The Art of Public Speaking

The art of public speaking is the domain of the bold and the brave, basically the individuals who have had the courage to overcome the fear of facing a large audience and putting forth their ideas in a way that is mutually acceptable to all. Given an opportunity to share our thoughts with a large crowd of spectators, many of us would probably shake and shiver uncontrollably due to stage-fright and there would only be a few who would come forward and capture the attention of the listeners with eloquence and ease. However, public speaking is an important attribute in one's arsenal to achieve success in the fiercely competitive and career oriented professionalism of today's world. In order to succeed at public speaking, one must keep in mind the following suggestions:

A reputed and safe place to start your training in public speaking would be Toastmasters International, an organisation which consists of members who have experienced and overcome stage fear to become good speakers and are now in a position to train others. At the end of the course you would be expected to feel confident and normal while addressing a group of people.

An important point to remember would be to maintain the flow of your speech at all costs so that your audience are not aware of your secret fears and hence don't realize how panic stricken you are. Even if you do tumble over words, presence of mind would decree that you move on with your speech as if nothing has gone wrong and make it seem that whatever happened was a predetermined act.

Selection of the topic is very important; one should select a topic that one is familiar with so that it is easier to answer questions and justify your stand if the situation arises. It is also suggested that one should conduct a thorough research on the topic before speaking on it so as not to fall into an embarrassing situation.

Facial expressions and body language also make an important contribution to one's speech. These could be practiced earlier in front of friends and family members so as to make any necessary amendments until perfection is attained.

One should be aware of the target audience and it is always advantageous to befriend your audience as it would greatly ease the strain. A nice, warm hearted smile goes a long way in bridging gaps building new friendships which would add to your comfort level while delivering a speech.

Before addressing a gathering, it is important for the speaker to spend a few moments just prior to his speech in solitude which he could use to relax, take a deep breath and focus on the content of his speech, so that when he occupies the stage it is with the confidence of a compelling and sensible speaker.

Focusing on the speech and its content are equally important as it keeps one's mind occupied and saves the speaker the distress caused due to nervousness and stage fear. Also, it would pay more to concentrate on the speech rather than the fear attached to it, which many consider worse than death itself.