Observe other public speakers<\/strong>:\u00a0 take notes on what works well (and what doesn't). Study and learn from what successful public speakers can show and tell you about becoming an effective presenter<\/p>\r\n Practice and apply<\/strong>: Select and practice strategies to add to your toolkit that will work for you<\/p>\r\n Reflect<\/strong>:\u00a0 review your own performance, get feedback from others, and adapt to continually improve your skills.<\/p>\r\nYou can learn a lot simply by observing how successful public speakers \u201cwork the room\u201d and engage their audience. Consciously take note of what they do. How do they use their voice? How do they deploy tone, pausing, pacing, and projection to ensure their voice connects with their audience and keeps them attentive? What do they do with their hands? facial expression? body language? How do they make use of the physical space around them? Take note of how speakers physically operate, both in person on screen: identify what they do, what works well and what doesn\u2019t, and choose approaches that appeal to you for putting into practice in your own presentations.\r\n As a student, you might start by observing your professors. Aim to identify what makes one professor a great lecturer and another less engaging. Compare what they do with their voice, their hands, their gestures, their movements. Pay attention to how they pace their talk to draw you in and create emphasis. Reflect on what they do to convey a sense of enthusiasm for what they\u2019re talking about\u2014or fail to do so. You want to know what kinds of things to avoid\u2014a dull monotonous tone, for example\u2014as well as what kinds of things to adopt to ensure your voice comes across as a powerful tool for communicating your ideas clearly and emphatically.<\/p>\r\n\r\n EXERCISE 8.1: Observation in action<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/header>\r\n Understand Your Audience:<\/strong> They are the reason you are doing this! Keep the \u201caudience experience\u201d firmly in mind. Who is your audience, why are they are listening, what do they want or need to get out of your presentation? How much do they already know? Are they learners, experts, or a mix of both? Also consider how diverse might your audience be in terms of age, gender, and culture. How might these factors influence your presentation choices? What techniques will you use to engage and keep their attention?<\/p>\r\n Identify Your Purpose<\/strong>: what do you want to achieve? How do you want your audience to think, believe or behave differently after seeing your presentation? Set two or three clear, focused goals \u2013 key \u201ctakeaways\u201d you want your audience to remember. What techniques might best emphasize these takeaways?<\/p>\r\n Know Your Context<\/strong>: what cultural and environmental factors do you need to consider? How formal or informal is the situation? Will you be presenting in person or virtually? How much time and space will you have, and what kind of equipment will be available?<\/p>\r\nOnce you\u2019ve analyzed and assessed the rhetorical situation (audience, purpose, context), you can go on to make relevant and appropriate choices about communication style and genre, making sure you offer your audience the right kinds of material, the right kinds of messaging, and the right kinds of visual supports. For instance, if you\u2019re presenting new and unfamiliar content to an audience, it may need to be \u201ctranslated\u201d into a clear, easy-to-follow presentation style. (Think of the 3-Minute Thesis presenters above!). Having said that, most listeners appreciate clarity: plain language, relatively short sentences, and clear transitional cues are always welcome in any speaking environment.\r\n Look<\/strong> at your audience<\/strong>: sweep your eyes across the entire room, right to left, and make eye contact \u2013 look at people\u2019s foreheads, if that feels more comfortable. Make a point of facing the audience, rather than your slides. Eyes are a key tool for conveying confidence, creating connection, and establishing a two-way relationship with an audience.<\/p>\r\n Project your speaking voice<\/strong>: if you don\u2019t have a microphone, then you\u2019ll need to speak at a volume notably louder than your natural speaking voice. You want to make sure that that everyone \u2013 not just those in the front rows of a room (or hall) \u2013 can hear you. At the end of the day, no matter how brilliant your content and visuals might be, if an audience can\u2019t hear you, you\u2019ve lost them, and all your preparation and effort will have little to no effect.<\/p>\r\n Avoid rushing: <\/strong>a rapid, fast-fire pace of speaking can make you appear anxious or nervous, as if you can\u2019t wait to get this over with. Remember to breathe. Slow down. Take a breath or two between slides or between sentences. Pause occasionally for dramatic effect. A slower pace of delivery also gives your audience time to absorb ideas and follow your train of thought. By the same token, members of the audience who may be second-language speakers will particularly appreciate your clear, well-paced, unhurried delivery.<\/p>\r\n Use your entire body: <\/strong>remember, your whole body operates as a vehicle of communication, not just your voice. Employ purposeful hand gestures and other physical movements, e.g. directly point to visual elements being discussed; use gestures to help illustrate your ideas. Assume an open, confident pose (even if you don\u2019t feel confident, you can act <\/em>confident). Avoid physically-closed postures (e.g. hands in your pockets; arms crossed; looking down). If space is available, use that space \u2013 walk across it, rather than standing in one spot behind a lectern or podium. Become aware of distractive behaviours \u2013 overactive gestures that don\u2019t have a purpose (e.g. jingling keys or things in your pocket; drumming fingers on the podium; fidgeting; touching your face; not paying attention to a co-speaker, etc.)<\/p>\r\n Maintain a positive tone<\/strong>: Avoid coming across as apologetic or unsure about your content or your presentation style. Remember, audiences take their cue from you. For instance, if you appear bored or uninterested in presenting, your audience will likely feel the same. If, on the other hand, you smile and project enthusiasm, your audience will be more inclined to feel excited by what you have to say. By projecting a positive tone and speaking with conviction, you bolster your credibility and keep your audience engaged.<\/p>\r\n Elicit questions and feedback<\/strong>: Presentations are a two-way street \u2013 ideally, a dialogue, not just a monologue. Take a quick poll, ask for participants, give a \u201cpop quiz,\u201d or ask comprehension questions. Be sure to reserve time for a Q&A session. No-one can cover everything, so anticipate questions you might be asked. Take time to carefully consider and respond to each question from the audience. You might use a phrase like \u201cthat\u2019s a great question\u201d or \u201cthank you for asking that\u201d to give you a bit of time to mentally prepare your response. Don\u2019t be afraid to say you don\u2019t know the answer, or that further research might be necessary.<\/p>\r\nToastmasters<\/a> is an international organization that is designed to help members improve their public speaking skills by applying deliberate practice. Local clubs take a \"learn by doing\" approach where members are supported to over come their fear of public speaking, boost confidence, and develop skills. During regular meetings, members practice giving speeches and offering each other constructive and supportive feedback. If you are keen to learn and develop further public speaking skills, consider joining a local Toastmasters club.","rendered":" Like any kind of advanced communication skill, the art of giving effective presentations is not in-born; it requires what James Clear has called deliberate practice<\/a> — that is, systematic practice that requires focused and repeated attention on improving, plus making use of feedback from others to help you do so.[1]<\/sup><\/a> You can apply deliberate practice to learn more about delivering effective presentations by systematically following these steps:<\/p>\n Observe other public speakers<\/strong>:\u00a0 take notes on what works well (and what doesn’t). Study and learn from what successful public speakers can show and tell you about becoming an effective presenter<\/p>\n Practice and apply<\/strong>: Select and practice strategies to add to your toolkit that will work for you<\/p>\n Reflect<\/strong>:\u00a0 review your own performance, get feedback from others, and adapt to continually improve your skills.<\/p>\n You can learn a lot simply by observing how successful public speakers \u201cwork the room\u201d and engage their audience. Consciously take note of what they do. How do they use their voice? How do they deploy tone, pausing, pacing, and projection to ensure their voice connects with their audience and keeps them attentive? What do they do with their hands? facial expression? body language? How do they make use of the physical space around them? Take note of how speakers physically operate, both in person on screen: identify what they do, what works well and what doesn\u2019t, and choose approaches that appeal to you for putting into practice in your own presentations.<\/p>\n As a student, you might start by observing your professors. Aim to identify what makes one professor a great lecturer and another less engaging. Compare what they do with their voice, their hands, their gestures, their movements. Pay attention to how they pace their talk to draw you in and create emphasis. Reflect on what they do to convey a sense of enthusiasm for what they\u2019re talking about\u2014or fail to do so. You want to know what kinds of things to avoid\u2014a dull monotonous tone, for example\u2014as well as what kinds of things to adopt to ensure your voice comes across as a powerful tool for communicating your ideas clearly and emphatically.<\/p>\n EXERCISE 8.1: Observation in action<\/p>\n<\/header>\n Whether observing your favourite professor give a lecture; watching your favourite podcaster, TV or YouTube presenter; or viewing the videos linked below, turn your observations into an active learning experience. The goal is to create a toolkit of practical tips, approaches, and ideas for building confidence, developing your own \u201cspark\u201d as public speaker, and engaging your audience. In short, watch, observe, and learn.<\/p>\n Here are several examples that take a variety of approaches to public speaking.\u00a0 They range from a “3 minute thesis” to longer presentations that offer direct advice about public speaking. As you watch the videos, make notes not only on what<\/em> the speakers say (content<\/em>) but also on how<\/em> they present their content (delivery<\/em>).<\/p>\n As you watch the videos, identify 2-3 key tips that you want to try in your presentation. Reflect on how you will apply these tips and strategies.\u00a0 Keep adding tips to your repertoire until you\u2019ve got a good, well-rounded set of strategies for keeping your audience alert, engaged, and wanting to hear more!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Learning from experts who lay out a set of simple techniques is a confidence builder because it shows that great speakers are made, not born. With deliberate practice, anyone can do this. There are no mysteries, just specific, applicable strategies that anyone can adopt<\/em> to establish rapport with an audience and make a meaningful impact.<\/p>\n Whether you\u2019re giving a presentation to classmates, colleagues, clients, a focus group, a group of city councillors, or the general public — or even in a job interview — many of the key strategies and processes that make a talk engaging and worthwhile for an audience remain the same. Below are some key lessons (many taken from the videos linked above) for effective public speaking that you can adopt to serve you well in a variety of speaking contexts.<\/p>\n As with any communication task, a crucial first step is to develop a clear understanding of the rhetorical situation:<\/p>\n Understand Your Audience:<\/strong> They are the reason you are doing this! Keep the \u201caudience experience\u201d firmly in mind. Who is your audience, why are they are listening, what do they want or need to get out of your presentation? How much do they already know? Are they learners, experts, or a mix of both? Also consider how diverse might your audience be in terms of age, gender, and culture. How might these factors influence your presentation choices? What techniques will you use to engage and keep their attention?<\/p>\n Identify Your Purpose<\/strong>: what do you want to achieve? How do you want your audience to think, believe or behave differently after seeing your presentation? Set two or three clear, focused goals \u2013 key \u201ctakeaways\u201d you want your audience to remember. What techniques might best emphasize these takeaways?<\/p>\n Know Your Context<\/strong>: what cultural and environmental factors do you need to consider? How formal or informal is the situation? Will you be presenting in person or virtually? How much time and space will you have, and what kind of equipment will be available?<\/p>\n Once you\u2019ve analyzed and assessed the rhetorical situation (audience, purpose, context), you can go on to make relevant and appropriate choices about communication style and genre, making sure you offer your audience the right kinds of material, the right kinds of messaging, and the right kinds of visual supports. For instance, if you\u2019re presenting new and unfamiliar content to an audience, it may need to be \u201ctranslated\u201d into a clear, easy-to-follow presentation style. (Think of the 3-Minute Thesis presenters above!). Having said that, most listeners appreciate clarity: plain language, relatively short sentences, and clear transitional cues are always welcome in any speaking environment.<\/p>\n Whatever the context, accomplished presenters rely on extensive and repeated practice to make their performance come across as smooth and effortless. For example, practice enunciating unfamiliar words ahead of time: this will help you avoid stumbling during the presentation itself. Record yourself to see what kinds of filler words or \u201cverbal tics\u201d you might have that you\u2019re not aware of (e.g. um, uh, so, like, y\u2019 know, and\u00a0 so on<\/em>). Make a conscious effort to eliminate these \u2013 for example, by substituting these \u201cthinking moments\u201d with a quiet pause.<\/p>\n Equally important, practice the timing of your presentation, so you don\u2019t run over or under your allotted time. Consider doing a practice run in front of a friendly audience (friends; roommates; family members) to get feedback. If possible, practice with the technology you plan to use and the space in which you plan to present. Create a back-up plan in case of technical difficulties (e.g. bring written cue cards in case your phone or laptop or the slide projector fail to load).<\/p>\n Try to avoid reading a fully scripted presentation \u2013 but if you need to do so (for example if your presentation is a long one and\/or includes a lot of specific data), then practice reading the script in a natural and conversational way. Strive to avoid reading in a monotonous, mechanical tone. Take steps to bring your script to life vocally: add pauses and emphasis as needed; modulate the pace of delivery so that your talk sounds conversational, natural, and inviting. A varied delivery style keeps your audience attentive, focused, and on track.<\/p>\n More than just speaking naturally and more than just informing<\/em> your audience, presenters should ideally strive to engage<\/em> an audience. You don\u2019t want your audience to feel bored, drift off, or lose interest. Although most audiences have fairly short attention spans (maybe 7-10 minutes before their attention wanders), winning speakers put effort into deploying presentation strategies regularly (every couple of minutes)\u00a0 designed to establish connection and rapport and keep the audience engaged.<\/p>\n The following list offers six such strategies, although there are many more you could add from your own observation, reading, and study. You don\u2019t need to put all six into play; start with just two or three, and by consciously focusing on those, you can keep an audience involved and interacting with you and your content.<\/p>\n Look<\/strong> at your audience<\/strong>: sweep your eyes across the entire room, right to left, and make eye contact \u2013 look at people\u2019s foreheads, if that feels more comfortable. Make a point of facing the audience, rather than your slides. Eyes are a key tool for conveying confidence, creating connection, and establishing a two-way relationship with an audience.<\/p>\n Project your speaking voice<\/strong>: if you don\u2019t have a microphone, then you\u2019ll need to speak at a volume notably louder than your natural speaking voice. You want to make sure that that everyone \u2013 not just those in the front rows of a room (or hall) \u2013 can hear you. At the end of the day, no matter how brilliant your content and visuals might be, if an audience can\u2019t hear you, you\u2019ve lost them, and all your preparation and effort will have little to no effect.<\/p>\n Avoid rushing: <\/strong>a rapid, fast-fire pace of speaking can make you appear anxious or nervous, as if you can\u2019t wait to get this over with. Remember to breathe. Slow down. Take a breath or two between slides or between sentences. Pause occasionally for dramatic effect. A slower pace of delivery also gives your audience time to absorb ideas and follow your train of thought. By the same token, members of the audience who may be second-language speakers will particularly appreciate your clear, well-paced, unhurried delivery.<\/p>\n Use your entire body: <\/strong>remember, your whole body operates as a vehicle of communication, not just your voice. Employ purposeful hand gestures and other physical movements, e.g. directly point to visual elements being discussed; use gestures to help illustrate your ideas. Assume an open, confident pose (even if you don\u2019t feel confident, you can act <\/em>confident). Avoid physically-closed postures (e.g. hands in your pockets; arms crossed; looking down). If space is available, use that space \u2013 walk across it, rather than standing in one spot behind a lectern or podium. Become aware of distractive behaviours \u2013 overactive gestures that don\u2019t have a purpose (e.g. jingling keys or things in your pocket; drumming fingers on the podium; fidgeting; touching your face; not paying attention to a co-speaker, etc.)<\/p>\n Maintain a positive tone<\/strong>: Avoid coming across as apologetic or unsure about your content or your presentation style. Remember, audiences take their cue from you. For instance, if you appear bored or uninterested in presenting, your audience will likely feel the same. If, on the other hand, you smile and project enthusiasm, your audience will be more inclined to feel excited by what you have to say. By projecting a positive tone and speaking with conviction, you bolster your credibility and keep your audience engaged.<\/p>\n Elicit questions and feedback<\/strong>: Presentations are a two-way street \u2013 ideally, a dialogue, not just a monologue. Take a quick poll, ask for participants, give a \u201cpop quiz,\u201d or ask comprehension questions. Be sure to reserve time for a Q&A session. No-one can cover everything, so anticipate questions you might be asked. Take time to carefully consider and respond to each question from the audience. You might use a phrase like \u201cthat\u2019s a great question\u201d or \u201cthank you for asking that\u201d to give you a bit of time to mentally prepare your response. Don\u2019t be afraid to say you don\u2019t know the answer, or that further research might be necessary.<\/p>\n Toastmasters<\/a> is an international organization that is designed to help members improve their public speaking skills by applying deliberate practice. Local clubs take a “learn by doing” approach where members are supported to over come their fear of public speaking, boost confidence, and develop skills. During regular meetings, members practice giving speeches and offering each other constructive and supportive feedback. If you are keen to learn and develop further public speaking skills, consider joining a local Toastmasters club.<\/p>\n\r\n \t
Practical Tips for Public Speaking<\/h1>\r\nWhether you\u2019re giving a presentation to classmates, colleagues, clients, a focus group, a group of city councillors, or the general public -- or even in a job interview -- many of the key strategies and processes that make a talk engaging and worthwhile for an audience remain the same. Below are some key lessons (many taken from the videos linked above) for effective public speaking that you can adopt to serve you well in a variety of speaking contexts.\r\n
Understand Your Rhetorical Situation<\/strong><\/h4>\r\nAs with any communication task, a crucial first step is to develop a clear understanding of the rhetorical situation:\r\n
Practice, Practice, Practice!<\/h4>\r\nWhatever the context, accomplished presenters rely on extensive and repeated practice to make their performance come across as smooth and effortless. For example, practice enunciating unfamiliar words ahead of time: this will help you avoid stumbling during the presentation itself. Record yourself to see what kinds of filler words or \u201cverbal tics\u201d you might have that you\u2019re not aware of (e.g. um, uh, so, like, y\u2019 know, and\u00a0 so on<\/em>). Make a conscious effort to eliminate these \u2013 for example, by substituting these \u201cthinking moments\u201d with a quiet pause.\r\n\r\nEqually important, practice the timing of your presentation, so you don\u2019t run over or under your allotted time. Consider doing a practice run in front of a friendly audience (friends; roommates; family members) to get feedback. If possible, practice with the technology you plan to use and the space in which you plan to present. Create a back-up plan in case of technical difficulties (e.g. bring written cue cards in case your phone or laptop or the slide projector fail to load).\r\n
Speak Directly to Your Audience<\/h4>\r\nTry to avoid reading a fully scripted presentation \u2013 but if you need to do so (for example if your presentation is a long one and\/or includes a lot of specific data), then practice reading the script in a natural and conversational way. Strive to avoid reading in a monotonous, mechanical tone. Take steps to bring your script to life vocally: add pauses and emphasis as needed; modulate the pace of delivery so that your talk sounds conversational, natural, and inviting. A varied delivery style keeps your audience attentive, focused, and on track.\r\n
Establish Rapport with Your Audience<\/h4>\r\nMore than just speaking naturally and more than just informing<\/em> your audience, presenters should ideally strive to engage<\/em> an audience. You don\u2019t want your audience to feel bored, drift off, or lose interest. Although most audiences have fairly short attention spans (maybe 7-10 minutes before their attention wanders), winning speakers put effort into deploying presentation strategies regularly (every couple of minutes)\u00a0 designed to establish connection and rapport and keep the audience engaged.\r\n\r\nThe following list offers six such strategies, although there are many more you could add from your own observation, reading, and study. You don\u2019t need to put all six into play; start with just two or three, and by consciously focusing on those, you can keep an audience involved and interacting with you and your content.\r\n
\n
Practical Tips for Public Speaking<\/h1>\n
Understand Your Rhetorical Situation<\/strong><\/h4>\n
Practice, Practice, Practice!<\/h4>\n
Speak Directly to Your Audience<\/h4>\n
Establish Rapport with Your Audience<\/h4>\n