“We would like you to be one of the speakers!” said the voice over the phone a month ago, and he explained to me about the event I was being called to speak at.
“Sure,” I said after I heard what the occasion was, “and may I ask who the other speakers are?”

“Member of Parliament Shashi Tharoor, former West Bengal Governor Gopalakrishna Gandhi, who is also Gandhiji’s grandson, and tennis legend Vijay Amritraj!”

“Whoa! Whoa!” I whispered, as I put down the phone and wondered what my speech would be, then realized with such huge personalities sharing the dais with me, I needed to not just work on my talk but work on my opening. And that’s exactly what I worked on. Not one, but three openings, why?

The opening of a talk, like the opening of a lawyer’s argument, makes the judge or jury either listen to you or tune off. Once your audience has switched off, it’s very difficult to get them back to giving you an ear, try as you may, and even if you do succeed by using impactful content, they’ve lost the beginning of your talk which could have carried some important points.

Why have three openings? It’s like an opening batsman on whom very often the whole innings rests; deciding to slog from the first ball onwards or slowly build a respectable foundation; it all depends on who the bowler is that he is going to face, and also the pitch. Only when he goes in to bat will he know what type of bowling he is going to face.

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Talking isn’t a skill you are taught in school or college; and yet it’s your only tool to have your opinion expressed and voice heard. Did you know that one out of every three teenagers is afraid to speak in front of people? This is one of the commonest phobias out there. You’re at an age and stage where you want to make friends, speak up in the classroom, discuss projects, and seek a career. Do these worrisome thoughts ever cross your mind when you’re about to speak up?

• “My friends will think I’m not smart enough.”
• “My idea might not be acknowledged.”
• “This interviewer will think I am an idiot.”
• “How come I don’t know how to keep conversations?”
• “It will be embarrassing, because I’ll look like a fool.”

The most eloquent of public speakers can also get nervous and fumble from time to time. Nobody expects you to be forever witty and all knowing. Maybe you had a bad experience earlier and felt humiliated; possibly you had an unsupportive class or friend group or you’re simply an over-perfectionist who feels incompetent with the smallest social setback. The truth is, speaking publicly in front of people is important; and small simple techniques can make you shine with or without the spotlight on you.

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If you are like most people, speaking in public sends shivers down your spine. Many of you would like to avoid this problem entirely by finding some excuses. Whether we study or work, we will need to speak in public to get certain tasks accomplished or make our ideas heard. It could be your project presentation in class or doing a welcome speech at the School Annual Day functions or it could be attending an interview, eventually you will have to face the music. It’s also difficult to get very far, either professionally or socially, without being able to speak well in public.

Research shows that public speaking is the number one fear for most people and death is number two! So, at a funeral, many people would rather be the one in the coffin than the one who has to give the eulogy! From sweaty palms to cracking voices, speaking publicly can be terrifying, yet it is a crucial skill to be acquired. The truth about public speaking, however, is that it does not have to be stressful. If you rightly understand the hidden causes of public speaking stress, and if you keep just a few key principles in mind, speaking in public will soon become a fulfilling experience for you. Public speaking can be scary the first few times, but people who speak often have a few tricks that help improve their performance. They know how to prepare a winning speech, deliver it with maximum impact, and leave a lasting impression on the audience.

Although I am now as comfortable with a microphone on stage as I am in my own living room, that wasn’t always true. To be honest, until only a few years ago, I was petrified to talk in front of any sized group. Today, I love to teach/train, talk at Toastmaster clubs, church groups and other social groups. So what has changed? Did I take any medication before heading out to speak? No. My beliefs changed, and a whole new world of opportunities opened up for me.

When you ask people what they fear most about giving a speech, they list any number of reasons like lack of confidence, low self-esteem, nervousness, fear of audience, etc. But most people are concerned about what will the audience think about me or what if I forget my speech? Honestly, most of these fears are created in your imagination, and you hold it in your mind as if it is true.

Just like cycling, swimming and dancing, public speaking is a skill. And the fact is; skills are learned. Recall your first attempt at running (leg muscle pains) or swimming (probably you almost drowned). It’s the same for public speaking. You lose your voice, you stammer, you see white clouds instead of faces, and so on. But these are all first-step jitters. Anything afterwards is easy. When you run or swim, your first wind exhausts you so much that you feel you can’t move an inch more. But if you hang on a bit longer, you’ll feel new surge of unstoppable energy. That’s true for all skills, including public speaking.

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How you sound can be as important as what you say. A pleasant voice brings your words to life and may put more money in your pockets.

A Duke University study found that CEOs with lower-pitched voices ran larger companies, earned more money, and held onto their jobs longer. No wonder business executives and celebrities often work with vocal coaches.

Even if your time and funds are limited, you can turn your voice into an asset. Take a look at these simple practices to help you polish your speech.

Caring for your voice

1. Breathe deeply.
Breathing from your diaphragm instead of your chest will help you to project your voice and give you more confidence. At the same time, relaxing your mouth and throat gives you greater control.

2. Develop resonance.
Humming is an easy way to warm up your voice. The lower you go into your chest, the more powerful you’ll sound.

3. Avoid strain.
Swallowing is gentler than coughing when you need to clear your throat. Keep irritants like alcohol, smoke and dairy products to a minimum. Rest your voice if you find that you’ve overdone it by talking too long or too loudly.

4. Pace yourself.
Rapid speech is great if you’re a race track announcer. Otherwise, try breaking your thoughts down into phrases just long enough so that you can say them comfortably with a single breath.

PLUS!

• Connecting with your audience
• More tips for dynamic speaking

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At some point in their lives, it is likely that everyone will be required to speak to a small or large audience. From hosting events to making presentations in school or college, public speaking forms an essential part of an individual’s life. Apart from this, the need for public speaking can arise in our day-to-day lives, be it speaking at a family event or maybe speaking at a debating competition or for a class assignment.

Often people are afraid of speaking in public and it is said that the fear of public speaking in some people outstands the fear of death! We think that the audience judges us by the way we speak which is why public speaking leaves a person anxious and nervous. However, this fear can be overcome with different techniques and regular practice.

Importance of public speaking

Public speaking is one of those things which, if you can master it, will make your life much easier and will make you a confident person in any field. It will help you gain preference over others in a competitive environment. Public speaking also involves good communication and persuasion skills which are highly valued in all areas.
Improving your public speaking skills can boost your self-confidence. You can put your points forward clearly and quickly, and inform, motivate and win over an audience. Leadership skills are also greatly reflected in a good public speaker.

Strategies to improve public speaking skills

1. Prepare thoroughly
The first step is to be clear about what you want to speak about and what points you want to focus on. It is important to prepare your speech with clarity of thought because if you don’t understand it, your audience won’t either. Preparation includes structuring the speech and identifying points of interest to the target audience.

2. Watch videos of good speakers
Many videos by great speakers can be found online. Watch them and you will notice their strategies, ways of speaking and what makes them good speakers. It will help you to know where to pause and how to win the attention of the audience.

Former U.S. President Barrack Obama, Dananjaya Hettiarachchi (winner of public speaking championship), Dr Vivek Bindra, Sandeep Maheshwari are a few noteworthy speakers. You can also check out the TedX channel on YouTube for more great speakers.

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