“The fear of public speaking is a primal fear. You can train your body to not be crazy when you’re doing it, but it truly is a primal fear,” said Neal Brennan, an American comedian, writer, producer, director, and podcaster. He is known for co-creating and co-writing the Comedy Central series Chappelle’s Show with Dave Chappelle. By the end of the second season, it was ranked as the most popular Comedy Central show.
Each of us wants to communicate better. Whether we are giving a presentation in a virtual environment, attending a team meeting, or just chatting with friends, partners, or strangers, we all want what we have to say to get the best out of us.
“Broadcast well” means saying what you want to say in a way that’s right for your audience. That means you feel comfortable, dynamic, and empathetic. So what can you do to better convey what you have to say?
Here are five ways you can improve your speaking skills.
Learn great speakers:
Observing and learning from great speakers offers one of the best ways to improve your own public speaking skills. First, search YouTube for examples of great speakers.
When you see these people, pay attention to their body language. You’ll find that it tends to stay open and interesting. They use their hands and arms in a way that emphasizes their most important point. They also avoid unnecessary tension and use space wisely to grab the viewer’s attention.
Pay special attention to how the speakers move. They tend to take the time to say their words on purpose.
Relax your body language:
Fear of public speaking can make you feel tense, which has a negative impact on your body language. The best speakers maintain proper posture, make eye contact with the audience, and move naturally.
Good body language improves your performance and helps your audience accept and remember what you have to say. Make sure to not put your hands in your pocket. Instead, start with your hands at your sides and use pointed hand movements when expressing your point. Make sure to not put your hands in your pocket.
Look at the audience. Don’t stare at the floor or your notes for long periods of time. As you build trust, you can even start making eye contact with the people watching your presentation.
Practice voice and breath control:
For many people, public speaking can distort time, causing them to speak more quickly than usual. Be aware of this phenomenon and keep pace when presenting. This will help calm your nerves and allow your audience to better understand what you are saying.
Breath control can help you with this. Practice using your stomach to push air in and out of your lungs. Take 10 slow, deep breaths before speaking in public.
Prepare talking points:
Before you give your speech, prepare a series of talking points that contain the key messages you want your audience to know, feel, and understand by the time you finish speaking. Start with 3-5 general messages and then outline a few key points that support each message.
Arrange your talking points in chronological order, starting with the message you want to cover first. Having an outline of your message will help you stay on track in your presentation and ensure you don’t forget important points.
Train:
One of the best ways to improve your speaking skills is to just practice. With repetition, you can refine your message and find better ways to frame specific parts of your presentation. Once you’ve rehearsed your speech a few times, you’ll certainly feel more comfortable presenting it to an audience.
Karen McCleave is one of the best examples of a public speaker and a public servant, as she worked for more than 30 years in the public service sector. Karen McCleave has been honored with several awards, including the Doug Lucas Award for excellence in the pursuit of justice through science and two Ontario Excelsior Awards, both for Outstanding Achievement.