Part 7: SPEAKER’S REFERENCE
SPEAKER’S REFERENCE
VOCAL AND NONVERBAL DELIVERY
Strive for Naturalness in Your Delivery
- Think of your speech as a particularly important conversation.
- Rather than behaving theatrically, strive for naturalness.
Show Enthusiasm
Project a Sense of Confidence and Composure
- Inspire audience members’ confidence in you by appearing confident.
- Focus on the ideas you want to convey rather than on yourself.
Engage Your Audience by Being Direct
- Establish eye contact with your listeners.
- Use a friendly tone of voice.
- Smile whenever it is appropriate.
- Consider positioning yourself close to the audience.
If You Must Read from a Prepared Text, Do So Naturally
- Vary the rhythm of your words.
- Become familiar with the speech so you can establish some eye contact with the audience.
- Consider using compelling presentation aids.
In General, Don’t Try to Memorize Entire Speeches
- Brief remarks, like toasts, can be well served by memorization.
- Consider memorizing parts of your speech, such as quotations.
- When delivering material from memory, know it well enough to do so with enthusiasm and directness.
When Speaking Impromptu, Maximize Any Preparation Time
- Anticipate situations that may require impromptu speaking.
- Consider what would best serve the audience.
- As you wait your turn to speak, listen to and note what others are saying.
- Jot down a few key ideas in key-word form.
- Stay on topic.
In Most Situations, Select the Extemporaneous Method of Delivery
- Prepare and practice your speech in advance of delivery.
- Speak from an outline of key words and phrases.
- Use eye contact, body orientation, and movement to maximize delivery.
Adjust Your Speaking Volume
- The bigger the room and the larger the audience, the louder you need to speak.
- Be alert to signals from the audience indicating problems in volume.
- Breathe deeply from your diaphragm.
Beware of Speaking in a Monotone
Adjust Your Speaking Rate for Comprehension and Expressiveness
- To ensure that your speaking rate is comfortable for your listeners (neither too fast nor too slow), be alert to their reactions.
- Vary your speaking rate depending on topic type.
Use Strategic Pauses and Avoid Meaningless Vocal Fillers
- Use pauses to emphasize points, to draw attention to key thoughts, or to allow listeners a moment to contemplate what you’ve said.
- Eliminate distracting vocal fillers, such as “uh,” “hmm,” “you know,” “I mean,” and “it’s like.”
Use Vocal Variety
- Use the various vocal elements—volume, pitch, rate, and pauses—to create an effective delivery.
- Use a mix of these elements throughout your speech.
Be Conscious of How You Pronounce and Articulate Words
- Learn to pronounce words correctly.
- If you use a dialect, make sure that your audience understands it.
- Don’t mumble or slur your words.
Remember the Importance of Your Nonverbal Behavior
- In addition to the speaker’s vocal delivery (how you say something), audiences are highly attuned to the speaker’s physical actions, or body language (facial expressions, gestures, body movement, and physical appearance).
- Audience members interpret speakers’ attitudes toward the audience, speech, and occasion largely through their nonverbal behavior.
Use Nonverbal Cues to Enhance Your Credibility
Animate Your Facial Expressions in Appropriate Ways
Maintain Eye Contact with Your Audience
- Establish eye contact to indicate that you recognize and respect listeners.
- Scan the room with your eyes, pausing to gaze at selected listeners.
Use Gestures That Feel Natural
- Use gestures to clarify your message.
- Use gestures that feel comfortable to you.
- Avoid exaggerated gestures, but make them broad enough to be visible.
Use Body Movement to Establish an Appropriate Degree of Formality or Informality
- Use your physical position vis-à-vis the audience to adjust your relationship with them.
Movement toward listeners stimulates a sense of informality
Remaining behind the podium fosters a greater degree of formality
- Be aware of your posture, standing erect, but not ramrod straight.
Pay Attention to Your Clothes and Grooming
- Dress appropriately for the occasion.
- Choices of clothing and grooming will probably be the first thing your listeners notice about you.
- Keep your hands free of distracting objects, such as pens and notecards.
Practice the Delivery
- Practice is essential to effective nonverbal delivery.
- After you’ve practiced several times, videorecord your delivery, incorporating changes and recording it again.
- Practice in surroundings made to simulate the actual speech setting.
- Time your speech practice to adjust your amount of material and rate of speaking.
KEY TERMS
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