Demosthenes, when
asked to name the three most important components of rhetoric, answered:
“Delivery, delivery, and delivery!” In other words, how you present information
is of crucial importance to getting your message across.
Demosthenes (384 BC -
322 BC) was a prominent Greek statesman and orator of ancient Athens, generally
considered the greatest of the Greek orators. When Cicero had finished
speaking, the people said: "How well he spoke!" When Demosthenes had
finished speaking, they said: "Let us march!"
Here are things to
keep in mind when preparing to give your speech:
- Remember, the aim of
your speech is: to make the audience aware of something important, to convince
it through proof (facts, figures) and coherent arguments to change its way of
seeing things. It is also to motivate (inspire) the audience to think and act
differently or to do something as a consequence of your speech. Will your
speech text and delivery enable you to do this? Will your audience care about what you have to say? Will it be memorable (what three ideas will they remember from your speech; is there one sentence that they can quote from your speech?). What emotions do you want to share with your audience?
- Really know your text
(by heart is best)! Short, simple speeches are easier to remember and have a
greater impact simply because they are easier to listen to. You will impress
more by NOT having a piece of paper (a reminder) because your stage presence
will be greater (it is much better to look at the audience than at a piece of
paper!).
- If you use a reminder, place it on the lectern (avoid walking around with a piece of paper in your hands!).
- Dress smart! It will
signal to the members of the audience that you respect them (also: do NOT carry
a smartphone on stage or put it in your pocket!).
- Do breathing and
stretching exercises just before going on stage. Do not panic: your audience is (usually) FRIENDLY and willing to listen to you!
- The way you walk on
stage should show determination (energy!).
- Posture/stance: stand
tall!
- Do not greet the
audience or say who you are!
- Wait for silence.
- Smile at the audience
before you are about to start (if it is appropriate), count to three whilst breathing in deeply, and
then commence!
- Your first sentence
should grab the audience’s attention!
- Address everyone in the audience (not just the Jury if it's a public speaking competition).
- Speak LOUD (can the
people at the back here you?) and, when necessary, LOUDER (without straining your voice).
- Talk very CLEARLY
(work on your diction, i.e. speak so that each word is clearly heard and
understood: pronounce e-ve-ry syl-la-ble)!
- Intonation (how, at
the end of a sentence, the voice rises, falls, or falls and rises) needs to be
mastered.
- Use the
punctuation marks in your text to help you phrase (and breathe!) correctly
(count “1” for a comma, “3” for a full stop).
- Emphasise important
words in a sentence (this is essential in making yourself understood in
English)!
- Try (if possible) to
improve the quality of your voice (if it is too “nasal”, “gravelly”, “breathy”,
“creaky”, “thin”, whatever...).
- Vary pitch when
necessary (a voice that is constantly high-pitched or low-pitched can become
irritating).
- Generally, speaking “low”
conveys authority.
- Avoid at all cost a
monotonous voice (i.e. one that does not vary in pitch or cadence)!
- Speak at the right
pace for your audience (always give the audience time to understand what you
are saying). If you speak too fast you will sound nervous and the audience will
“lose the thread”. Speed up a little if there is something urgent to say (you
can then repeat the sentence more slowly).
- What tone (“friendly”,
“calm”, “exasperated”, etc.) will be most effective in conveying (a part of)
your message?
- The overall tone of
your speech should be quite serious.
- If you use a personal
anecdote as an “introduction” (an excellent way to get your audience’s
attention and to establish a degree of complicity), make it short.
- Explain your purpose
in giving your speech (why your topic is relevant), and indicate how you will
talk about your topic (for example: “I have three questions: (…). And now, I am
going to answer the first question…”).
- Move quickly into the
body of the speech to keep your audience interested.
- Be sure you respect
the timing; the shorter and punchier the speech, the better!
- Do NOT “recite by
heart” or read out you reminder or your text!
- Use your reminder
sparingly. Only look at it from time to time or, better still, look at it as a
way to signal to the audience that you are about to present a new idea (as you
read to yourself there will be a short pause, which is good).
- Quick pauses to give
the audience time to take in what you have just said are good (a pause for
dramatic effect too).
- It is the main points
that you need to get across (repeat and emphasise these).
- Use signposts like:
“The essential point is…” or “What you must not forget is…” or “Let me say that
again, it’s important…” or “Now for my next point…”
- Saying something
spontaneously (that is unprepared, impromptu, improvised) can be very effective
(think of Martin Luther King’s “I have a dream”!).
- It is not “bad” if you
hesitate a little or get lost (but just once!) in your argument.
- If you enlist audience
participation (“Show of hands if…”) do so just once or twice (at the start
and/or at the end of your speech is probably best).
- If you do ask a direct
question of the audience, make it quick, and only ask it if the answer helps
you prove a point (make the question very simple to understand, like: “Do you
think there will be a war between the USA and North Korea before 2020? If you
think yes, there will be a war between the USA and North Korea, please put your
hand up!”).
- Look at ALL the
members of the audience (sweep your gaze quite slowly over the audience and
from time get eye contact with one person, but briefly)!
- Speak with authority
but stay humble (it’s your ideas that count!).
- Do not “talk over
the heads” of your audience or be condescending.
- Don’t be too
self-confident or too “friendly”!
- Be sincere. If you
obviously believe in what you say, the audience will want to believe what you
say too.
- Smile at the right
moments!
- Never yell or curse!
- Do NOT act as if you
were intimidated by the situation (there are no “sympathy points”!).
- Do not be
“traumatized” if you “mess it up” (you’re only human and it is not the end of
the world)! You must complete your speech!
- Do not use silly
props.
- Wit, yes, but used
sparingly (avoid trying to be “funny” and sarcasm is a no-no)!
- Use lyrical sentences
and an impassioned tone if and when appropriate (be conscious of your
audience’s degree of receptivity).
- You should use a more
“conversational” style when telling a personal anecdote.
- “Acting” (pretending
to be someone else at some point in your speech) can be effective (if it’s done
well!).
- Do not move about on
stage (except in a deliberate way for a particular purpose); it distracts the
audience from what you are saying.
- Gestures need to be
few, clearly understood, and deliberate.
- Associate hand signs
to particular words or sentences or emotions (repeat the hand signs whenever you repeat the particular words).
- Note that hands down with open
palms is a way of “appealing” to your audience (use sparingly), hands up in front of you with
palms open shows rejection of the audience (not good!), and pointing a finger is
accusatory (avoid!).
- Incessantly moving
your hands and arms about indicates you are nervous and the audience will be
distracted.
- Facial expressions
have to correspond to what you are saying (to the emotions you want to convey).
- Do not say “thank
you!” after your last sentence.
- It should be obvious you have finished (do not say "that's it" or "I've finished"!)
- Practice giving your speech on friends as many times as necessary (ask yourself: do I connect with them, is the information clear, do they lose the thread of my argument or description, do they get bored, do I have trouble speaking clearly and/or emphatically, do I breathe in enough before the start of a sentence, do I stay within my time limit, what do I have to work on, etc.?).
