One of the essential attributes of great speakers is their ability to catch and hold the attention of the audience. Abraham Lincoln was said to have once given a speech that so captivated the audience that reporters forgot to take notes. Holding attention is an important skill for communication in general but of particular importance for public speakers.
Attention Problem...
Are the best speakers born, made, or both? The answer is (potentially) all of the above. Whether you are a natural speaker or someone who has to work at it, practice will push you to the next level. This short guide outlines the best practices for gaining mastery of public speaking. I based it on years of experimenting with...
Many years ago a student told me that she got sick with nerves every time she gave a presentation in my class. Her story was news to me because she was a good speaker, and I never sensed any anxiety from her. This is a valuable lesson: you may never conquer your fear of public speaking, but you can...
If you've come here to have a speech topic given to you, then you will be disappointed. I often have students drop by the office asking for a topic. But if I give someone a topic, then it is not their topic - it's my topic. To help students discover topics, I begin by asking them to tell me...
If you give a speech, chances are you will use a slide deck. In most organizational settings it is expected that you will use a slide deck. Most likely, you will use a popular presentation software, such as PowerPoint by Microsoft, or Keynote by Apple, to create slides to go along with your speech. Regardless of what you use,...
One of the most common questions I get is about giving a wedding toast. It is a huge responsibility to give the wedding toast. For most, it is the only speech they will give the entire year, and the stakes are quite high. Here is some advice to that will help you impress everyone at the wedding, with your...
The ability to stand in front of a group of people and give an eloquent speech is an impressive skill. The reality, however, is that it is not an easy skill to acquire. Many people are genuinely afraid of public speaking, and most people are mediocre to bad speakers. The good news is that anyone can give a great...