Public Speaking 101 Leadership Mini Series A Student Leadership Discussion Series Why is Public Speaking an Important Skill to Have? Public speaking is a great life skill to have as it is necessary in many different areas. ● work projects ● Job/internship presentations ● Club/organization meetings or events ● Speech at a family gathering such as a wedding, birthday, anniversary, etc. 10 Ways to Improve Your Public Speaking Skills 1.Watch the Experts Watch clips from great public speakers and find out what they do right. Pick up on their posture, tone, volume, hand gestures, eye contact, attire, any audio/visual aids, message, and more! 2.Dress to Impress Be sure to look the part. Know your audience and don’t fall short of their expectations. If it is a formal event, be sure to look the part. Remember it is always best to overdress than to underdress. 3.Visit the Space Before Presenting Get to know the space that you will be presenting in. Test out any audio and visual aids that you will be using. 4.Know Your Material Be sure to have a strong knowledge base for the material that you are covering. This will be helpful if a question arises about the topic. Also, know your presentation! Know the content and order of your slides. 5.Content There are 6 C’s to consider: ● clear ● coherent ● concise ● complete ● concrete ● correct Tip: Try to share one thing no one knows 6.Body Language and Personality ● Watch yourself in the mirror when you are practicing or record yourself on camera. Be aware of your body language, what is it conveying to your audience? ● Let your personality shine through! Some speakers find it useful to share a personal story that is relevant and appropriate. 7.Practice, Practice, Practice Run through your presentation on your own. Pay attention to your: ● Voice- Tone, inflection, volume, speed, pauses ● Filler Words- ‘um,’ ‘you know,’ ‘like’ ● Areas of difficulty in your presentation 8.Get Feedback Share your presentation with a friend, classmate, professor, or anyone who is willing to give you feedback. Adjust your presentation with their feedback and then get feedback again. 9.Prepare for the Unexpected Are you ready for: ● No Internet ● Forgot handouts ● Lost PowerPoint ● Lost index cards ● Cell phone ringing ● Too many questions ● Late entrance ● Different size audience than expected 10.Do’s and Don’ts Do: ● Always repeat audience questions ● Give audiences something to walk away with ● Respect your audience’s time Don’t: ● make excuses ● read your slides or verbatim from notes ● defer answering questions ● overload your slides Your Turn! Now, think about a theme and talk about it. Here are some suggestions: 1. Tecnologia e seu impacto na sociedade moderna. 2. O papel da sustentabilidade na preservação do meio ambiente. 3. A importância da educação multicultural no mundo globalizado. 4. Os benefícios e desafios do empreendedorismo jovem. 5. A influência da música na vida das pessoas. 6. O poder da comunicação não verbal. 7. A importância da alimentação saudável e seus efeitos na qualidade de vida. 8. A evolução das redes sociais e seu impacto nas relações interpessoais. 9. O papel da inteligência artificial no futuro do trabalho. 10. O impacto das viagens e do turismo na economia e na cultura. 1. O papel da inteligência emocional no ambiente de trabalho. 2. A importância da preservação das línguas indígenas. 3. Os efeitos positivos do voluntariado na sociedade. 4. O impacto da tecnologia wearable na saúde e no bem-estar. 5. A relação entre arte e política ao longo da história. 6. A importância da educação financeira desde cedo. 7. O poder das redes sociais na conscientização de causas sociais. 8. O impacto da música clássica no desenvolvimento cognitivo. 9. Os desafios e benefícios da educação à distância. 10. O papel da mídia na formação da opinião pública. Sources http://www.mindtools.com/CommSkll/PublicSpeaking.htm http://www.inc.com/ss/jeff-haden/20-public-speaking-tips-best-ted-talks#0 http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newCS_85.htm http://money.howstuffworks.com/18-tips-for-public-speaking.htm#page=0 Click on the hyperlinks above to view the specific article.