15 Public Speaking Skills Every Speaker Should Have
Every public speaker should be able to:
1. Research a topic – Good speakers stick to what they know. Great speakers research what they need to convey their message.
2. Organize ideas logically – A well-organized presentation can be absorbed with minimal mental strain. Bridging is key.
3. Employ quotations, facts, and statistics – Don’t include these for the sake of including them, but do use them appropriately to complement your ideas.
4. Tell a story – Everyone loves a story. Points wrapped up in a story are more memorable, too!
5. Start strong and close stronger – The body of your presentation should be strong too, but your audience will remember your first and last words (if, indeed, they remember anything at all).
6. Incorporate humor – Knowing when to use humor is essential. So is developing the comedic timing to deliver it with greatest effect.
7. Vary vocal pace, tone, and volume – A monotone voice is like fingernails on the chalkboard.
8. Punctuate words with gestures – Gestures should complement your words in harmony. Tell them how big the fish was, and show them with your arms.
9. Utilize 3-dimensional space – Chaining yourself to the lectern limits the energy and passion you can exhibit. Lose the notes, and lose the chain.
10. Complement words with visual aids – Visual aids should aid the message; they should not be the message.
11. Connect with the audience – Eye contact is only the first step. Aim to have the audience conclude “This speaker is just like me!” The sooner, the better.
12. Obey time constraints – Maybe you have 2 minutes. Maybe you have 45. Either way, customize your presentation to fit the time allowed, and respect your audience by not going over time.
13. Exhibit confidence and poise – These qualities are sometimes difficult for a speaker to attain, but easy for an audience to sense.
14. Handle unexpected issues smoothly – Maybe the lights will go out. Maybe the projector is dead. Have a plan to handle every situation.
15. Listen critically and analyze other speakers – Study the strengths and weakness of other speakers.
1. Research a topic – Good speakers stick to what they know. Great speakers research what they need to convey their message.
2. Organize ideas logically – A well-organized presentation can be absorbed with minimal mental strain. Bridging is key.
3. Employ quotations, facts, and statistics – Don’t include these for the sake of including them, but do use them appropriately to complement your ideas.
4. Tell a story – Everyone loves a story. Points wrapped up in a story are more memorable, too!
5. Start strong and close stronger – The body of your presentation should be strong too, but your audience will remember your first and last words (if, indeed, they remember anything at all).
6. Incorporate humor – Knowing when to use humor is essential. So is developing the comedic timing to deliver it with greatest effect.
7. Vary vocal pace, tone, and volume – A monotone voice is like fingernails on the chalkboard.
8. Punctuate words with gestures – Gestures should complement your words in harmony. Tell them how big the fish was, and show them with your arms.
9. Utilize 3-dimensional space – Chaining yourself to the lectern limits the energy and passion you can exhibit. Lose the notes, and lose the chain.
10. Complement words with visual aids – Visual aids should aid the message; they should not be the message.
11. Connect with the audience – Eye contact is only the first step. Aim to have the audience conclude “This speaker is just like me!” The sooner, the better.
12. Obey time constraints – Maybe you have 2 minutes. Maybe you have 45. Either way, customize your presentation to fit the time allowed, and respect your audience by not going over time.
13. Exhibit confidence and poise – These qualities are sometimes difficult for a speaker to attain, but easy for an audience to sense.
14. Handle unexpected issues smoothly – Maybe the lights will go out. Maybe the projector is dead. Have a plan to handle every situation.
15. Listen critically and analyze other speakers – Study the strengths and weakness of other speakers.
USI's College Achievement Program (CAP)
Advanced Speech is an English elective which can also be taken for CAP credit (CMST 101). Enrollment requirement is a 2.5 cumulative GPA. Tuition rate is $25 per credit hour ($75 total).