Stanfield 1

Kayleigh Stanfield

Mrs. Cramer

Comp. I Pd. 6A

2 Nov. 2017

Secrets of Successful Public Speaking

Virtually anyone over the age of 12 has had to publicly speak or present at some point in

their life. It is just something that everyone has to experience. But the fear of public speaking can

be immobilizing. Often known as "stage fright," the fear is a bigger fear among Americans than

death. The fear can easily be cured by self-confidence. A study done by AT&T and Stanford

University found that the best way to succeed is to enjoy public speaking and be effective at it.

Books that give advice on public speaking can sometimes give different advice. Some

can tell you to put your hands in your pockets and others tell you not to. But truthfully, to be

most effective at public speaking, you must be comfortable. Don’t spend so much time focusing

on your body language that you forget your actual language.

Another good way to succeed at public speaking is to have a conversation with the

audience. When you feel comfortable the audience will feel comfortable, which will make your

presentation effective and engaging. You'll get their attention if you're talking with them not at

them. After all no one wants to feel like they are being talked at, its demining.

Don’t be unrealistic with yourself. Set goals that you can achieve (Cosnett). Speaking is

not an all-or-none situation. There is literally no way to engage 100% of the audience. Try

having reasonable expectations for yourself such as engaging 50-60% of the audience. Set that as
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your success bar. Then later in the speech when you start to notice those losing interest or not

paying attention, it won't make you nervous. Therefore, you will be considered successful by

your own goals. This, in turn, will make you more comfortable which will draw more people's

attention.

Know who you are presenting to (Cosnett). If you can know what your audience's

interests are. If you are addressing a topic that the audience has interest in then you are likely to

get the majority tuned in. Also notice certain different personality types. There will always be

someone who asks too many obnoxious questions, and somebody who wants to conversate with

you during your presentation. Avoid this taking away from your presentation by asking to save

questions for after.

Do not focus on the things that you do not know about the topic. That will make you

more nervous. Instead focus on the things that you do know and if someone asks a question that

you don’t know the answer to, simply offer to get back to them. Control your inner critic. Don’t

tell yourself negative things or else you will be rehearsing them in your head, then they will

actually happen. Instead "systematically refute them" (Cosnett). Remember that it is okay to be

mostly prepared. Don’t internalize the critical thoughts.

Imagine a successful outcome. If you hope for a positive experience, and visualize one,

then you will most likely have one. The more vividly you can visualize, the more effective of a

person you will be. In order to speak in front of an audience you must have "sincerity,

believability, and style. (Cosnett). A good opening sets the tone of the rest of your presentation.

One good way to have a good opening is to include humor, because everyone likes to laugh.

Also include in your opening what is in it for the audience, what they will gain from paying
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attention. Include your background and what makes you qualified to present about the subject.

Make sure you come off as affable. Also include what you are going to talk about.

Your conclusion is extremely important too. It needs to be presented patently. It needs to

be short and sweet but also needs to summarize everything you have covered and open the

conversation for questions. You also need to recognize when someone is asking antagonistic

questions or being obnoxious. You need to learn how diffuse situations like this and bring a light

mood to it. Also, don’t let nerves control your presentation, but don’t try to do away with them.

If you use your nerves to your benefit it can lead to a superb performance. One thing that can

help you take control of your nerves is a breathing exercise. Work on breathing with your

diaphragm not your chest. Practice taking longer and longer to exhale, this will lead to you being

able to say whole phrases without breathing obnoxiously in the middle of them.

Make sure you are prepared and rehearsed for the presentation. Figure out what you are

trying to prove to the audience and how you are going to do so. Include factual and emotional

support. rehearse three to four times (Donnet). Try to become an expert on the subject (Gard).

But never ever memorize your speech. Then it will sound like artificial and not convincing.

Instead writ yourself note cards with the main points of your presentation on them. This way you

will have a guide but will also have a natural flow when you are speaking. Your audience will

want to see you moving around, this draws more attention than you being bent over a podium

reading notes verbatim.

Plan your conclusion before you plan the rest of your speech. This part is the part that

determines the long-term effect of your presentation on the audience. This is the focus point of

your presentation. Keep it short, 25 words or less, only one sentence. If you don’t do this your

whole presentation will just consist of blabbering. Think of your closing at the "bull's eye"
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(Anderson). That way you will have a goal and you will know to stop when you’ve made your

point.

Don’t speak too formally. You need to speak to your audience as if you are one of them.

Don’t use words like "located," this turns people off (Forsyth). Formal language makes people

not want to listen. Make sure you keep it simple enough that people feel like they are a part of a

conversation. 'Nobody will ever hear you until they know you' (Muth). Make a point of

connecting with your audience. Make sure they see you as a person, as one of them.

Public speaking can be easy if you make it easy. Confidence is key. As long as you are

well prepared, know who you are presenting to, and connect with your audience you are bound

to have a successful presentation.

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Works Cited

Cosnett, Gary, et al. "A survival guide to public speaking." Training & Development Journal,

Sept. 1990, p. 15+. Educators Reference Complete,

go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=PROF&sw=w&u=pl1949&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA941371

1&it=r&asid=d8412f1d96dd52d48d186a9fe2e199f8. Accessed 25 Oct. 2017.

Forsyth, Mark. "The curse of public speaking: Put an ordinary person in front of a microphone,

and they start to talk in pompous cliches." Spectator, 30 Mar. 2013, p. 23. Opposing

Viewponts in Context,

link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A324763747/OVIC?u=pI1949&xid=7e213a64. Accessed

25 Oct. 2017.

Gard, Carolyn J. " Do you need to psych yourself up to give a speech?" Current Health 2, a

Weekly Reader Publication, Sept. 1999, p. 18. Opposing Viewpoints in Context,

link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A55671747/OVIC?u=pI1949&xid=7daaa02d. Accessed 25

Oct. 2017.