How to speak in front of an audience. Rules for public speaking

27.09.2019

I am many years old, I have a favorite job, the penultimate iPhone and everything that accomplished people in today's society are supposed to have. At the same time, I am not the most confident person, however, if you meet me on the street, you will decide that I am a cynical lucky guy, to whom likes and life itself wink.

- “He certainly has nothing to complain about!”

Don't deny it, too many of us think this way about others.

THIS IS BANAL

Everything is quite banal. In my youth, when choosing future profession I tried to start from own problems, the solution of which, in my opinion, would be a quality way to become, or at least get closer to the image of the person I always wanted to be.

During my second year of medical school, I realized three things:

I don't want to be a doctor.
It's stupid to try to be something other than who you really are.
The first two things are not as banal as they seem at first glance.

TIE

Due to my line of work, I often have to travel on business trips and give reports and presentations to different audiences. Like anyone, every day I run the risk of making a mistake or not being convincing enough, which could ultimately ruin a future deal.

I can't afford to fail or show up to a meeting or conference crumpled. I can’t get sick or be offended by the lady who pushed me into a cafe with a handbag covered in metal spikes. I risk not only myself, but also the people who expect results from me, so I created a philosophy that I adhere to not only on weekdays from 9 to 18, but throughout my life.

1. HUMOR

We all remember that first there was the Word, but contrary to the classical interpretation of the original source, this word – HUMOR. It is only important to remember that each of us has his own, but this does not mean that you should adapt to everyone.

Don't joke about sensitive political topics and it's better not to get personal. The best way to win over - to reveal your humanity. Laugh at yourself, people love it.

I always explain complex things using my fingers. I really like the association about the dough, which can be used to make sweet pies, which I really like, or pasties, which give me heartburn.

2. DON'T show off

No, really, it's not worth it. Share your knowledge not in a “Are you an idiot?” way, but as if you were talking to a friend. Believe me, if instead of a dry fact in the “how stupid everyone is” mode, you accept friendly concern and say something like: “I recently found out that...”, then they will want to continue the conversation with you and not only about work. They will want to trust you, and this is the next point.

The image of Steve Jobs was clearly etched in my head. Simplicity, conciseness and properly constructed openness are a potentially successful case.

3. MAKE FRIENDS IN ADVANCE

At some point, a fashion arose in business not to keep promises, to appear better than you are and to lie to everyone in order to earn more than your neighbor. Today it seems stone age or science fiction from films about “brothers”.

In business, it is important not so much to be friends in the generally accepted sense of the word, but to be able to trust. When you speak in public, the main task is to prove that you have become a friend to your listeners even before you step on stage.

Greet everyone and add words to your introduction that indicate your closeness to the audience, for example: “We already know some of you, some of you were lucky enough to work with...”. And at the end, be sure to wish them a good day - it’s corny, but it works like a charm.

4. ACCEPT THE RIGHT TO MISTAKE

I googled (to seem smarter) what the classics said at different times about mistakes, and found a simple and brilliant phrase, in my opinion: “To err is human, to forgive is divine” (Alexander Pope).

If for some reason you were unable to avoid a mistake, then admit it, promise to correct it, correct it immediately and come back saying thank you. It will be a shame, but everyone knows that nothing hardens you from troubles like past mistakes.

This has happened to me. Once I made an inaccuracy in calculating statistics that I was absolutely sure of. One of my opponents immediately pointed this out to me. I asked for forgiveness and took a two-minute timeout after the speech to figure it out. My colleagues received a small scolding, and I admitted the fact that I am not immune from absurd accidents.

5. YOU CAN BE SHY, BUT NOT NERVOUS

Shyness is cute. It can work for you, becoming a feature, but nervousness never does. Take any sedatives before your performance, but don't expect to become a superhero instantly.

Most of us are afraid not of unfamiliar audiences, but of looking like an idiot in our own eyes. Admit to the public that you are shy, and everyone will feel better.

I taught at the institute for several years, then spoke a lot in public, and I can assure you that the embarrassment never goes away. Each time you will understand the topic better and a little better in people, but there is no way to just stop worrying.

6. REFERENCE TO OTHERS' SPEECHES

Public events are very draining for both the audience and the speakers. One and a half to two hours of monotonous speeches by speakers in ties, who, let’s assume: did not get enough sleep, are not speakers, did not prepare, are upset about their daughter’s engagement, and so on. Select one or two interesting talks from previous speakers and find a way to reference them in your message.

“...I liked how Mr. X in his report talked about increasing the productivity of ant farms in the context of the growth of technological import substitution...”.

MESSAGE

Over so many years, I have read 100500 million books, like “How to become charming and attractive if you are over 80, you are a sociopath, and you have dyslexia” and so on in that spirit, but not a single book has become a reference book.

Be yourself and try to look and feel harmonious, this is really important.

Instructions

Prepare your speech carefully and responsibly. Write it down on paper so you don't miss the most important things. It is better to prepare the text in advance so that you can re-read and correct it. The speech should be simple, understandable and interesting. Try to use bright epithets and to interest people.

Now start fighting your fear. First of all, realize that even if the performance fails, nothing bad will happen to you. They won’t kill you, won’t maim you, won’t fire you, won’t throw eggs at you. Therefore, there is absolutely nothing to fear.

Remember, people make mistakes. And even if you say something wrong, the public will be loyal to it. To avoid this minor embarrassment, learn the speech by heart.

Think about how many benefits this performance will give you. Set a specific goal for yourself. For example, you will campaign to win elections. Or your speech will help bring your idea to life. If no global goals are found, think that this speech will help overcome your fear.

Don't think about this as a public speaking event. Let it be just another task that needs to be completed. Take everything easier.

Before the event, do not forget to get yourself in order. This will make you more confident and the audience more loyal. Comb your hair, fix your makeup, iron your clothes, remove dust from your shoes.

Practice your speech in front of a mirror or in front of relatives. It's better to do this several times. You must understand how simple it is. Not only give a speech, but also think about your posture and gestures so that your speech looks organic.

When you are in front of an audience, imagine that you are sleeping and having a dream that you can control. This will solve most of your problems. After all, you will begin to feel calmer and simpler. There is no audience, no stage, there is just a dream in which you are in charge. As you want, so it will be. You will be able to perform brilliantly and convince people that you are right. This simple auto-training will help you relax and become more confident in your abilities.

note

Before the performance, do not use any sedatives, this can only worsen the situation.

Helpful advice

During your presentation, find one person. Imagine that he is your friend and you are telling him your text.

Sources:

How to speak confidently and not be afraid of it
how they are not afraid to speak in public

Before a first public performance, a person inevitably experiences anxiety. For some people this results in a feeling of mild anxiety, while others may experience real panic.

Instructions

The success of your presentation depends on a solid knowledge of the material you are going to present. Learn everything and repeat several times in front of the mirror, in front of friends or family members. Start overcoming fear in small audiences. After several training sessions, you will feel a certain confidence that you can successfully perform in front of strangers. people.

Give yourself room to make mistakes. People are imperfect, and you are no exception. The audience is almost always positive about the speaker's perception. Therefore, even if you make a mistake and mix something up, no one will kick you out or judge you. Imagine that you are running away from the hall to the whistles and hoots of the audience. It's funny, unrealistic and not scary at all.

The ability to speak publicly is necessary today for almost every working person, this is especially important for managers different levels. Psychologists note: there are practically no people who are in principle incapable of public speaking. The main reason for public speaking failures is internal fear that must be overcome.

Confidence in business life directly depends on a person's ability to clearly express his desires and beliefs.

And practice public speaking helps to gain this confidence.

The powerful tension that arises in the vast majority of people before public speaking is associated primarily with self-doubt and internal complexes. A person who is accustomed to communicating in dialogue with one person or in a small company with several people suddenly finds himself in front of a large and incomprehensible audience, from communicating with whom one can get anything.

The main advice that almost all psychologists give is: try to perceive your future listeners not as a hostile force, but as friends who will always help you. You need to start preparing for the performance in advance.

Awareness of fear.

Everyone is afraid to speak in front of a large audience. Stay inside an imaginary speaking situation for a minute or two, and then ask yourself whether you feel joy at being given a platform, indifference, or tension bordering on fear. If you are honest with yourself, you will find that your body is slightly tense, that you feel discomfort and muscle tension in some muscle groups and bodily areas, and that your breathing has increased significantly. The absence of these and other similar signs most likely means that you were unable to deeply enter such an imaginary situation. Try not only to recognize the presence of fear, but also to see its muscle “pattern”.

To freedom through relaxation.

Practice the ability to quickly and easily relax all parts of your body, including those areas that regularly tense up just with the mental image of a public speaking. There are a lot of relaxation methods described in many books on autogenic training and psychotraining, which you can master on your own. Having achieved complete relaxation with the help of mental psychotraining, transfer this image to the picture of your public speech. Try to imagine and really feel that you are completely free from the fear and tension that binds you.

Positive direction of thought.

Learn to think about your upcoming public speaking with pleasure, realizing that you are conquering yourself and overcoming an internal barrier. Make pleasure not just a mental attitude, but a real living experience whose energy is felt throughout your entire being, including your body.

The ideal speaker.

Mentally enter the image of a bright, brilliant speaker whose speech flows absolutely freely. Of course, this should not be empty chatter without the participation of the soul and heart. Remember the feeling of freedom and pleasure that this fantasy gives you, and then try to bring this mental image into your real behavior and speech.

Training of eloquence in life situations.

Start training your art of public speaking by practicing a new role and image in small groups, among friends and acquaintances, learning to tell interesting stories and attract the attention of the audience for as long as possible, all the time throwing it into it, like firewood into a fire, new information and the energy of your interest in those listening.

Work on intonation.

Try to make your intonation richer and more emotionally rich - after all, it is an indicator of your genuine attitude towards what you just talked about. If you say that you are very interested in something, but at the same time your intonation is boring and inexpressive, no one listening to you will simply believe you.

Obedient body.

Consciously work on your body while communicating. Observe how you move, what postures you most often take in communication, how your communication partners react to them, what movements and gestures you like to make. Develop your own repertoire of poses, movements and gestures that will allow you to successfully balance between charm and security during public speaking.

Flexibility in communication.

Remember one of the rules of life that Leo Tolstoy set for himself in his youth: do not let a single insult or barb addressed to you without immediately responding to it doubly caustic and decisive. Try to imagine that a word, especially a sharp and caustic one, is a kind of ball that you need to be able to throw and catch effectively and accurately. Learn to do this with elastic grace in the most ordinary communication, and it will help you in extreme communication, which to some extent includes public speaking.

And the American psychologist, Image Specialist, Lillian Brown gives interesting recommendations:

“Before a performance, it’s helpful to create a checklist, similar to the ones airline pilots use to check off important items before taking off.”

Your personal list might contain something like the following:

high level

And the most famous expert on public speaking, Dale Carnegie, in his book “How to Build Confidence and Influence People by Speaking in Public,” teaches techniques for effective speaking. According to experiments conducted by the Carnegie Institute of Technology, a person's personality plays a much larger role in his business success than deep knowledge. This truth is also true in the field of oratory. However, personality is so elusive, intangible and mysterious that it is almost impossible to give instructions regarding its development. However, the following recommendations, in the opinion of the author, will definitely help the speaker achieve the best success.

1. Don't perform when you're tired. Rest, restore your strength, accumulate a reserve of energy.

2. Eat moderately before a performance.

3. Don't do anything that will suppress your energy. It has magnetic properties. People flock around the energetic speaker like wild geese around a field of winter wheat.

4. Dress neatly and gracefully. Knowing that you are well dressed increases self-esteem and strengthens self-confidence. If a speaker has baggy trousers, unclean shoes, unkempt hair, if a fountain pen and pencils are sticking out of his breast pocket, or if a woman has a tacky, overflowing bag, then the audience will probably feel as little respect for the speaker as he does. Probably he feels towards himself.

5. Smile. Appear in front of your audience with a facial expression that says you are happy to be in front of them. Professor Overstreet says, “Like begets like.” “If we are interested in our listeners, then there is reason to believe that they will also be interested in us... Very often, even before we begin to speak, we are criticized or approved. Therefore, there is every reason to believe that with our behavior we strive to evoke positive reaction."

6. Bring your audience together. It is very difficult to influence them if they are scattered in different places. As a member of a small audience, a person will laugh, applaud, and approve of things that he would doubt or object to if he were alone or one of a group of listeners scattered in a large room.

7. If you are speaking to a small group of listeners, gather them in a small room. Don't stand on a high ground, but go down to the same level as them. Make your presentation intimate, informal, and turn it into a conversation.

8. Make sure the air in the room is fresh.

9. Light the room as much as possible. Stand so that the light falls directly on your face and so that your listeners can clearly see all your features.

10.Do not stand behind any pieces of furniture. Move tables and chairs to one side. Remove all the ugly objects and clutter that often fill the stage.

11. If there are invited guests sitting on stage, they will probably move from time to time, and every time they make the slightest movement, they will definitely attract the attention of your listeners. The audience cannot resist the temptation to look at any moving object, animal or person. Therefore, why should you create difficulties and competition for yourself?

The practice acquired in the process of speaking can be used in everyday activities: possession of oratory will help to better convince management and colleagues and prove your point of view. Therefore, anyone who wants to stop being afraid must start performing. According to experts, it is only difficult the first five times. And if you don’t overcome yourself, you’ll have to be afraid all your life. Of course, excitement will always be present, and this is good, because excitement tones up, but fear will go away. And success will come in its place!

Speaking in front of an audience causes unpleasant emotions in people. Not everyone is given this initially. But learning to speak in public is possible. 29 recommendations will help make you a speaker.

1. Understand the topic you will be covering. Poor preparation robs a person of confidence and instills fear.

2. Learn to control your body:

do not fiddle with buttons with your hands;
do not shift from foot to foot;
don't touch your hair.

But you shouldn't stand at attention either, use gestures, but be careful not to overdo it. Rehearse your moves in advance.

3. Speak with your diaphragm. This will allow you to pronounce words loudly and clearly. To learn this, stand up straight and place your right hand on your stomach, exhale, hold your breath as long as you can. Increase the interval over time. In this position, the abdominal muscles relax. Talk in this relaxed state.

5. Practice. In life, speak clearly and not so quickly, highlight important places with pauses.

6. Work on your articulation.

7. Make sure you pronounce difficult words that appear in your report correctly.

8. If you have problems with pronunciation, start repeating the word slowly until you remember how to pronounce it correctly.

10. To give a great speech, make a detailed plan for your speech. Correctly determine the purpose of the speech in order to correctly convey information to the audience.

11. To make your speech better remembered, write it on paper several times.

12. It can be difficult to remember a speech in its entirety. Therefore, break it into small pieces and study each piece separately.

13. Know the audience you will be speaking to. On different people the same speech can produce different impressions.

14. Use humor to grab the audience's attention and lighten the mood.

15. Videotape your performance. Take into account the errors and make the necessary changes. Don't focus on shortcomings; even with speech impediments, a person can become an excellent speaker.

1. Decide on the type of speech. It happens:

informative (transmission of factual information);
persuasive (convincing the audience through the use of emotions, logic, personal experience and experiences, facts);
entertaining (meeting the needs of those gathered).

Some performances combine several types.

2. The beginning of the speech should be interesting. You can start with a message main idea and a few points that you will cover later. The introductory part and conclusion are the most memorable, so give them due attention.

3. Avoid long sentences, complex words, and confusing wording.

4. To make your audience understand you better, use comparisons.

5. Repetition – good way remind listeners of an important idea.

Performance

1. There are a dozen secrets that will help you calm down.

Before going out to the audience, clench and unclench your palms several times;
Breathe slowly and deeply;
Stand in front of the mirror and repeat to yourself that you will succeed, you are calm and confident.

2. When speaking to the audience, smile. This will make the atmosphere warmer and win over the audience.

3. Try speaking as if you are sharing a story. Everyone likes stories, so they will be interested in listening to you.

4. Try to act casual. Don't read from a piece of paper. Don't be afraid to improvise.

5. Don't speak monotonously. Change your intonation, this will help keep the attention of the audience.

6. Involve those present in the discussion. Ask questions from the audience.

7. Bring water with you. If you start to feel nervous, take a sip of water. A pause will allow you to catch your breath and calm down so you can continue your performance again with renewed vigor.

8. End your speech with an appeal. If your words motivate your listeners to do something, then your goal has been achieved.

9. Do not eat dairy products before a performance. They provoke the formation of mucus in the throat. This makes it difficult to speak. It is also better to avoid garlic, fish and other foods with a strong odor.

Good day, dear friend!

The dynamics of improvements in the motor transport workshop, as told by Mikhail Zhvanetsky, cannot fail to impress. “Our workshop was chronically behind, now it is chronically ahead...” Remember?) The road transport workers didn’t share the secret of their success, so let’s go our own way. Public speaking skills are on the agenda today.

Frankly, I didn’t feel like I had discovered America. I'm not the first, nor will I be the last, to have such thoughts. Moreover, each of you has thought about this, I am sure of it.

The question is rather different - “what, how and when?”

The skill of negotiations is formed not so much by preparing for them, but by the ability to “stand” at all stages of the negotiation process.

When Mikhail Botvinnik became the world chess champion, he still practiced “basic moves” for 6 hours every day.

For myself, I identified the “main blows” during the negotiations as:

development of confidence,
emotion management,
public speaking skill
expansion of the “range” of negotiation techniques
patience

Today about point number 3. Although they are all interconnected.

Skill of speaking in front of an audience

When I finished, I was invited to a party for the next stream. They called to the stage... then, you guessed it: “The floor is given to one of the best graduates...”.

When I heard my last name, I was taken aback. I suppose I looked like Kisa Vorobyaninov after the chair auction. Unless he slapped himself on the cheeks with his ears.

What I said - I don’t remember, it seemed to me that it was nonsense, my friends said: Everything is on point, but the voice is uncertain.

Then I started agreeing to give lectures and public classes at my work, I gradually got involved, and even began to like it.

Causes of fears

The reason for the fear of speaking in front of an audience is genetic, inherited from our ancestors.

We are afraid of heights. Because the ancestors fell from heights and died. It’s the same with snakes, spiders and other reptiles, because our ancestors were also at least not delighted with their bites.

Our genetic memory tells us: if there is a group of people in front of us, this is an army , hostile and we are in danger.

By the way, when performing on the street, in the open air, there is less anxiety than in a closed room. Again, historical memory. In a confined space you can become an easy target. Claustrophobia, in short.

Part of this fear is sexual in nature. Many women instinctively straighten their hair when men are in the room. Not with the intention of being liked, it’s just that instinct takes over.

Like developing any other skill, the main thing is practice and Feedback. But it's a matter of time. In the meantime, let me give you some advice:

1. Reading aloud and speaking texts out loud . It’s important to get used to your voice so that you don’t flinch after you start saying: “Oh God, I’m already performing, what a nightmare!”

2. It is important to develop good diction.

A) For example, you are driving in a car. Take, for example, a wine bottle cork.and insert between your teeth. Turn on the radio andrepeat after the announcer. Try to speak loudly and clearly. Fifteen minutes of training back and forth on the way to work and after a month or two the surprised phrase “Horrible, am I saying that?” will no longer apply to you.

B) Keep a diary. After some time, the habit of structuring your thoughts will appear, which will automatically shape your speech. It will become more concise and to the point, without water.

3. Maintain eye contact with the audience or interlocutor . Running your eyes along the walls and ceiling of a room does not inspire confidence either during negotiations or during public speaking.

4. Don't think about where to put your hands. Your hands will connect when necessary if you focus on your thoughts. It’s a useful thing, but it should be natural. Usually one hand is enough to emphasize the train of thought. Two-handed gestures are only for very important words.

5. Don't cram your speech. . Text from memory is the same as reading from a piece of paper. Think carefully about your beginning and ending. The rest is enough abstracts.

In conclusion. Even the most best tips will not replace practice. Communication is nothing more than a set of habits.

It is important to form the habit of behaving naturally when communicating, both one-on-one and in front of an audience. Otherwise, the stream of thoughts that you want to convey will come out of you.

Thank you for your interest in the article.

If you found it useful, please do the following:

Share with your friends by clicking on the social media buttons.
Write a comment (at the bottom of the page)
Subscribe to blog updates (form under the social media buttons) and receive articles in your email.

Have a nice day!

samarapedsovet.ru