PUBLIC SPEAKING SKILL

Starting a Presentation

In modern English, Presentations tend to be much less formal than they were even twenty years ago. Most audience these days prefer a relatively informal approach. However, there is a certain structure to the opening of a Presentation that you should observe.

1. Get people's attention
2. Welcome them
3. Introduce yourself
4. State the purpose of your presentation
5. State how you want to deal with questions

Get people's attention

• If I could have everybody's attention.
• If we can start.
• Perhaps we should begin?
• Let's get started.

Welcome them

• Welcome to English College.
• Thank you for coming today.
• Good morning, ladies and gentlemen.
• On behalf of Intel, I'd like to welcome you.

Introduce yourself

• My name's Jeni Shahara. I'm responsible for travel arrangements.
• For those of you who don't know me, my name's Toni Scotter.
• As you know, I'm in charge of public relations.
• I'm the new Marketing Manager.

State the purpose of your presentation

• This morning I'd like to present our new education system.
• Today I'd like to discuss our failures in the Indonesian market and suggest a new approach.
• This afternoon, I'd like to report on my study into the German education market.
• What I want to do this morning is to talk to you about our new education system.
• What I want to do is to tell you about our successes and failures in introducing new working patterns.
• What I want to do is to show you how we've made our first successful steps in the potentially huge Chinese market.

State how you want to deal with questions.

• If you have any questions, I'll be happy to answer them as we go along.
• Feel free to ask any questions.
• Perhaps we can leave any questions you have until the end?
• There will be plenty of time for questions at the end.

Of course, these are only suggestions and other language is possible. Even within this limited group of phrases, just choose a few you feel comfortable with and learn and use those.

A Friendly Face

When you stand up in front of that audience, you’re going to be really nervous.

Poor speakers pay little or no attention to their audience as people. Big mistake.

If you can see your audience as a group of individuals, you’ll be much more likely to connect with those individuals.

Start looking around your audience. See that big guy with his arms folded and an ‘impress me’ look on his face? Best not to look at him too much. How about that lady with the big smile, looking encouragingly towards you? OK, that’s your mother, she doesn’t count. But that other lady with a similar smile is someone you don’t know. But from now on she’s your ‘friend’. Every time that you need any encouragement, look in her direction. Make good eye contact. Establish a form of communication between you.

And now you’ve found one ‘friend’, you’ll begin to see others in the audience. Pick out ‘friends’ all round the room. If you see an ‘impress me’ person and get discouraged, switch your view back to one of your ‘friends’.

Once you are aware that there are people in your audience who want you to succeed, you’ll be much more likely to succeed.

Dealing with Nerves

Almost everybody is nervous when they stand up to speak. There’s no shame in being nervous. However, if you are too nervous, your anxiety will spread to your audience, making them nervous in turn.

So how can you stop yourself from feeling too nervous? Here are a few tips.

1. Don’t get hung up about being nervous. It’s a normal human reaction. Don’t make yourself more nervous because you’re nervous.

2. Walk off your excessive nervousness. If possible, walk outside and get some fresh air at the same time. But a walk down the corridor is better than no walk.

3. Don’t let your legs go to sleep. Keep the blood supply moving. Keep both feet on the floor and lean forward. Wiggle your toes. If you can stand up without disturbing anybody, do so.

4. Work your wrists, arms and shoulders to get the tension out of them. Gentle movements, not a major workout, will remove that tension.

5. Work your jaw. Gentle side-to-side or circular motion will help to loosen it.

6. Repeat positive affirmations quietly to yourself. “I am a good presenter.” It may seem corny but it works.

7. Above all, breathe deeply. Make sure your stomach is going out when you breathe in.

Don’t be self-conscious about these warm-up activities. Most good speakers do them. Most people won’t even notice that you are doing them. They’re here to hear you speak, they’re not interested in what you do when you are not in the limelight.

Stand Up When You Speak

I don’t think you’re going to like today’s point. I don’t like it very much myself but it’s got to be done. For most purposes, when you give a presentation you should stand. Not clutching the back of your chair for support, not leaning against the podium but two feet on the floor facing your audience.

There are times when sitting is right. When it’s an informal discussion, for example, where everybody is to contribute. But most of the time you need to stand.

• You can move around the room. This has the simple effect that people will look at you, not shut their eyes and drift off
• You can make eye contact with everybody
• You can reach all your props and teaching material easily
• You’re involving your whole body in the presentation. Many people think this makes it more memorable.
• You’re sending out the signal to the participants that ‘this will be short’. Only a few self-obsessed people stand up in front of audiences for longer than they need to. And you’re not one of those, are you?

The worst part of standing up is the actual standing up. Most people don’t feel at ease as they get out of their chair and walk forward to their speaking position. Here are a couple of tips.

• As you’re waiting, keep your feet flat on the floor. Don’t have them crossed. Trust me, getting up and walking will be so much easier.
• Decide in advance where you are going to stand. Focus on that spot
• Walk forward briskly and confidently.

And that’s how you become a stand up sort of person.

Focusing attention

When we really want to focus the attention of our audience on an important point, we can use this "What ……. is …."

Look at these examples:

• We must cut costs.
• What we must do is cut costs.

• We need more reliable suppliers.
• What we need is more reliable suppliers.

How to Beat Panic When You Present

If you panic at the thought of making a presentation, you are not alone. Several studies have shown that public speaking is the thing that people fear most – more than snakes, flying or even death. That means that, at a funeral, most people would rather be in the coffin than making the eulogy!

How can you get over this fear? Here are some tips:

Get there early. Make sure you get familiar with the room. Stand where you are going to give your presentation until you begin to feel relaxed standing there. Try out the audiovisual equipment you will be using.

Introduce yourself to as many members of the audience as you can before you start. This helps turn the audience into a group of friendly faces rather than a wall of strangers.

Whilst you are doing this, pick out a couple of ‘friendly faces’. During the presentation, maintain regular eye-contact with your ‘new friends’.

Keep a photo of a child, a spouse or a pet near you. Look at it from time to time for reassurance.
Breathe deeply and rhythmically. This will bring oxygen into your system, relax your throat and help you breath more slowly.

Act confidently even if you are not feeling confident. You will find yourself becoming confident.

Wear a rubber band around your wrist. Snap it if you are feeling negative thoughts.

Remember that it will soon be over. Twenty minutes is not very long in your lifetime!