How do I give great speeches?

Tutorial

There are some tips people give to those who are giving a speech in an effort to get the presenter’s performance up to a particular quality. In truth, it doesn’t take much to give a great speech.

The most important thing you need for giving a great speech is the confidence to give the speech. That means several things. You have to be sure of your subject, but you also have to be sure of your own ability to give the speech. The former is easily remedied through research. Learn your subject and practice what you’re going to say. The latter is more difficult to address, but you can build the confidence you need.

Start well ahead of the date for your speech and begin addressing people in various situations. Even talking at family gatherings can boost your confidence to a point that you are more ready to address your intended audience. Find the courage to speak up even if you wouldn’t normally be saying anything. For example, talk to people standing near you in line at a checkout counter. If you spend a few minutes getting to know a stranger, you’ll see that this is just another ordinary person, not that different from you, your friends and family. If you begin to see strangers in this light, you’ll be more apt to lose your awe of your audience when you give your speech.

Finally, listen to others who give speeches and decide what it is that you like or dislike about their styles, then practice. You may find that a joke breaks the ice a bit, or that it sounds corny coming from you. You might discover that you have better delivery when you are standing still, or that you’re much better when you’re walking around. Remember to make eye contact with many members of the audience, sharing your attention equally across the room.