Ways to improve your public speaking - The art of winning over your audience

[Voice-over]
Thursday morning. Both Fred and Anna have to present their research projects.

[Dialogues]
Fred : One, two, one. Can you hear me?
Fred : "Je vous ai compris!"

[Voice-over]
Fred couldn’t be happier. Finally, he gets to do something where he can just give free rein to his natural charisma.

[Dialogues]
Fred : You know... The end isn't starting, nor is the beginning, and even less is the start starting.
Fred : “I have a dream”.
Fred : “Ich bin ein Berliner“.
Fred : Is it me, or... is that a lawnmower?

[Voice-over]
For Anna, on the other hand, presentations are a nightmare.
She panics, stutters, hyperventilates, and stops just short of passing out every single time.

[Dialogues]
Anna : I will now conclude by citing Darwin: ”It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is most adaptable to change”. Thank you.

[Voice-over]
Anna, Fred, let’s get real. No one becomes a great speaker overnight. 

That said, if you are someone who enjoys going to the dentist more than speaking in public, you can take steps to make the experience more bearable, or even to shine.

First, to be able to speak with ease, you need to have a firm grasp of your topic, be confident in your knowledge, and be well prepared.
The best way not to get booed is to immerse yourself in your topic and to really know what you’re talking about.
If the substance of what you want to say is clear to you, it will be easier to find the right way to say it (the right form). Keep in mind that you can use flashcards to prompt you during your presentation. Write keywords on them to help you keep from getting sidetracked while you speak.

Second, when you prepare an oral presentation, don’t forget that your body will be speaking at the same time as you.

To make sure that what you say and how you say it match up, take a cue from great speakers and pay attention to the following elements:

•	your voice: adjust the volume of your voice to the size of the room, but without yelling or pushing your voice too much. You want to make sure that you can be heard even in the last row.
•	eye contact: don’t hide behind your computer or your papers! Look at your audience! They are the ones you are talking to. If you can’t look at each person individually, your gaze should sweep over the entire audience.
•	your breathing: take the time to pause at the end of each sentence so that you can breathe. These pauses let you catch your breath and give the audience time to reflect and to take notes if necessary.
•	the position of your body: choose a stance that you feel confident in. For example, standing, with your feet firmly planted, shoulders back, chest open, and turned towards your audience. You can also sit down or station yourself behind a podium. Find the posture that puts you most at ease and relax.
•	your gestures: beware of distracting gestures that may take attention away from what you’re saying.

Remember that to get your audience’s attention, you have to show them respect, so
•	smile: that will get you off to a good start and make communicating easier
•	be clear and logical: structure your presentation
•	be precise and concise: choose your words carefully
•	vary your intonation: then you won’t sound monotonous and you’ll be able to stress important words.

Finally, if your name is not Charles de Gaulle, Martin Luther King, Jr. or John Fitzgerald Kennedy, you should rehearse, like they do in the theater. Ask a friend to play the role of the audience. Do a dress rehearsal—that’s the best way to get your timing down; nothing is more frustrating than having to end your presentation in a rush. Rehearsing also has excellent calming effects. It’s a way to reduce stress and let go of your nervousness, provided you give yourself enough time and you take the process seriously.

One last thing—you are allowed to enjoy yourself! This is the occasion, after all, for you to share what you’ve learned and to reap the rewards of all those hours of work.

[Dialogues]
Anna : So how was your presentation?
Fred : Fan-tastic. The audience was dead, but fantastic.
Anna : You’re lucky.
Fred : No, I just have talent.
Anna : That’s true.