I was an almost invisible man in college when it all came screeching across the sky. It was like waking up to face a firing squad when I ended up contesting a student election and got to the main stage to present my candidature speech. It fell flat, and the best man won in that race, as I believe in hindsight. But I signed up for the best professional course in Public Speaking that very night.
The course came along fine, and I went on to take a couple of advanced programmes too. In fact, I can shamelessly call myself an established public speaker now, looking at most people's speeches, relatively, and at the pile of certificates that's been building in my attic for the last four years.
Over time I've realised how it is - the whole importance the speaking part has accrued - that there is a communications enhancing effort in every organisation, school, and innumerable clubs together with private institutions for the rest. Now I've nothing against these practices, and I acknowledge their part in helping people out - as a matter of fact I've gained a lot myself - but I think the whole thing's been overblown in absurdly wrong proportions and so a lot of people end up making efforts with no light at the end of the tunnel, and remain unskilled. That's why I decided to write this post despite knowing that the web already has all documentation there is about one to many communication.
Well first, speaking is a much smaller part of communication as such, which in turn plays minor part in gaining confidence. Learning to speak first is, in my opinion, running the race looking backwards. Before you want to get on the platform and holler, it comes as a more difficult responsibility to have original thought and a mindset to communicate it to the audience, knowing how and how much your sermon stands to add. I've seen a staggering proportion of public speaking enthusiasts have this block, creating a tiresome, boisterous environment that sucks life out of everyone in the room. And so, no one really gets better. To illustrate, how many of the prodigies you follow while learning the tricks were public speakers before they knew the big thing they wanted to do and for which speaking was in fact, needed. Gandhi was terrible at it, before he knew what they needed to know, and so was Lincoln. After all, we're all capable of speaking, and if not - go to a speech therapist first. The idea is - have thought and experience first - read books, watch movies, meet more and different people, work more and then think if you need more edge to do what you decide.
Second, most people I find trying to speak in public are looking for influence. Which is still calling it politely - what they're looking for is how to put a facade like everybody else in public meetings to save them from possible humiliation should their turn to shower jargon arrive. If you're looking for anything beyond that much you'd understand that real life happens outside meeting rooms, and so influence comes from offline choices like how one lives, what and with how much expertise she manages her affairs and how much value she brings to table. The Dalai Lama will receive a more wholesome reception than most politicos any day because he's got that credibility built from work done away from the high ground. People who do great work will always have influence, howsoever they choose to speak, and moreover you'd find they can speak with much more gravity than the mere poster boys. So work real life, big things before you wanna talk big.
Finally, after you have the necessary thought and credibility reserve and the purpose to drive yourself to inspire audiences - only then, you might need some practice as a bit of psychological ramp up to the stage, and that too only in the beginning and much lesser than wannabe blabbering hobos. And still there shall be more thinking than speaking to it, and what you speak will do more than how you do it anyway. So here's the juice of all that matters, in the points that follow.
1. Strike the nail on the head - your audience should know well in time why they're investing their attention. Answer the 'So What?' question as soon as you can.
2. Talk in a language which they understand. Mould the context to relate to their lives.
3. Use sensory language and descriptive verbs. They see and feel more than they understand, so Show it to them rather than Tell.
4. Read all you can on Rhetoric - ways to master ethos, logos, pathos and kairos in speeches.
5. Don't be a celebrity, be yourself or them (even better).
6. Give them something - inspiration, a pinch of entertainment, valuable advice, empathy.
7. Pay attention to dynamics of the one to many channel - Structure, Body Language, Vocal Variety, Stage Presence, Emotional Appeal etc. Best join a structured programme like Toastmasters.
That's all there's to it. Post any questions you have in comments.
The course came along fine, and I went on to take a couple of advanced programmes too. In fact, I can shamelessly call myself an established public speaker now, looking at most people's speeches, relatively, and at the pile of certificates that's been building in my attic for the last four years.
Over time I've realised how it is - the whole importance the speaking part has accrued - that there is a communications enhancing effort in every organisation, school, and innumerable clubs together with private institutions for the rest. Now I've nothing against these practices, and I acknowledge their part in helping people out - as a matter of fact I've gained a lot myself - but I think the whole thing's been overblown in absurdly wrong proportions and so a lot of people end up making efforts with no light at the end of the tunnel, and remain unskilled. That's why I decided to write this post despite knowing that the web already has all documentation there is about one to many communication.
Well first, speaking is a much smaller part of communication as such, which in turn plays minor part in gaining confidence. Learning to speak first is, in my opinion, running the race looking backwards. Before you want to get on the platform and holler, it comes as a more difficult responsibility to have original thought and a mindset to communicate it to the audience, knowing how and how much your sermon stands to add. I've seen a staggering proportion of public speaking enthusiasts have this block, creating a tiresome, boisterous environment that sucks life out of everyone in the room. And so, no one really gets better. To illustrate, how many of the prodigies you follow while learning the tricks were public speakers before they knew the big thing they wanted to do and for which speaking was in fact, needed. Gandhi was terrible at it, before he knew what they needed to know, and so was Lincoln. After all, we're all capable of speaking, and if not - go to a speech therapist first. The idea is - have thought and experience first - read books, watch movies, meet more and different people, work more and then think if you need more edge to do what you decide.
Second, most people I find trying to speak in public are looking for influence. Which is still calling it politely - what they're looking for is how to put a facade like everybody else in public meetings to save them from possible humiliation should their turn to shower jargon arrive. If you're looking for anything beyond that much you'd understand that real life happens outside meeting rooms, and so influence comes from offline choices like how one lives, what and with how much expertise she manages her affairs and how much value she brings to table. The Dalai Lama will receive a more wholesome reception than most politicos any day because he's got that credibility built from work done away from the high ground. People who do great work will always have influence, howsoever they choose to speak, and moreover you'd find they can speak with much more gravity than the mere poster boys. So work real life, big things before you wanna talk big.
Finally, after you have the necessary thought and credibility reserve and the purpose to drive yourself to inspire audiences - only then, you might need some practice as a bit of psychological ramp up to the stage, and that too only in the beginning and much lesser than wannabe blabbering hobos. And still there shall be more thinking than speaking to it, and what you speak will do more than how you do it anyway. So here's the juice of all that matters, in the points that follow.
1. Strike the nail on the head - your audience should know well in time why they're investing their attention. Answer the 'So What?' question as soon as you can.
2. Talk in a language which they understand. Mould the context to relate to their lives.
3. Use sensory language and descriptive verbs. They see and feel more than they understand, so Show it to them rather than Tell.
4. Read all you can on Rhetoric - ways to master ethos, logos, pathos and kairos in speeches.
5. Don't be a celebrity, be yourself or them (even better).
6. Give them something - inspiration, a pinch of entertainment, valuable advice, empathy.
7. Pay attention to dynamics of the one to many channel - Structure, Body Language, Vocal Variety, Stage Presence, Emotional Appeal etc. Best join a structured programme like Toastmasters.
That's all there's to it. Post any questions you have in comments.
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