Inflection – It isn’t just what you say that is important. It’s how you say it. Inflections are changes in the intonation or pitch of your voice. When you’re practicing public speaking, you’ll need to think about this, as it carries a lot of meaning and affects how the audience perceives your words. Varying your pitch inflection is important because it keeps the audience attentive. It is also a key factor in differentiating critical points from information that is not as important.
Jargon – Jargon is a set of technical language associated with a certain profession, trade or similar group. While it is important to know the jargon of a topic before talking about it, many speakers make the mistake of filling their speeches with too much business jargon. Make sure you use jargon sparingly.
Keyword outline – If you want to be a top notch speaker, it’s a good idea to use a keyword outline to guide you. Akeyword outline is a written aid that can help you easily memorize a speech. To create a keyword outline, just take the most important words from your speech and write them down in order.
Leadership – When you’re speaking to a large group, you need to be able to influence people. You want your speaking to inspire people to work toward a common goal. Public speaking and good leadership go hand-in-hand. If you’re a good public speaker, then you’re also a thought leader.
Motivation – When we think of public speakers, we think of people who are motivational. A good public speaker is able to motivate the audience. Inflection and intonation is especially important for motivational speaking. People should leave your speech feeling inspired to do whatever it is that you encouraged them to do, whether it’s using a new skill in the workplace or shifting your perspective.
Nonverbal communication – Public speakers communicate through more than just words. It’s important to practice your gestures to make sure they are inviting, engaging and positive. It’s also a good idea to take up a good deal of space on the stage according to The Genard Method of public speaking. By commanding the space around you, you can show your listeners that they can have confidence in you.
Open-ended questions – One technique that people use while speaking is to ask questions that the respondents can answer however they want. Open-ended questions usually begin with how, what, when, where, and why. Asking an open-ended rhetorical question is a great way to get your audience thinking and involved.
Pause – There are times when silence in public speaking can have a negative effect, but pauses don’t have to be a bad thing. Pauses, when done correctly, can truly engage your audience. You can use pauses to separate the sections of your speech, or to let important information really sink in. Pauses can also help the working memory of your listeners. Silence can be powerful.
Stay tuned to see more posts with the rest of the alphabet!
No comments:
Post a Comment