Public speaking, also called oratory or oration, has traditionally meant the act of speaking face to face to a live audience. The truth is that speaking in public is a skill. And you can learn any skill. It just takes some know-how and some effort. The good news is that speaking in public is a learnable skill. In fact, according to virtual speech, being a clear and effective public speaker is important.
Purpose of Public Speaking:
The function of public speaking depends entirely on what effect a speaker intends when addressing a particular audience. The same speaker, with the same strategic intention, might deliver a substantially different speech to two different audiences. The point is to change something, in the hearts, minds, or actions of the audience.
Despite its name, public speaking is frequently delivered to a closed, limited audience with a broadly common outlook. Audiences may be ardent fans of the speaker; they may be hostile (attending an event unwillingly, or out of spite); or they may be random strangers (indifferent to a speaker on a soapbox in the street). All the same, effective speakers remember that even a small audience is not one single mass with a single point of view but a variety of individuals.
As a broad generalization, public speaking seeks either to reassure a troubled audience, or to awaken a complacent audience to something important. Having decided which of these approaches is needed, a speaker will then combine information and storytelling in the way most likely to achieve it.
How to improve your skill:
1.Work from an outline:
A brief outline can serve to jog your memory and keep you on task. The first thing you’ll want to do is work on writing a well-organized, engaging speech. We imagine forgetting every point we want to make to avoid first outlining the topic and give examples to make us understand.2.Read and connect:
By maintaining eye contact with the audience, you keep the focus on yourself and your message. Even if you’re not afraid of speaking in public, practice helps you give a more effective speech. Visualize giving a successful presentation and imagine how you’ll feel once it’s over and when you’ve made a positive difference for others.3.Omit nervous gestures:
Good delivery does not call attention to itself, but instead conveys the speaker’s ideas clearly and without distraction. Fear of public speaking is very real and can hold you back if you let it. As such, you are able to become a better speaker and presenter.4.Grab attention:
Conclude your speech with a summary and a strong statement that your audience is sure to remember. You’ve written a good speech. You feel more confident about giving a speech in public, and you’ve practiced. Stand up straight, take deep breaths, look people in the eye, and smile.5.Use Audiovisual:
They should enhance or clarify your content, or capture and maintain your audience’s attention. Your slide design needs to be on point. You’ll want to make sure it looks professional and is easy to read. You can improve your speaking skills dramatically by watching yourself later, and then working on improving in areas that didn’t go well.
The fear of speaking Glossophobia:
The fear of speaking in public, known as Glossophobia or public speaking anxiety, is often mentioned as one of the most common phobias. The reason is uncertain, but it has been seen that this condition is normal as well as primal, like how animals fear being seen by predators. However, the apprehension experienced when speaking in public can have a number of causes, such as social anxiety disorder or a prior experience of public humiliation.Public Speaking used in modern times:
New technology has also opened different forms of public speaking that are non-traditional such as TED Talks, which are conferences that are broadcast globally. This form of public speaking has created a wider audience base because public speaking can now reach both physical and virtual audiences. YouTube is another platform that allows public speaking to reach a larger audience. On YouTube, people can post videos of themselves. Audiences are able to watch these videos for all types of purposes. These new forms of public speaking, which can be considered non-traditional, have opened up debates about whether these forms of public speaking are actually public speaking. Many people consider YouTube broadcasting to not be a true form of public speaking because there is not a real and physical audience. Others argue that public speaking is about getting a group of people together in order to educate them further regardless of how or where the audience is located.Ways to train yourself to be a good public speaker:
Effective public speaking can be developed by joining a club such as Rostrum, Toastmasters International, Association of Speakers Club (ASC), or Speaking Circles in which members are assigned exercises to improve their speaking skills. Members learn by observation and practice, and hone their skills by listening to constructive suggestions, followed by new public speaking exercises.