About Me
- Brendan
- I am a professional educator by trade, but by my definition, I am much more than that. I wear many hats; including, but not limited to, Father, Husband, Son, Step-Father, Ex-Husband, Entrepreneur, Public Speaker, Super Geek (love technology), Trainer, Coach, Student, Writer, Dreamer, and Leader. For fun I am an avid golfer and consider myself a blessed individual because I have the greatest wife in the world that loves to golf with me.
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Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Lesson 2 Your First Speech
Every journey begins with your first step and every great speaker had to start with their first speech. Your first speech is meant to “test” the waters and begin to get a feel for what public speaking is all about. Experts will tell you that the best way to overcome nervousness about speaking in public is to get up and deliver a speech (a short one preferably).
There are many tools and techniques in giving a great speech and you will learn those in later lessons, but for now you will just need to have a sense of the various steps involved in developing and presenting a speech. Really, preparing a speech is not very different than organizing and writing a paper (one you did in 5th grade).
The Speech Development Process
Select a Topic. You can’t speak if you don’t know what to speak about. Your first speech (and most speeches) is about a topic that you are familiar with, and better yet, passionate about. Here are some questions that will help you discover a topic.
- What am I passionate about?
- What inspires me?
- What is something that I am good at?
- What is unique about me?
- What is a good story about me?
- What is controversial?
- What is a hobby of mine?
- If I could be doing anything right now, what would it be and why?
Analyze the Audience. The process of analyzing your audience is actually a highly systematic process that I will discuss in another lesson, but just know for now that it is important to know whom you are going to be speaking to. What is the audience’s age, gender, religion, interest, etc. What does the audience already know and how much do they know about the topic you have picked? The more you know about your audience, the better off you will be.
Speech Purpose and Specific Purpose. Once you have selected an appropriate topic and you understand your audience, you need to determine the purpose of your speech. There are two types of purpose, general and specific. A general purpose would be to inform, persuade, or for a special occasion such as a wedding or dinner event. A specific purpose is a declarative statement that states what you expect your speech will accomplish. An example would be: To persuade the audience that running is the best form of exercise.
Compose a Thesis Statement. A thesis statement clearly expresses the central idea of your speech. It follows the general and specific purpose you have already created. A thesis statement is often called a topic sentence.
Main Points. Main points are the primary concepts or arguments of your speech. Each main point directly relates to your specific purpose and thesis statement.
Supporting Material. Supporting material “supports” the main points. Each main point will need additional material to help clarify and give strength to your speech. Supporting material can be direct quotes, statistics, personal experiences, research, etc. The more reputable your supporting material, the more credible your speech will be. Remember, everything on the Internet is not true!
Outline Your Speech. Every speech is made up of three major parts: introduction, body, and conclusion.
- Introduction: welcomes the audience, introduces yourself, introduces the topic and purpose, catches the audience’s attention and interest, and provides a clear transition to body of speech.
- Body of Speech: introduces the main ideas of the speech and illustrates them with supporting material. The body of the speech is an organization of your ideas and is well suited for the audience. There is a transition statement at the end of the body to the conclusion statement.
- Conclusion Statement: tells the audience what you just told them (reiterate the specific purpose and main points). A good conclusion leaves the audience satisfied and with something to think about. This is your last chance to be memorable.
Practice. Practice your speech ahead of time. If you can video yourself or record yourself (it will surprise you and may even embarrass you). You will want to practice the following: Volume of voice.
- Speed at which you talk (most beginners will talk much faster when presenting, even after they have practiced).
- Using words correctly (pronunciation).
- Reducing your filler words (um, and, uh, and so, yah, etc.).
- Smiling and using appropriate facial expressions.
- Making eye contact with your audience.
- Using appropriate body language.
Questions
- What are some other tips and tricks that will help you prepare for your first speech?
- Reflect back on a recent speech (or your first speech) you have given, what would you have done differently and why?
- Do you really think picturing your audience naked or bald is a good technique to use (especially in your first speech)? Why or why not?
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49 comments:
Honestly, no haha I think that it would totally throw me off guard! I would try and picture them naked and I might start laughing, I wouldn't be able to say what I need to say. I would look very unprofessional because I'm sure that I would be saying "Um" a lot and I would be thrown off track and my points would be totally messed up. I might give people dirty looks if I actually did imagine them naked cause I would be grossed out haha. That is kinda rude but if I'm being honest. There are other techniques that you can use like imagine they are a very professional audience every time you publicly speak. You will be more professional with your speech, you will be on track with it, you will get your point around the way you want to, all in all if you are just very professional about your speech then it should go the way you plan, but sometimes that can make you more nervous and then you would screw up.
A recent speech I gave was a talk in church on father’s day this year. I always get the most nervous when I give talks in church. I am afraid of going off on tangents or just losing my train of thought and looking like an idiot. So when I speak in church, I always write out word-for-word everything that I will say, rather than just relying on an outline. My talk wasn’t horrible, but it could have been a lot better. If I would have trusted myself to use an outline, it probably would have been a lot more interesting and relatable to the audience. Also, I would have been able to add or take things out of my talk as I saw necessary, instead of reading the entire thing like a robot. Even though I was reading, I did look at the audience frequently, although I could have had a lot more eye contact with my audience if I didn’t have to keep looking down at my paper to see where I was. I consciously tried to speak slowly and clearly, but even so, I am sure that I could have slowed down quite a bit.
Tips and techniques for speeches in my opinion, depends on the person; for me practice makes perfect. When I make a speech I focus on three things: Am I making sense? Do I get the point across? How can I make the listeners remember me? All of these things, to me, make a good speech. When creating a speech I read out loud over and over again of what I write, this helps me make sure I am making a clear visual of what I am saying and making sure it flows all together. I also have people read what I have written down to get other point of views and ideas that maybe I have not thought of myself. Sometimes in my writing I get repetitive so I enjoy having another outlook on my speech to help me. I am sure there are many other creative techniques but for me, the basic credentials are the best fitting.
I think picturing everyone naked is great technique. It helps to have a good looking class, but the idea of picturing your audience naked is one way to control the environment you are speaking in. It is easy to tell when some is lacking confidence as they present. The only way to really give a great speech is to approach your audience with confidence. To do that it helps to feel comfortable in your environment and know that you can control the reaction and attention span of the crowd. Having a perfect environment to present may never happen but even a dull crowd can be won over. Not to mention it helps to make eye contact with the audience so if everyone is naked it is always safest to keep your eyes above the neck so you don’t get distracted. I think I might give it a try next time a speak and see how it goes. Wish me luck, it could get messy.
I am gong to say yes, picturing your audience naked or bald is a good speech technique. I have unfortunately never had the pleasure of speaking to an entirely naked, or entirely bald audience. In fact unlike many people I'm sure, I've never even spoken to an audience where anyone was in the nude. So I will be forced to argue my point entirely on theory, however, I think I do understand the underlying themes of this theory. For most if not all people, especially when giving a first speech, there is great fear and trepidation felt along with the belief that one will fail, look stupid, or embarrass him/herself. That being the case, when we get in front of an audience with the goal being to entertain, persuade, or enlighten, we deal with strong feelings of inadequacy. I've actually never even tried this, and I don't have a very vivid imagination so I doubt it would even work for me, but viewing an audience as naked or bald would give us feelings of superiority, "I've got hair", or "I'm wearing cloths and the rest of these people are not, who cares what they think, they can't even dress themselves!" So I imagine picturing an audience bald or naked would be beneficial to many because it helps with feelings of inadequacy and insecurity.
Do you really think picturing your audience naked or bald is a good technique to use (especially in your first speech)? Why or why not?
I have always heard about this technique and thought it was a little strange. I am pretty sure if I got up to speak and pictured everyone naked I would defiantly forget what I was up there to talk about. I would think"Oh geez, did I miss the memo?" I might even start laughing out loud! This technique might work for others but I am defiantly not a fan! When I have to speak in front of people, I imagine that I am just having a conversation with my mom or with one of my good friends. It makes me feel a little more confident standing up and speaking in front of a bunch of people.
Question 2:
Last year I took an Intro to Communications class and we gave 2 speeches. One of them I felt very comfortable speaking about because I knew so much about it, the other one not so much. So this year, as I approach each speech I'm going to get as much information as I can and make sure I know my topic very thoroughly so when I am up in front of the class I can feel comfortable and everyone who is listening can feel comfortable as well. Also, knowing my topic really well can give me an added sense of confidence which can really help me present a great speech. It can also prevent me from feeling rushed or nervous and I can slow down my words and really focus on my audience instead of my nerves.
Tips and Tricks that will help me prepare for my first speech. In the few speeches I have given I have found it best to lighten up the audience with a joke. This technique works wonders, even at funerals. The joke must be appropriate for the setting, avoiding crude humor is always a plus in my experience. Once the audience has lightened up or had a good chuckle I find it much easier to deliver the prepared remarks. Even if the audience hasn't lightened up it is easier for me as the speaker to at least feel they have lightened up. If the joke goes bad just plow through it. Next I like to find common ground with the audience. If I can relate to the audience through personal experience their attention seems to be drawn to my speech and I can give the message without reluctance or hesitation. Close the speech with what I like to call "FEEL" this is - depending on your topic - where I give the human aspect of it. I make the speech real and suddenly it comes to life. Of course these are all theories and I havent really had much success speaking. I have however heard many good speeches and the best ones seem to have these ingredients. I guess we'll see how the first speech goes.
Picturing your audience naked or bald is not a good idea at all. As part of the three Cs I've learned in public speaking, concentration is key. If you're standing in front of an audience and you're picturing them without their clothing on or bald, you're not concentrating on your speech. Picturing them in either of these manners is distracting and can lead to you losing your place in your speech, causing you to stare at a particular person for longer than necessary or even worse laughing. These distractions aren't needed when you're up in front of your audience and concentrating on what you're saying and what you're trying to convey to your audience. It is extremely inappropriate and discourteous to your audience. It can be as discourteous to your audience as them talking during your presentation. You wouldn't want them to be disruptive, so it is best to respect them and your presentation by not picturing them in either of these situations.
Question 2:
Last year I was in a professional reading and writing class. We had to do group presentations for the class very often. I learned very quickly that it is important to prepare before you get up in front of a group. If I would have come to class more prepared, I could have done my speech smoothly. I would not have had to look down at my note cards as often. I also would have been able to make eye contact with the audience more. I should have planned ahead by reading through the material I was going to present ahead of time. By practicing my speech in front of someone else before presenting it to an audience, I could have gotten feed back on what I could do better. It is so important to prepare for your speeches ahead of time. It prevents you from embarassing yourself and also helps you look like a more educated person.
I think that it all really just comes down to practice. To feel prepared for your first speech you just need to practice. First practice to yourself, get comfortable with your material. Run it through your head and really learn and understand what you are trying to convey. After you have done that practice if front of people you are very comfortable with, such as family or long time friends. Be sure to ask for feedback. Things they think you've done well, that you should continue to do, also things that you should change or that they have noticed as the audience. Just continuing to re-practice I feel is all you can really do. Practice as often as you can and try to do it in front of different audiences as often as possible. If all else fails either just continue to give speeches until you get comfortable with it, or switch careers, public speaking was not meant for you :)
Question 2:
My sophomore year of high school my English teacher required multiple class presentations and speeches. One of the things I remember most about giving these speeches was that I should have practiced out loud more than I did. Going through a speech in your head or once or twice before you go to bed has proven to not be nearly enough preparation for a well presented speech. Several things I remember struggling with is filler words. Obviously in preparing the speech I did not write the um's and the so's but upon delivering the speech they inserted themselves very regularly. Looking back to that class another thing done differently is that I would have not been so concerned about what the other kids were going to think and used my energy and concern focusing on slowing down and really thinking about each word coming out of my mouth. Over the last four years these two things have become easier for me to do but I know that I still need a lot of work. I am glad that my teacher four years ago required those speeches and presentations so that I can look back and already know places that I should really focus on and keep in mind while going through this course.
Heck no techno! Picturing my audience bald or naked or at the same time would not help me get through my speech AT ALL. I seriously would not be able to control my facial experience, but it would be funny to have an outer body experience during a presentation, I would totally get a kick out of that. It would be very distracting; I wouldn’t be able to stay consistent with the information I’m giving out and I’ll guarantee drift away from the point I’m trying to make. Distractions also cause me to say umm, yah and mumble my words ha-ha, but of course cause’s a bigger distraction for the audience because my body language would turn them off and I’ll lose their attention. Suggesting this to someone if it were their first speech isn’t a very good idea, assuming their first reaction would be to laugh or get grossed out, loss their train of thought and not accomplish their task.
Personally, I don't think picturing the audience naked would be a good technique for myself! I just know that I would start laughing of crack an unnecessary smile or something. I can see myself giving a church talk or a speech that is meant to be serious and gain respect from my audience and laughing in middle and looking like a complete fool. And ruining the 'moment.' But that technique may work for other personalities. Perhaps for someone who is extremely nervous and needs to loosen up a bit I think that picturing the audience naked may be somewhat of a relaxing thing for them. But I think it's just creepy and there are some people I'd rather not have that imagine in my mind, it could be burning until the next day or even longer. When it comes to your first speech especially, you really have no idea what your habits are or how you react when in front of groups of people so that could be pretty risky. Something that I like to use when I'm nervous, (giving church talks for example), while walking up to where I am about to talk, and while setting up, I make myself take deep breaths (not noticeable to the audience) but just enough to calm myself down while I count to five. And once I hit five I usually feel much better.
Question 1
I have given a few speeches, none of which were to a mass audience of more than about 5 or 10 people. One of the most useful tools I believe in giving any speech is being prepared. Knowing about your topic so you feel like you only have to worry about the speech part not of forgetting what something means etc. In another sense it makes you much more credible when the audience feels as if you are very informed and knowledgable on the subject, they will listen and follow you better in my experiences. In a speech in Argumentation and Critical Thinking, I felt as if I was very nervous because I lacked some research I should have had on the subject and was iffy at some points. I could almost immediately notice myself losing the audience because of that minor shift. Also knowing when to use pauses for emphasis and keeping your talking at a medium and steady pace. Changing voice levels as to not be monotone and such things will help keep the audience entertained.
I don’t want to picture my audience naked or bald. EWWW. I can’t imagine how horrifying that would be. If you have an audience full of children wouldn’t that make you a pedophile? Imaging your audience naked could get very distracting and I am not really comfortable being in a room of naked people. I think that taking a deep breath and looking at people foreheads is more effective it gives the illusion of eye contact and eliminates the fear of actually looking at people. When I go shopping at the mall I am relaxed and enjoy my surroundings. I would rather picture my audience as a group of shoppers, certainly fully clothed I think I think that taking a deep breath and looking at people foreheads is a more effective method of diffusing your anxiety that picturing your audience naked. Looking at foreheads gives the illusion of eye contact and eliminates the fear of actually looking at people. As far as entertainment goes foreheads can be quite interesting and tell you a lot about the content of your speech. If a forehead is wrinkled then the person is thinking or worrying probably not really listening to your speech. It their forehead is smooth then you most likely have their attention. Not only does looking at their foreheads take away some stress it is also an audience indicator and if you watch closely then you can adjust your speech as necessary.
Reflect back on a recent speech (or your first speech) you have given, what would you have done differently and why?
I always thought that I was a good speaker, my whole life. Until I actually had to speak in front of a crowd, I didn’t realize how many things are so important besides just the content. I believe I am a good writer as far as words go. When I give speeches however my words didn’t automatically come across how I wanted them to. The first talk I ever gave was in a church meeting. I was so prepared and thought I was going to do great. However I really wasn’t. There is a difference between reading the audience a paper and giving them a speech. Looking back at the speeches I have presented I wish I would have done a lot of things different. It’s really important to pause at the correct moments. You don’t have to speak at a hundred miles an hour or your audience will hope you get done faster than you wish you will. Also connected with the audience is hard but so important. Look at them! Speak to them, like I said earlier. Everyone there can read the same paper you reading to them. Little techniques will make a world of difference when you are speaking.
The tips and tricks that will help me are these. First of all I have observed a lot of good speeches and there seems to be a pattern that all the good ones share. Most of the time the speaker usually starts with a joke to lighten up the audience. This technique works well, even at funerals. However the humor must be appropriate for the audience, and in my experience that has always been clean humor. By clean of course I mean not crude in any way, it is even wise to avoid questionable humor that could be misconstrued as something inappropriate. Next is the body of the speech. This is where I will try to get a feel for the audience and relate the topic specifically to them. This could be difficult especially if you have nothing in common with the audience. For example if your from Northern Arizona and they are from East Germany. Once the body of the speech has passed I like to insert the “Feel” the human element. Where the topic comes alive because the audience no longer sees the remarks as some distant thing but something that effects them or their close friends and family. After this, wrap it up and quit while your ahead. That is if the first parts of the speech didn’t fail. Also if the joke fails at the beginning just plow through it.
There are a lot of tips and tricks that you can use when preparing for a speech. Although it varies from person to person, a good tip that is very useful is to watch a professional speak. For example you watch Barrack Obama speak, notice the things he does and the facial expressions to use. This is a very good tip because it helps you see and learn how to do things right. Another helpful tip you can use is to know and study your material. If you study your material it will make your transitions smooth and help you to not get caught up on your words. Something else that you should consider when giving a speech is to dress up and look nice. Dressing up and making yourself look sharp will make what you are saying more credible and make people take you seriously.
Public speaking can be a difficult thing at times. I am not too experienced with public speaking, at least on a professional level, but I feel like I have a few simple tips to help any person perform better. The tip that starts it all off is to be well rested. Rest is key to a sharp performance in any task. I especially feel this is the case for speaking in public settings. When we have enough rest it allows our brain to be sharp. When you pair this with proper preparation, and proper appearance you will have a formula for a successful speech. For instance. I served a mission for my church and during my time I stuck to a strict schedule. We were advised to be in bed by 10:30pm and wake up at 6:30am to allow for a good nights rest. We also we asked to practice our speeches (or teaching appointments) each day verbally. On top of this we were asked to wear presentable button up shirts with ties. From this time I learned the importance of these tactics in a successful speech. If you did not use any one of these tactics it severely affected your performance. When you did not follow the sleeping schedule often times you would not nearly be as focused when speaking and would be distracting with a yawn or droopy eyes. When we did not practice our conversations that we were to practice for would be choppy and we would not have the confidence to present a good organized lesson. If we looked sloppy regardless of how well our skills of speaking were we would not gain the credibility that is needed in the art of rhetoric. These are just a few tips that I have helped me as a novice.
My junior year in high school my class had to give persuasive speeches and we had to pick a topic and we couldn't have the same topic as anyone else. At the last minute one of the guys in my class switched his topic and it turned out to be the exact one I was giving. He ended up going before me and I didn't know he changed his topic, the teacher didn't even know. I went right after him and I was so upset and it's hard for me to hide my emotions. I went up there and I was shaking and my voice was shaky and I felt my face turn red because I was so mad and I was one the verge on crying. I had to keep pausing because I couldn't remember the points I was trying to make. The only thing I was thinking about was how could that kid do that. Looking back on the situation I should of remained calm and realized that the teacher knew I was assigned that topic and I should of focused on my own speech. I had better points than he made and I cited more examples and I was more prepared. Thingsblike that can happen and I needed to adjust to the situation and stayed focused on my own speech and not of let something like that affect my grade.
Reflect back on a recent speech (or your first speech) you have given, what would you have done differently and why?
Over the years, my public speaking skills have increased. I am much more calm, confident, and composed. However, a few months ago I took the opportunity to evaluate my public speaking. I was trying to identify my greatest weakness so that I could improve in the area most needed. As I reflected, I found myself wishing that my transitions from point to point within the body of my speech were smoother. At times I felt that my thoughts were disconnected. Also, because the transitions weren't smooth, I found myself pausing and using more filler words; and heaven knows I don't need any help using those! :) All in all, I need to prepare in detail a bit better and improve my ability to focus my thoughts and think ahead so I don't catch myself off guard.
Some tips and tricks that I have used to get myself ready to give a speech is practice it in the mirror five or so times so that I get comfortable giving my speech out loud. Then I would ask someone to listen to me give the speech and then have them give me some feedback then make the necessary revisions and go back to the mirror and practice with the changes I have made. Then I would go ask a group of people, three to five, to listen to me give the speech and see how they think I did, and what I can do to make it better. I firmly believe that this is and effective way to prepare for a speech no matter how much experience you have with public speaking. This will allow you to feel comfortable hearing yourself talk about the given topics. This has worked for me in the past, and I plan to continue to use it for this class.
Reflect back on a recent speech (or your first speech) you have given, what would you have done differently and why?
The first speech I ever gave, I was in high school. I went to Judge Memorial a small Catholic school in Salt Lake. Students would give speeches every assembly about many different things. When i was asked to give a speech, i was hesitant was agreed. The topic was on, Respect in the classroom. I worried about that thing for weeks, and finally gave it. I was more worried about how i was doing, and what people where thinking about me, rather then getting my point across. My biggest regret was being so nervous. If i were to do that now looking back, i would have just bought in, and had some fun with it. That is what i plan to do in this class.
What are some other tips and tricks that will help you prepare for your first speech?
Whenever im giving a speech i always make myself the audience first. i listen to myself speak and think to myself "would i be listening to someone else saying these words?" I always try to make it fun to talk because i believe it shows through. If youre not having fun talking or youre nervous it will show to the audience and to me if i were in the crowd and saw that i think i wouldnt be paying attention at what was being said. One of my favorite tricks i like to use is i pretend im filming a movie. that im just filming a scene so i pretend that this isnt real life and that after my speech is over ill come back to reality.i find it easier to overcome any fear or any nervous feelings. i know that might seem like an odd idea but if people actually try it they well also come to see how fun it can be to talk in front of crowds of people. you kinda get a rush and i think that only helps the preformance
I would like to respond to question #1: I think that there are several tips to preparing to make a good speech. The most important tip to me personally is to be over prepared. The reason that I'm mentioning this is its always easier for me to cut my material short if I run out of time then it is for me to find more information to talk about if I run out of material before the time run outs. Another tip for me is to remember that everyone else probably gets nervious too. Usually at first for me in a speech I tend to be nervious but once I get started and realize that everythings ok I usually calm down and then the speech tends to go a lot better for me. I think there a lot tips that can help people to perform better in their speaches.
I think picturing a bald or naked people, as your audience is a great idea because I have used that technique my whole life. When it came to dance solos where you where on a stage all by your self with over 100 people watching you it got a little frightening. I was the most nervous kid you could possibly meet I would not eat for a week and all I would think about is me on that stage falling on my butt and making a full of myself. Thankfully one morning before I was about to go on stage my teacher came up to me and said go on that stage and pretend you are in a room by yourself or imagine they are all dressed up like clowns. So I tried it; it actually totally worked I went on that stage and kicked some butt. So in the sense of standing in front of an audience imagining people aren’t there or all bald and naked gives you a sense of relief and could make you feel a lot more comfortable. So yes I think it’s a great idea!
I think picturing your audience naked or bald is not a very good technique at all, becuase in my view if you picture eveybody in the audience your giving a speech too naked it would make you laugh or have the opposite effect and you would be a little too focused in on a perticular part of the audience which would make the speech seem rehearsed and not fluid and comfturable like it is supposed to be, there are many methods for different types of people depending on the type of speech it is and the kind of person it is and how they react speaking in front of small or large crowds. For me im mostly calm when i give speeches but if there is a large crowd i feel the need to perform and i feed off the energy of the massive crowd and when it comes to small crowds im not as comfturable but i can still speak fluidly because i picture them as close friends that i can be myself around and act as if its a normal setting.
There are many different ways you can envision your audience with out it being distracting to what you are going to speak on. So imagining that your audience is naked or bald, I personally don't think is a very effective tool to use, especially in your first speech. There are other ways to effectively take the pressure of the audience off of your shoulders. One way to effectively prepare is by actually giving your speech in front of people you know and get feed back on things that you could improve on, things you did good, and what needs to change. As you go over your speech, you will find out if it fits within the time limit, how your sentence structure flows, and how effective your speech is in what ever point you are trying to get across. One of the most important things to remember when giving a speech is that you want to stay focus through out the whole speech.
The first talk I ever gave was dreadful. I had written on my paper word for word what I would say. Bad idea! Not only did get lost in the pages and pages of words, but it totally freaked me out! I felt overwhelmed and super sweaty! Plus I only used about half of what was written on the pages. My fallowing speech I decided to change things up a bit. I made bullet points and put a few simple words for each. Not only did this calm me down quite a bit, but things flowed so much smoother. I also felt like I could relate to the audience much better because I was actually looking at their faces. I was also more focused on what I was saying rather than what I was reading. Plus I looked a lot more intelligent than a dumb broad trying to read gibberish.
Oh my heavens, my first speech was awful. It was my freshman year and I was in a class full of sophomores. I don’t know why I decided to take that class but I thought it would help me in speaking in front of people (which it did). I just remember being super stressed about the first speech. I honestly wanted to just drop the class but my mom made me stay in it. I don’t really remember what I was supposed to speak on but I just remember not being prepared. Which is a huge deal right? I knew the material alright I just did not have a very good outline and it just wasn’t organized. So when I got up there to give the speech I drew a blank. It was the most embarrassing thing that has happened to me. Luckily it taught me for future speeches to be better prepared and more knowledgeable about my topic.
A few years ago my dad want to be able to communicate better with his co-workers. He bought a book to help him do so. One of the suggestions in the book was to imagine the audience naked. Of course he thought this was ridiculous and pretty funny. He tried it and it helped him take the situation not so seriously and he was able to relax. Any technique that will help you relax in front of your audience will be helpful with public speaking. Obviously imagining everyone bald or naked will not work for every one. The more comfortable I feel around those I am communicating with the easier it is for me to talk. If it is a large group of people I usually like to look past them and focus on the group as a whole. That way I am not intimidated by the individuals in the room. I completely agree that it is necessary to "read" the audience. If you have a good feel for the audience to can know how to approach them confidently.
I am answering # 1 & 3 "What are some other tips and tricks to helping you prepare for your first speech?" & "Do you really think picturing your audience naked or bald is a good technique to use (especially in your first speech). Why or Why not?
I think a really good trick i have found for giving a speech is to make the audience laugh. The ice breaker is one of the easiest ways to relieve some of your butterflies. I actually used the "picturing people naked bit" as a joke once, I told the audience something along the lines of "If I picture you all naked they will have to clean up the puke off the stand" Another thing I like to do before a speech is do it in front of the mirror, that way I can watch hand placement and facial expressions.
I do not really think that picturing people naked help, most of the time when I am giving a speech I am really focusing on what I am going to say, not if the audience Is wearing clothes..
Picturing people naked or bald would not only be hard and at times it would be traumatizing. What if my target audience was an old folk’s home? Bald would be easy but naked would scar me for life. With children bald would be funny naked would land me in jail or therapy. What do you imagine in a bald man nudist club? I would imagine clothing on them. I would be easier for me to imagine the room empty or with one very weird guy clapping a cheering in the back wearing an “I love awkward moments” shirt. Another way for me to do it would be to unleash the block on my mind, but that gets me in trouble for saying unprofessional things and often making jokes at inappropriate times. I can’t always make it easy on me though sometimes the hardest things in life are the most rewarding.
What are some other tips and tricks that will help you prepare for your first speech?
Self confidence is the only secret to giving a successful speech. Tips and tricks may help, but in the end, it all comes down to the presenter and how comfortable they are with the material being presented. Get comfortable in the environment you are situated, whether it is on the first day of class to the day of the presentation, any sort of relief will help prepare a good speech. It is also about being prepared with the content of the speech; understanding the topic is far more helpful than memorizing what has to be said. Stage fright is often a big problem, because if nerves get the best of you, then memory is hard to retrieve. But if you know your information inside and out, recollecting and reiterating to the audience will be simple, no matter how frightened you are.
If I could do anyting right now, it would be to join the Peace Corps. If someone was to call me with a destination and a passport tonight, I would drop everything and move. My life is one spontanious thing after another, I live for the adventure. If I know my plans day to day I lose my mind. I like when things are a litte out of order, a little caios never hurt anyone. If anthing, it can only make you stronger. Another reason I want to join the Peace Corps, any opportunity I can take to better my self as a person and become stronger I'm always willing to give a shot. Especially, if it's also helping others as well.
I think back to when i had to give a speech in church a few years back, and I didn't prepare at all. Not one little bit. (Other than writing the speech of coarse) And i was absolutely terrified. But I wouldn't have been, if I had just taken the time to practice. I am now the kind of person that follows the old adage, "Practice makes Perfect" I'm a firm believer that if you practice at something enough, you will improve, or overcome your fear of doing it. You first get used to it, and then become confident that you are doing it well, and then you realize that there was nothing to fear in the first place. If i could go back to that speech, I would have practiced, practiced, practiced! and I am 100% positive that i would have done 100% better. If I could go back and redo it, I would in a heartbeat.
I think the most useful trick to use when giving a speech is to practice, practice, practice. When I am preparing for a speech, I write it down word-for-word. Then I read through it until I can give the speech while only looking down at my paper two or three times. My biggest “trick” though, is to give the speech while I am doing other things like making dinner, doing the dishes, driving in the car, etc. This helps the speech to become second nature to me instead of having to think about every single word. In any aspect of life, the more prepared you are the more confident you will feel. There is nothing worse than sitting in an audience and feeling uncomfortable because the speaker is uncomfortable. It could be because they are unprepared or just plain nervous, but either way it's unbearable. If the speaker is not confident in their abilities, the audience won't be either.
The most recent speech I gave was in church on mothers day. I was asked to give a talk for about eight minutes on the topic of mothers. The other speaker that day did not prepare enough material to take up the time that he was given. I had to struggle and stretch for time. In retrospect I wish I would have spent more time preparing my speech. I started thinking of what I wanted to say just a few hours before I had to deliver my speech. I had the opportunity a few years ago to move to Seoul, South Korea, and serve as a missionary.During the time I lived in Seoul, I had to give many talks in Korean to many different groups. Because of the difficulty of the language I had to prepare and practice a lot more than I would if I had to give a speech in English. But after the mothers day talk I came to the conclusion that I should practice and prepare more thoroughly like I did as a missionary.
Thinking of your audience naked or bald can be effective if it is the right audience. If I was giving a speech to a bunch of heavier set old people I think this would be a very effective technique. I would look up at the audience and I would have to stop myself from laughing. If I can laugh I can speak much clearer and relax. On the other hand, if you are speaking to a group of attractive people this method would make me freeze and look at my outline the entire time. It would be impossible for me to remain focused and relaxed in this type of an environment. This method can be extremely effective if this type of visualization relaxes you and makes you feel comfortable. If this does not relax you to think of your audience naked or bald, probably not the best tip to help your public speaking.
Some ideas I thought of for preparing for a speech would include knowing who your audience is going to be. If you know you are going to be talking to youth you're age then obviously the manner in which you speak will be different versus if you were talking to an elderly group. Another thing I try to do is make sure I have covered my topic completely, like don't just state the obvious on the surface things, I like to emphasize the things most people wouldn't realize or think about. Another tip which may sound silly but I sometimes like to rehearse my speech over and over in front of mirror; that way I don't have to worry if I look weird or uncomfortable or anything like that. Another tip is if I have any quotes or short references I try to memorize them. Not only does that make you sound a little smarter, but it also makes your speech more interesting. Also, while it is important to look at your audience more often than your notes or your hands, if you know somebody personally in your audience, it is usually wise not to look at them or they might make you laugh. Maybe it's just me but every time I am in that situation, the people I know always make faces and funny gestures at me! Overall the best tip besides good preparation is simply confidence, they are just normal people and it's just talking!
When preparing to give a talk or speech, I research my topic, think of some personal experiences, and then write it word for word. That is one thing I’ve always, and still want to change; to write my speeches in outline form and not word for word. I guess I just feel that I will get nervous and not remember what I want to say. I know that if I write an outline and practice it like crazy, over and over and over again, I will be more comfortable and confident and be able to deliver a more effective speech than I ever have. I tend to want to throw other things in when I’m up there delivering my speech, and I tell myself I can even if I have it written word for word, but when I get up and start talking I get nervous and just say exactly what I wrote and rehearsed, so it tends to be pretty boring and I usually don’t sound like myself. I sound more like I’m just reading a book.
The best tool I use when preparing for a speach is information. The more information you have about your subject the better. That doesn't mean over do it in your speach by quoting every bit of info you have collected about your subject, you need to be ineresting and informative. I also try to put myself in the other persons position, what would I like to get from this speach if I where the one listening to me? Humor is also another great tool, putting people at ease tends to put you ease also.
Do I feel picturing my audience nakad for a speech is ok?...NO!! I feel it unecessary and useless. First off, wouldnt that give the person giving the speech a inner feeling of embarassment? In a way it is demeaning to those you are speaking to. I also feel it would further disract my presentation. I have never used this method and never will. There are many other ways to "ease the mood". First off, practice your speech to others you do feel comfortable around. Take deep breaths and understand that you are not alone.
The first major tip that I have when preparing your first speech is to relax! There is nothing worse than trying to write your speech clearly and having a mind full of panic. I know from experience that it is easy to worry about every little thing that could happen; what if I forget my topic, what if I lose my voice, what happens when I need to go to the bathroom and can’t hold it? All important questions but there is a universal answer for all the questions that may come…it is okay. Half of the things we worry about never happen. Take a deep breath and focus on the content of your speech, really focus on things that you know a lot about so that you feel comfortable with the material that you are presenting. The second major tip that I have found useful is to have fun! Prepare all that you can before hand and then just let it all go and have fun. If you are enjoying yourself, the chances of the audience enjoying it as well are pretty great. Let things happen how they will and leave your speech with no regrets.
Having just given a speech today, I'm well equipped with how I would have done a few things differently. I was the initial speaker who was warming up for the keynote. I had done everything I thought a good presenter would do in preparation for a speech. Turns out I was wrong. I called the keynote speaker earlier that day to confirm he was coming. I confirmed with him the location and time, as well as the topics he would be discussing. Unfortunately what I did not anticipate was that the keynote speaker would be considerably late. I prepared my portion of the presentation to comfortably last 15 minutes. After 25… I was pushing it. Still he didn’t show and I must admit, I began to truly get nervous. I had 70 people staring at me and truly giving me their full attention, I didn’t want to waste their time or to give the impression of fumbling. I fortunately had a mentor in the room who had some words of wisdom to share to help last us until our speaker came. If I could change what I did, it would be to have a plan B. I would have prepared a little extra information just in case an uncontrollable event kept our speaker from arriving. It’s a scary thing to have that many eyes on you while you feel yourself scrambling for something to say…
Things I would change differently about when I give speeches are keeping my head up and looking at the audience. If I was in the audience I would rather see someone giving a speech trying to connect with the audience still being nervous than have someone nervous looking down at the paper or their feet the entire time. I would also want to control my breathing when I’m in front of people. I try really hard to not sound like I’m out of breathe from speaking fast and being nervous but it usually takes a minute until I realize this isn’t so hard and start to feel a little more comfortable. Usually when I give a speech I try my best to keep it simple and very understandable for the audience so even if I’m nervous the audience doesn’t have to try and understand something complicated with a nervous speaker.
I don't think picturing the audience naked is a good idea, that is unless the speaker is just trying to avoid the audience all together. In that case, whats the point of speaking at all. Some things a speaker needs to be productive, is a purpose, a lot of preparation, and a little passion for what they are speaking about. One thing i have noticed is that i can usually tell when speaker is winging it,I think most people can, and some speakers think they are good at winging it. I usually just feel embarrassed for the speaker. So even if they pull it off I usually don't get much out of there speech because I feel that they didn't care enough to prepare.
I've never really used the naked/bald technique, but I do use something similar. One way I've found that helps reduce anxiety for me is to downplay the importance of the speech. I kind of talk myself up and tell myself that I am so much cooler and smarter and more wonderful than anyone in the audience, and they can't wait to hear what I have to say. This helps take a lot of the intimidation factor out of it, I think. I also mentally do the little camera shot where it's a birds-eye view of the classroom or wherever I'm doing the speech. Then the camera zooms out farther and farther, until all you can see is the USA, then the earth, then the galaxy, etc. It sounds really corny when I write it down like this, but it really helps me realize that no matter what the speech is, it really is a pretty insignificant thing when you consider the entire world/galaxy, etc, so why be nervous?
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