Communicate with Confidence/Project Report

              CHAPTER 1
BASIC SPEAKING
THE IMPROMPTU SPEECH
PURPOSE: To express an opinion, ask a question, share
information, influence a decision and/ or communicate an
idea.
GENERAL PREPARATION:
Practice being alert and listening.
Leam to organise your ideas
Learn to use microphone
Be aware of etiquette/ protocol
Know the structure of a speech
Study & practice speech delivery techniques
( see " Communication Power Tools" in this section)
Practice ' reading' an audience ( to plan how to
approach them)
Keep a file of quips, quotes, etc. to use as ' ad- libs'
Listen to and watch other speakers ( T. V, Seminars
and meetings) to pick up techniques.
Practice impromptu speaking regularly ( at home,
in the car, etc.)
Keep informed on many subjects, ( in books,
papers. conversation, T/ V., radio)
IMPROMPTU SPEAKING WILL....
Help you leam to maintain your poise in spur of
the moment situations.
Allow you to use/ share your storehouse of
information and experience
Instil self confidence, control nerves.
REMEMBER... Relax.
a) The audience usually knows less about the
subject than you..
b) They will be sympathetic. ( After all, it might be
one of them who had to get up and speak.)
c) If they hadn't been interested to hear what you
are saying, they wouldn't have asked/ allowed you to speak.
POISE & CONFIDENCE
When asked the most common fear of speaking,
people say " fear of crowds and fear of ridicule". We've all
experienced the symptoms fast pulse, weak muscles, dry
mouth, cold hands, sweaty hands, tight nerves and
butterflies in the stomach. The bad news is that even
experienced speakers never completely get over them. The
good news is that, with practice and the proper ' tools', we
can train the butterflies to fly in formation.
Of course, what you say is of utmost importance,
but the message can be enhanced ( or diminished) by how
the audience hears it, what they see, and their perceptions of
you. If the words were all that was needed, you could pass it
around on paper, or mail it in. The power of the spoken word
is the presence of the speaker.
We use our eyes, body, voice, expression,
appearance, and humour to make our speech stronger, more
interesting and more memorable. These are all skills that
can be learned, and improved with practice.
Practice every day using the structure guidelines
given in this chapter. If you hear a debate on the radio or
TV, mentally plan how you would speak to the topic. Then
give the speech, out loud, using the ' Power Tools" section.
Listen to other speakers. Watch how they handle
different situations. Copy what works for you.
We feel and look most confident when we are in a
comfortable situation. Practice speaking at every chance.
Practice using a microphone. With repetition, these things
become familiar.
Practice and familiarity breed poise and
confidence!
BE FRIENDLY,
BE NATURAL,
BE ENTHUSIASTIC,
aad SHARE YOURSELF WITH YOUR AUDIENCE!
STRUCTURE OF AN IMPROMPTU SPEECH
When we think of ' impromptu' we might assume
that it is just ' off the top of your head', and therefore there is
no structure to it. Although there is minimum preparation
time, structure is still important.... even if the speech is
only three or four sentences.
If we just start rambling, the audience may miss
the point and ignore the rest. To avoid this... we must have a
strong opening statement We call this...
" THE HOOK". To capture the attention of the audience
immediately, your first words should make them sit up and
listen. In an impromptu speech, one line or, maybe two, is
sufficient. Here are some suggestions. Be sure they are
appropriate to the subject.
... ask for a show of hands
... ask a question
... use an unusual or shocking statistic
... make a strong, startling or controversial statement
.. a relevant quote.
... a visual aid
... use humour... i. e^ n ad- lib or one- liner