ART OF PUBLIC SPEAKING
Public speaking (sometimes termed oratory or oration) is the process or act of performing a presentation (a speech) focused around an individual direct speech to a live audience
in a structured, deliberate manner in order to inform, influence, or
entertain them. Public speaking is commonly understood as the formal,
face-to-face talking of a single person to a group of listeners. It is
closely allied to "presenting", although the latter is more often
associated with commercial activity. Most of the time, public speaking
is to persuade the audience.
In public speaking, as in any form of communication, there are five basic elements, often expressed as "who is saying what to whom using what medium with what effects?". The purpose of public speaking can range from simply transmitting information, to motivate people to act, to simply telling a story. Good orators should not only be able to engage their audience, but also be able to read them. The power of a truly great presenter is the ability to change the emotions of their listeners, not just
inform them. Public speaking can also be considered a discourse community. Interpersonal communication and public speaking have several components that embrace such things as motivational speaking, leadership/personal development, business, customer service, large group communication, and mass communication. Public speaking can be a powerful tool to use for purposes such as motivation, influence, persuasion, informing, or simply ethos.[1][clarification needed]
In current times, public speaking for business and commercial events is often done by professionals, with speakers contracted either independently, through representation by a speakers bureau paid on commission of 25–30%,[2] or via other means.
Early training in public speaking took place in ancient Egypt.[3] The first known Greek work[specify] on oratory, written over 2000 years ago, elaborated principles drawn from the practices and experience of orators in the ancient Greek city-states. In classical Greece and Rome, the main component was rhetoric (that is, composition and delivery of speeches), and was an important skill in public and private life. Aristotle and Quintilian discussed oratory, and the subject, with definitive rules and models, was emphasised as a part of a liberal arts education during the Middle Ages and Renaissance.
The art of public speaking was first developed[citation needed] by the ancient Greeks. Greek oration is known from the works of classical antiquity. Greek orators spoke, on their own behalf rather as representatives of either a client or a constituency, and so any citizen who wished to succeed in court, in politics, or in social life had to learn techniques of public speaking. These skills were taught first by a group of self-styled "sophists" who were known to charge fees, to "make the weaker argument the stronger," and to make their students "better" through instruction in excellence. Plato, Aristotle, and Socrates all developed theories of public speaking in opposition to the Sophists, and their ideas took on institutional form through the development of permanent schools where public speaking was taught. Though Greece eventually lost political sovereignty, the Greek culture of training in public speaking was adopted virtually wholesale by the Romans.
With the political rise of the Roman Republic, Roman orators copied and modified Greek techniques of public speaking. Under Roman influence, instruction in rhetoric developed into a full curriculum including instruction in grammar (study of the poets), preliminary exercises (progymnasmata), and preparation of public speeches (declamation) in both forensic and deliberative genres. The Latin style was heavily influenced by Cicero, and involved a strong emphasis on a broad education in all areas of humanistic study (in the liberal arts, including philosophy), as well as on the use of wit and humor, on appeal to the listener's emotions, and on digressions (often used to explore general themes related to the specific topic of the speech). Oratory in the Roman empire, though less central to political life than in the days of the Republic, remained important in law, and became (under the second Sophistic) an important form of entertainment, with famous orators or declaimers gaining great wealth and prestige for their skills.
This Latin style was the primary form of oration in the world until the beginning of the 20th century. After World War II there began a gradual deprecation of the Latin style of oration. With the rise of the scientific method and the emphasis on a "plain" style of speaking and writing, even formal oratory has become less polished and ornate than in the Classical period, though politicians today can still make or break their careers on the basis of a successful (or unsuccessful) speech.
Some of the greatest examples of public speaking are well known and studied years after the speech was delivered. Examples are Pericles' funeral oration in 427 B.C.E. over the dead of the Peloponnesian War; Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address in 1863, soon after Sojourner Truth's identification of racial problem in "Ain't I a Woman?" and Mahatma Gandhi's message of nonviolent resistance in India, inspiring Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech at the Washington Monument in 1963.[4] Leaders such as Martin Luther King, Jr., Winston Churchill are notable examples of effective orators who used oratory to have a significant impact on society.
The objectives of a public speaker's presentation can range from simply transmitting information, to motivating people to act, to simply telling a story. Professional public speakers often engage in ongoing training and education to refine their craft. This may include seeking guidance to improve their speaking skills—such as learning better storytelling techniques, for example, or learning how to effectively use humour as a communication tool—as well as continuous research in their topic area of focus.[citation needed]
A speaker's checklist is given in TED Talks: The Official TED Guide to Public Speaking[5] they recommend the following:
Public speaking training centers promote the idea of adapting certain
life-stances for becoming a growing orator. These life-stances are
called the 12E life stances.[citation needed]
A common fear of public speaking is called glossophobia
(or, informally, "stage fright"), this state of response by many
beginners confuse with normal nerves and anxiety with a genuine phobia.
Clubs such as National Speakers Association, Rostrum, Toastmasters International, Association of Speakers Clubs (ASC), Speaking Circles, or POWERtalk International,
provide a forum for members to develop public speaking skills through
practice and assigned exercises to tackle commonly faced obstacles
effectively.[citation needed]
The National Speakers Association (NSA) is a professional speakers' organization that supports the pursuit of public speaking as a business.[7] The organization's website says NSA provides "resources and education designed to advance the skills, integrity, and values of its members and the speaking profession".[8]
Toastmasters International, Association of Speakers Clubs (ASC) and POWERtalk International are nonprofit educational organizations that operate clubs worldwide for the purpose of helping members improve their communication, public speaking and leadership skills. Through their member clubs, Toastmasters International,[9] Association of Speakers Clubs [1], and POWERtalk International[10] help men and women learn the arts of speaking, listening, and thinking.
Rostrum Australia (formerly Australian Rostrum) is an association of Australian public speaking clubs aim to help their members improve their speaking and meeting skills. They do this primarily through regular club meetings and less frequent competitions.
The Sikh Youth Alliance of North America organizes the annual Sikh Youth Symposium, a public speaking competition for Sikh youth to foster the rise of the next generation of Sikh leaders.
The use of public speaking in the form of oral presentations is common in higher education,[11] and it is increasingly recognised as a means of assessment.[12]
The National Catholic Forensics League (NCFL) is an organization with a similar structure and purpose as the NFL, however it is a national competition between Catholic high schools in the United States. In recent years, the NCFL has allowed public high schools to also complete. Stoa, NCFCA, and a number of other organizations serve the growing homeschool forensics community.
Several states also have state and local organizations generally unaffiliated with the two national leagues. These organizations frequently offer additional events which are unavailable within either the NFL or NCFL.
Rostrum Australia’s Student Development Program for Secondary School Students also contributes to the welfare and personal growth of Australian Youth through the conduct of the annual Rostrum Voice of Youth Student Development Program and Speaking Competition. Rostrum has organised this competition since 1975. Rostrum Voice of Youth is open to all high school students. It involves a prepared speech and an impromptu speech.
There is a continued stress being placed on both public and private educational institutions to incorporate more public speaking courses into their curriculum. This emphasizes the importance of making a sound argument at young age. Studies have been conducted that suggest that high-school students may not be receiving effective instruction in public speaking, which would benefit them academically, personally, and professionally.
In public speaking, as in any form of communication, there are five basic elements, often expressed as "who is saying what to whom using what medium with what effects?". The purpose of public speaking can range from simply transmitting information, to motivate people to act, to simply telling a story. Good orators should not only be able to engage their audience, but also be able to read them. The power of a truly great presenter is the ability to change the emotions of their listeners, not just
inform them. Public speaking can also be considered a discourse community. Interpersonal communication and public speaking have several components that embrace such things as motivational speaking, leadership/personal development, business, customer service, large group communication, and mass communication. Public speaking can be a powerful tool to use for purposes such as motivation, influence, persuasion, informing, or simply ethos.[1][clarification needed]
In current times, public speaking for business and commercial events is often done by professionals, with speakers contracted either independently, through representation by a speakers bureau paid on commission of 25–30%,[2] or via other means.
Early training in public speaking took place in ancient Egypt.[3] The first known Greek work[specify] on oratory, written over 2000 years ago, elaborated principles drawn from the practices and experience of orators in the ancient Greek city-states. In classical Greece and Rome, the main component was rhetoric (that is, composition and delivery of speeches), and was an important skill in public and private life. Aristotle and Quintilian discussed oratory, and the subject, with definitive rules and models, was emphasised as a part of a liberal arts education during the Middle Ages and Renaissance.
The art of public speaking was first developed[citation needed] by the ancient Greeks. Greek oration is known from the works of classical antiquity. Greek orators spoke, on their own behalf rather as representatives of either a client or a constituency, and so any citizen who wished to succeed in court, in politics, or in social life had to learn techniques of public speaking. These skills were taught first by a group of self-styled "sophists" who were known to charge fees, to "make the weaker argument the stronger," and to make their students "better" through instruction in excellence. Plato, Aristotle, and Socrates all developed theories of public speaking in opposition to the Sophists, and their ideas took on institutional form through the development of permanent schools where public speaking was taught. Though Greece eventually lost political sovereignty, the Greek culture of training in public speaking was adopted virtually wholesale by the Romans.
With the political rise of the Roman Republic, Roman orators copied and modified Greek techniques of public speaking. Under Roman influence, instruction in rhetoric developed into a full curriculum including instruction in grammar (study of the poets), preliminary exercises (progymnasmata), and preparation of public speeches (declamation) in both forensic and deliberative genres. The Latin style was heavily influenced by Cicero, and involved a strong emphasis on a broad education in all areas of humanistic study (in the liberal arts, including philosophy), as well as on the use of wit and humor, on appeal to the listener's emotions, and on digressions (often used to explore general themes related to the specific topic of the speech). Oratory in the Roman empire, though less central to political life than in the days of the Republic, remained important in law, and became (under the second Sophistic) an important form of entertainment, with famous orators or declaimers gaining great wealth and prestige for their skills.
This Latin style was the primary form of oration in the world until the beginning of the 20th century. After World War II there began a gradual deprecation of the Latin style of oration. With the rise of the scientific method and the emphasis on a "plain" style of speaking and writing, even formal oratory has become less polished and ornate than in the Classical period, though politicians today can still make or break their careers on the basis of a successful (or unsuccessful) speech.
Some of the greatest examples of public speaking are well known and studied years after the speech was delivered. Examples are Pericles' funeral oration in 427 B.C.E. over the dead of the Peloponnesian War; Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address in 1863, soon after Sojourner Truth's identification of racial problem in "Ain't I a Woman?" and Mahatma Gandhi's message of nonviolent resistance in India, inspiring Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech at the Washington Monument in 1963.[4] Leaders such as Martin Luther King, Jr., Winston Churchill are notable examples of effective orators who used oratory to have a significant impact on society.
The objectives of a public speaker's presentation can range from simply transmitting information, to motivating people to act, to simply telling a story. Professional public speakers often engage in ongoing training and education to refine their craft. This may include seeking guidance to improve their speaking skills—such as learning better storytelling techniques, for example, or learning how to effectively use humour as a communication tool—as well as continuous research in their topic area of focus.[citation needed]
A speaker's checklist is given in TED Talks: The Official TED Guide to Public Speaking[5] they recommend the following:
- Consider fear and anxiety as a motivation force to ebb through circumstances with acceptance.
- Try to make eye contact right from the start.
- Breathe in and out meditatively to reduce the overwhelm.
- Include humor to disarm the tension within the audience towards the subject. But no offensive jokes or corny puns.
- Drinking water avoids mouth getting dry from adrenalin and avoiding an empty stomach reduces anxiety.
- Keeping a coherence with topic and the content, a relatable language will make audience understandable. Avoid over-preparing and under-preparing.
- Always try to have a good ending and don't commit to public speaking with the intend to meander, being authentic is what people respond to.
- Keep a backup plan like notes or scripts if the presentation technology goes wrong.
- It is better to avoid attempts to get applause, it can be quickly identified by the audience and would be aversive. "It is not about the speaker, but the idea the speaker is passionate about and it is to be on service of that idea."
- Repress engaging the audience with any organizational history, highlight the good work the organization is doing and the power of the ideas and the change it is bringing forth.(Contextual)
| 6 I's of Credibility | |
|---|---|
| Ideation | Be creative in presenting the idea |
| Information | Bring out new and decision driving facts |
| Influence | Be charismatic with show of confidence |
| Integrity | Be authentic and build a trust through the first half of the session |
| Impact | Identify and present a memorable delivery to root the message |
| Ignition | Call out to action, if required (E.g. Funding, Social Action, Proselytisation ...etc.) |
| 12E | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Examine | Examine how is one's life process. (E.g. SWOT analysis, Johari window) |
| Exchange | Let go of small conveniences as an exchange for greater good. |
| Exercise | Exercise skills and widen the depth of information to address areas. |
| Express | Expressing one's belief in their dream through integrity in oration. |
| Expect | Expect oppositions and failure. |
| Expose | Expose one's way of working (ability in oration) and use opportunities for it. |
| Extract | Extract and personalize every positive principles and knowledge. |
| Exclude | Exclude negative thinkers that opposes orator's ambition. |
| Exceed | Exceed normal exceptions through review and restructuring. |
| Exhibit | Exhibit confidence in your objective and areas of oration. |
| Explore | Explore all possibilities and different fields of oration. |
| Extend | Extend a helping hand to those in the field of oration. |
Tools
Even though the basic principles have undergone modification as societies and cultures have changed, yet remained surprisingly uniform. The technology and the methods of this form of communication have traditionally been through oratory structure and rely on an audience. However, new advances in technology have allowed for more sophisticated communication for speakers and public orators. The technological and media sources that assist the public-speaking atmosphere include both videoconferencing and telecommunications. Videoconferencing is among one of the more recent technologies that is in a way revolutionizing the way that public speakers communicate to the masses. David M. Fetterman of Stanford University wrote in his 1997 article Videoconferencing over the Internet: "Videoconferencing technology allows geographically disparate parties to hear and see each other usually through satellite or telephone communication systems". This technology is helpful for large conference meetings and face-to-face communication contexts, and is becoming more widespread across the world.[citation needed] Rostrums hold papers for speakers. Public speakers may use audience response systems. For large assemblies, the speaker will usually speak with the aid of a public address system or microphone and loudspeaker. The use of head mounted displays such as Google Cardboard, a virtual reality platform in which users immerse in a variety of realistic environments and can train accordingly is a new resource utilized.[6]National and international organizations
Non-Scholastic
The National Communication Association (NCA) exists to assist professional communicators – both marketplace and academic. At the annual convention, many presentations address the concerns central to effective public speaking.The National Speakers Association (NSA) is a professional speakers' organization that supports the pursuit of public speaking as a business.[7] The organization's website says NSA provides "resources and education designed to advance the skills, integrity, and values of its members and the speaking profession".[8]
Toastmasters International, Association of Speakers Clubs (ASC) and POWERtalk International are nonprofit educational organizations that operate clubs worldwide for the purpose of helping members improve their communication, public speaking and leadership skills. Through their member clubs, Toastmasters International,[9] Association of Speakers Clubs [1], and POWERtalk International[10] help men and women learn the arts of speaking, listening, and thinking.
Rostrum Australia (formerly Australian Rostrum) is an association of Australian public speaking clubs aim to help their members improve their speaking and meeting skills. They do this primarily through regular club meetings and less frequent competitions.
The Sikh Youth Alliance of North America organizes the annual Sikh Youth Symposium, a public speaking competition for Sikh youth to foster the rise of the next generation of Sikh leaders.
Intercollegiate
The National Forensic Association (NFA), American Forensics Association (AFA), and Phi Rho Pi are three national organizations within the United States which sponsor competitive public speaking on the undergraduate level. Events within the three organizations fall into four categories: Public Address, Limited Preparation, Interpretation, and Debate. The Public Address events include Informative Speaking, Persuasive Speaking, Rhetorical Criticism (also known at Communication Analysis), and After Dinner Speaking; the Limited Preparation events include Impromptu Speaking and Extemporaneous Speaking; and the interpretation events include Poetry, Prose, Dramatic Interpretation, Dramatic Duo Interpretation (in which at least one dramatic piece is presented by two speakers working together), and Programmed Oral Interpretation (in which speakers use material from multiple genres with a common theme). The Debate events include Lincoln-Douglas Debate, Policy Debate, and Parliamentary Debate. The International Forensics Association (IFA) is an American body whose competitors hail from colleges and universities within the United States.The use of public speaking in the form of oral presentations is common in higher education,[11] and it is increasingly recognised as a means of assessment.[12]
High School
The National Forensic League (NFL) is an organization with a similar structure and purpose to the NFA and AFA, but serves as the national organization within the United States for competitors in high school. For Public Address, the NFL sponsors Original Oratory and Expository. Extemporaneous speaking is split into two events, International (Foreign) Extemp, and United States (Domestic) Extemp, and Extemp Commentary is offered at the national tournament as a supplemental event, while Impromptu Speaking and Storytelling are offered limited preparation consolatory events. In addition to the interpretation events offered by NFA and AFA, the NFL also sponsors Humorous Interpretation. The debate formats sponsored by the NFL include Policy Debate (Cross-Examination), Lincoln-Douglas Debate, Public Forum Debate, and Student Congress.The National Catholic Forensics League (NCFL) is an organization with a similar structure and purpose as the NFL, however it is a national competition between Catholic high schools in the United States. In recent years, the NCFL has allowed public high schools to also complete. Stoa, NCFCA, and a number of other organizations serve the growing homeschool forensics community.
Several states also have state and local organizations generally unaffiliated with the two national leagues. These organizations frequently offer additional events which are unavailable within either the NFL or NCFL.
Rostrum Australia’s Student Development Program for Secondary School Students also contributes to the welfare and personal growth of Australian Youth through the conduct of the annual Rostrum Voice of Youth Student Development Program and Speaking Competition. Rostrum has organised this competition since 1975. Rostrum Voice of Youth is open to all high school students. It involves a prepared speech and an impromptu speech.
There is a continued stress being placed on both public and private educational institutions to incorporate more public speaking courses into their curriculum. This emphasizes the importance of making a sound argument at young age. Studies have been conducted that suggest that high-school students may not be receiving effective instruction in public speaking, which would benefit them academically, personally, and professionally.
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