how you can improve the essential skill of public speaking. Whether you’re interested in learning how to master persuasive speaking, informative speaking or entertaining speaking, I have many tips and tricks that I’ve discovered in my own speaking journey. Here are the important few .

Pick A Topic You’re Passionate About and An Expert In

What is your message? What are you hoping to inspire people with?

When you are public speaking, always speak about the topic you have expert knowledge on, have studied, have a strong interest in, and have personal experience with. You should be an expert in your field, a thought leader.

You will notice that the audience will always be engaged if you speak with passion and knowledge.

Speaking about something you are confident in and knowledgeable about will also help prevent public speaking anxiety, as you know you’re already the expert in the room when it comes to what you’re talking about!

Know Your Audience And What They Want To Achieve

Even if you know the topic like the back of your hand, you also want to make sure you’re tailoring your speech to resonate with your audience. The more you understand your audience and what they are hoping to achieve from your speech, the more you can cater the speech to resonate with them. The more they benefit from what you say, the more you can inspire them.

Remember, they are there for a particular reason — so make sure you speak directly to them and use your words to relate to them. Let’s say you’re speaking about digital marketing at a sales convention. A great speaker will ensure that the speech they deliver refers to digital marketing strategies most beneficial to online sales. The salespeople should come out of your speech with new information and tools they can use to generate more sales online.

Be Confident

As every great public speaker will tell you, confidence is key. Your level of confidence can determine how impactful your speech will be. Don’t overthink and get too in your head — think positively and stand up straight. Be confident in your knowledge, abilities, and speaking skills. When you do talk, talk with confidence … however, your confidence can get you very far.

Take Public Speaking Courses

Taking a public speaking course may sound like a beginner’s move, but I am here to tell you that even the most accomplished public speakers take courses and have public speaking coaches, regardless of their skills. Remember – you should never stop learning.

You may believe that some people are just born with the ability to be an incredible public speaker. But, those people will tell you that public speaking is a skill that can be learned and improved. Finding a great teacher can be a pivotal moment in your public speaking career.

In public speaking, there is always something new to learn. Just like in most areas of life, public speaking has trends. One type of speech delivery may be more effective in one time period than it was in the previous. That’s why it’s so important to stay up to date with the trends and refer to people that can help.

Taking a public speaking course can give you all the necessary tools to help you develop your speaking skills. It will also give you a structure to follow when learning how to use these tools.

Here’s a cliché that we have all heard many times in our lives – practice makes perfect. This cliché rings true in all areas – especially public speaking. All great public speakers will tell you how important it is to practice your speech. This is not the time to “wing it”.

Practicing allows you not only to perfect your delivery but also to prepare for any scenario that may arise. For example, your microphone goes out and the audience can no longer hear you. It’s a minute before someone can fix the sound. Although a nerve-wracking moment, it’s something you have practiced for. You take a deep breath, have a sip of water, and once the sound is fixed, you crack a joke – that you practiced in case a moment like that arose – and you continue with your speech.

A great speaker never stops practicing. There is always something to work on, and perfect.

While it’s incredibly useful to practice the meat of your speech, it’s also very necessary to perfect the start and end of your speech. When starting a speech, you have the audience’s full attention. If you can create a good impression right off the bat, you will keep your audience engaged and focused throughout. Practicing effective ways to start your speech will help you start off strong and remain confident throughout.

The same rule applies to the end of the speech. It’s important to practice how you plan to end your speech with a bang . The end of your speech should strongly tie the points you may throughout the speech together, so they leave a lasting impression in your audience’s minds. The closing statement should be powerful and stirring, as those are the words your audience leaves with. Practicing those words, their tone, and their delivery, can make a huge impact on the effectiveness of your speech.

Network with Other Speakers

Public speaking can feel like a lonely endeavor sometimes. You are on the stage by yourself, with a spotlight overhead. It can be very isolating.

But one must remember that there are many opportunities in public speaking to connect with other speakers. There will be times in your speaking engagements that you are not the only public speaker there. This is the perfect opportunity to network.

Networking allows you to connect and make connections with like-minded individuals. This is especially useful if they work in your field and can become an ally in your career. Those connections can turn into friends, colleagues, and even mentors. They may help you find other speaking engagements, introduce you to new people, and teach you something new throughout your public speaking journey.

Even if they are an expert in a different field, their knowledge and experience can be the ultimate learning opportunity. If you are just starting out in your public speaking career, they may have some useful tools and tricks for overcoming your public speaking fears and boosting your confidence. Your openness to learn and connect with those around you can help you achieve your goals of being an effective and well-known public speaker.

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1.1 Why Is Public Speaking Important?

Learning objectives.

Explore three types of public speaking in everyday life: informative, persuasive, and entertaining.
Understand the benefits of taking a course in public speaking.
Explain the benefits people get from engaging in public speaking.

Christian Pierret – Leader – CC BY 2.0.

In today’s world, we are constantly bombarded with messages both good and bad. No matter where you live, where you work or go to school, or what kinds of media you use, you are probably exposed to hundreds. if not thousands, of advertising messages every day. Researcher Norman W. Edmund estimates that by 2020 the amount of knowledge in the world will double every seventy-three days (Edmund, 2005). Because we live in a world where we are overwhelmed with content, communicating information in a way that is accessible to others is more important today than ever before. To help us further understand why public speaking is important, we will first examine public speaking in everyday life. We will then discuss how public speaking can benefit you personally.

Everyday Public Speaking

Every single day people across the United States and around the world stand up in front of some kind of audience and speak. In fact, there’s even a monthly publication that reproduces some of the top speeches from around the United States called Vital Speeches of the Day ( http://www.vsotd.com ). Although public speeches are of various types, they can generally be grouped into three categories based on their intended purpose: informative, persuasive, and entertaining.

Informative Speaking

One of the most common types of public speaking is informative speaking . The primary purpose of informative presentations is to share one’s knowledge of a subject with an audience. Reasons for making an informative speech vary widely. For example, you might be asked to instruct a group of coworkers on how to use new computer software or to report to a group of managers how your latest project is coming along. A local community group might wish to hear about your volunteer activities in New Orleans during spring break, or your classmates may want you to share your expertise on Mediterranean cooking. What all these examples have in common is the goal of imparting information to an audience.

Informative speaking is integrated into many different occupations. Physicians often lecture about their areas of expertise to medical students, other physicians, and patients. Teachers find themselves presenting to parents as well as to their students. Firefighters give demonstrations about how to effectively control a fire in the house. Informative speaking is a common part of numerous jobs and other everyday activities. As a result, learning how to speak effectively has become an essential skill in today’s world.

Persuasive Speaking

A second common reason for speaking to an audience is to persuade others. In our everyday lives, we are often called on to convince, motivate, or otherwise persuade others to change their beliefs, take an action, or reconsider a decision. Advocating for music education in your local school district, convincing clients to purchase your company’s products, or inspiring high school students to attend college all involve influencing other people through public speaking.

For some people, such as elected officials, giving persuasive speeches is a crucial part of attaining and continuing career success. Other people make careers out of speaking to groups of people who pay to listen to them. Motivational authors and speakers, such as Les Brown ( http://www.lesbrown.com ), make millions of dollars each year from people who want to be motivated to do better in their lives. Brian Tracy, another professional speaker and author, specializes in helping business leaders become more productive and effective in the workplace ( http://www.briantracy.com ).

Whether public speaking is something you do every day or just a few times a year, persuading others is a challenging task. If you develop the skill to persuade effectively, it can be personally and professionally rewarding.

Entertaining Speaking

Entertaining speaking involves an array of speaking occasions ranging from introductions to wedding toasts, to presenting and accepting awards, to delivering eulogies at funerals and memorial services in addition to after-dinner speeches and motivational speeches. Entertaining speaking has been important since the time of the ancient Greeks, when Aristotle identified epideictic speaking (speaking in a ceremonial context) as an important type of address. As with persuasive and informative speaking, there are professionals, from religious leaders to comedians, who make a living simply from delivering entertaining speeches. As anyone who has watched an awards show on television or has seen an incoherent best man deliver a wedding toast can attest, speaking to entertain is a task that requires preparation and practice to be effective.

Personal Benefits of Public Speaking

Oral communication skills were the number one skill that college graduates found useful in the business world, according to a study by sociologist Andrew Zekeri (Zekeri, 2004). That fact alone makes learning about public speaking worthwhile. However, there are many other benefits of communicating effectively for the hundreds of thousands of college students every year who take public speaking courses. Let’s take a look at some of the personal benefits you’ll get both from a course in public speaking and from giving public speeches.

Benefits of Public Speaking Courses

In addition to learning the process of creating and delivering an effective speech, students of public speaking leave the class with a number of other benefits as well. Some of these benefits include

developing critical thinking skills,
fine-tuning verbal and nonverbal skills,
overcoming fear of public speaking.

Developing Critical Thinking Skills

One of the very first benefits you will gain from your public speaking course is an increased ability to think critically. Problem solving is one of many critical thinking skills you will engage in during this course. For example, when preparing a persuasive speech, you’ll have to think through real problems affecting your campus, community, or the world and provide possible solutions to those problems. You’ll also have to think about the positive and negative consequences of your solutions and then communicate your ideas to others. At first, it may seem easy to come up with solutions for a campus problem such as a shortage of parking spaces: just build more spaces. But after thinking and researching further you may find out that building costs, environmental impact from loss of green space, maintenance needs, or limited locations for additional spaces make this solution impractical. Being able to think through problems and analyze the potential costs and benefits of solutions is an essential part of critical thinking and of public speaking aimed at persuading others. These skills will help you not only in public speaking contexts but throughout your life as well. As we stated earlier, college graduates in Zekeri’s study rated oral communication skills as the most useful for success in the business world. The second most valuable skill they reported was problem-solving ability, so your public speaking course is doubly valuable!

Another benefit to public speaking is that it will enhance your ability to conduct and analyze research. Public speakers must provide credible evidence within their speeches if they are going to persuade various audiences. So your public speaking course will further refine your ability to find and utilize a range of sources.

Fine-Tuning Verbal and Nonverbal Skills

A second benefit of taking a public speaking course is that it will help you fine-tune your verbal and nonverbal communication skills. Whether you competed in public speaking in high school or this is your first time speaking in front of an audience, having the opportunity to actively practice communication skills and receive professional feedback will help you become a better overall communicator. Often, people don’t even realize that they twirl their hair or repeatedly mispronounce words while speaking in public settings until they receive feedback from a teacher during a public speaking course. People around the United States will often pay speech coaches over one hundred dollars per hour to help them enhance their speaking skills. You have a built-in speech coach right in your classroom, so it is to your advantage to use the opportunity to improve your verbal and nonverbal communication skills.

Overcoming Fear of Public Speaking

An additional benefit of taking a public speaking class is that it will help reduce your fear of public speaking. Whether they’ve spoken in public a lot or are just getting started, most people experience some anxiety when engaging in public speaking. Heidi Rose and Andrew Rancer evaluated students’ levels of public speaking anxiety during both the first and last weeks of their public speaking class and found that those levels decreased over the course of the semester (Rose & Rancer, 1993). One explanation is that people often have little exposure to public speaking. By taking a course in public speaking, students become better acquainted with the public speaking process, making them more confident and less apprehensive. In addition, you will learn specific strategies for overcoming the challenges of speech anxiety. We will discuss this topic in greater detail in Chapter 3 “Speaking Confidently” .

Benefits of Engaging in Public Speaking

Once you’ve learned the basic skills associated with public speaking, you’ll find that being able to effectively speak in public has profound benefits, including

influencing the world around you,
developing leadership skills,
becoming a thought leader.

Influencing the World around You

If you don’t like something about your local government, then speak out about your issue! One of the best ways to get our society to change is through the power of speech. Common citizens in the United States and around the world, like you, are influencing the world in real ways through the power of speech. Just type the words “citizens speak out” in a search engine and you’ll find numerous examples of how common citizens use the power of speech to make real changes in the world—for example, by speaking out against “fracking” for natural gas (a process in which chemicals are injected into rocks in an attempt to open them up for fast flow of natural gas or oil) or in favor of retaining a popular local sheriff. One of the amazing parts of being a citizen in a democracy is the right to stand up and speak out, which is a luxury many people in the world do not have. So if you don’t like something, be the force of change you’re looking for through the power of speech.

Developing Leadership Skills

Have you ever thought about climbing the corporate ladder and eventually finding yourself in a management or other leadership position? If so, then public speaking skills are very important. Hackman and Johnson assert that effective public speaking skills are a necessity for all leaders (Hackman & Johnson, 2004). If you want people to follow you, you have to communicate effectively and clearly what followers should do. According to Bender, “Powerful leadership comes from knowing what matters to you. Powerful presentations come from expressing this effectively. It’s important to develop both” (Bender, 1998). One of the most important skills for leaders to develop is their public speaking skills, which is why executives spend millions of dollars every year going to public speaking workshops; hiring public speaking coaches; and buying public speaking books, CDs, and DVDs.

Becoming a Thought Leader

Even if you are not in an official leadership position, effective public speaking can help you become a “ thought leader .” Joel Kurtzman, editor of Strategy & Business , coined this term to call attention to individuals who contribute new ideas to the world of business. According to business consultant Ken Lizotte, “when your colleagues, prospects, and customers view you as one very smart guy or gal to know, then you’re a thought leader” (Lizotte, 2008). Typically, thought leaders engage in a range of behaviors, including enacting and conducting research on business practices. To achieve thought leader status, individuals must communicate their ideas to others through both writing and public speaking. Lizotte demonstrates how becoming a thought leader can be personally and financially rewarding at the same time: when others look to you as a thought leader, you will be more desired and make more money as a result. Business gurus often refer to “intellectual capital,” or the combination of your knowledge and ability to communicate that knowledge to others (Lizotte, 2008). Whether standing before a group of executives discussing the next great trend in business or delivering a webinar (a seminar over the web), thought leaders use public speaking every day to create the future that the rest of us live in.

Key Takeaways

People have many reasons for engaging in public speaking, but the skills necessary for public speaking are applicable whether someone is speaking for informative, persuasive, or entertainment reasons.
Taking a public speaking class will improve your speaking skills, help you be a more critical thinker, fine-tune your verbal and nonverbal communication skills, and help you overcome public speaking anxiety.
Effective public speaking skills have many direct benefits for the individual speaker, including influencing the world around you, developing leadership skills, and becoming a go-to person for ideas and solutions.
Talk to people who are currently working in the career you hope to pursue. Of the three types of public speaking discussed in the text, which do they use most commonly use in their work?
Read one of the free speeches available at http://www.vsotd.com . What do you think the speaker was trying to accomplish? What was her or his reason for speaking?
Which personal benefit are you most interested in receiving from a public speaking class? Why?

Bender, P. U. (1998). Stand, deliver and lead. Ivey Business Journal , 62 (3), 46–47.

Edmund, N. W. (2005). End the biggest educational and intellectual blunder in history: A $100,000 challenge to our top educational leaders . Ft. Lauderdale, FL: Scientific Method Publishing Co.

Hackman, M. Z., & Johnson, C. E. (2004). Leadership: A communication perspective (4th ed.). Long Grove, IL: Waveland.

Lizotte, K. (2008). The expert’s edge: Become the go-to authority people turn to every time [Kindle 2 version]. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. Retrieved from Amazon.com (locations 72–78).

Rose, H. M., & Rancer, A. S. (1993). The impact of basic courses in oral interpretation and public speaking on communication apprehension. Communication Reports , 6 , 54–60.

Zekeri, A. A. (2004). College curriculum competencies and skills former students found essential to their careers. College Student Journal , 38 , 412–422.

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The 6 most common public speaking strengths and weaknesses (& how to improve) .

For many people, the idea of having to speak in public is terrifying. In fact, the National Institute for Mental Health estimates that roughly 73% of the population has a fear of public speaking. This means that if you’re scared of speaking in public, you’re definitely not alone. The good news is that public speaking is a skill that you can practice and improve.

Since your job may require public speaking to a bigger or lesser extent, it may be a good idea to find out what your public speaking strengths and weaknesses are. Doing so will allow you to capitalize on the former and improve the latter. To get you kickstarted, I have compiled a short overview of common presentation strengths and weaknesses, and steps you can take to improve your public speaking.

Table of Contents

Public Speaking Strengths

Before I start delving into common weaknesses in public speaking, it may be useful to first look at what the characteristics of a good public speaker are. So, what are some strengths in public speaking?

1. In-Depth Knowledge of the Topic

One of the surest ways to be an effective public speaker is to know your subject. You can only speak with conviction and confidence if you know what you’re talking about. Even if you’re speaking to an audience who is not trained in your field, they will still pick up on the fact that you’re not really all that knowledgeable, if this is indeed the case. Or, they may just find your speech or presentation one-dimensional and boring.

The danger of not knowing a subject is that you won’t be able to convey the relevant information in a clear and effective way. When a speaker lacks knowledge of a topic, they don’t have the know-how to select only the most important facts and convey these to their audience in a way that captivates and informs. A lack of topic knowledge will also increase your anxiety when speaking because you’ll have to speak from memory instead of sharing your experiences and insights.

2. Interesting To Watch

Even the most knowledgeable person can be boring and uninspiring if they speak in a monotone voice, have no expression on their face, and is generally lacking in energy. How you deliver your speech or presentation is just as important as the content. Effective public speakers project their voice so that audience members can hear them, and also vary their tone and speech patterns so that their delivery is interesting to listen to. In addition, good speakers emphasize important words, while pausing at times to allow their words to sink in. While they definitely use hand gestures, good speakers also guard against repetitive movements or too much movement.

3. Storytelling

People love listening to stories. We are naturally wired that way. Storytelling is one of the most powerful tools a public speaker can use to engage and connect with their audience. Instead of just throwing boring facts and statistics at your audience, you can create context for them through a story.

When you tell a story, whether it’s your own or that of a famous or successful person, it’s much easier for audience members to relate to what you’re saying. And once they relate, they will be far more interested in your message. Effective storytelling is one of the main reasons why TED Talks are so popular. Just about all the talks on this platform are story-driven.

Read More: 8 Storytelling Techniques to Improve Your Storytelling and Presentation Skills

Public Speaking Weaknesses

Public speaking can be challenging. Apart from remembering the content, you need to grab and hold the attention of your audience and effectively deliver your message. If you’re wondering “What are my weaknesses in presentations,” this is a good starting point. Understanding where your weaknesses lie will enable you to improve on them. Here are a few examples of common public speaking weaknesses:

It can be very daunting to stand in front of an audience. I have had moments of memory lapse and stage fright in my life, and they were not pleasant. During such moments, it becomes abundantly clear what Hans Christian Andersen’s emperor must feel like when he is walking naked through the streets. Although it’s perfectly normal to feel a bit nervous before a speech or presentation, continuous and excessive anxiety can have a detrimental effect on your performance.

2. Poor Stage Presence and Technique

Some people are lucky. They are natural performers. The rest of us, however, have to work on our stage presence and public speaking techniques. One of the most common weaknesses of public speakers is that they simply lack knowledge of the art of public speaking. As I stated before, how you say something is just as important as what you are saying.

Many public speakers are just plain boring to watch and listen to. Others make technical blunders, such as speaking too softly or too fast, making irritating and distracting movements, or using convoluted sentences and jargon that only an expert will understand.

3. Not Connecting With an Audience

One of the biggest errors a public speaker can make is to underestimate or overestimate an audience, or to talk about things that are completely irrelevant to them. Many public speakers make the mistake of writing speeches that they find interesting and relatable without considering who their target audience is. When they deliver their speeches, they may be surprised to see their audience’s eyes glaze over. The problem, of course, is that the audience members simply can’t relate to the content.

In addition, many public speakers are unable to pick up on the energy or vibe of an audience. Instead of, for instance, adopting a more casual tone and using more slang when they realize they have a young and hip audience, an ineffective public speaker will simply continue as planned. Such an approach is a sure way to alienate an audience.

How To Improve Your Public Speaking

Fortunately, there are tried-and-tested ways to improve your public speaking weaknesses. Whether you experience paralyzing stage fright or tend to bore your audience to tears, don’t despair. You can improve your public speaking in many ways. Here are a few tips you can consider if you want to learn about how to improve public speaking weaknesses:

Be Prepared

So, how do public speakers overcome their fear? All experienced public speakers will tell you that the most effective way to curb anxiety is to be prepared. By prepared, I don’t mean memorizing your speech by heart. A good public speaker doesn’t memorize their speeches word for word but rather remembers key points. If you really know your subject, this strategy will be totally doable. Also, telling stories instead of just regurgitating facts eliminates the need for memorizing your words.

To learn how to cope with stage fright and anxiety, you should present your speech or presentation to a group of people before the actual event, whether they are friends, family members, or coworkers. In the end, public speaking is a performance, and you should tackle it like one from the get-go.

Practice, Practise, Practice

As is the case with most things in life, you can dramatically improve your public speaking ability by spending more time and effort honing the skill. When you are rehearsing for an upcoming talk, it’s a good idea to practice in front of a mirror so that you can see things like your posture and body language.

You can also record yourself on your mobile. Doing so will provide you with a more objective view of what you look and sound like when you talk. Even better, get a friend to make the recording so that you also have an audience member who can provide you with helpful feedback.

Learn From Experts

Do you want to learn more about public speaking strengths and weaknesses and what makes a good or bad speaker? Studying good public speakers is an effective way of learning what works and what doesn’t. From those who already can, you can learn how to weave storytelling into your talks, use effective gestures, and keep your audience captivated.

In addition, reading books, blogs, and articles can also be helpful if you’re trying to learn the art of public speaking. If you’re really serious about improving your public speaking, you can always hire a public speaking or drama coach for one-on-one lessons.

Focus on Your Audience and Your Message

In the end, you wish to bring a message across and affect an audience when you deliver a speech, whether you’re talking about improving a company’s sales revenue or saving the Amazon rainforest. First, when you write your speech or presentation, you should consider whom you’ll be talking to. An important factor to consider is whether the audience will have some knowledge of the subject, or will likely be laymen. Other factors include their age and socio-economic status.

Once you’ve pinpointed who your target audience will be, you should craft your content in such a way that they will be able to relate. Talk about experiences they have likely had, movies they have probably watched, and people they likely know and admire.

Difference Between Public Speaking And Interpersonal Communication

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How To Stop Shaking When Nervous (Public Speaking Tips And Tactics)

Jenny Palmer

Founder of Eggcellentwork.com. With over 20 years of experience in HR and various roles in corporate world, Jenny shares tips and advice to help professionals advance in their careers. Her blog is a go-to resource for anyone looking to improve their skills, land their dream job, or make a career change.

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Speechwriting

13 Presentation Aids

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

In this chapter . . .

Most public speeches given today are supplemented by presentation aids. While these can be useful in providing a visual element and helping clarify speech, if used poorly they can be more distracting. In this chapter we cover both technological presentation aids such as slide shows as well as other less conventional methods.

When you perform a speech, your audience members will experience your presentation through all five of their senses: hearing, vision, smell, taste, and touch. In some speaking situations, the speaker appeals only to the sense of hearing. But the speaking event can be greatly enriched by appeals to the other senses. This is the role of presentation aids.

Presentation aids are the resources beyond the speech words and delivery that a speaker uses to enhance the message conveyed to the audience. The type of presentation aids that speakers most typically make use of are visual aids: slideshows, pictures, diagrams, charts and graphs, maps, and the like. Audible aids include musical excerpts, audio speech excerpts, and sound effects. A speaker may also use fragrance samples or food samples as olfactory (sense of smell) or gustatory (sense of taste) aids. Finally, presentation aids can be three-dimensional objects, animals, and people.

When used correctly, presentation aids can significantly improve the quality of a speech performance.

Why Use Presentation Aids

Public speakers can deploy presentation aids for many useful reasons, including to highlight important points, clarify confusing details, amuse the audience, express emotions that are impossible to convey through words alone, and much more.

Presentation Aids Support Audience Understanding

As a speaker, your most basic goal is to help your audience understand your message. Presentation aids can reduce the possibility of misunderstanding. Presentation aids do this by clarifying or emphasizing what you are saying in your speech.

Clarification is important in a speech because if some of the information you convey is unclear, your listeners will come away puzzled or possibly even misled. Presentation aids can help clarify a message if the information is complex or if the point being made is a visual one.

Clarifying is especially important when a speaker wants to help audience members understand a visual concept. For example, if a speaker is talking about the importance of petroglyphs in Native American culture, just describing the petroglyphs won’t completely help your audience to visualize what they look like. Instead, showing an example of a petroglyph, as in Figure 1.1 (“Petroglyph”) can more easily help your audience form a clear mental image of your intended meaning.

Another way presentation aids improve understanding is through emphasis. When you use a presentational aid for emphasis, you impress your listeners with the importance of an idea. In a speech on rising levels of CO2, you might show a chart. When you use a chart like the one in Figure 1.2 (“Global CO2 Emissions”) you give a pictorial emphasis on the changes in levels of CO2.

Presentation Aids Help Retention and Recall

Presentation aids can also increase the audience’s chances of remembering your speech. An image can serve as a memory aid to your listeners. Moreover, people remember information that is presented in sequential steps more easily than if that information is presented in an unorganized pattern. When you use a presentation aid to display the organization of your speech (such as can be done with PowerPoint slides), you’ll help your listeners to observe, follow, and remember the sequence of information you conveyed to them. This is why some instructors display a lecture outline for their students to follow during class and why a slide with a preview of your main points can be helpful as you move into the body of your speech.

Another advantage of using presentation aids is that they can boost your memory while you’re speaking. Using your presentation aids while you rehearse your speech will familiarize you with the association between a given place in your speech and the presentation aid that accompanies that material.

Presentation Aids Add Variety and Interest

Furthermore, presentation aids simply make your speech more interesting. For example, wouldn’t a speech on varieties of roses have greater impact if you accompanied your remarks with a picture of each rose? Similarly, if you were speaking to a group of gourmet cooks about Indian spices, you might want to provide tiny samples of spices that they could smell and taste during your speech.

Presentation Aids Enhance a Speaker’s Credibility

Even if you give a good speech, you run the risk of appearing unprofessional if your presentation aids are poorly executed. Conversely, a high-quality presentation will contribute to your professional image. This means that in addition to containing important information, your presentation aids must be clear, uncluttered, organized, and large enough for the audience to see and interpret correctly. Misspellings and poorly designed presentation aids can damage your credibility as a speaker. If you focus your efforts on producing presentation aids that contribute effectively to your meaning, that look professional, and that are managed well, your audience will appreciate your efforts and pay close attention to your message.

Types of Presentation Aids

Slideshow: When we think of public speaking presentation aids, our thoughts go first to a slideshow. Slide presentation software is the most common tool used by speakers to accompany their speeches. The most well-known one is PowerPoint, although there are several others like Prezi and Keynote. A slideshow is a presentation aid that is made up of slides that typically contain words, images, or a combination of both.

Video: A speaker may wish to show the audience a clip of a video or other moving image in their speech. This can be played stand-alone or incorporated into a slideshow.

Music or Sound: Similarly, sound and music can be used as a presentation aid, recorded or live. Similarly, a sound recording could be played stand-alone or incorporated into a slideshow.

Physical Objects: A speaker may bring in a model, or other physical object, as an aid to presentation. For example, if you were doing a speech about the importance of emotional support animals, you might bring in a dog.

People: It is possible to use a person as a presentation aid, as in the case of demonstrations.

Other Aids: Other “low-tech” presentation aids include printed handouts, whiteboards, and flipcharts.

The sections that follow will discuss each of these types in more depth.

Designing Slideshows

In many industries and businesses, there is an assumption that speakers will use presentation slideshows. They allow visualization of concepts, they are easily portable, and they can be embedded with videos and audio. You’ll probably be expected to have slide presentations in future assignments in college. Knowing how to use them, beyond the basic technology, is vital to being a proficient presenter.

But when do presentation slides become less effective? We have all sat through a presenter who committed the common error of putting far too much text on the slide. When a speaker does this, the audience is confused—do they read the text or listen to the speaker? An audience member can’t do both. Then, the speaker feels the need to read the slides rather than use PowerPoint for what it does best, visual reinforcement and clarification.

We have also seen many poorly designed PowerPoint slides, either through haste or lack of knowledge: slides where the graphics are distorted (elongated or squatty), words and graphics not balanced, text too small, words printed over photographs, garish or nauseating colors, or animated figures left up on the screen for too long and distracting the audience.

There are principles you can follow to create slides and slideshows that are effective. In addition to the rules below, Microsoft offers tips on best practices for PowerPoint slides.

Unity and Consistency

Generally, it’s best to use a single font for the text on your visuals so that they look like a unified set. Or you can use two different fonts in consistent ways, such as having all headings and titles in the same font and all bullet points in the same font. Additionally, the background should remain consistent.

Each slide should have one message, often only one photo or graphic. The audience members should know what they are supposed to look at on the slide.

Another area related to unity and consistency is the use of animation or movement. There are three types of animation in slideshows:

little characters or icons that have movement. These may seem like fun, but they can be distracting.
movement of text or objects on and off the screen. Although using this function takes up time when preparing your slides, it’s very useful. You can control what your audience sees. It also avoids bringing up all the text and material on a slide at one time.
slide transitions, which is the design of how the next slide appears.

Emphasis, Focal Point, and Visibility

Several points should be made about how to make sure the audience sees what they need to see on the slides.

make sure the information is large enough for the audience to see. Text being at least 22-point font is best for visibility.
the standard rule for amount of text is that you should have no more than seven horizontal lines of text and the longest line should not exceed seven words.
you should also avoid too many slides. Less sometimes really is more. Again, there is no fixed rule, but a ten-minute speech probably needs fewer than ten slides.
Good contrast between the text and background is extremely important. Sans serif fonts such as Arial, Tahoma, and Verdana are better for reading from screens than serif fonts such as Times New Roman, or Garamond.

Fonts, color, clip art, photographs, and templates all contribute to tone, which is the attitude being conveyed in the slides. If you want a light tone, such as for a speech about cruises, some colors (springtime, pastel, cool, warm, or primary colors) and fonts (such as Comic Sans) and lots of photographs will be more appropriate. For a speech about the Holocaust, more somber colors and design elements would be more fitting, whereas clip art would not be.

Scale and Proportion

Although there are several ways to think about scale and proportion, we will discuss two here.

First, bullet points. Bullet points infer that the items in the bulleted list are equal, and the sequence doesn’t matter. If you want to communicate order, sequence, or priority, then use numbers. Bullet points should be short—not long, full sentences—but at the same time should be long enough to mean something. In a speech on spaying and neutering pets, the bullet point “pain” may be better replaced with “Pet feels little pain.”

Second, when you’re designing your slides, it’s best to choose a template and stick with it. If you input all your graphics and material and then change the template, the format of the slide will change, in some cases dramatically, and you’ll have distorted graphics and words covered up. You’ll then have to redesign each slide, which can be unnecessarily time-consuming.

Suitable Visual Images

Often, a speaker alternates text slides with slides containing visual images. Sometimes, a slideshow is made up entirely of images. Let’s look at the kinds of images you might use in a slideshow.

Charts : A chart is commonly defined as a graphical representation of data (often numerical) or a sketch representing an ordered process. Whether you create your charts or do research to find charts that already exist, it’s important for them to exactly match the specific purpose in your speech. Three common types of charts are statistical charts , sequence-of-steps chart , and decision trees . Graphs : A graph is a pictorial representation of the relationships of quantitative data using dots, lines, bars, pie slices, and the like. Common graphs speakers utilize in their speeches include line graphs, bar graphs, pie graphs, and pictographs. Diagrams: Diagrams are drawings or sketches that outline and explain the parts of an object, process, or phenomenon that can’t be readily seen. Maps : Maps are extremely useful if the information is clear and limited. There are all kinds of maps, including population, weather, ocean current, political, and economic maps. Photographs: and/or Drawings : Sometimes a photograph or a drawing is the best way to show an unfamiliar but important detail. Audiences expect high quality photographs, and as with all presentation aids, they should enhance the speech.

Using Video and/or Audio Recordings

Another particularly useful type of presentation aid is a video or audio recording. Whether it’s a short video from a website such as YouTube or Vimeo, a segment from a song, or a piece of a podcast, a well-chosen video or audio recording may be a good choice to enhance your speech.

There is one major warning to using audio and video clips during a speech: don’t forget that they are supposed to be aids to your speech, not the speech itself. Be sure to avoid these five mistakes that speakers often make when using audio and video clips:

Avoid choosing clips that are too long for the overall length of the speech.
Practice with the audio or video equipment prior to speaking. Fiddling around will not only take your audience out of your speech but also have a negative impact on your credibility. Be sure that the speakers on the computer are on and at the right volume level.
Cue the clip to the appropriate place prior to beginning your speech.
In addition to cueing up clip to the appropriate place, the browser window should be open and ready to go.
The audience must be given context before a video or audio clip is played, specifically what the clip is and why it relates to the speech. At the same time, the video should not repeat what you have already said but add to it.

Objects or Models

Objects refer to anything you could hold up and talk about during your speech, as in Figure 1.3. If you’re talking about the importance of not using plastic water bottles, you might hold up a plastic water bottle and a stainless-steel water bottle as examples.

why public speaking is a performance essay brainly

We can often use ourselves or other people to adequately demonstrate an idea during our speeches. If your speech is about ballroom dancing or ballet, you might use your body to demonstrate the basic moves in the cha-cha or the five basic ballet positions.

In some cases, such as for a demonstration speech, you might want to ask someone else to serve as your presentation aid. You should arrange ahead of time for a person (or persons) to be an effective aid—don’t assume that an audience member will volunteer on the spot. The transaction between you and your human presentation aid must be appropriate, especially if you’re going to demonstrate something like a dance step. In short, make sure your helper will know what is expected of them and consents to it.

How to Perform with Presentation Aids

Just as everything else in public speaking performance, it takes practice to effectively perform a speech while seamlessly incorporating presentation aids. Below are some tips and tricks for how to include presentation aids as part of a strong speech delivery.

Speaking with a Slide Presentation

The rhythm of your slide presentation should be reasonably consistent—you would not want to display a dozen different slides in the first minute of a five-minute presentation and then display only one slide per minute for the rest of the speech.

Whether using a remote “clicker” or the attached mouse, you should connect what is on the screen to what you’re talking about at the moment. Put reminders in your notes about when you need to change slides during your speech.

A basic presentation rule is to only show your visual aid when you’re talking about it and remove it when you no longer are talking about it. If you’re using PowerPoint and if you’re not talking about something on a slide, put a black slide between slides in the presentation so that you have a blank screen for parts of the speech.

Some other practical considerations are as follows:

Be sure the file is saved in a format that will be “readable” on the computer where you’re presenting.
Any borrowed graphic must be cited on the slide where it’s used; the same would be true of borrowed textual material. Putting your sources only on the last slide is insufficient.
A strong temptation for speakers is to look at the projected image rather than the audience during the speech. This practice cuts down on eye contact, of course, and is distracting for the audience. Two solutions for that are to print your notes from the presentation slides and/or use the slides as your note structure. Also remember that if the image is on the computer monitor in front of you, it’s on the screen behind you.
Always remember—and this can’t be emphasized enough—technology works for you, not you for the technology. The presentation aids are aids, not the speech itself.
As mentioned before, sometimes life happens—technology does not work. It could be that the projector bulb goes out or the Internet connection is down. The show must go on.
If you’re using a video or audio clip from an Internet source, it’s probably best to hyperlink the URL on one of the slides rather than minimize the program and change to the Internet site.
Finally, it’s common for speakers to think “the slide changes, so the audience know there is a change, so I don’t need a verbal transition.” Please don’t fall into this trap. Verbal transitions are just as, and maybe more, necessary for a speech using slides.
Do not obscure your visual aid– practice standing to the side of your aid when rehearsing.
Remember to keep eye contact with the audience, even when referring to a visual aid. Certainly, never turn your back on the audience!
Rehearse with your visual aids. You want to have transitions between showing and hiding visual aids to be seamless, with as little filler time or distractions as possible. Practice makes perfect in this regard.
As will be mentioned again below: simplicity is key. Avoid anything too distracting, too complicated, anything that will take a lot of time away from your speech content. You always want aids to supplement, not supplant, your speech content and delivery.

Avoiding Problems with Presentation Aids

Presentation aids can be tricky to use, as they can easily distract from the focus of your speech: the content and your delivery. One tip to keep in mind is to use only as many presentation aids as necessary to present your message or to fulfill your classroom assignment. The number and the technical sophistication of your presentation aids should never overshadow your speech.

Another important consideration is technology. Keep your presentation aids within the limits of the working technology available to you. As the speaker, you’re responsible for arranging the things you need to make your presentation aids work as intended. Test the computer and projector setup. Have your slides on a flash drive AND send it to yourself as an attachment or upload to a Cloud service. Have an alternative plan prepared in case there is some glitch that prevents your computer-based presentation aids from being usable. And of course, you must know how to use the technology.

More important than the method of delivery is the audience’s ability to see and understand the presentation aid. It must deliver clear information, and it must not distract from the message. Avoid overly elaborate or confusing presentation aids. Instead, simplify as much as possible, emphasizing the information you want your audience to understand. Remember the acronym KISS: Keep it Simple, Speaker!

Another thing to remember is that presentation aids don’t “speak for themselves.” When you display a visual aid, you should explain what it shows, pointing out and naming the most important features.

To finish this chapter, we will recap and remind you about the principles of effective presentation aids. Whether your aid is a slide show, object, a person, or dry erase board, these standards are essential:

Presentation aids must be easily seen or heard by your audience.
Presentation aids must be portable, easily handled, and efficient.
Presentation aids should disappear when not in use.
Presentation aids should be aesthetically pleasing, which includes in good taste. Avoid shock value just for shock value.

Media Attributions

Petroglyphs © Jim Bouldin is licensed under a CC BY-SA (Attribution ShareAlike) license
Rise in Global CO2 Emissions, 2022 © International Energy Agency is licensed under a CC BY (Attribution) license
Speech with Prop © Ralf Rebmann is licensed under a CC BY-SA (Attribution ShareAlike) license

The Writing Center • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

What this handout is about

This handout will help you create an effective speech by establishing the purpose of your speech and making it easily understandable. It will also help you to analyze your audience and keep the audience interested.

What’s different about a speech?

Writing for public speaking isn’t so different from other types of writing. You want to engage your audience’s attention, convey your ideas in a logical manner and use reliable evidence to support your point. But the conditions for public speaking favor some writing qualities over others. When you write a speech, your audience is made up of listeners. They have only one chance to comprehend the information as you read it, so your speech must be well-organized and easily understood. In addition, the content of the speech and your delivery must fit the audience.

What’s your purpose?

People have gathered to hear you speak on a specific issue, and they expect to get something out of it immediately. And you, the speaker, hope to have an immediate effect on your audience. The purpose of your speech is to get the response you want. Most speeches invite audiences to react in one of three ways: feeling, thinking, or acting. For example, eulogies encourage emotional response from the audience; college lectures stimulate listeners to think about a topic from a different perspective; protest speeches in the Pit recommend actions the audience can take.

As you establish your purpose, ask yourself these questions:

What do you want the audience to learn or do?
If you are making an argument, why do you want them to agree with you?
If they already agree with you, why are you giving the speech?
How can your audience benefit from what you have to say?

Audience analysis

If your purpose is to get a certain response from your audience, you must consider who they are (or who you’re pretending they are). If you can identify ways to connect with your listeners, you can make your speech interesting and useful.

As you think of ways to appeal to your audience, ask yourself:

What do they have in common? Age? Interests? Ethnicity? Gender?
Do they know as much about your topic as you, or will you be introducing them to new ideas?
Why are these people listening to you? What are they looking for?
What level of detail will be effective for them?
What tone will be most effective in conveying your message?
What might offend or alienate them?

For more help, see our handout on audience .

Creating an effective introduction

Get their attention, otherwise known as “the hook”.

Think about how you can relate to these listeners and get them to relate to you or your topic. Appealing to your audience on a personal level captures their attention and concern, increasing the chances of a successful speech. Speakers often begin with anecdotes to hook their audience’s attention. Other methods include presenting shocking statistics, asking direct questions of the audience, or enlisting audience participation.

Establish context and/or motive

Explain why your topic is important. Consider your purpose and how you came to speak to this audience. You may also want to connect the material to related or larger issues as well, especially those that may be important to your audience.

Get to the point

Tell your listeners your thesis right away and explain how you will support it. Don’t spend as much time developing your introductory paragraph and leading up to the thesis statement as you would in a research paper for a course. Moving from the intro into the body of the speech quickly will help keep your audience interested. You may be tempted to create suspense by keeping the audience guessing about your thesis until the end, then springing the implications of your discussion on them. But if you do so, they will most likely become bored or confused.

For more help, see our handout on introductions .

Making your speech easy to understand

Repeat crucial points and buzzwords.

Especially in longer speeches, it’s a good idea to keep reminding your audience of the main points you’ve made. For example, you could link an earlier main point or key term as you transition into or wrap up a new point. You could also address the relationship between earlier points and new points through discussion within a body paragraph. Using buzzwords or key terms throughout your paper is also a good idea. If your thesis says you’re going to expose unethical behavior of medical insurance companies, make sure the use of “ethics” recurs instead of switching to “immoral” or simply “wrong.” Repetition of key terms makes it easier for your audience to take in and connect information.

Incorporate previews and summaries into the speech

For example:

“I’m here today to talk to you about three issues that threaten our educational system: First, … Second, … Third,”

“I’ve talked to you today about such and such.”

These kinds of verbal cues permit the people in the audience to put together the pieces of your speech without thinking too hard, so they can spend more time paying attention to its content.

Use especially strong transitions

This will help your listeners see how new information relates to what they’ve heard so far. If you set up a counterargument in one paragraph so you can demolish it in the next, begin the demolition by saying something like,

“But this argument makes no sense when you consider that . . . .”

If you’re providing additional information to support your main point, you could say,

“Another fact that supports my main point is . . . .”

Helping your audience listen

Rely on shorter, simpler sentence structures.

Don’t get too complicated when you’re asking an audience to remember everything you say. Avoid using too many subordinate clauses, and place subjects and verbs close together.

Too complicated:

The product, which was invented in 1908 by Orville Z. McGillicuddy in Des Moines, Iowa, and which was on store shelves approximately one year later, still sells well.

Easier to understand:

Orville Z. McGillicuddy invented the product in 1908 and introduced it into stores shortly afterward. Almost a century later, the product still sells well.

Limit pronoun use

Listeners may have a hard time remembering or figuring out what “it,” “they,” or “this” refers to. Be specific by using a key noun instead of unclear pronouns.

Pronoun problem:

The U.S. government has failed to protect us from the scourge of so-called reality television, which exploits sex, violence, and petty conflict, and calls it human nature. This cannot continue.

Why the last sentence is unclear: “This” what? The government’s failure? Reality TV? Human nature?

More specific:

The U.S. government has failed to protect us from the scourge of so-called reality television, which exploits sex, violence, and petty conflict, and calls it human nature. This failure cannot continue.

Keeping audience interest

Incorporate the rhetorical strategies of ethos, pathos, and logos.

When arguing a point, using ethos, pathos, and logos can help convince your audience to believe you and make your argument stronger. Ethos refers to an appeal to your audience by establishing your authenticity and trustworthiness as a speaker. If you employ pathos, you appeal to your audience’s emotions. Using logos includes the support of hard facts, statistics, and logical argumentation. The most effective speeches usually present a combination these rhetorical strategies.

Use statistics and quotations sparingly

Include only the most striking factual material to support your perspective, things that would likely stick in the listeners’ minds long after you’ve finished speaking. Otherwise, you run the risk of overwhelming your listeners with too much information.

Watch your tone

Be careful not to talk over the heads of your audience. On the other hand, don’t be condescending either. And as for grabbing their attention, yelling, cursing, using inappropriate humor, or brandishing a potentially offensive prop (say, autopsy photos) will only make the audience tune you out.

Creating an effective conclusion

Restate your main points, but don’t repeat them.

“I asked earlier why we should care about the rain forest. Now I hope it’s clear that . . .” “Remember how Mrs. Smith couldn’t afford her prescriptions? Under our plan, . . .”

Call to action

Speeches often close with an appeal to the audience to take action based on their new knowledge or understanding. If you do this, be sure the action you recommend is specific and realistic. For example, although your audience may not be able to affect foreign policy directly, they can vote or work for candidates whose foreign policy views they support. Relating the purpose of your speech to their lives not only creates a connection with your audience, but also reiterates the importance of your topic to them in particular or “the bigger picture.”

Practicing for effective presentation

Once you’ve completed a draft, read your speech to a friend or in front of a mirror. When you’ve finished reading, ask the following questions:

Which pieces of information are clearest?
Where did I connect with the audience?
Where might listeners lose the thread of my argument or description?
Where might listeners become bored?
Where did I have trouble speaking clearly and/or emphatically?
Did I stay within my time limit?

Other resources

Toastmasters International is a nonprofit group that provides communication and leadership training.
Allyn & Bacon Publishing’s Essence of Public Speaking Series is an extensive treatment of speech writing and delivery, including books on using humor, motivating your audience, word choice and presentation.

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

Boone, Louis E., David L. Kurtz, and Judy R. Block. 1997. Contemporary Business Communication . Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Ehrlich, Henry. 1994. Writing Effective Speeches . New York: Marlowe.

Lamb, Sandra E. 1998. How to Write It: A Complete Guide to Everything You’ll Ever Write . Berkeley: Ten Speed Press.

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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Career Planning
Skills Development

Important Public Speaking Skills for Workplace Success

What Is Public Speaking?

Why Employers Value Public Speaking

Top Public Speaking Skills

How to showcase your skills, how to improve your public speaking skills.

Candidates with strong public speaking skills are in demand for the many occupations that require the ability to speak to a group. Dynamic and well-prepared speakers are highly valued by employers, and having this skill set can even help land you leadership positions and important roles.

Learn more about public speaking, why it's important, and how to improve your public speaking skills.

Public speaking is a soft skill that requires excellent communication skills, enthusiasm, and the ability to engage with an audience. Soft skills are interpersonal skills that are less technical and more about how you interact with others.

Public speakers make presentations to a group. Presentations could range from speaking to a small number of employees to presenting to a large audience at a national conference or event. The same skill set and ability to be comfortable speaking in public are required regardless of the size of the group.

Why Employers Value Public Speaking Skills

The art of public speaking comes into play in many places. It's important not only in the delivery of speeches and public talks, but also in professional presentations, training events, and motivational speaking. Consultants, training, managers, clergy, sales representatives, and teachers, for example, all have a reason at times to speak in front of others.

A lackluster speaker can make a solid product or proposal seem less than enticing, while a polished speaker can add allure to an otherwise mediocre proposition.

Most professional-level roles require some amount of public speaking. It's often necessary to carry out functions like presenting findings, pitching proposals, training staff, and leading meetings.

When you want to highlight your public speaking skills in your cover letter or resume, or during an interview, be sure to go beyond stating that you have "public speaking skills." Go into detail about which aspects of public speaking you are good at, and provide specific examples of your skills and expertise.

Some of the most important skills for successful public speaking include the following.

Clear Articulation

Of course, public speakers must be able to speak well. That includes enunciating, speaking loudly enough, and using proper grammar without a lot of verbal crutches such as "um." It helps to be able to talk well in ordinary conversation, but public speaking is a kind of performance and, as such, requires practice and preparation.

Memorization is not usually necessary, because many people are able to speak in an unscripted way to some degree. However, you must be familiar enough with your material that you don't pause excessively, repeat yourself, or stumble over your words.

You also need to be able to pace yourself so that you finish on time rather than early or late.

Engaging Presentation Style

Presentation style includes vocal tone, body language, facial expression, and timing. The right style can make a talk that could have been boring become exciting and engaging.

Assessing the Needs of the Audience

Some audiences want a lot of technical detail; others don't. Some will enjoy humor; others won't. There are jokes that work in some crowds but not others. To draft a successful talk and to adopt the appropriate presentation style, you need to be able to assess the needs of your audience.

Before you begin speaking, think about your audience and what they hope to gain from your presentation. That can help you assess their needs, which can help ensure that your presentation is the best possible use of your time and theirs.

PowerPoint Skills

PowerPoint is a popular software used for creating slides. Not all public speakers use them, but slides are so common that doing without them is sometimes called "speaking naked."

It's not only important to understand the technical aspects of using the software, it also helps if you have the artistic ability to create slides that are aesthetically pleasing and easy to understand—or, you should work with a collaborator who can do so. Either way, you must know how to integrate your slides smoothly into the other aspects of your presentations.

Composition Skills

Whether you prepare your talk ahead of time or just go with the flow, you must be able to construct talks that are rational, coherent, and easy to understand, and that cover all the points you want to hit.

Storytelling and humor help, and you must know how to use them. Public speaking is not only a form of performance art; it also requires writing skills.

Other Public Speaking Skills

The skills mentioned above aren't the only ones that are important to public speaking. The following skills and tips can make you an even more effective public speaker:

Controlling performance anxiety
Drafting an evaluation form that attendees are likely to complete
Grabbing the attention of the audience with a powerful opening
Handing out copies of slides in advance to minimize note-taking demands on the audience
Maintaining eye contact with the audience and providing an energetic, animated physical presence
Memorizing enough content so that the speech does not come off as a reading of notes
Modulating vocal tone to emphasize important points and avoid monotonous presentation
Organizing a logical flow to a speech
Preparing examples that are relevant to the experience of the expected audience
Providing compelling evidence to support themes
Rehearsing the presentation and revising rough spots
Researching information about the latest trends in an industry before presenting at a professional seminar
Restating critical points at the end of a speech to cement key concepts
Reviewing feedback and modifying the approach for talks in the future
Summarizing the topics to be covered at the beginning of a lecture to provide context for attendees

Public speaking is a skill in itself, but it is also a collection of skills. Lists like this can help you name some of these skills so you can identify which jobs require the abilities you have.

Be sure to read job descriptions carefully. Even very similar positions can have different requirements, depending on what the hiring manager is looking for.

Mention Skills in Your Resume and Cover Letter

When you apply, you can use these skills as keywords on your resume or other application materials. Hiring managers sometimes scan through applications looking for these keywords to make an initial cut, so it's important to make it clear from the beginning that you have the sought-after qualifications.

Then, use your cover letter to highlight some of your most relevant skills.

Share Your Skills During a Job Interview

Be prepared to give examples of specific times when you embodied these skills, because your interviewer is likely to ask. If you've made public presentations or internal company presentations, share the details with the interviewer.

Whether you feel like a public-speaking expert or you're new to it, there are always ways you can improve. You can brush up on your public speaking skills with these tips:

Take a public speaking class or workshop.
Practice in front of the mirror.
Practice in front of friends, family, or colleagues; then, ask for feedback.
Record yourself giving a presentation, watch the video, and take notes.
Watch videos of accomplished public speakers you admire.

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Planning Your Speech

Being confident in your speech making and your public speaking means that you should fully prepare for your speech! Here are some tips to write a great speech!

1. Determine the purpose of your speech. Whether it is a persuasive essay, argumentative essay, or just an informative one you need to know why you are giving the speech. Generally you may be told what kind of speech to write for your assignment, but if you have a choice on what type of speech you need to give it's important to know what you want to tell your audience.

2. Identify your audience. This may depend on your assignment but you need to know your audience to know what type of the information you are giving to them. Are you giving a speech to people who don't have any knowledge on the subject? Experts in the field? Or are you just speaking in front of your professor and fellow classmates? Understanding your audience helps you determine the scope of the detail in your speech and how you can keep the audience captivated.

3. Create your claim (or thesis). Just like writing a paper, your speech needs a thesis. Your claim is the main idea for your speech, and you will spend your speech providing evidence that supports your claim.

4. Collect your evidence. You need to support your claim with evidence. Evidence may include: surveys, statistics, anecdotal evidence, or even your own experience.

5. Start determining how you will organize your speech. Just like an essay, a speech has a similar structure. Your introduction, body, supporting evidence, and conclusion. It's helpful to write down your speech in a similar way you would write an essay.

Giving Your Speech

Glossophobia, or the fear of public speaking, is very common. Below are some speech-giving tips that can help reduce your anxiety!

1. Talk to someone if you are feeling stressed. Talk to a counselor, your professor, or just a friend. It's always helpful to talk about your worries and get support from people around.

2. Know what you're talking about. You will be more comfortable reciting your speech when you have some knowledge on the subject. While you are researching and preparing your speech, get some preliminary background information so you feel more confident with the subject. This also helps if you get any surprise questions from your audience!

3. Practice. Practice, practice, practice. In the mirror, in front of some friends, in front of your classmates. Be comfortable with the words, the structure of your speech, and knowing the order in which you will present your main ideas.

4. Organize your materials. Disorganization the day of your speech can worsen your anxiety! Prepare the night before by setting out all of your demonstrative items (poster, powerpoint, pictures), make sure any notecards are in order, and set aside your clothes if you are dressing up for your speech. It's also important to make sure the technology in the room you are presenting in has everything you need (check with your professor)!

5. Study other speeches. You don't need to study the great orators of the world to learn how to improve your speeches. TED Talks, interviews from people you look up to, and even watching YouTube videos can help improve your public speaking skills.

6. Don't rely on Powerpoints/posters. Items like Powerpoints and posters that you use for your speech are meant to support you and not be something that you read off of the entire time. If you can do without visual aids or if they are not required for your speech, you may decide not to use any at all. Try to have as little text as possible on them--you won't be able to read off of them and your audience will not be distracted reading the slides.

7. Focus on your message. Don't get caught up in little details, your stories, or any jokes you may have in your speech. Focus on your claim so your message is understood by your audience.

8. Don't apologize. Everyone makes a mistake. Technical difficulties can happen to every one. Don't let minor issues such as forgetting a part of your speech or getting a little mixed up derail your presentation. Your audience may not even notice the small mistake. If you feel like you need to make an apology, make a small one and continue on. You've got this!

9. Look around the room. You should always give your audience your full attention. It might be a small classroom of a few students or a massive auditorium but your audience is very important. Focus on different parts of the room that you can spend a few seconds on during the speech. If you can't decide where to look, focus on a specific person.

10. Be yourself. You can reduce your anxiety by just being yourself. Involved your personality in how you present information; use your pitch and create a style that's meaningful and allows the audience to relate to you. And don't forget to smile!

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Last Updated: Aug 18, 2021 1:37 PM
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Oratory Club

Public Speaking Helpline

Why is Public Speaking a Performance?

Public speaking is a performance because it involves the delivery of a well-prepared speech to an audience, showcasing verbal communication skills and engaging with the listeners. Public speaking is an important skill that is often required in various personal and professional contexts.

Whether you are delivering a sales pitch, giving a presentation at work, or speaking at a social event, the way you present yourself and your ideas can greatly impact the success of your message. When you speak in public, you are essentially performing.

You are taking on the role of a speaker, with a specific goal in mind – to inform, persuade, entertain, or inspire your audience. Like actors on a stage, public speakers must captivate the attention of their audience, use effective body language and vocal techniques, and convey their message in a compelling manner. We will explore why public speaking is considered a performance. We will discuss the key elements of public speaking that contribute to its performative nature and why mastering this skill can greatly enhance your communication abilities.

Table of Contents

The Art Of Public Speaking

Public speaking is not just about standing in front of a crowd and delivering a speech. It is an art form that requires skill, practice, and a deep understanding of the audience. Public speaking is a performance that demands confidence, charisma, and the ability to connect with the listeners. In this blog post, we will explore the importance of public speaking and how performance plays a crucial role in delivering an effective speech.

The Importance Of Public Speaking

Public speaking is a vital skill that is essential in various aspects of life. Whether it is pitching an idea at work, persuading others to see your point of view, or delivering a speech at an event, the ability to communicate effectively is crucial. Here are a few reasons why public speaking is important:

Expressing ideas : Public speaking allows individuals to express their thoughts, ideas, and opinions to a wider audience.
Influencing others : Effective speakers have the power to influence and inspire others, whether it is to take action or change their perspective.
Career advancement : Strong communication skills, including public speaking, are highly valued in almost any profession and can lead to career advancement opportunities.
Building confidence : Public speaking pushes individuals out of their comfort zone, helping them build confidence and overcome their fear of speaking in front of others.

The Role Of Performance In Public Speaking

A speech is not just about the words that are spoken but also about the way those words are delivered. Performance plays a crucial role in public speaking and can make or break the impact of a speech. Here’s why:

Captivating the audience : An engaging and captivating performance can grab the audience’s attention, keeping them interested and connected throughout the speech.
Non-verbal communication : Performance includes not just the words spoken, but also body language, facial expressions, and tone of voice. Effective use of non-verbal communication can enhance the message and make it more persuasive.
Creating an impression : A polished performance demonstrates professionalism and credibility, leaving a lasting impression on the audience.
Eliciting emotions : Performance techniques such as storytelling, humor, and passionate delivery can evoke emotions in the listeners, making the speech memorable and impactful.

In conclusion, public speaking goes beyond just delivering a speech; it is an art form that requires skill, practice, and effective performance. By recognizing the importance of public speaking and understanding the role of performance, individuals can become confident and effective communicators, able to connect with and inspire their audiences.

Understanding Public Speaking As Performance

Public speaking can be seen as a performance due to its dynamic nature and the need for effective delivery. Speakers must engage the audience, convey their message confidently, and utilize body language and vocal techniques to captivate listeners. It is through these performance elements that public speaking becomes a powerful tool for communication.

The Elements Of Performance In Public Speaking

Connecting with the audience through performance, the power of body language.

Public speaking is no ordinary task – it is a performance that requires more than just words. The impact of body language on public speaking cannot be underestimated. It is the non-verbal cues, such as facial expressions, gestures, and posture, that help convey messages with conviction and captivate the audience. By harnessing the power of body language, speakers can enhance their performance and leave a lasting impression.

The Impact Of Body Language On Public Speaking

Body language holds immense power in public speaking. Research suggests that more than 50% of communication is conveyed through non-verbal cues, making it an integral part of effective speaking. When a speaker engages confident body language, including maintaining eye contact, standing tall with an open posture, and using purposeful gestures, it establishes trust, credibility, and authority. These non-verbal signals reinforce the spoken words and help the audience connect deeply with the speaker’s message.

Using Body Language To Enhance Performance

Intentional use of body language can significantly enhance a speaker’s performance. Here are some techniques to employ:

Confident Posture: Stand tall with your shoulders back and head held high. This posture exudes confidence and commands attention.
Eye Contact: Maintain eye contact with the audience to establish a personal connection and convey sincerity. It shows that you respect and value their presence.
Gestures: Purposeful hand gestures can emphasize key points, add meaning, and keep the audience engaged. Avoid excessive or random movements that may distract or confuse the listeners.
Facial Expressions: A genuine smile, raised eyebrows, and facial expressions that align with the emotions conveyed in the speech can help create a dynamic and relatable presentation.

By incorporating these techniques into your public speaking, you can elevate the effectiveness of your message and leave a lasting impact on your audience. Remember, effective body language is an essential part of successful public speaking, allowing you to connect, engage, and inspire your listeners.

Voice And Verbal Delivery

Public speaking is considered a performance because it involves the skillful use of voice and verbal delivery. Effective public speakers rely on their voice to captivate their audience, using tone, pitch, and volume to convey their message with impact and clarity.

Verbal delivery, including pacing and emphasis, adds to the overall performance, making public speaking a dynamic and engaging experience.

Utilizing Vocal Techniques In Public Speaking

Utilizing vocal techniques in public speaking can greatly enhance the performance aspect of delivering a presentation or speech. When we speak, our voice becomes an essential tool through which we convey our message and engage the audience. By harnessing the power of our voice and employing various vocal techniques, we can captivate the attention of our listeners and deliver a memorable performance.

One fundamental vocal technique is projection , which involves using the diaphragm to produce a clear and audible voice that reaches every corner of the room. This helps to ensure that even those sitting at the back can hear and comprehend our message.
Pitch modulation is another indispensable technique that involves altering the pitch of our voice to create variety, express emotions, and emphasize certain points. By consciously varying our pitch, we can maintain the audience’s interest and effectively convey the intended meaning of our words.
Pausing strategically is an often-overlooked skill that plays a significant role in how our message is received. Well-placed pauses not only allow the audience to absorb and process information, but they also add a sense of drama, build anticipation, and highlight key ideas.
While adjusting the volume and pitch of our voice is essential, intonation is equally important. Intonation refers to the rise and fall of our voice, and by utilizing this technique skillfully, we can convey excitement, urgency, or importance, thus enhancing the overall impact of our speech.
Lastly, articulation is crucial for ensuring that our words are clear and easily understood by the audience. Paying attention to enunciation, pronunciation, and clarity will prevent any miscommunication and allow our message to be received precisely as intended.

The Role Of Verbal Delivery In Performance

The role of verbal delivery in public speaking is multifaceted, as it encompasses more than just conveying information effectively. Verbal delivery plays a vital role in creating a sense of connection with the audience, engaging their attention, and commanding their interest.

Confidence and enthusiasm in the delivery of our words can be contagious and inspire the audience to be more receptive to our message. By speaking with conviction and displaying genuine passion for the topic, we can establish a positive and persuasive presence on stage.
Tone variation is an indispensable aspect of verbal delivery. Adjusting our tone to match the tone of our content helps to convey the intended message accurately. By employing a conversational tone during storytelling or employing a serious tone to address important issues, we can evoke the desired emotional response from the audience.
Body language and facial expressions go hand in hand with verbal delivery, as they contribute to the overall performance and effectiveness of our speech. Pairing appropriate gestures and facial expressions with our words reinforces the meaning of our message, adding depth and authenticity to our delivery.
Rhythm and pacing are additional elements that can greatly impact the performance and effectiveness of our speech. By incorporating varied rhythms and carefully managing our pacing, we can maintain the audience’s interest and ensure that our message is delivered with the appropriate emphasis and impact.
Engaging the audience through interaction is another aspect of verbal delivery that can enhance the performance. Encouraging audience participation, such as asking questions or using rhetorical devices that elicit a response, creates a sense of involvement and promotes active listening.

Overcoming Stage Fright

Public speaking can be likened to a performance, as it requires individuals to overcome stage fright and deliver their message with confidence and clarity. By understanding this connection, individuals can develop strategies to overcome their fear and become more effective speakers.

Identifying And Managing Stage Fright

Overcoming stage fright is an essential aspect of public speaking as it allows you to deliver a confident and impactful performance. Identifying and managing stage fright involves understanding the underlying causes of nervousness and taking proactive steps to alleviate its impact. By doing so, you can unleash your true potential and captivate your audience. Here are some effective strategies to help you conquer stage fright:

Recognize the signs: Begin by identifying the symptoms of stage fright, such as sweaty palms, increased heart rate, and trembling voice. Awareness of these signs will enable you to address them head-on.
Prepare extensively: Thorough preparation is key to reducing anxiety. Practicing your presentation repeatedly and becoming familiar with the content will boost your confidence and diminish the fear of forgetting or stumbling upon your words.
Breathe and relax: Deep breathing exercises can calm your nerves and relax your body. Prior to stepping on stage, take a few moments to inhale deeply and exhale slowly, allowing yourself to release tension.
Visualize success: Imagine yourself delivering your speech flawlessly and receiving a positive response from the audience. Visualization techniques can help reframe your mindset and build self-assurance.
Start small: Begin by speaking in front of a familiar group or a small audience before gradually moving on to larger settings. Gradually exposing yourself to public speaking will help desensitize you to the fear and make you more comfortable over time.
Practice positive self-talk: Remind yourself of your strengths and visualize success. Replace negative thoughts with affirming statements to bolster your confidence.

Channeling Nervousness Into Performance Energy

Nervousness is a natural response when speaking in public, but it doesn’t have to hinder your performance. Instead of fighting against it, learn to channel nervous energy into performance energy. Here’s how:

Rewire your mindset: Rather than viewing nervousness as a negative hindrance, reframe it as excitement and enthusiasm. Understand that the adrenaline rush can actually enhance your performance by sharpening your focus and increasing your energy level.
Embrace the power of body language: Use body language to your advantage by adopting an open posture, making eye contact with your audience, and employing purposeful gestures. This not only helps to engage your listeners but also allows you to release pent-up nervous energy.
Interact with the audience: Instead of trying to hide your nervousness, involve the audience in your presentation. Encourage participation, ask questions, and create a more dynamic and interactive environment. This shifts the focus away from your nervousness and onto a collaborative experience.
Focus on the message: Concentrate on delivering your message effectively rather than obsessing over your nervousness. A strong emphasis on the content will redirect your attention and help you stay present in the moment.
Use positive visualization: Picture yourself confidently delivering your speech and receiving applause at the end. Harness the power of visualizing success to channel your nervous energy into a stellar performance.

Frequently Asked Questions On Why Is Public Speaking A Performance?

Can public speaking be considered a form of performance art.

Yes, public speaking can be seen as a performance art form because it involves delivering a message to an audience using vocal skills, gestures, and body language to engage and captivate listeners.

Why Is Public Speaking Considered A Performance?

Public speaking is considered a performance because it requires the speaker to deliver a presentation or speech in a way that is engaging, persuasive, and impactful, similar to an actor performing on a stage.

How Does Public Speaking As A Performance Impact The Audience?

Public speaking, when treated as a performance, can have a profound impact on the audience by capturing their attention, creating emotional connections, and inspiring them to take action based on the message delivered.

Public speaking is undeniably a performance that requires skill, confidence, and a deep understanding of one’s audience. From the way we use our body language to the tone of our voice, every aspect of public speaking contributes to the overall impression we leave on our listeners.

Practicing and honing these performance techniques is essential for making a lasting impact and effectively conveying our message. So, embrace the stage, embrace the spotlight, and remember that public speaking is not just speaking; it is a performance art.

Corporate Public Speaking

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How to Run a Public Speaking Club?

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Does Watching Good Speakers Help You Become a Better Speaker?

Watching good speakers present can greatly improve your own speaking skills. Benefits Of Watching Good Speakers Watching good speakers can greatly benefit your own speaking skills. By observing their presentation techniques, delivery, and confidence, you can learn and apply effective strategies to enhance your own public speaking abilities. Watching good speakers present can greatly benefit…

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Free public speaking courses are widely available online, offering individuals the opportunity to enhance their communication skills and confidence in a public speaking setting. These courses cover various topics such as speech preparation, delivery techniques, body language, and speech anxiety management. Online public speaking courses are an accessible and convenient way to improve public speaking…

Paid Public Speaking Opportunities

Paid public speaking opportunities can be found at industry events, conferences, and through professional associations or organizations. Building relationships with event organizers and having a compelling marketing strategy are key to securing paid speaking gigs. Enhancing your skills, finding your niche, creating fresh content, and sticking to your pricing strategy are also important for success…

How to Pace Your Speech?

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Chapter 19 Finding a Purpose and Selecting a Topic

General purposes of speaking, learning objectives.

Differentiate among the three types of general speech purposes.
Examine the basics of informative speech topics and some common forms of informative speeches.
Examine the basics of persuasive speech topics and some common forms of persuasive speeches.
Examine the basics of entertaining speech topics and some common forms of entertaining speeches.

What do you think of when you hear the word “purpose”? Technically speaking, a purpose can be defined as why something exists, how we use an object, or why we make something. For the purposes of public speaking, all three can be applicable. For example, when we talk about a speech’s purpose, we can question why a specific speech was given; we can question how we are supposed to use the information within a speech; and we can question why we are personally creating a speech. For this specific chapter, we are more interested in that last aspect of the definition of the word “purpose”: why we give speeches.

Ever since scholars started writing about public speaking as a distinct phenomenon, there have been a range of different systems created to classify the types of speeches people may give. Aristotle talked about three speech purposes: deliberative (political speech), forensic (courtroom speech), and epideictic (speech of praise or blame). Cicero also talked about three purposes: judicial (courtroom speech), deliberative (political speech), and demonstrative (ceremonial speech—similar to Aristotle’s epideictic). A little more recently, St. Augustine of Hippo also wrote about three specific speech purposes: to teach (provide people with information), to delight (entertain people or show people false ideas), and to sway (persuade people to a religious ideology). All these systems of identifying public speeches have been attempts at helping people determine the general purpose of their speech. A general purpose refers to the broad goal in creating and delivering a speech.

These typologies or classification systems of public speeches serve to demonstrate that general speech purposes have remained pretty consistent throughout the history of public speaking. Modern public speaking scholars typically use a classification system of three general purposes: to inform, to persuade, and to entertain.

The first general purpose that some people have for giving speeches is to inform . Simply put, this is about helping audience members acquire information that they do not already possess. Audience members can then use this information to understand something (e.g., speech on a new technology, speech on a new virus) or to perform a new task or improve their skills (e.g., how to swing a golf club, how to assemble a layer cake). The most important characteristic of informative topics is that the goal is to gain knowledge. Notice that the goal is not to encourage people to use that knowledge in any specific way. When a speaker starts encouraging people to use knowledge in a specific way, he or she is no longer informing but is persuading.

Let’s look at a real example of how an individual can accidentally go from informing to persuading. Let’s say you are assigned to inform an audience about a new vaccination program. In an informative speech, the purpose of the speech is to explain to your audience what the program is and how it works. If, however, you start encouraging your audience to participate in the vaccination program, you are no longer informing them about the program but rather persuading them to become involved in the program. One of the most common mistakes new public speaking students make is to blur the line between informing and persuading.

Why We Share Knowledge

Knowledge sharing is the process of delivering information, skills, or expertise in some form to people who could benefit from it. In fact, understanding and exchanging knowledge is so important that an entire field of study, called knowledge management , has been created to help people (especially businesses) become more effective at harnessing and exchanging knowledge. In the professional world, sharing knowledge is becoming increasingly important. Every year, millions of people attend some kind of knowledge sharing conference or convention in hopes of learning new information or skills that will help them in their personal or professional lives. [1]

People are motivated to share their knowledge with other people for a variety of reasons. [2] For some, the personal sense of achievement or of responsibility drives them to share their knowledge (internal motivational factors). Others are driven to share knowledge because of the desire for recognition or the possibility of job enhancement (external motivational factors). Knowledge sharing is an important part of every society, so learning how to deliver informative speeches is a valuable skill.

Common Types of Informative Topics

O’Hair, Stewart, and Rubenstein identified six general types of informative speech topics: objects, people, events, concepts, processes, and issues. [3] The first type of informative speech relates to objects, which can include how objects are designed, how they function, and what they mean. For example, a student of one of our coauthors gave a speech on the design of corsets, using a mannequin to demonstrate how corsets were placed on women and the amount of force necessary to lace one up.

The second type of informative speech focuses on people. People-based speeches tend to be biography-oriented. Such topics could include recounting an individual’s achievements and explaining why he or she is important in history. Some speakers, who are famous themselves, will focus on their own lives and how various events shaped who they ultimately became. Dottie Walters is most noted as being the first female in the United States to run an advertising agency. In addition to her work in advertising, Dottie also spent a great deal of time as a professional speaker. She often would tell the story about her early years in advertising when she would push around a stroller with her daughter inside as she went from business to business trying to generate interest in her copywriting abilities. You don’t have to be famous, however, to give a people-based speech. Instead, you could inform your audience about a historical or contemporary hero whose achievements are not widely known.

The third type of informative speech involves explaining the significance of specific events, either historical or contemporary. For example, you could deliver a speech on a specific battle of World War II or a specific presidential administration. If you’re a history buff, event-oriented speeches may be right up your alley. There are countless historical events that many people aren’t familiar with and would find interesting. You could also inform your audience about a more recent or contemporary event. Some examples include concerts, plays, and arts festivals; athletic competitions; and natural phenomena, such as storms, eclipses, and earthquakes. The point is to make sure that an informative speech is talking about the event (who, what, when, where, and why) and not attempting to persuade people to pass judgment upon the event or its effects.

The fourth type of informative speech involves concepts, or “abstract and difficult ideas or theories.” [4] For example, if you want to explain a specific communication theory, E. M. Griffin provides an excellent list of communication theories on his website, http://www.afirstlook.com/main.cfm/theory_list . Whether you want to discuss theories related to business, sociology, psychology, religion, politics, art, or any other major area of study, this type of speech can be very useful in helping people to understand complex ideas.

The fifth type of informative speech involves processes. The process speech can be divided into two unique types: how-it-functions and how-to-do. The first type of process speech helps audience members understand how a specific object or system works. For example, you could explain how a bill becomes a law in the United States. There is a very specific set of steps that a bill must go through before it becomes a law, so there is a very clear process that could be explained to an audience. The how-to-do speech, on the other hand, is designed to help people come to an end result of some kind. For example, you could give a speech on how to quilt, how to change a tire, how to write a résumé, and millions of other how-to oriented topics. In our experience, the how-to speech is probably the most commonly delivered informative speech in public speaking classes.

The final type of informative speech involves issues, or “problems or matters of dispute.” [5] This informative speech topic is probably the most difficult for novice public speakers because it requires walking a fine line between informing and persuading. If you attempt to deliver this type of speech, remember the goal is to be balanced when discussing both sides of the issue. To see an example of how you can take a very divisive topic and make it informative, check out the series Point/Counterpoint published by Chelsea House . This series of books covers everything from the pros and cons of blogging to whether the United States should have mandatory military service.

Sample: Jessy Ohl’s Informative Speech

The following text represents an informative speech prepared and delivered by an undergraduate student named Jessy Ohl. While this speech is written out as a text for purposes of analysis, in your public speaking course, you will most likely be assigned to speak from an outline or notes, not a fully written script. As you read through this sample speech, notice how Ms. Ohl uses informative strategies to present the information without trying to persuade her audience.

In 1977, a young missionary named Daniel Everett traveled deep into the jungles of Brazil to spread the word of God. However, he soon found himself working to translate the language of a remote tribe that would ultimately change his faith, lead to a new profession, and pit him in an intellectual fistfight with the world-famous linguist Noam Chomsky. As New Scientist Magazine of January 2008 explains, Everett’s research on a small group of 350 people called the Pirahã tribe has revealed a language that has experts and intellectuals deeply disturbed. While all languages are unique, experts like Noam Chomsky have argued that they all have universal similarities, such as counting, that are hard-wired into the human brain. So as National Public Radio reported on April 8, 2007, without the ability to count, conceptualize time or abstraction, or create syntax, the Pirahã have a language that by all accounts shouldn’t exist. Daniel Everett is now a professor of linguistics at Illinois State University, and he has created controversy by calling for a complete reevaluation of all linguistic theory in light of the Pirahã. Exploration of the Pirahã could bring further insight into the understanding of how people communicate and even, perhaps, what it means to be human. Which is why we must: first, examine the unique culture of the Pirahã; second, explore what makes their language so surprising; and finally, discover the implications the Pirahã have for the way we look at language and humanity. Taking a closer look at the tribe’s culture, we can identify two key components of Pirahã culture that help mold language: first, isolation; and second, emphasis on reality. First, while globalization has reached nearly every corner of the earth, it has not been able to penetrate the Pirahã natives in the slightest. As Dr. Everett told the New Yorker of April 16, 2007, no group in history has resisted change like the Pirahã. “They reject everything from outside their world” as unnecessary and silly. Distaste for all things foreign is the reason why the people have rejected technology, farming, religion, and even artwork. The lack of artwork illustrates the second vital part of Pirahã culture: an emphasis on reality. According to the India Statesman of May 22, 2006, all Pirahã understanding is based around the concept of personal experience. If something cannot be felt, touched, or experienced directly then to them, it doesn’t exist, essentially eliminating the existence of abstract thought. Since art is often a representation of reality, it has no value among the people. During his work as a missionary, Everett was amazed to find that the natives had no interest in the story of Jesus once they found out that he was dead. The Pirahã psyche is so focused on the present that the people have no collective memory, history, written documents, or creation myths. They are unable to even remember the names of dead grandparents because once something or someone cannot be experienced, they are no longer important. Since his days as a missionary, Everett remains the only Western professor able to translate Pirahã. His research has discovered many things missing with the language: words for time, direction, and color. But more importantly, Pirahã also lacks three characteristics previously thought to be essential to all languages: complexity, counting, and recursion. First, the Pirahã language seems incredibly simple. Now, this isn’t meant to imply that the people are uncivilized or stupid, but instead, they are minimalist. As I mentioned earlier, they only talk in terms of direct experience. The London Times of January 13, 2007, notes that with only eight consonants and three vowels, speakers rely on the use of tone, pitch, and humming to communicate. In fact, Pirahã almost sounds more like song than speech. Second, Noam Chomsky’s famous universal grammar theory includes the observation that every language has a means of counting. However, as reported in the June 2007 issue of Prospect Magazine , the Pirahã only have words for “one, two, and MANY.” This demonstrates the Pirahã’s inability to conceptualize a difference between three and five or three and a thousand. Dr. Everett spent six months attempting to teach even a single Pirahã person to count to ten, but his efforts were in vain, as tribal members considered the new numbers and attempts at math “childish.” Third, and the biggest surprise for researchers, is the Pirahã’s apparent lack of recursion. Recursion is the ability to link several thoughts together. It is characterized in Christine Kenneally’s 2007 book, The Search for the Origins of Language , as the fundamental principle of all language and the source of limitless expression. Pirahã is unique since the language does not have any conjunctions or linking words. Recursion is so vital for expression that the Chicago Tribune of June 11, 2007, reports that a language without recursion is like disproving gravity. Although the Pirahã don’t care what the outside world thinks of them, their language and world view has certainly ruffled feathers. And while civilization hasn’t been able to infiltrate the Pirahã, it may ultimately be the Pirahã that teaches civilization a thing or two, which brings us to implications on the communicative, philosophical, and cultural levels. By examining the culture, language, and implications of the Pirahã tribe we are able to see how this small Brazilian village could shift the way that we think and talk about the world. Daniel Everett’s research hasn’t made him more popular with his colleagues. But his findings do show that more critical research is needed to make sure that our understanding of language is not lost in translation.

To Persuade

The second general purpose people can have for speaking is to persuade . When we speak to persuade, we attempt to get listeners to embrace a point of view or to adopt a behavior that they would not have done otherwise. A persuasive speech can be distinguished from an informative speech by the fact that it includes a call for action for the audience to make some change in their behavior or thinking.

Why We Persuade

The reasons behind persuasive speech fall into two main categories, which we will call “pure persuasion” and “manipulative persuasion.” Pure persuasion occurs when a speaker urges listeners to engage in a specific behavior or change a point of view because the speaker truly believes that the change is in the best interest of the audience members. For example, you may decide to give a speech on the importance of practicing good oral hygiene because you truly believe that oral hygiene is important and that bad oral hygiene can lead to a range of physical, social, and psychological problems. In this case, the speaker has no ulterior or hidden motive (e.g., you are not a toothpaste salesperson).

Manipulative persuasion , on the other hand, occurs when a speaker urges listeners to engage in a specific behavior or change a point of view by misleading them, often to fulfill an ulterior motive beyond the face value of the persuasive attempt. We call this form of persuasion manipulative because the speaker is not being honest about the real purpose for attempting to persuade the audience. Ultimately, this form of persuasion is perceived as highly dishonest when audience members discover the ulterior motive. For example, suppose a physician who also owns a large amount of stock in a pharmaceutical company is asked to speak before a group of other physicians about a specific disease. Instead of informing the group about the disease, the doctor spends the bulk of his time attempting to persuade the audience that the drug his company manufactures is the best treatment for that specific disease.

Obviously, the key question for persuasion is the speaker’s intent. Is the speaker attempting to persuade the audience because of a sincere belief in the benefits of a certain behavior or point of view? Or is the speaker using all possible means—including distorting the truth—to persuade the audience because he or she will derive personal benefits from their adopting a certain behavior or point of view? Unless your speech assignment specifically calls for a speech of manipulative persuasion, the usual (and ethical) understanding of a “persuasive speech” assignment is that you should use the pure form of persuasion.

Persuasion: Behavior versus Attitudes, Values, and Beliefs

As we’ve mentioned in the preceding sections, persuasion can address behaviors—observable actions on the part of listeners—and it can also address intangible thought processes in the form of attitudes, values, and beliefs.

When the speaker attempts to persuade an audience to change behavior, we can often observe and even measure how successful the persuasion was. For example, after a speech attempting to persuade the audience to donate money to a charity, the charity can measure how many donations were received. The following is a short list of various behavior-oriented persuasive speeches we’ve seen in our own classes: washing one’s hands frequently and using hand sanitizer, adapting one’s driving habits to improve gas mileage, using open-source software, or drinking one soft drink or soda over another. In all these cases, the goal is to make a change in the basic behavior of audience members.

The second type of persuasive topic involves a change in attitudes, values, or beliefs. An attitude is defined as an individual’s general predisposition toward something as being good or bad, right or wrong, negative or positive. If you believe that dress codes on college campuses are a good idea, you want to give a speech persuading others to adopt a positive attitude toward campus dress codes.

A speaker can also attempt to persuade listeners to change some value they hold. Value refers to an individual’s perception of the usefulness, importance, or worth of something. We can value a college education, we can value technology, and we can value freedom. Values, as a general concept, are fairly ambiguous and tend to be very lofty ideas. Ultimately, what we value in life actually motivates us to engage in a range of behaviors. For example, if you value protecting the environment, you may recycle more of your trash than someone who does not hold this value. If you value family history and heritage, you may be more motivated to spend time with your older relatives and ask them about their early lives than someone who does not hold this value.

Lastly, a speaker can attempt to persuade people to change their personal beliefs. Beliefs are propositions or positions that an individual holds as true or false without positive knowledge or proof. Typically, beliefs are divided into two basic categories: core and dispositional. Core beliefs are beliefs that people have actively engaged in and created over the course of their lives (e.g., belief in a higher power, belief in extraterrestrial life forms). Dispositional beliefs , on the other hand, are beliefs that people have not actively engaged in; they are judgments based on related subjects, which people make when they encounter a proposition. Imagine, for example, that you were asked the question, “Can gorillas speak English?” While you may never have met a gorilla or even seen one in person, you can make instant judgments about your understanding of gorillas and fairly certainly say whether you believe that gorillas can speak English.

When it comes to persuading people to alter beliefs, persuading audiences to change core beliefs is more difficult than persuading audiences to change dispositional beliefs. If you find a topic related to dispositional beliefs, using your speech to help listeners alter their processing of the belief is a realistic possibility. But as a novice public speaker, you are probably best advised to avoid core beliefs. Although core beliefs often appear to be more exciting and interesting than dispositional ones, you are very unlikely to alter anyone’s core beliefs in a five- to ten-minute classroom speech.

Sample: Jessy Ohl’s Persuasive Speech

The following speech was written and delivered by an undergraduate student named Jessy Ohl. As with our earlier example, while this speech is written out as a text for purposes of analysis, in your public speaking course, you will most likely be assigned to speak from an outline or notes, not a fully written script.

Take a few minutes and compare this persuasive speech to the informative speech Ms. Ohl presented earlier in this chapter. What similarities do you see? What differences do you see? Does this speech seek to change the audience’s behavior? Attitudes? Values? Dispositional or core beliefs? Where in the speech do you see one or more calls for action?

With a declining population of around 6,000, my home town of Denison, Iowa, was on the brink of extinction when a new industry rolled in bringing jobs and revenue. However, as the Canadian Globe and Mail of July 23, 2007, reports, the industry that saved Denison may ultimately lead to its demise. Denison is one of 110 communities across the country to be revolutionized by the production of corn ethanol. Ethanol is a high-powered alcohol, derived from plant matter, that can be used like gasoline. According to the Omaha World Herald of January 8, 2008, our reliance on foreign oil combined with global warming concerns have many holding corn ethanol as our best energy solution. But despite the good intentions of helping farmers and lowering oil consumption, corn ethanol is filled with empty promises. In fact, The Des Moines Register of March 1, 2008, concludes that when ethanol is made from corn, all of its environmental and economic benefits disappear. With oil prices at 100 dollars per barrel, our nation is in an energy crisis, and luckily, the production of ethanol can be a major help for both farmers and consumers, if done correctly. Unfortunately, the way we make ethanol—over 95% from corn—is anything but correct. Although hailed as a magic bullet, corn ethanol could be the worst agricultural catastrophe since the Dust Bowl. The serious political, environmental, and even moral implications demand that we critically rethink this so-called yellow miracle by: first, examining the problems created by corn ethanol; second, exploring why corn ethanol has gained such power; and finally, discovering solutions to prevent a corn ethanol disaster. Now, if you have heard anything about the problems of corn ethanol, it probably dealt with efficiency. As the Christian Science Monitor of November 15, 2007, notes, it takes a gallon of gasoline or more to make a gallon of ethanol. And while this is an important concern, efficiency is the least of our worries. Turning this crop into fuel creates two major problems for our society: first, environmental degradation; and second, acceleration of global famine. First, corn ethanol damages the environment as much as, if not more than, fossil fuels. The journal Ethanol and Bio-diesel News of September 2007 asserts that the production of corn ethanol is pushing natural resources to the breaking point. Since the Dust Bowl, traditional farming practices have required farmers to “rotate” crops. But with corn ethanol being so profitable, understandably, farmers have stopped rotating crops, leading to soil erosion, deforestation, and fertilizer runoff—making our soil less fertile and more toxic. And the story only gets worse once the ethanol is manufactured. According to National Public Radio’s Talk of the Nation of February 10, 2008, corn ethanol emits more carbon monoxide and twice the amount of carcinogens into the air as traditional gasoline. The second problem created from corn ethanol is the acceleration of global famine. According to the US Grains Council, last year, 27 million tons of corn, traditionally used as food, was turned into ethanol, drastically increasing food prices. The March 7, 2007, issue of The Wall Street Journal explains that lower supplies of corn needed for necessities such as farm feed, corn oil, and corn syrup have increased our food costs in everything from milk to bread, eggs, and even beer as much as 25 percent. The St. Louis Post Dispatch of April 12, 2007, reports that the amount of corn used to fill one tank of gas could feed one person for an entire year. In October, Global protests over corn ethanol lead the United Nations to call its production “a crime against humanity.” If you weren’t aware of the environmental or moral impacts of corn ethanol, you’re not alone. The Financial Times of May 27, 2007, reports that the narrative surrounding corn ethanol as a homegrown fuel is so desirable that critical thinking is understandably almost nonexistent. To start thinking critically about corn ethanol, we need to examine solutions on both the federal and personal levels. First, at the federal level, our government must end the ridiculously high subsidies surrounding corn ethanol. On June 24, 2007, The Washington Post predicted that subsidies on corn ethanol would cost the federal government an extra 131 billion dollars by 2010. This isn’t to say that the federal government should abandon small farmers. Instead, let’s take the excitement around alternative fuels and direct it toward the right kinds of ethanol. The Economist of June 2, 2007, reports that other materials such as switch grass and wood chips can be used instead of corn. And on July 6, 2011, The New York Times reported on ethanol made from corn cobs, leaves, and husks, which leaves the corn kernels to be used as food. The government could use the money paid in subsidies to support this kind of responsible production of ethanol. The point is that ethanol done right can honestly help with energy independence. On the personal level, we have all participated in the most important step, which is being knowledgeable about the true face of corn ethanol. However, with big business and Washington proclaiming corn ethanol’s greatness, we need to spread the word. So please, talk to friends and family about corn ethanol while there is still time. To make this easier, visit my website, at http://www.responsibleethanol.com . Here you will find informational materials, links to your congressional representatives, and ways to invest in switch grass and wood ethanol. Today, we examined the problems of corn ethanol in America and discovered solutions to make sure that our need for energy reform doesn’t sacrifice our morality. Iowa is turning so much corn into ethanol that soon the state will have to import corn to eat. And while my hometown of Denison has gained much from corn ethanol, we all have much more to lose from it.

To Entertain

The final general purpose people can have for public speaking is to entertain. Whereas informative and persuasive speech making is focused on the end result of the speech process, entertainment speaking is focused on the theme and occasion of the speech. An entertaining speech can be either informative or persuasive at its root, but the context or theme of the speech requires speakers to think about the speech primarily in terms of audience enjoyment.

Why We Entertain

Entertaining speeches are very common in everyday life. The fundamental goal of an entertaining speech is audience enjoyment, which can come in a variety of forms. Entertaining speeches can be funny or serious. Overall, entertaining speeches are not designed to give an audience a deep understanding of life but instead to function as a way to divert an audience from their day-to-day lives for a short period of time. This is not to say that an entertaining speech cannot have real content that is highly informative or persuasive, but its goal is primarily about the entertaining aspects of the speech and not focused on the informative or persuasive quality of the speech.

Common Forms of Entertainment Topics

There are three basic types of entertaining speeches: the after-dinner speech, the ceremonial speech, and the inspirational speech. The after-dinner speech is a form of speaking where a speaker takes a serious speech topic (either informative or persuasive) and injects a level of humor into the speech to make it entertaining. Some novice speakers will attempt to turn an after-dinner speech into a stand-up comedy routine, which doesn’t have the same focus. [6] After-dinner speeches are first and foremost speeches.

A ceremonial speech is a type of entertaining speech where the specific context of the speech is the driving force of the speech. Common types of ceremonial speeches include introductions, toasts, and eulogies. In each of these cases, there are specific events that drive the speech. Maybe you’re introducing an individual who is about to receive an award, giving a toast at your best friend’s wedding, or delivering the eulogy at a relative’s funeral. In each of these cases, the speech and the purpose of the speech is determined by the context of the event and not by the desire to inform or persuade.

The final type of entertaining speech is one where the speaker’s primary goal is to inspire her or his audience. Inspirational speeches are based in emotion with the goal to motivate listeners to alter their lives in some significant way. Florence Littauer, a famous professional speaker, delivers an emotionally charged speech titled “ Silver Boxes .” In the speech, Mrs. Littauer demonstrates how people can use positive comments to encourage others in their daily lives. The title comes from a story she tells at the beginning of the speech where she was teaching a group of children about using positive speech, and one of the children defined positive speech as giving people little silver boxes with bows on top.

Sample: Adam Fink’s Entertainment Speech

The following speech, by an undergraduate student named Adam Fink, is an entertainment speech. Specifically, this speech is a ceremonial speech given at Mr. Fink’s graduation. As with our earlier examples, while this speech is written out as a text for purposes of analysis, in your public speaking course you will most likely be assigned to speak from an outline or notes, not a fully written script. Notice that the tenor of this speech is persuasive but that it persuades in a more inspiring way than just building and proving an argument.

Good evening! I’ve spent the last few months looking over commencement speeches on YouTube. The most notable ones had eight things in common. They reflected on the past, pondered about the future. They encouraged the honorees. They all included some sort of personal story and application. They made people laugh at least fifteen times. They referred to the university as the finest university in the nation or world, and last but not least they all greeted the people in attendance. I’ll begin by doing so now. President Holst, thank you for coming. Faculty members and staff, salutations to you all. Distinguished guests, we are happy to have you. Family members and friends, we could not be here without you. Finally, ladies and gentlemen of the class of 2009, welcome to your commencement day here at Concordia University, Saint Paul, this, the finest university in the galaxy, nay, universe. Really, it’s right up there with South Harlem Institute of Technology, the School of Hard Knocks, and Harvard. Check and check! Graduates, we are not here to watch as our siblings, our parents, friends, or other family walk across this stage. We are here because today is our graduation day. I am going to go off on a tangent for a little bit. Over the past umpteen years, I have seen my fair share of graduations and ceremonies. In fact, I remember getting dragged along to my older brothers’ and sisters’ graduations, all 8,000 of them—at least it seems like there were that many now. Seriously, I have more family members than friends. I remember sitting here in these very seats, intently listening to the president and other distinguished guests speak, again saying welcome and thank you for coming. Each year, I got a little bit better at staying awake throughout the entire ceremony. Every time I would come up with something new to keep myself awake, daydreams, pinching my arms, or pulling leg hair; I was a very creative individual. I am proud to say that I have been awake for the entirety of this ceremony. I would like to personally thank my classmates and colleagues sitting around me for slapping me every time I even thought about dozing off. Personal story, check—and now, application! Graduates, don’t sleep through life. If you need a close friend or colleague to keep you awake, ask. Don’t get bored with life. In the words of one of my mentors, the Australian film director, screen writer, and producer Baz Luhrman, “Do one thing every day that scares you.” Keep yourself on your toes. Stay occupied but leave room for relaxation; embrace your hobbies. Don’t get stuck in a job you hate. I am sure many of you have seen the “Did You Know?” film on YouTube. The film montages hundreds of statistics together, laying down the ground work to tell viewers that we are approaching a crossroad. The way we live is about to change dramatically. We are living in exponential times. It’s a good thing that we are exponential people. We are at a crossing point here, now. Each of us is graduating; we are preparing to leave this place we have called home for the past few years. It’s time to move on and flourish. But let’s not leave this place for good. Let us walk away with happy memories. We have been fortunate enough to see more change in our time here than most alumni see at their alma mater in a lifetime. We have seen the destruction of Centennial, Minnesota, and Walther. Ladies, it might not mean a lot to you, but gentlemen, we had some good times there. We have seen the building and completion of the new Residence Life Center. We now see the beginnings of our very own stadium. We have seen enough offices and departments move to last any business a lifetime. Let us remember these things, the flooding of the knoll, Ultimate Frisbee beginning at ten o’clock at night, and two back-to-back Volleyball National Championship teams, with one of those championship games held where you are sitting now. I encourage all of you to walk out of this place with flashes of the old times flickering through your brains. Reflection, check! Honorees, in the words of Michael Scott, only slightly altered, “They have no idea how high [we] can fly.” Right now you are surrounded by future politicians, film critics, producers, directors, actors, actresses, church workers, artists, the teachers of tomorrow, musicians, people who will change the world. We are all held together right here and now, by a common bond of unity. We are one graduating class. In one of his speeches this year, President Barack Obama said, “Generations of Americans have connected their stories to the larger American story through service and helped move our country forward. We need that service now.” He is right. America needs selfless acts of service. Hebrews 10:23–25 reads, “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” Let us not leave this place as enemies but rather as friends and companions. Let us come back next fall for our first reunion, the Zero Class Reunion hosted by the wonderful and amazing workers in the alumni department. Let us go and make disciples of all nations, guided by His Word. Let us spread God’s peace, joy, and love through service to others. Congratulations, graduates! I hope to see you next homecoming. Encouragement, check!

KEY TAKEAWAYS

There are three general purposes that all speeches fall into: to inform, to persuade, and to entertain. Depending on what your ultimate goal is, you will start by picking one of these general purposes and then selecting an appropriate speech pattern that goes along with that general purpose.
Informative speeches can focus on objects, people, events, concepts, processes, or issues. It is important to remember that your purpose in an informative speech is to share information with an audience, not to persuade them to do or believe something.
There are two basic types of persuasion: pure and manipulative. Speakers who attempt to persuade others for pure reasons do so because they actually believe in what they are persuading an audience to do or think. Speakers who persuade others for manipulative reasons do so often by distorting the support for their arguments because they have an ulterior motive in persuading an audience to do or think something. If an audience finds out that you’ve been attempting to manipulate them, they will lose trust in you.
Entertainment speeches can be after-dinner, ceremonial, or inspirational. Although there may be informative or persuasive elements to your speech, your primary reason for giving the speech is to entertain the audience.
Imagine you’re giving a speech related to aardvarks to a group of fifth graders. Which type of informative speech do you think would be the most useful (objects, people, events, concepts, processes, and issues)? Why?
Imagine you’re giving a speech to a group of prospective voters supporting a specific political candidate. Which type of persuasive speech do you think would be the most useful (change of behavior, change of attitude, change of value, or change of belief)? Why?
Imagine that you’ve been asked to speak at a business luncheon and the host has asked you to keep it serious but lighthearted. Which type of entertainment speech do you think would be the most useful (the after-dinner speech, the ceremonial speech, or the inspirational speech)? Why?
Atwood, C. G. (2009). Knowledge management basics . Alexandria, VA: ASTD Press. ↵
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Why Do So Many People Fear Public Speaking?

Is fear of public speaking a survival instinct.

Posted November 8, 2017

What Is Fear?
Find a therapist to combat fear and anxiety

For the most part, people hold a few strong opinions about the world and the way things should be. However, when it comes to being asked to speak up in a group, it seems that an innate fear of public speaking takes hold and people lose their voice or misplace their conviction.

While most of us want to be heard, we want to be heard from the corner of the room or from behind our computers—not generally from behind the mic at the podium.

Researchers have given this particular fear a fair amount of attention over the years and it appears that the fear might be one of those evolutionarily embedded fears that keeps us physically safe from harm. Back in the time when voicing a dissenting opinion might mean expulsion from the tribe or the group, it meant that individual survival was at stake. Beasts and brutes, animal or human, were potentially lethal enemies of the isolated individual.

Going along with the group might mean the difference between life and death.

In contemporary times, it would seem that the world would have become a kinder and gentler place. Many of us like to believe that we encourage alternative and diverse thought and that we embrace innovation as a path to progress. However, the fear of speaking up and putting yourself—and your thoughts—on display in front a larger group can instill the same paralyzing fear that might have been felt in prehistoric times. Apparently none of us want to be left behind or cast out for our beliefs.

The fear of public speaking has been compared to social anxiety , although they are not synonymous. True social anxiety is less prevalent than the fear of public speaking, which is present in as many as one in five people according to some statistics. The fear may be “normal,” but its accompanying symptoms may not feel normal and may actually reinforce the fear itself.

When we are anxious, our bodies typically go into fear mode: heart rates amp up, minds might race, and our brains might feel overloaded. Fear decreases our ability to articulate with eloquence or persuasion , or even basic coherence. We might literally “quake in our boots” which sends the signal to others that we are unsure of what we are doing up there in front of the group. If our thoughts are disjointed and our train of thought derails, it’s likely that the members of our audience are among the casualties. We are drawn to people who are self-confident and sure of themselves while we are much less engaged by those who seem to be noncommittal or unsure. If you’re feeling a lot of anxiety about speaking to a group – and your biggest fear is being rejected or discounted, your fear-related behaviors will increase the likelihood that these things will actually occur.

So, is there a secret to getting over this fear?

There are a lot of suggestions for getting over this particular fear and it’s not surprising given how many people experience it. One recent research study (Jackson, Compton, Thornton, & Dimmock, 2017) provided evidence that something called inoculation training might be effective. This is akin to “ relapse prevention” in addiction recovery models. The trick is to “inoculate” yourself against a “worst case scenario” happening by being prepared to cope with or combat the event. In the study, they included a list of specific fears that accompany public speaking anxiety and provided facts and data that contradicted the fears or showed evidence that the fear was out of proportion to the situation.

Once you’ve imagined the worst case scenario, walked yourself mentally through your “best possible response,” or gathered information that negates or minimizes the possible fallout if the “worst case scenario” comes true, it appears that the actual effect of the fear is minimized considerably.

If you find yourself getting a bit jittery when asked to speak before a group, remind yourself that banishment from your tribe is unlikely to result from even a poorly delivered speech. Remember that most of us are more worried about ourselves to waste energy worrying that much about another. And if you’re worried that your nerves will trip you up, remind yourself that a little bit of anxiety is actually a healthy thing, use that extra adrenaline to pump yourself up, not beat yourself down.

Judging from what's shown on television these days that passes for "reality" or "news," the fear of speaking up in a group should have lost its power over us by now!

Jackson, B., Compton, J., Thornton, A. L., & Dimmock, J. A. (2017). Re-thinking anxiety: Using inoculation messages to reduce and reinterpret public speaking fears. PLoS ONE12(1): e0169972. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0169972

Suzanne Degges-White, Ph.D. , is a licensed counselor and professor at Northern Illinois University.

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COMMENTS

What Is Public Speaking? & Why Is It Important? (+ Tips)
Public speaking is important in both business, education, and the public arena. There are many benefits to speaking in public whether you're an individual or a business. In this article, we'll define public speaking for you. We'll discuss the importance of public speaking in general. We'll also cover the importance of public speaking in business.
Public Speaking as an Effective Skill
The purpose of this essay is to demonstrate different situations where public speaking skills play an important role to show the reasons why public speaking is considered an effective skill. First of all, the knowledge of theoretical and practical sides of public speaking provides one with multiple benefits such as understanding the ways people ...
Why Public Speaking Skills are Crucial for Career Success
The benefits of public speaking skills for career success are numerous. Firstly, effective communication is essential in any workplace, and being able to articulate ideas and thoughts clearly and confidently is a valuable asset. Public speaking skills also demonstrate leadership qualities, as individuals who can speak persuasively and engage an ...
The Importance of Public Speaking
Public speaking is useful in every area of life, personal and professional. Being an effective public speaker can escalate your career, grow your business, and overall improve the quality of your life. The benefits of public speaking are obvious; you can spread your message to audiences and create a lasting impact in their lives.
1.1 Why Is Public Speaking Important?
In addition to learning the process of creating and delivering an effective speech, students of public speaking leave the class with a number of other benefits as well. Some of these benefits include. developing critical thinking skills, fine-tuning verbal and nonverbal skills, overcoming fear of public speaking.
The 6 Most Common Public Speaking Strengths And Weaknesses (& How To
Many public speakers are just plain boring to watch and listen to. Others make technical blunders, such as speaking too softly or too fast, making irritating and distracting movements, or using convoluted sentences and jargon that only an expert will understand. 3. Not Connecting With an Audience.
Thinking about Public Speaking
In this chapter, you'll learn to define public speaking by distinguishing it from everyday conversation. You'll also learn to define performance and why public speaking is performance. You'll read about two theoretical models for understanding the process of communication. In the last section, you'll be invited to consider the benefits ...
How to Be a Better Public Speaker (& Why You Should)
Generally, the more you speak in public, the better you'll be. However, there are some specific things you can do right now to be a better speaker. Eliminate filler words (um, ah, like, you know) and verbal tics. Practice your body language, so that it's neutral, confident, and relaxed. Use short phrases and pauses.
Why Is Public Speaking Important? (With Tips to Improve)
Public speaking is important for developing leadership abilities because it helps you convey your ideas effectively to others. The ability to persuade others and help them change their minds is essential for becoming an effective leader. Leaders require the power to create a change in their workplace, and excellent public speaking is essential ...
How to improve your public speaking skills (essay)
Reduce your public speaking anxiety by following these steps: Organize your thoughts. This blueprint for a presentation by Eleni Kelakos is a good guide. Decide which format is best (Powerpoint, no slides and/or paper handouts). Practice by yourself and refine. Practice in front of others and refine.
Purpose and Thesis
As with essay writing, the early work of speechwriting follows familiar steps: brainstorming, research, pre-writing, thesis, and so on. This chapter focuses on techniques that are unique to speechwriting. As a spoken form, speeches must be clear about the purpose and main idea or "takeaway.". Planned redundancy means that you will be ...
Presentation Aids
This is the role of presentation aids. Presentation aids are the resources beyond the speech words and delivery that a speaker uses to enhance the message conveyed to the audience. The type of presentation aids that speakers most typically make use of are visual aids: slideshows, pictures, diagrams, charts and graphs, maps, and the like.
Speeches
Ethos refers to an appeal to your audience by establishing your authenticity and trustworthiness as a speaker. If you employ pathos, you appeal to your audience's emotions. Using logos includes the support of hard facts, statistics, and logical argumentation. The most effective speeches usually present a combination these rhetorical strategies.
Audience-Centered Public Speaking
Public speaking is the act of making a speech in public. There are many ways to go about public speaking. Public speaking: An audience-centered approach encompasses the way a speaker views the ...
Important Public Speaking Skills for Workplace Success
Top Public Speaking Skills . When you want to highlight your public speaking skills in your cover letter or resume, or during an interview, be sure to go beyond stating that you have "public speaking skills." Go into detail about which aspects of public speaking you are good at, and provide specific examples of your skills and expertise.
LibGuides: Public Speaking: How to Plan and Give a Great Speech
1. Talk to someone if you are feeling stressed. Talk to a counselor, your professor, or just a friend. It's always helpful to talk about your worries and get support from people around. 2. Know what you're talking about. You will be more comfortable reciting your speech when you have some knowledge on the subject.
why public speaking is a performances
57 people found it helpful. jonvixcz. report flag outlined. public speaking is a performance for you deliver it in front of a crowd. Speaking in public is hard, you need to have a good communication skills for you to be able to deliver your message effectively. Advertisement.
Why is Public Speaking a Performance?
Public speaking is a performance because it involves the delivery of a well-prepared speech to an audience, showcasing verbal communication skills and engaging with the listeners. Public speaking is an important skill that is often required in various personal and professional contexts.
What is Persuasive Speaking?
Although persuasion occurs in nearly every facet of our day-to-day lives, there are occasions when more formal acts of persuasion—persuasive speeches—are appropriate. Persuasive speeches "intend to influence the beliefs, attitudes, values, and acts of others.". [3] Unlike an informative speech, where the speaker is charged with making ...
General Purposes of Speaking
A general purpose refers to the broad goal in creating and delivering a speech. These typologies or classification systems of public speeches serve to demonstrate that general speech purposes have remained pretty consistent throughout the history of public speaking. Modern public speaking scholars typically use a classification system of three ...
How do you become a good public speaker essay?
Public speaking is crucial for establishing your personality and brand image in today's world, regardless of your chosen sector. We must understand what public speaking is and why it is important to get it right. Speaking in front of a large audience on a significant subject is known as public speaking. This group may occasionally be tiny or large.
what is public speaking a performance?
Oral eloquence and personal presence can make a big difference when you need to explain, persuade, collaborate, and/or lead. Students will write, revise, rehearse and present a short speech; they will also have opportunities to practice speaking. Self confidence is crucial in public speaking. Confidence reflects in the way you carry yourself.
Why Do So Many People Fear Public Speaking?
True social anxiety is less prevalent than the fear of public speaking, which is present in as many as one in five people according to some statistics. The fear may be "normal," but its ...