If you are one of those who lack the ability to stand in front of a large crowd of people or who feel afraid of speaking in public, do not worry, because today’s article will introduce you to the most important public speaking skills, also known as public speaking skills. It will provide you with the most important advice that will help you develop and improve it.
What is meant by “public speaking skills”?
Public speaking skills are defined as the ability to address a specific audience and deliver the desired message clearly and confidently. Whether in front of a group of people who are familiar with the speaker or an audience that is completely unfamiliar with the speaker.
What do public speaking skills include?
A number of other skills that work together in various situations fall under the umbrella of public speaking skills, including the following:
- The ability to clearly express oneself
- Possibility to assess audience needs.
- Skills to manage stress and anxiety associated with public speaking in front of others.
- Presentation preparation skills.
- The ability to attract the attention of the audience.
- Memorization and recall skills.
- The ability to control one’s tone of voice in order to emphasize key points while avoiding monotonous delivery.
- Research and investigation skills for the latest information and trends.
- The ability to organize the logical flow of speech.
- Storytelling skills and a sense of humor to liven up the speech and make it more interesting.
- Effective time management skills to balance speech content with delivery time.
The importance of public speaking skills
The importance of public speaking and public speaking skills is represented in the following points:
- Demonstrate knowledge of the speaker: You will be at your best if you can communicate your ideas to others clearly and effectively, which is exactly what strong public speaking skills enable you to do. After all, the degree of your true knowledge and culture is measured by your ability to show and pass it on to others.
- Showing the speaker’s self-confidence: Strong public speaking skills not only enable you to show your knowledge, but are also a reflection of your self-confidence, as a confident person is always able to speak in front of others without fear or hesitation. unlike the person who lacks sufficient self-confidence, as you always find him nervous and stuttering in his speech.
- Enhancing leadership: The more advanced you are in your career, the more people you have to manage, and therefore the greater your need for strong rhetorical skills that enable you to communicate with them, motivate them, and distribute tasks to them. The more you develop your oratory skills, the greater your chance of being a successful leader.
Practical tips to enhance your public speaking skills
If you find yourself tense and frustrated every time you are asked to deliver a specific speech or speak in front of a group of people, then you undoubtedly need to enhance your skills in this field, and here are some practical and simple ways to help you do that:
1- Increase your presence.
Speakers with strong oratory skills are:
- Trust.
- Friendliness.
- Enthusiasm.
- Activity and vitality.
Confidence comes from choosing a topic you care about and researching it well. while showing friendliness by smiling at the audience during the speech. Enthusiasm and vitality come naturally when you enjoy your subject and prepare well for it.
If you feel that your presence is not strong enough, you can watch videos of your favorite speakers and then imitate their delivery style. As the English proverb says, “Fake it until you make it,” i.e., pretend to be confident and strong in your presence until it becomes a reality with time.
2- Control your voice
Your voice is your most important tool when speaking in public. You can improve the quality of your voice by doing breathing exercises. Lie on the floor, put your hand on your stomach, and then inhale for a count of ten. And repeat the same thing when exhaling, making sure to make the belly rise up and go down with every inhale and exhale. Be sure to apply this process during your speech as well.
3- Pay attention to body language.
Always make sure to pay special attention to your body language, as words are not the only way to communicate a certain piece of information. To ensure that you use appropriate body language, adhere to the following:
- Train yourself to stand up straight and in a comfortable position.
- Keep your hands at your sides or extend them out in front of you unless you are using a gesture to emphasize a point in your speech.
- Always pay attention to your facial expressions and make sure they match your words. If you are telling a sad story, of course, it is not logical to smile or laugh during the conversation, and different life situations are based on that. Always try to practice in front of a mirror to become more aware of your facial expressions while giving the speech.
4- Deliver your message well.
When thinking about public speaking skills, the first thing that comes to mind is conveying the desired message to the listeners correctly and clearly. A loud voice and perfect body language are of no use if your audience can’t understand what you have to say. To develop this aspect of your public speaking skills, try the following:
- Speak slowly and stoically, and do not be surprised if you feel that you are too slow, as this is a sign that you are using the appropriate speed.
- Take a few seconds’ break between ideas as you come up with them to give your audience a chance to absorb what you’ve said.
- Avoid using filler sounds like “mmmm,” “oooh,” and stuttering.
- Manipulate your voice’s intonation and pitch based on the content of your speech to avoid boredom among listeners.
5- Build a good relationship with your audience.
Good speakers are often on good terms with their audience, a relationship that may be established just a few seconds before the speech begins. Because these speakers understand that public speaking skills are not just about standing in front of a group of people and talking to them, In order to create a positive connection with your audience, do the following:
- Welcome your audience as soon as you stand at the podium, and wait for everyone to turn their eyes on you before you start speaking.
- Connect with your audience by asking them some questions or hearing their comments about your speech.
- Get to know some of the audience and chat with them before you give your speech.
6-Listen to your inner voice.
And here we mean your positive inner voice, as research has shown that positive self-talk contributes greatly to reducing stress and fear in various situations. But how do you do that? Well, all you have to do is try to see your fears in a different, positive way. For example, you can say to yourself:
- Fear of public speaking is normal.
- There are many who fear that the audience will be bored or that they will make themselves laughable, and it is not just me.
- Even if the worst should happen to me and I fail to give a good speech, the audience will probably sympathize with me, and it will not be the end of my life.
Whatever the level of your oratory skills at the present time, and no matter how introverted you are who is afraid to stand in front of crowds of people and speak to them, trust that you are able to enhance your oratory skills with continuous training and exercise, and this is exactly what distinguishes skill from talent, as the first is acquired and can be developed, and the second is mostly innate.
Share your public speaking stories and experiences with us, and tell us in the comments about the most important methods you used to improve your skills.
Read also: How do you make a successful presentation?
