Public Speaking Exercise
All too often people become intimidated when they have to speak before a group of people. Their mouth gets dry, hands get sweaty, their stomach gets filled with butterflies. This is normal nervousness–but it can be controlled and even overcome–with practice. It is to that end that I would like to give you a public speaking exercise to do.
Take a few minutes to day and think about a subject that you are truly excited about or interested in. Outline why you are interested in it–highlighting the top five reasons. List all the information you have on your subject…dividing it up to fit into the top five reasons (or areas of interest).
Once you done this look at your list what areas need to be strengthened? Do additional research to strengthen those areas. Then write a five minute speech. That’s right write a speech. Once you are finished writing I want you to take out a recorder or a video camera and record yourself presenting your speech. If you do not have a tripod then get someone to record you.
When you are finished listen to your recording or watch your video. Analyze your speech for vocal variety, for ”um’s” and “ah’s”, listen for your tone, pitch, rate, was your speech engaging, and full of useful information. Write down areas that can be improved or habits that you want to break. Then go back an practice again for a week. Once you have done so do the exercise over again.
This is one way of training yourself to be an evaluator. Self-evaluation is an important skill to learn as a public speaker. It helps you to look at yourself honestly, it prepares you to accept feedback from peers or from your audience, it will also help you to judge whether evaluations from others are on target or are not.
But aside from all of that it will help you to become a better pubic speaker. Public speakers need to present a subject of interest to their audience, it has to be well researched, it should be engaging, it should have very few distractions– “um’s” and “ah’s” or “you knows”. You should present with confidence–using vocal variety and pitch. Your rate of speech shouldn’t be too slow but it should not be a speed race either.
With practice you will be able to present well all the time. And your audience will be interested in hearing what you have to say.
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