i've got to give a speech to a couple of hundred people at a conference on Wednesday - long time since i have done anything like this
anyone here got any handy hints on public speaking - fortunately the speech is on a topic i am comfortable with - but how do you overcome nerves, should you practise beforehand etc etc
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In all seriousness, if you think you are talking loud enough, speak louder and if you think you're speaking slow enough, speak slower. Got told that by someone in advertising who was used to pitching and speaking infront of big groups. Could be rubbish, could be good advice. Definitely practice, infront of a mirror and maybe with someone else.
Practice for sure, ideally with a friendly audience of 1 or 2 people. Dan's point above about speaking a little more slowly/loudly is a good one.
I was advised to do the thinking of them naked thing but it didnt work for me.
gonna be giving the speech to the wife when she gets in...lucky her!
Look at the back of the audience and at each side - that makes them think you are speaking to each of them and that YOU are in control (which is what you want to achieve.)
ps Always go to the loo in advance.
Good luck Mendonca - probably the most stressful speech you can ever make.
http://www.toastmasters.org/tips.asp
making it humorous is the hardest part - it's not a particularly funny subject (the removal of additives from bread)......
1. Make notes of what you plan you cover in mind map form - this is more memorable as it makes links between topics.
2. Write a script (verbatim if you have to, but not if you are confident of your ability to ad lib)
3. Copy the key words of your script as bullet points on index cards (NOT paper). If you use more than one card, fix them together with a key ring or with india tags.
4. Bin the script and keep the cards in your pocket in case you need a prompt.
All the best. Should be good fun.
Did a presentation to governors at school last week and it worked a treat.
Could not agree more about a lot of amplitude and a slowish pace with pauses. Make sure you stand still so all your energy is in your voice, anyway shuffling around, and lots of gestures are distracting.
Start with a pleasant expression, a smile even, and then your audience won't get worried for you.
Try hard to have some clear diction, and correct pronounciation, for example we might fail our exams, not foul them.
Try to say the following three times:
Irish Wristwatch
It is funny how we can say each word perfectly individually, but put together we mess up...it is about practice (not much time until Wednesday).
Try:
A blokes back brake block broke.
The twenty to two train to Tooting tootled tunefully as it tore through the tunnel.
Five French friars fanning a fainted flea.
Choose stew Tuesday, Tuesday is stew day.
There are many more but you get my point. We often take our voices for granted, and although I have not seen The Kings Speech I am glad some attention is being paid to a neglected area.
If you look just above the heads of the people, or at their foreheads it might help you. Try to exhude confidence, which best comes from proper preparation.
Tell them what you're going to say.
Say it.
Tell them what you've said.
Your audience may get the important points and words first time, but there is nothing worse for a listener than feeling they have missed something crucial.
Mind you the point about teachers wouldn't work nowadays, people don't really like being lectured to, and attention spans are getting shorter and shorter.
Can you get it down to a brilliant 20 minutes? (Ignore if you are getting paid by the minute!)
Helped that a lot of them were 'my' members, but usually more than half were from other unions, or other branches, so could be a bit intimidating - escpecially when having to convey information that wasn't popular.
As some of you might have noticed, I'm not exactly a shrinking violet, but I found it a bit daunting at times. Best advice I would give is just to be yourself. I know that's a cliche, but trust me - it's 100% correct. Trying to modify your voice to 'posh' it up, or talk stiltingly slowly just makes you look and sound like a complete plum.
Make notes on salient points - don't have a big speech prepared, but ensure you have planned out the structure of what you have to say nice and clearly - I find having a big card with notes on the start, main content and endpiece of a speech, together with numbered cards for the 'detail' is a good way of making sure you cover everything you need to. And take a stopwatch as well. Nothing like being halfway through talking before you realise you've only got about two minutes left to wrap it up.
Break a leg!