The Art of Public Speaking

Successful people, either in business or in the professions, possess the ability to communicate well. It is not simply being able to talk, but rather, being able to transmit the exact message desired in the way that will be received and understood. Being able to communicate this message through the vehicle known as “presentation” has become a widely sought-after-skill.

Most of us think of communication as just speaking or writing. However, that is only one part of actual process. In fact, over half of an oral message is actually communicated visually.

As students, we are taught more about how to express ourselves by the written word than through presentations. Consequently, most of us only learn about giving presentations when the situation is forced upon us. In fact, the degree to which professionals fear speaking in public is almost legendary. There are some basic skills that, with practice, can make presentations enjoyable for the audience and also for the presenter.

The process of delivering an effective talk is comprised of two parts: preparation and presentation. Both are equally important.

Planning. Careful planning of presentation will make you more confident and help you to overcome your nervousness. Even more importantly, an audience better receives a message that is contained in a talk that has been carefully planned. There are five elements to consider when preparing a talk.

1. Objective. Do you want to inform your audience, persuade them, train them, or entertain them? What messages do you want your audience to take away with them?

2. Audience. Who is your audience? How many people will be attending? What do they need to know? What do they already know? What do they expect? Will they be receptive to your message?

3. Contents. Brainstorm your ideas, then decide what is most relevant and appropriate. Make sure that you take enough time to do any research that you need. Be selective – do not try to present too much in your message.

4. Structure. Any presentation should consist of introduction, a body and a conclusion. There should be examples, figures, stories, etc. The use of humor that is in good taste and relevant is also welcome. Again, remember not to try to put in too many figures or too many details. Too much humor is also out of the question. Everything must be balanced since you are planning to deliver a presentation and not give a show. Your audience should not lose the main idea of your talk.

The structure of you message should be simple, words and sentences short. It is also good to use concrete words because they are easier to understand. Passive verbs and abstract concepts, as well as jargon, are better avoided.

In the course of presentation one is recommended to give the audience clear signals as to the direction your presentation is taking.

As to visual aids, you should use them only as a support or illustration of what you are delivering – to put across certain points that cannot be explained in words. They are also good to add emphasis to a talk, but they must be simple to understand.

5. Rehearsal. Take time to practice your presentation. This will give you a chance to identify any weak points or gaps. You will also be able to make sure that you can pronounce any figures and proper names correctly.

Presenting. If you wish to make an effective presentation, take care of five elements.

1. Nervousness. Prepare your talk well. You will be less nervous and more confident than if you have not. Still, you want to be a bit nervous, so that you will remain “on your toes”. Do not fall into the trap of speaking too quickly because you are nervous. In fact, speak slower during the first few moments of a talk.

2. Rapport. Rapport is the relationship between you and your audience, or the connection, if you wish. Be friendly and make eye contact with everyone in your audience. If by chance you are unable to make eye contact do not look over the tops of everyone’s head. The audience knows you are not looking at them and they do not like to be fooled. Also, it is critical that you are able to observe their reactions to your message and make any adjustment in your talk. The first yawn is a sign for you to wind up and pass over to your conclusion.

3. Body Language. Remember that 57% of the message is communicated by what the audience can see. Consequently, how you convey your ideas is critically important. Avoid any distracting mannerisms like pacing, rocking back and forth on your feet, etc. Use open-handed natural gestures – as open handedness conveys sincerity.

4. Vocal quality. The sound of your voice carries 36% of the message. It means you should consider the volume, tone, and tempo of your presentation. You must be loud enough to be heard by everyone. The tone of your voice must be consistent with the message. An interesting public speaker or presenter will vary the volume, tone and tempo of the talk to make himself heard.

5. Question time. Do not be afraid of questions from the audience. It is civilized practice to solicit them. If you delivered your presentation well, the audience should want more information. There are some techniques to keep in mind. Pay attention to the speaker when he or she is asking the question. That sounds simple, but many presenters look away when someone is asking a question. It is better to listen carefully, perhaps nodding in approval sometimes, and paraphrasing the question for clarification. Answer the questions shortly and simply. If you do not know the answer it is better to say so.

Developing effective presentation skills is one of the best things you can do for yourself and certainly one of the most rewarding. If you have to prepare well, and present your talk effectively, you will no longer fear speaking in public, but will welcome the opportunity. This will go a long way to further your career.

Task 1

Сhoose the right answer among the four given below.

1. What are you transmitting in your presentation?

a) a skill

b) a message

c) a story

d) your experience

2. What is effective presentation?

a) a skill

b) a message

c) body language

d) an audience

3. How is over half of an oral message communicated?

a) vocally

b) verbally

c) orally

d) visually

4. What does any effective presentation consist of?

a) audience and time

b) preparation and audience

c) preparation and presentation

d) planning and task

5. Does preparation planning imply.

a) nervousness, rapport, body language and questions?

b) objectives, audience, rehearsal, vocal quality?

c) rapport, rehearsal, questions and body language?

d) objectives, audience, content, structure and rehearsal?

6. What must the structure of a good presentation be?

a) long and difficult

b) simple and understandable

c) with a lot of gestures

d) with a good rapport

7. Why is it important to rehearse your presentation?

a) to make sure that you can pronounce figures and proper names correctly

b) to use visual aids

c) to intone your message rightly

8. Does rapport mean:

a) your audience?

b) your presentation skills?

c) the connection between you and your audience?

d) question time?

9. What does good vocal quality mean?

a) the pace of the talk

b) the message of the talk

c) the rehearsal of the talk

d) the volume, tone, tember and tempo of your talk

10. Does the presenter always know all the answers to possible questions?

a) yes

b) sometimes

c) not always

d) never

Task 2

Say whether the statements below are true or false, express your doubt or uncertainty. Use some of the expressions from the list below:

You are not right, of course, exactly, it is very much so, far from it, it goes without saying, I don’t think so, I disagree, it seems so, quite likely, maybe, it’s hard to say.

1. More than half of any oral message is communicated visually.

2. There are not any basic skills that can make a presentation enjoyable for the audience.

3. If you plan your presentation carefully, you may overcome your natural nervousness.

4. If you structure your message simply, and use simple and short words and sentences, you can not rehearse your presentation.

5. The sound of your voice carries 57% of the message.

6. Rapport of good connection with the audience always brings a lot of questions from the listeners.

7. If you prepare your talk well and present it effectively, you will no longer fear speaking in public.

Task 3

You are suggested to play a role of a job-searcher and try yourself in getting the job you want. Before you participate in the interview look through some more recommendations. Imagine:

Tomorrow’s the interview. And since you are a job-veteran, you’ve already got your well pressed suit, spare pair of panty hose, extra resume, reliable alarm clock. You’ve also got a ton of nervous energy. Call it performance anxiety, and put it to good use by doing what actual actors do: rehearse.

Use a tape-recorder and record a few phrases, then rewind, play back and assess: Do you speak clearly? Loudly? And with enough, but not too much enthusiasm? You may also practice in front of the mirror to check your gestures and body language.

Now answer the questions choosing one of the variants.

1. Can you tell me something about yourself?

1. “I grew up in Kislovodsk, with two brothers and one sister. Then I went to University in Taganrog …”

2. “Um, well. I’m not sure where to start.”

3. “I’m a quick learner and a hard worker. For example, last month taught myself a new programming language and could complete a report in time …”

2. What has made you want to leave your current position?

1. “I find my boss extremely difficult to work with.”

2. “While I really like my job and I’ve been able to take on more responsibilities, there is no room for me to advance at my company.”

3. “It’s been three years and I haven’t been promoted.”

4. “ I’ve always admired your company. I was particularly impressed by what I read in Business News about the success of your new ad campaign.”

3. Where do you see yourself five years from now?

1. “With a greater sense of responsibility maybe supervising a department or overseeing larger projects such as the design of my own line.”

2. “I’d really like to do what you do”.

3. “I haven’t really thought about it, but I hope to have a better of what I want to do by then.”

4. What’s your biggest weakness?

1. “I often take on too many responsibilities.”

2. “I’m such a perfectionist that I become really impatient when other people don’t work as hard as I do.”

3. “I can’t do long division in my head.”

4. “I get so caught up in projects that I try to do everything myself.”

5. “In the past, I felt nervous about speaking up in groups, but since I’ve started giving presentations at department meetings, I am now much more confident.”

5. What is your greatest strength?

1. “I don’t like to brag, so let’s go on to the next question.”

2. “I perform well under pressure. For example, when the team leader on the January sales drive was sick for a week, I worked with her over the phone, helping to make our deadline.”

3. “I’m not afraid to be unpopular if that’s what it takes to get the job done.”

4. “I’m always there for my friends. They know they can call me, even late at night.”

6. Do you usually prefer working with others or on your own?

1. “Though I wouldn’t like to spend my entire day at meetings, I think you get the most done when you have a combination of brainstorming with others and working individually.” For instance, when my group was told last year that we had only forty-eight hours to complete our design, we came up with individual proposals and then worked on the best one.”

2. “On my own. I’m a firm believer in the saying, if you want the job done right, you should do it yourself.”

3. “I’d like doing both. After all, there are times when you need to buckle down and hammer away on your own, and times when it’s important to be part of a team.”

4. “I’m the team member who usually ends up leading everyone else. For instance, last year after my boss made a mess of an account proposal, I took it over and made it presentable.”

5. “I enjoy working on a team.”

7. Can you describe the qualities you think a good boss possesses?

1. “Someone who is accessible to employees and is open to their ideas. For instance, my boss asked everyone for ways in which our standards could be improved. She read through all of our suggestions and ended up following many of them, including one of mine.”

2. “Well, I can tell you what a bad boss is like because my last one was a good example of that.”

3. “Someone who realizes that employees are people and is willing to let you take a mental health day off when you need one. For example, my car was stolen and my cat was sick …”

8. What do you like to do in your spare time?

1. “I really like sports. Right now I’m on the company softball team, and I’m thinking about joining the community volleyball league this winter.”

2. “What spare time? I’m so wrapped up in work that I just flip through a few magazines before I go to sleep.”

3. “I like cooking and I’ve just learned how to make crepes. I’m hoping to master souffles next.”

4. “I just got engaged, so nearly all my time is taken up planning for the wedding. You know, taffeta or silk? Band or DJ? And we’d like to start having kids soon, so I’ve been thinking about preschools …”

9. What attracts you to the company?

1. “I’ve heard the people here are really fun.”

2. “I love your product. I am particularly impressed with ….”

3. “I’ve read that this business is the one to get onto.”

4. “This company is the best in the field, for instance, I couldn’t help noticing that your Sprocket 2006 line is already on store shelves.”

10. Why are you the right person for this job?

1. “Because of all my experience. Ever since I worked in a bookstore in college. I’ve been balancing books and watching the bottom line.”

2. “What can I say? I’m available, and I’ll work hard.”

3. “With my background working for a competitor. I’m aware of what this position requires and I know I have what it takes.”

4. “You’ll have a hard time finding anyone better than me.”

When it is all over:

Thank the interviewer and emphasize your interest in the job. Then go home, peel off your hose, write out your thank-you note and breathe.

Assess your choice.

To be interview winners:

a) do speak with confidence

b) do be specific

c) do talk positively

d) do research the company/industry

e) do sound ambitious

Interview killers:

f) don’t be cocky

g) don’t offer irrelevant information

h) don’t sound negative

i) don’t show up unprepared

j) don’t be vague

Task4

Render the following into English