The fundamentals of public speaking remain in any context, be it classroom, conference, parliament or crowded city square. Good public speakers use simple and clear language to communicate complex points. They pause when they speak, and they deliver their message with confidence derived from their knowledge and preparation. Public speaking is a skill developed over time and with practice. There is not one right way to deliver an oral presentation. However, there are some actions we can AVOID, and other things we can DO to enhance our public speaking skills.
To Note or Not to Note?
AVOID: A good presentation is not written down word for word or memorized; instead, it is a discussion of a subject you know inside and out. Remember, you are talking to people, not reading at them. This point also applies to your visual aids, which should not act as a script either.
DO: Rather than prepare a script, create a plan for each section or idea with point form notes. Speaking from point form notes keeps your delivery in the moment. Key technical details can be written down, but make sure that you include only essential information as too many technical details may confuse your audience and cause them to tune out. If you feel comfortable, try presenting without the notes! This helps your audience place all their focus on you and what you are saying.
Breathing, Pace, and Volume
AVOID: The single biggest mistake inexperienced speakers make is speaking too fast. Remember that your audience is hearing the material for the first time and is not nearly as familiar with the topic as you are.
DO: Take it slow. Speak loudly and clearly. Practice pronouncing difficult words in advance. Time yourself! use text-to-speech software (ex. Dictate in MS Word) and record one minute of your presentation. Count the words. Compare your words per minute (wpm) with the list below. Do you need to slow down or speed up?
- Formal Presentation: 100 - 120 wpm
- General Conversations: 120 - 150 wpm
- Audiobooks, radio hosts, podcasters: 150 -160 wpm
- Auctioneers: 200 - 250 wpm
- Commentators (sports): 250 - 400 wpm
Intentional breathing is a great way to slow down your pace. Take breaths at punctuation and pause between slides and topic changes to slow your pace and give your audience time to process the information.
Tone and Intention
AVOID: Seeming unsure or apologetic about your topic or your work. Remember it is your presentation, and you are the expert! You want to show this to the audience with definition and conviction.
DO: Speak with conviction. Consider your tone. If you are asking a question, make it sound like a question. If you are making a statement, make it strong and clear. Consider a public speaking (maybe a political figure, musician, or comedian) that you like. How do they present? Do they change their tone to illustrate a point? Model yourself after aspects of this person you find captivating as an audience member.
Body Language and Eye Contact
AVOID: Don't hide, lean on a desk, hide behind a lectern, or side down (unless you require it). Avoid reading from your slide presentation and making movement without a purpose. While some gestures are effective, but too many, such as overuse of hand gesture, pacing, swaying back and forth, or swiveling (if sitting) can be distracting to your audience. It is also challenging for you audience to listen to you, look at your visual aids, and process movements all at the same time.
DO: Make and maintain eye contact with your audience. If this is uncomfortable for you, pick some spots on a few walls and look around the room at these points. You can also start by looking at noses or foreheads and work your way up to the eye contact. Always face your audience. If you have notes, try to look up from your notes regularly. Stand tall at the front of the room. If you need to move, do it for a reason. This might be to gesture to a slide, or step or walk across the room to indicate a point.
Fillers and Other Unnecessary Words
AVOID: Try to avoid filler works, such as: "um", "ah", "like", "so you know", "literally", "basically", "so", "and yeah", etc. These add time to your presentation. For example, if you are giving a 1-minute presentation, you might say about 120 words (to keep a steady pace). If you say 30 filler words, you've added 25% more time to your presentation.
DO: Limit yourself to 1-2 filler words per minute. Try to pause and collect your thoughts before speaking or take a breath instead of using a filler word. Record yourself! Listen to yourself present or have someone else listen and note the number of fillers used. Practice your talk to avoid the fillers, as they often occur when we are nervous or unprepared. During a question-and-answer period, it is okay if you don't have the answer right away; you can pause and think of the answer before you respond.
Practice
AVOID: Don't improvise on the spot. People who are the best in their fields like athletes, musicians, professional speakers practice, practice, practice. They make it look easy because they have put in the time and the work with practice.
DO: Rehearse! Focus on tone, volume, word choice, transitions, pauses, and pacing. Time yourself and revise as appropriate. Practice your presentation before a friend or family member and ask for feedback. Get to the room well ahead of time. Try listening to some relaxing music. Make sure the technology you are using is working.
Answering Questions
AVOID: You do not need to answer audience questions immediately. Sometime immediate responses, with little forethought, lead to incoherent or incorrect responses.
DO: Leave time to answer questions and prepare in advance for possible audience questions. Pause to father your thoughts before you reply, and if you do not have enough information to answer, simply (and confidently) say "that is outside the scope of this research". If you know the answer, but need a second to think, try saying, "that is a great question, thank you for asking it". This might give you time to recall information. If you do not know the answer, say so (confidently and politely). You could offer to do some research and follow up or discuss further with the person after the presentation (it's also a great way to network if you're in a professional setting!).
Staying Calm
AVOID: Letting your nerves get the best of you. While this is easier said than done, remember that you are the presenter. You are the expert on the topic, and you are in control of the presentation. The audience is just along for the ride.
DO: Chat with people in the audience before you present. This breaks the ice, creates connections, personalizes the encounter and helps you feel more confident. Experts suggest that you may feel less nervous if you focus your presentation on a smaller group of individuals instead of the entire audience.
Share your Personality
AVOID: Being robotic and unapproachable. Often, we are presenting to share knowledge and engage with others in our work. Reading from note cards or slides directly, and being disconnected from the audience does not typically facilitate this goal.
DO: Make the presentation uniquely yours by having fun and allowing your personality to shine; this way, people will remember you and your message.