Tips for Effective Public Speaking

Public speaking is composed of five basic elements: speaker, message, audience, occasion, and effects. These are otherwise known as who, what, to whom, what medium, and what results?

Called the "number one fear," public speaking tops the phobia index for most people. Few have the training and confidence required to overcome the fear of public speaking and connect with an audience.

Public speaking is such a powerful form of communication that almost every profession requires it. The reluctance to get up in front of an audience can be a major impediment to career advancement. Without question, it is an important skill for nurse educators to master.

What are some tips for more effective speaking?

1. Dress appropriately and present the desired image. Portray confidence and conviction.
2. Use appropriate body language and gestures.
3. Know your subject material thoroughly, including the purpose of the presentation. Know it so well that you generate enthusiasm. Preparation is one of the most important factors for oral communication success.
4. Reheorifice, reheorifice, reheorifice.
5. Be organized. Prioritize your materials. Keep the message succinct and coherent.
6. Speak loudly and clearly. use a variety of tones of voice. Pitch your voice high enough to be clearly audible to everyone in the audience. At the same time, it should not be so high-pitched to distract or aggravate the listeners.
7. Don't talk too fast. Pauses (at pivotal points in the presentation) are very effective.
8. Be vivid in the speech delivery. Add some flavor to your message by including humor (when appropriate). Use examples to bring your points to life.
9. Speak to your audience, not your slides. Do not read from notes. Maintain eye contact for a second or two with as many people as possible.
10. Be aware of your speaking environment. Arrive early and walk around the classroom or lecture hall. Stand in the location where you will be speaking, and also sit in a classroom seat.
11. Know your audience. Arriving early gives the presenter opportunity to meet listeners. It is a good idea for educators to greet students before class and chat.
12. Keep your speech to a reasonable length and allow time for questions. It is best to communicate a clear set of ground rules near the beginning of the speaking engagement. For instance, if you do not want questions until the end of the presentation, state that up front.
13. When it comes to wording your message, less is more. If you're using slides, limit the content of each one to a few bullet points, or one statement or a very simple diagram. The use of visual aids should support your presentation, but not be your presentation. Visual aids should reinforce learning while being easy to understand and of high quality. The best speakers look natural while using any visual aid, but they do not allow the visual aid to dominate the presentation.

References

Better Public Speaking and Communication

Presentation Tips for Public Speaking