Common Mistakes to Avoid in Public Speaking

We live in a small world. Thanks to the internet and advances in technology, we have the opportunity to interface with people we never could have in the past. And with the advancements comes the need for people to speak clearly and concisely. Whether we like it or not, public speaking is a needed skill in our lives. Here are a few common mistakes public speakers tend to make and how you can avoid them.

Avoid Using Sarcasm

I am the first to admit that I am guilty of this offense. Sarcasm, dry wit, whatever you call it, appeals to me personally. However, when speaking to a diverse audience, you must remember that you will have someone who does not understand or "get" sarcasm. Think of children. They take everything you say at face value. When constructing a speech, keep it that simple. In order to get the sarcasm across, most employ facial expressions or body language. This is fine in small groups of friends but when speaking professionally, consider that your audience may not pick up on the visual clues in your body.

Do Not Use Foul Language or Verbal Clutter

The biggest faux pas a speaker can make is to use foul language. Even in our lassies faire society, foul language is not acceptable. Foul language depends on the culture, of course, but generally the language is meant to degrade an action or send someone to hell. It truly is a tool of an uncreative mind. According to counselor Bowden McElroy, "it's the lack of creativity that offends me." Put your knowledge to good use and expand your language horizons. Besides, if you do employ foul language, be aware that you will have lost at least half your audience and all of your credibility.

Verbal clutter falls into the category only because it can affect your speech as harshly as using foul language. Ummm, er, like, et cetera are examples of verbal clutter. It is a repeated, fall-back sound/word that one uses to continue in a speech. When a speaker has a difficult time making a transition, or loses his place in the speech, often he falls into this pattern because of the prevailing notion that you have to keep making sound no matter what happens. That is false. If you get lost, take what we call a "dramatic pause" and collect yourself. A few seconds of quiet can do wonders to help you and your audience will barely notice. What they do notice, glaringly so, is verbal clutter. I have seen many speakers sound like Valley Girls once they started using "like" in their speech.

A good way to avoid this trap is to practice. Practice your speech out loud and tape it. Listen to yourself. When I forced my students to do so, they were surprised at how often they used verbal clutter. Practice your speech several times, if possible, and work at using good transitions between points. "Not only, but also" is a great transition and can help you avoid the awkward transitioning due to verbal clutter.

Do Not Use Visual Aids as a Crutch

When I taught public speaking and we arrived at the visual aids lecture, I could almost hear a collective sigh of relief from my students. Up to that point, they had been forced to give speeches without the benefit of visual aids. For most, the visual aid provides the audience something else to look at and the speaker tends to feel more comfortable because eyes are not solely on him. However, using visual aids can be more difficult than a speaker may think, if not properly prepared.

Never use the visual aid as a crutch. Some of my students falsely believed that a good visual aid would compensate for a poorly written or delivered speech. Plan your speech in such a way that even if your visual aids should fail, you can still continue. You never know when a projector bulb will blow out or a chart is lost in transport. Also, practice with your visual aid before you give the speech. You can easily identify problem spots by doing this.

Another thing to remember is not to stand behind the visual or face the visual aid. An easy trap to fall into is to give your speech to the visual aid. Keep your body angled to the audience and refer to the aid only as necessary. If you have a laser pointer or some way to point out items, all the better. Maintaining your rapport with the audience means keeping your face and eyes to them. The other trap is to stand behind your visual aid and point out items. This is not awkward physically but to watch as well. Stand to the side and point with the arm closest to the aid.

Avoid Discrediting Your Credibility

This sounds almost like a "well, duh!" moment but it is amazing how often this happens. Because a speaker feels uncomfortable in front of an audience, a natural reaction is to discredit yourself by saying something like, "I'm no public speaker" or "bear with me." It may seem like a "humble" thing to do but audiences will not respect it. If they are going to listen to you, earn their respect.

You can maintain your credibility through confidence and your credentials. Without listing all your accomplishments, you can insert your credentials into a speech by using casual references. I have done this throughout the article. I taught public speaking to college students and referenced my credentials in stories I told. Sometimes your credentials are already in play. The person who introduced you to the audience perhaps listed your experience.

Whether or not your experience or education comes into play, always maintain your composure and confidence. If you do not feel confident, fake it. The audience will never know the difference and will not respect you if you share your nervousness. They may politely smile and offer encouragement but with an admission of nerves, comes the inevitable loss of respect. They may listen to you but will come away from the experience talking about how nervous you were. Instead, give them what they want: a confident speaker they can admire.

When it comes time for your next public speech, be prepared to dazzle your audience with your amazing grasp of language, flawless use of visual aids and superior confidence.

Sources:

http://mcelroycounseling.com/notes/?p=613