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Summary:  Public Speaking is considered the second most feared thing by humans next to “death”. Yet, anyone can overcome this fear by frequent practice and remembering a certain set of rules. This post tries to points out these rules through 5  tips which if obeyed correctly, would help anyone to overcome this fear and become great public speakers and communicators.

Public Speaking is one of the most important skills that should be there in every professional. Whether it is speaking in a meeting or giving a speech in front of a big audience, the skill of public speaking and communicating will enable you to get your message through and keep your audience’s attention from the beginning to the end.

I was lucky enough to go to a training program last Thursday and Friday on Improving your Public Speaking and Communication Skills carried out by Mr. Yukthi Gunasekera  who is the Head of Corporate Communications at John Keells Holdings and is also, a versatile speaker and presenter. He shared some valuable insights and tips on how to improve your speaking and communication skills which would help you to become great speakers and presenters like Barrack Obama and Steve Jobs. So what are the insights and tips?  Let me start with tip number 1.

Tip # 1 Remember the 3 Critical Factors for Effective Communication

According to Mr.Yukthi, there are 3 critical factors that should be there for someone to be an effective communicator / speaker. First, there should be an Objective which is what you as a speaker is planning to achieve through your speech. Next, you have to have the Knowledge about the topic/subject  you are going to talk about and last not least you need to have  Emotion  to let your audience feel what you are talking about.

By defining an Objective , you know tell your audience what you are going planning to talk about and give them a clear idea on what your speech will be about so they can set themselves up to listen to you. You also need to have sufficient knowledge about the subject matter that you are going to talking. If you don’t have it, it will be difficult for you to carry on with your speech and your audience will stop listening to you , since they know that you have no idea on what you are talking about.  You also need emotion in your speech since that is what that drives your speech from start to the end. ( As  Mr.Yukthi points out  ” Communication is Emotion in Motion ” ).  The audience will always look at your speech and will try to see what is in  there for them. So you need to get them into an “Emotional Hook “, which will keep them interested in your speech from the beginning to the end.

So , have an objective, have sufficient knowledge about the subject matter you are talking about and show emotion. That will help you to give out a superb speech and build your success as an effective communicator.

Tip # 2  Don’t be Shy to Say What You Want to Say

Public Speaking helps anyone to break out of their shell and build up their self confidence. It helps you to express what you want to say and in process allows you to achieve your objectives. Yet, many are afraid to do this and that is why that public speaking is considered the second most feared thing by humans (the first one is of course “Death”). So, it is important to break out of this fear, come out and say what needs to be said.

On the flipside, it is also important to do what you are say. As explained by Mr, Yukthi, There are many NATO’s  ( No Action Taking Only ) among us who in the end become useless since they just talk but doesn’t take action to achieve what they talk.

So, build your self confidence by grabbing every opportunity presented to you to speak; but always remember to be responsible for what you say and prevent yourself from being called a NATO.

Tip # 3  Be Conscious of Body Language

While giving importance to your speech is vital, it is also important to give importance to the body language of your audience so you can understand their behavior during your speech. As explained by Mr. Yukthi, “Body Language Never Lies” and according to him. “ 65 % of communication is carried out through Body Language. ” So, when you are carrying out your speech , it is important to analyze and understand your audience’s body language and adjust your speech accordingly.

Also, you need to give focus to your own Body as well. Proper Attire, the way you sit, the way you stand , the way you handshake and make eye contact with your audience are also important traits of a good speaker.

The same theory applies when you give out business cards, where if you ever receive one , you need to read it before putting inside your pocket. This kind of etiquette and behavior will make you stand out from the rest .So, do pay attention to your body language too , it will surely help you to become a better speaker.

Tip # 4  Adopt a Format and Stick to it

There are many formats a speaker can use in order to carry out his/her speech. These includes the Story, Problem/Causes/Solutions , Call to Action method and  the CRAC (Conclusion, Rule , Analysis , Conclusion) method. According to Mr.Yukthi, the most effective method though is the “Tell Me Format “. This format contains 3 steps which include:

Step 1:  Tell What you are going to Say

Step 2:  Say it..

Step 3:  Tell  What you  Said

Whatever the method you choose, it is important to stick to it right through out your speech and obey the rules in the given format. If you do that, your speech will be a success and you will always know what to do when you go to give speeches in the future.

Tip # 5 Don’t forget the Small things.

To be a great speaker, it is important that you don’t forget the small things which could lead to big results and could have a big impact on your whole speech. This includes brushing up your language every now and then ( if it  is English it is great to keep a dictionary with you all the time to learn new words and constant reading of good literature will also help you to master the language ) , prevent yourself from underestimating your audience and other opponent speakers though it is ok to overestimate them , Trying your best to get the audience’s attention towards you . Always being yourself, Praise others in Public but Criticize others in Private, Bringing something new and last not least enjoy what you do.

The above tips are important for a great speech and would help you to create an ever lasting impression of you on your audience minds. So don’t forget the simple things. It could take you a long way in achieving your objective and achieving success.

So, the above tips will help you to become a great speaker and be someone who can influence others through the power of words and speech. As explained by Mr. Yukthi ” A Good Communicator looks at a problem and tries to fix it so the situation is better than before. ”  These tips would surely help you to do that and achieve that goal to the best of your ability.

Yet, you cannot do it overnight, you need to Practice . as explained by Mr. Yukthi  “you should never forget the 6P’ s  ( Proper Prior Preparation Prevents Poor Performance )”.  So, it is important that you prepare yourself well before you give your speech so you will be confident enough on the big day to give your best shot and give a speech that the whole audience will remember for a long long time.

Be Prepared, Be Ready. Don’t hesitate to say what you want to say.  It will surely help you to become great speakers as well as great leaders in the future and will surely be the backbone that propels you to success.

I Wish You All the Very Best!

A Special Thank You goes out to Mr. Yukthi Gunasekera for his great insights. That was a great training program and I loved every bit of it.

Do you have any thoughts about the above Post? Do you have any more ideas to share about how to improve your public speaking and communication skills ? Do share your thoughts and ideas through the comments section.

Cheers!!