Art of speaking

[Nahid Kaiser]

There comes a time in any person’s life when he’ll have to give an impromptu speech. It may be for anything – a friend’s bachelor party, a teacher trying to get you to speak up in class, or even in a casual debate. It happens more often than most people would think.
 
Now the prospect of this may seem frightening to some. You certainly wouldn’t want to look like an idiot in front of a group of people. Fortunately, there are ways you can circumvent nerves and avoid stammering like a fool while you find the right words to say. Here’s some advice on how to give a good impromptu speech:
1.   Know your direction. You’ve got to know how you want to deliver your speech before you actually speak. Should you go the serious, awe-inspiring route, or the hysterical, laugh-a-minute path? The best way you can make a decision is to get a quick feel for your audience. What type of people are they? What direction would they most accept? Your speech will be praised significantly more if you speak in a language that works with those listening.
2.   Prepare some backup. It isn’t uncommon to forget what you were going to say. What separates a good speech from a disaster is how well you can catch yourself. It’s good to have a backup plan for the times when your mind suddenly blanks. That way, if you’re caught without something to say, you can maneuver yourself out of that situation gracefully instead of gibbering and shaking in a nervous sweat. In serious situations, you can bail yourself out with a polite way of excusing yourself. If you’re going for laughs, it’s okay to be candid about your mental block.
3.   Plot a course. Before you speak, try to make a quick mental outline of what you want to say. Some of the worst speeches came out of people who didn’t take a moment to organize their thoughts before opening their mouths. Your outline doesn’t even have to be in-depth; all you really need is a guide to help keep your thoughts on track.
4.   Keep it short and sweet. Impromptu speeches aren’t expected to be long, epic narratives. In fact, the more concise you get, the better. A lot of people tend to hide their nerves and their being unprepared by using a lot of words. The problem is, they tend to miss the point when they do this. Speaking clearly and with as few words as possible shows confidence in your own opinions, and that makes you a much better public speaker than those who just seem to rely on their wide vocabularies.
5.   Watch your words. Lastly, you’ve got to listen to yourself. You do not want to say something you’ll eventually regret. Some things might be private matters to others in the audience, or certain words can be offensive to others. Even the tone in which you speak affects the reception of your speech. Listen to the words that are coming out of your mouth to make sure you’re saying what you want your audience to hear.
( Courtesy: http://www.howtodothings.com/hobbies/how-to-give-an-impromptu-speech )

[Nahid Kaiser]

An impromptu speech will unnerve the best public speaker. One of the most daunting experiences a person can face is the request to deliver a speech without notice.
When caught off guard, many people can suffer extreme anxiety about speaking off the cuff. That's why smart people are always prepared.
Teachers will sometime assign impromptu speeches based on homework assignments. While this may seem like a cruel trick from a student's point of view, it is actually great preparation for life.
Adults often find themselves called upon to stand and deliver at social events, business meetings, club meetings, and family gatherings.
What if this happened to you? Would you be prepared?

[shipra]

Dear Nahid Madam,

                     Thank you for these important tips.I think these suggestions will be useful.

                                                                                    With Regards
                                                                                      Shipra

[shibli]

You can also choose A to F method in certain cases.

[Nahid Kaiser]

An Impromptu or Unexpected Speech
Rarely will you be asked to stand and deliver a speech with no warning and no time to organize your thoughts. This would be unusual in the classroom, unless the teacher is attempting to make a point about the importance of preparedness.
Nonetheless, at some point in your life you may be asked to speak without notice. There are a few things you can do to avoid panic and embarrassment.
1.   Grab a pen and a piece of paper, whether it is a napkin, envelope, or the back of a piece of paper you have on hand. 
2.   Feel free to acknowledge that you have not prepared for a speech. Do this in a professional way! This should not be an attempt to garner pity, but rather a way to put yourself and your audience at ease. Then, excuse yourself for a moment and take time to jot down a quick outline. Zone out the audience. They will be okay chatting and sipping water for a minute. 
3.   Jot down interesting or significant points about your topic, which will be related in some way to the event you're attending. If it is a homework assignment you are addressing, for instance, write down your impression of the assignment or anecdotes about your time spent on it.
Was it difficult? Why? Did you run into any road blocks during this assignment? Did you have the material you needed? Did your little brother interrupt you several times?
If you do nothing else, write down an introductory sentence and an ending sentence.
Your ending line is particularly important. If you can walk away gracefully, your speech will be a success. Keep your zinger for last. 
4.   Hijack the topic. Your goal is to deliver a one-sided conversation, off the cuff, so you are in complete control. Relax and make it your own. If you want to make this a funny story about your pesky little brother who always bothers you during homework time, then do it. Everyone will applaud your effort. 
5.   Begin with your introductory sentence, elaborate, then start working your way to your ending sentence. Fill in the middle space with as many points as you can, elaborating on each one as you go. Just concentrate on the zinger you've reserved for the end. 
6.   As you deliver your speech, concentrate on diction and tone. If you are thinking about this, you are not thinking about the eyes watching you. This really works! Your mind can't think about too many things at once, so think about enunciating your words and controlling your tone, and you'll maintain more control.

[Nahid Kaiser]

There comes a time in any person’s life when he’ll have to give an impromptu speech. It may be for anything – a friend’s bachelor party, a teacher trying to get you to speak up in class, or even in a casual debate. It happens more often than most people would think.
 
Now the prospect of this may seem frightening to some. You certainly wouldn’t want to look like an idiot in front of a group of people. Fortunately, there are ways you can circumvent nerves and avoid stammering like a fool while you find the right words to say. Here’s some advice on how to give a good impromptu speech:
1.   Know your direction. You’ve got to know how you want to deliver your speech before you actually speak. Should you go the serious, awe-inspiring route, or the hysterical, laugh-a-minute path? The best way you can make a decision is to get a quick feel for your audience. What type of people are they? What direction would they most accept? Your speech will be praised significantly more if you speak in a language that works with those listening.
2.   Prepare some backup. It isn’t uncommon to forget what you were going to say. What separates a good speech from a disaster is how well you can catch yourself. It’s good to have a backup plan for the times when your mind suddenly blanks. That way, if you’re caught without something to say, you can maneuver yourself out of that situation gracefully instead of gibbering and shaking in a nervous sweat. In serious situations, you can bail yourself out with a polite way of excusing yourself. If you’re going for laughs, it’s okay to be candid about your mental block.
3.   Plot a course. Before you speak, try to make a quick mental outline of what you want to say. Some of the worst speeches came out of people who didn’t take a moment to organize their thoughts before opening their mouths. Your outline doesn’t even have to be in-depth; all you really need is a guide to help keep your thoughts on track.
4.   Keep it short and sweet. Impromptu speeches aren’t expected to be long, epic narratives. In fact, the more concise you get, the better. A lot of people tend to hide their nerves and their being unprepared by using a lot of words. The problem is, they tend to miss the point when they do this. Speaking clearly and with as few words as possible shows confidence in your own opinions, and that makes you a much better public speaker than those who just seem to rely on their wide vocabularies.
5.   Watch your words. Lastly, you’ve got to listen to yourself. You do not want to say something you’ll eventually regret. Some things might be private matters to others in the audience, or certain words can be offensive to others. Even the tone in which you speak affects the reception of your speech. Listen to the words that are coming out of your mouth to make sure you’re saying what you want your audience to hear.
( Courtesy: http://www.howtodothings.com/hobbies/how-to-give-an-impromptu-speech )
An impromptu speech will unnerve the best public speaker. One of the most daunting experiences a person can face is the request to deliver a speech without notice.
When caught off guard, many people can suffer extreme anxiety about speaking off the cuff. That's why smart people are always prepared.
Teachers will sometime assign impromptu speeches based on homework assignments. While this may seem like a cruel trick from a student's point of view, it is actually great preparation for life.
Adults often find themselves called upon to stand and deliver at social events, business meetings, club meetings, and family gatherings.
What if this happened to you? Would you be prepared?
An Impromtu or Unexpected Speech
Rarely will you be asked to stand and deliver a speech with no warning and no time to organize your thoughts. This would be unusual in the classroom, unless the teacher is attempting to make a point about the importance of preparedness.
Nonetheless, at some point in your life you may be asked to speak without notice. There are a few things you can do to avoid panic and embarrassment.
1.   Grab a pen and a piece of paper, whether it is a napkin, envelope, or the back of a piece of paper you have on hand. 
2.   Feel free to acknowledge that you have not prepared for a speech. Do this in a professional way! This should not be an attempt to garner pity, but rather a way to put yourself and your audience at ease. Then, excuse yourself for a moment and take time to jot down a quick outline. Zone out the audience. They will be okay chatting and sipping water for a minute. 
3.   Jot down interesting or significant points about your topic, which will be related in some way to the event you're attending. If it is a homework assignment you are addressing, for instance, write down your impression of the assignment or anecdotes about your time spent on it.
Was it difficult? Why? Did you run into any road blocks during this assignment? Did you have the material you needed? Did your little brother interrupt you several times?
If you do nothing else, write down an introductory sentence and an ending sentence.
Your ending line is particularly important. If you can walk away gracefully, your speech will be a success. Keep your zinger for last. 
4.   Hijack the topic. Your goal is to deliver a one-sided conversation, off the cuff, so you are in complete control. Relax and make it your own. If you want to make this a funny story about your pesky little brother who always bothers you during homework time, then do it. Everyone will applaud your effort. 
5.   Begin with your introductory sentence, elaborate, then start working your way to your ending sentence. Fill in the middle space with as many points as you can, elaborating on each one as you go. Just concentrate on the zinger you've reserved for the end. 
6.   As you deliver your speech, concentrate on diction and tone. If you are thinking about this, you are not thinking about the eyes watching you. This really works! Your mind can't think about too many things at once, so think about enunciating your words and controlling your tone, and you'll maintain more control.
What if You Draw A Blank?
If you have time before your speech, create an outline of the major themes or points and commit it to memory with a memorization trick, like an acronym. Don't try to remember the entire speech in detail like this; just remember the order of important points.
If you suddenly lose your train of thought or draw a complete blank, there are a few you can do to keep from panicking.
1.   Pretend like you're pausing on purpose. Walk back and forth slowly, as if you're letting your last point sink in.
2.   There is always a joker or popular person who will stand out in the crowd. Stare at someone like this and try to draw a response from him or her while you think.
3.   If you need more time to think, you may want to ask the audience a question. Have a few prepared ahead, like "Do you have any questions," or "Can everyone hear me okay?"
4.   If you still can't remember what to say, make up a reason to pause the speech. You can say, "I'm sorry, but my throat is very dry. Can I please get a glass of water?" Someone will go to get you a drink, and you will have time to think of two or three points to talk about.
If these tricks don't appeal to you, think of your own. The trick is to have something ready ahead of time.
( Courtesy: http://homeworktips.about.com/od/speechclass/a/impromptu.htm)
 
More....
•   http://www.creativekeys.net/PowerfulPresentations/article1015.html
•   http://www.wikihow.com/Give-a-Great-Impromptu-Speech
•   http://www.ehow.com/how_2059934_give-impromptu-speech.html
•   http://homeworktips.about.com/od/speechclass/a/fastspeech.htm
•   http://www.ismckenzie.com/how-to-give-an-impromptu-speec/
•   http://www.ehow.com/how_4572822_give-impromptu-speech.html
•   http://www.ehow.com/how_4392208_give-great-impromptu-speech.html
•   http://www.freeweddingspeech.com/impromptu_speaking.php
   


 

[Nahid Kaiser]

Tips on Public speaking & Communication  - by Dr. Binu James Mathew, PhD (IIT Bombay)
 
There are fundamentally two types of speeches

 one is a cassock-like speech, which extends the whole area, but doesn’t touch• any important parts.
 The second one is a bikini speech – which touches just the important parts,• nothing more than that, but leaves the audience with a lot of imagination!

So, this shows how important it is to prepare your speeches.
As you know, there are various methods of speech delivery – viz.,

 the manuscript delivery,•
 memorized delivery,•
 impromptu delivery and•
 extemporaneous delivery•

[Nahid Kaiser]

There are four steps towards a successful speech: let’s call it 4 Ps
1. Plan
2. Prepare
3. Practice
4. Present

Many of us do not feel like leaving our comfort zone, that’s to be a part of the faceless crowd. Many among us will have butterflies in our stomach – the stage fright – when we think of giving a speech or a presentation in front of an audience. You feel like something is fluttering inside you. But if you analyse the root cause behind the nervousness, you will find that they are basically due to two reasons:

1. Fear of judgment and
2. Lack of adequate preparation
Of course, none of us likes being judged, but we can’t control every thought people have about us. But we can influence favourable responses by careful planning.

 Practice, Practice, Practice is your key to confidence. More preparation increases chances of success
 Have you ever stirred into action because the speaker was so exited about the message?
 Enthusiastic deliveries promote enthusiastic responses
 Looking relaxed is one of speaker’s most difficult challenges.
 Decide what you want to say and to whom you want to say
 Distinct beginning, middle and end for your speech
 Talk about what your audience wants to hear, not want you want to say
 Remember: you and your listeners need each other
 Audience – not an adversary
 They want to know what you say
 Potential for great chemistry! Activate it!
 Style is what distinguishes you from everyone else
 We are always communicating in two languages – vocal and body languages
 Facial expressions
 Mirror practice and video taping
 Body language speaks louder than words•
 Posture
 Standing – distributing the weight of the body into both legs
 Walking with firm footsteps to podium, standing at ease, 45 degree angle
 Chest up and stomach in
 Poise & Confidence
 Eye Contact
 Looking into one pair of eyes, pause for a few seconds, and move to another pair
 Gesture
 paint mental images
 Facial Expressions
 No blank-slate
 Eyes, lips, eyebrows, all are animated, conveying the message
 Pronunciation & Accent
 Voice Modulations
 Speed/Pace of Speech Vs. Thought speed
 Be natural, 120-150 words per minute
 Volume – enough for everyone in the audience
 Have something to say•
 Speak with passion•
 Put yourself into your speech•
 Respect yourself•
 Respect your audience•
 Respect words•
 Keep to time limits•
 Humour – lighter side, but not at the expense of someone/group•
 Smile – the universal gesture of goodwill•

Fact:
o 93% of all communication is conveyed in ways other than words
o Tone of voice: 38%
o Body language, face & appearance: 55%
o Words: 7%

To conclude, remember

 It is almost impossible to succeed if you cannot communicate effectively•
 To put it positively, if you are able to make powerful presentations, your• chances for career success will increase tremendously.
 â€œNever let them see you sweat”•

With a little bit of humour and some unabashed warm-ups and a good practise, you can take advantage of the opportunity of oral presentations and transform your personal and professional personae.

One of the most important elements of leadership is the ability to motivate people. Without motivation, even the most skilled team of seasoned professionals is unlikely to achieve great things. A highly motivated group of talented people, on the other hand, can move mountains.

While it’s true that motivating people involves more than just changing the way you speak, there are some simple guidelines you can follow to help build team motivation with only your words and your voice:

• Be enthusiastic. Enthusiasm is contagious! Before you present your ideas, think about the aspects of the subject that you find most interesting, and don’t be afraid to let that interest come through in your voice.

• Use quotes, stories and anecdotes. Along with their obvious entertainment value, quotes and stories can lend authority to your topic and provide concrete examples that people can relate to.

• Speak with confidence. Deliver your message loud and clear. Maintain eye contact with your listeners. Don’t mumble or slouch.

• Say you and we, not I and me. Instead of telling people what you want them to do, present ways for them to work together to achieve their goals. Involve listeners in the success of the group.

[Nahid Kaiser]

• Keep it simple. People aren’t motivated by what you say; they’re motivated by what they understand. The best way to ensure audience understanding is to break down complex ideas into simple components.
1.   Get used to talking in front of other people. The truth is that even the most calm of speakers still shake when they get up there. Sitcom-Stars still get nervous on live episodes.
2.   2
Remember your audience. Always make eye-contact with them. Not only will this help the audience not fall asleep, but it will also make you more confident. If your eyes fall upon that one teenage boy who's goofing off and totally not listening, ignore him.
3.   3
Try and get the audience involved. If you've ever had to listen to someone who mumbles through the whole thing, doesn't look up, and is just plain boring, you know how horrible that is. Try and get your audience pumped up.
4.   4
Try and twist your topic. If you get a topic about something that you can't relate to, try and morph it into something that's only vaguely related, but still related enough to make sense.
5.   5
Incorporate Humor. Everyone loves to laugh!
6.   6
If you're facing a more serious impromptu speech, you have to be confident about yourself. Chest out, back straight, eyes ahead. It will give you an air of significance and make you a little intimidating, as well.

[Nahid Kaiser]

Tips
•   Be passionate about whatever your topic is. You have to embrace what you're talking about with arms wide open.
•   Take advantage of an eager audience. Remember, once you have the audience, you have the judges/teachers.
•   Try to read lots of books on a wide variety of topics, that way you'll have loads of examples to incorporate into speeches
•   Body language speaks volumes. Act as if you are oozing confidence!
•   A great way to practice impromptu speech giving is by toasting at parties.

[Nahid Kaiser]

Warnings
•   Make sure there's nothing about your appearance that could possibly embarrass you. Have a trusted friend (or better yet, a mirror) tell you if you have anything stuck in your braces/teeth. Make sure there's no toilet paper on your shoe, etc.
•   Be careful to not say something offensive. Not only can it harm you standings in competition, it can also make you look like a bad person.
•   If you dont know what to say, make sure you dont use a canned speech. If you are being judged the judge wont like it.

[Antara11]

Thanks for all these guide lines. It will really be helpful.

[Nahid Kaiser]

Thank you for going through these.
Actually ELC is arranging a competition on Extempore Speech.
 That is why I created the topic.
 It will help the participants as well as the general students.

[Real]

Thank You Mam for your post.This is valuable for us. I think we can developing our speaking skill. Please Mam give us this instructions continually.

Mehedi Hassan (Real)
19th Batch
Dept. of English, DIU.

[Md. Nuruzzaman Moral]

Thank you for such a time-befitting topic.