Public speaking is a subject that strikes fear into the heart of many people including myself. If you also fall into this category, I am sure you are always looking to those who seem to do well and captivate the audience for tips on helping yourself to a become speaker. There are two individuals who I firmly believe do extremely well in this area and they are Steve Ballmer and Steve Jobs. While I have never had the opportunity to see Steve Jobs speak in person, I was able to see Steve Ballmer’s key note speech in Las Vegas, NV last year while attending the SharePoint 2009 Conference and I must say it was inspiring.
If you really stop to think out it public speaking is not as bad as one may believe and yes I am still working on my fears and shortcomings. By watching and paying attention to those that have mastered this craft you can learn a great deal. A good speaker id both organized and confident in the material that they are presenting as well as engaging the audience. Face it, how many times have you sat down and someone is speaking only to find yourself thinking about something else or even worse you fall asleep? Probably more than you can recall. Speaking effectively is a trait that will serve you well in live and all of us must strive to be the best that we can be.
The Foundation
There are three key points all must address when making a speech no matter the material being presented. These are:
- Headline or Introduction
- Main Content
- Summarize
Your introduction must set the theme of the presentation and intrigue the audience. Once you have your theme in place make sure it is clear and on point during your speech. As you wrap up your introduction it is imperative that you seamlessly move into the main content and outline your key points at the beginning of the content introduction. As you begin to speak about your key points be sure to demonstrate enthusiasm to your audience. The truth is if you do not show enthusiasm during your speech, how can you expect those around you to be excited? Use key words that grab the listeners attention such as earth shattering, amazing, ground breaking, and etc. By doing so you will peak their curiosity. As you come to the end of your speech be sure to revisit the headline and provide a summary of your content. Not all speeches should solicit questions from the audience therefore you should consider this need and prepare for what you may believe that are common questions ahead of time.
Conclusion
You also can be a great speaker. All it takes it a little practice.
As you can see a speech does not have to complicated if you use the advice provided previously in the foundation. Make it fun both for yourself and the audience by incorporating what is appropriate and attention grabbing. In part two of this article I will specially look closer at both Steve Ballmer and Steve Jobs and provide examples and tips that I have noticed while listening to them.
Who provides you inspiration and what tips do you have that has made you a better public speaker?
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NEVER put my name in the same paragraph as that other guy!