Page 75 - Between One and Many The Art and Science of Public Speaking

42 Part 1 Foundations

Presenting Your Speech

There’s a story told about the great speaker of ancient Greece, Demosthenes,
who said that the fi rst, second, and third most important things in rhetoric were—
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delivery, delivery, and delivery. Although the story is probably apocryphal, it
does illustrate the importance of effective delivery. No matter how well thought
out your speech, or how many hours you put in at the library, or how elegant
your outline, unless the speech is effectively presented, your message will not
have its desired impact. In Chapter 11 we deal at length with the nature of de-
livery, including the important functions nonverbal communication serves for
a speaker. In the meantime, the following guidelines will help you present your
beginning speeches.
Keep in mind that you have three tools as a public speaker: your voice, your
face and eyes, and your body. If you manage these effectively, you will be able to get
your message across to your audience.

Use Your Voice Effectively

How you use your voice is critical to effective communication. Some basic guide-
lines will enable you to speak most effectively.

Speak Conversationally
Think of public speaking as heightened conversation. Don’t attempt to emulate
political orators: Most audiences are put off by their techniques. Speak as you
do in conversation, but enlarge your voice suffi ciently to be heard by all in the
room. Avoid shouting. This not only strains your voice but can alienate your au-
dience. It is certainly appropriate and even advisable to ask those in the back of
the room if they can hear you, should there be any doubt.

Vary Your Voice

Nothing is more deadly to a speech than a monotone voice. Vary the rate at
which you speak, the pitch (high or low) at which you speak, and the volume
(loudness). The goal is to present your speech enthusiastically, sincerely, and en-
ergetically. Let the audience know you care about your topic and them.

Use Your Face and Eyes Effectively

The face is one of the most complex and expressive parts of our anatomy, capable
of communicating thousands of messages. Use your facial expression to rein-
force your verbal message. The eyes, in particular, convey a great deal. Consider
a person who gazes at you without pause. This will tend to make you uncomfort-
able. On the other hand, in our North American culture, a person who refuses
to look at us communicates a negative message. (In some other cultures, such as
certain Asian societies, no such negative message is communicated by avoiding
eye contact.) As a speaker communicating to a North American audience, there-
fore, maintain eye contact. This does not mean staring at just one portion of the