How to speak in front of an audience advice for beginners. Psychology of eloquence or how to learn to speak in front of an audience

AT modern world any educated person must be able to speak in front of an audience. It will help in work, study, career, in and search for yourself. To give a lecture, to make a report, to express your opinion in public, to participate in a stage act, should not be a problem. But, unfortunately, it is. Why are so many people afraid public speaking?
This is due to the fear of public shame. It seems that everyone will look at you, they will evaluate you, draw conclusions about your intellectual level. And if something does not work out, then everyone will discuss it.
Many people who are sociable in the family circle do not know how to speak in public. They know this and try to compensate for their public insecurities at home. Conversely, taciturn people can be excellent speakers.

How do you learn how to successfully speak in front of an audience?

1. Preparing for the performance

The better you know your text, the easier it is for you to speak. Write a speech, memorize it, and rehearse it in front of a mirror. Enthusiasm and interest in the subject of speech always makes an excellent impression on the audience.

2. Confidence

Constantly work on yourself. The more you know, the more confident you will be in front of an audience.

3. Pre-performance workouts

Try to read your report alone close person. Just do not lie on the couch, but try to reproduce future environment. Read standing behind the podium, and let the listener sit and carefully watch you.

4. Self-hypnosis

Tell yourself that you will succeed. Mentally imagine the future event in the smallest detail: how are you dressed, who is listening to you, what is happening in the hall? Every detail is very important. Try to visualize your speech.

5. Calm

Try, periodically, monitor the correctness of breathing. Breathe deeply before performing. Don't think that you are performing in public. Think only about your report. You can find one person in the audience. And read as if to him alone.

Successfully performing in front of an audience is an art that requires constant practice. Don't be afraid to do something wrong, don't think about failure. If only thoughts of failure are in your head, then imagine the worst. Relive the shame in your thoughts. Believe that nothing terrible happened, you can move on.
The less you focus on your performance in front of an audience, the more successful it will be!

The ability to speak publicly is necessary today for almost every working person, this is especially true for managers different levels. Psychologists note: there are practically no people who, in principle, are not capable of public speaking. The main reason for public speaking failures is inner fear which must be overcome.

Confidence in business life directly depends on the ability of a person to clearly express his desires and beliefs.

And the practice of public speaking helps to gain that confidence.

The powerful tension that arises in the vast majority of people before public speaking is primarily due to self-doubt and internal complexes. A person who is used to communicating in a dialogue mode with one person or in a small company with several people suddenly finds himself in front of a large and incomprehensible audience for him, from communication with which you can get anything you want.

The main advice that almost all psychologists give is: try to perceive your future listeners not as a hostile force, but as friends who will always help you. You need to start preparing for the performance in advance.

Consciousness of fear.

speak before large audience everyone is afraid. Stay inside the imaginary situation of speaking for one or two minutes, and then ask yourself how you feel - the joy of being given a podium, indifference, or tension bordering on fear. If you are honest with yourself, you will find that your body is slightly tense, that you feel discomfort and muscle clamps in any muscle groups and bodily zones, and your breathing has increased significantly. The absence of these and other similar signs most likely means that you have not been able to go deep into such an imaginary situation. Try not only to realize the presence of fear, but also to see its muscular “pattern”.

To freedom through relaxation.

Train in the ability to quickly and easily relax all parts of your body, including those areas of it that regularly tense up with just one mental picture public speaking. There are many relaxation techniques described in many books on autogenic training and psycho-training, which you can master on your own. Having achieved total relaxation with the help of mental psycho-training, transfer this image to the picture of your public speech. Try to imagine and really feel that you are completely free from the fear and tension that binds you.

positive direction of thought.

Learn to think about the upcoming public speaking with pleasure, realizing that you are defeating yourself and overcoming internal barrier. Make pleasure not just a mental attitude, but a real living experience, the energy of which is palpable throughout your being, including your body.

The perfect speaker.

Mentally enter the image of a bright, brilliant speaker, whose speech flows absolutely freely. Of course, this should not be empty chatter without the participation of the soul and heart. Remember the feeling of freedom and pleasure that this fantasy gives you, and then try to bring this mental image into your real behavior and speech.

Eloquence training in life situations.

Start practicing your public speaking art by practicing new role and images in small groups, among friends and acquaintances, learning to tell interesting stories and riveting the attention of listeners to yourself for as long as possible, all the time throwing it into it, like firewood into a fire, new information and the energy of your interest in the listeners.

Work on intonation.

Try to make your intonation richer and more emotionally saturated - after all, it is an indicator of your true attitude to what you just talked about. If you say that you are very interested in something, but at the same time your intonation is boring and inexpressive, none of the listeners will simply believe you.

obedient body.

Consciously work on your body as you communicate. Watch how you move, what postures you most often take in communication, how your communication partners react to them, what movements and gestures you like to make. Develop your own repertoire of postures, movements and gestures that will allow you to successfully balance between charm and security during public speaking.

Flexibility in communication.

Remember one of the rules of life that Leo Tolstoy set for himself in his youth: do not miss a single insult or taunt in your address without immediately responding to it doubly sharply and decisively. Try to imagine that a word, especially a sharp and sharp one, is a kind of ball that you need to be able to throw and catch effectively and accurately. Learn to do this with a resilient grace in the most ordinary communication, and it will help you in extreme communication, which to some extent can be attributed to public speaking.

And the American psychologist, Image Specialist, Lillian Brown gives interesting recommendations:

“Before speaking, it is useful to make a checklist, similar to those used by airline pilots, noting important points before departure."

Your personal list may contain something like the following:

in perfect order

correct posture

high level

And the most famous public speaking expert, Dale Carnegie, in his book How to Build Self-Confidence and Influence People by Speaking in Public, teaches effective public speaking techniques. According to experiments conducted by the Carnegie Institute of Technology, human personality plays a significant role big role in his business success than deep knowledge. This truth is also true in the field of oratory. However, the personality is so elusive, intangible and mysterious that it is almost impossible to give directions as to its development. However, the following recommendations, in the opinion of the author, will certainly help the speaker to achieve the best success.

1. Don't perform when you're tired. Relax, restore your strength, accumulate a reserve of energy in yourself.

2. Eat in moderation before a performance.

3. Don't do anything that would suppress your energy. She possesses magnetic properties. People flock around an energetic speaker like wild geese around a field of winter wheat.

4. Dress neatly and gracefully. The knowledge that you are well dressed increases self-esteem, strengthens self-confidence. If a speaker has baggy trousers, dirty shoes, uncombed hair, if a pen and pencils stick out of his breast pocket, or if a woman has a tasteless, overflowing bag, then listeners will probably feel as little respect for the speaker as he does. probably experiencing for himself.

5. Smile. Come out in front of the audience with a facial expression that should say that you are glad to be in front of them. Professor Overstreet says, "Like begets like." “If we are interested in our listeners, then there is reason to believe that they will also be interested in us ... Very often, even before we begin to speak, we are blamed or approved. Therefore, there is every reason to believe that by our behavior we seek to cause a positive reaction".

6. Bring the audience together. It is very difficult to influence them if they are scattered in different places. As a member of a compact audience, a person will laugh, applaud, and approve of things that would cause him doubts or objections if he were alone or one of a group of listeners scattered in a large hall.

7. If you are speaking to a small group of listeners, then gather them in a small room. Do not stand on a raised platform, but go down to the same level with them. Make your presentation intimate, informal, turn it into a conversation.

8. Make sure that the air in the hall is fresh.

9. Light up the room as much as possible. Stand so that the light falls directly into your face and so that the audience can clearly see all its features.

10. Do not stand behind any piece of furniture. Move tables and chairs to one side. Remove all the ugly items and junk that often fill the scene.

11. If invited guests are sitting on the stage, then they will surely move from time to time, and every time they make the slightest movement, they will surely attract the attention of your listeners. The audience cannot resist the temptation to look at any moving object, animal or person. So why do you create difficulties and competition for yourself?

The practice acquired in the course of performances can be used in daily activities: possession oratory will help to better convince management and colleagues, to prove their point of view. Therefore, those who want to stop being afraid should start performing. According to experts, only the first five times are difficult. And if you do not overcome yourself, then you will have to be afraid all your life. Of course, excitement will always be present, and this is good, because excitement tones up, but fear will go away. And success will take its place!

Even if you assume you'll never be a conference speaker, public speaking skills will still come in handy. Without vocational training it is equally difficult to speak at a meeting in front of colleagues, and at the presentation of the project to investors, and at an evening meetup in a tent city. Good news that public speaking can be learned.

Why are you performing

Motivation. Before preparing for any speech, the main thing is to understand why this company and you personally. Speakers usually want to upgrade their skills, increase visibility or raise their authority. Think about what your employer needs this report for and what the manual ultimately wants. This will clarify the purpose and help determine the content of the speech.

The purpose of the speech There are two types: informative and stimulating. In the first case, we share experience, expertise, news, in the second case, we encourage the audience to take action. It is easier to prepare an informative speech. But, as a rule, it is less incendiary and the benefit for the speaker is not obvious. Incentive is more important for promoting a business, a product, increasing audience loyalty and attracting new customers, so prepare such speeches more often.

The audience. Find out in advance for whom you will perform: what is the gender, age, profession of the audience. Find out why people will come to you as a speaker and what they want to get. The better you understand the motives of the audience, the more interesting performance you can prepare. Try to highlight all the issues that concern people in the hall. So the report will be relevant from the first to the last word.

Respect the audience. People could spend their time on more important or urgent matters, but instead they listen to you. Time is an irreplaceable resource, so make your presentation as useful as possible.

What will you tell

Scheme. Always build your speech according to a single scheme: introduction, body and conclusion. How to allocate time, decide depending on the "warmth" of the audience. If you're speaking in front of a large room at a conference where most people don't know you, stick to a 20/60/20 ratio. If you have a meeting at work or a report in an interest club where all participants are familiar, take 5% of the total time for introduction and conclusion. Leave the rest to the main question.

Introduction. The ideal introduction contains a welcome, introduction, thanks, and short review. The less the audience knows about you, the more detailed your business card should be. You should tell who you are, what and how long you have been doing and what your expertise in the topic of the speech is.

Gratitude brings the speaker and the audience closer, adds warmth and goodwill. Even the banal “Thank you for coming” works well if you speak from the heart. If you feel that sincerely it will not work out, omit gratitude so as not to speak with a stretch.

Then tell us about the purpose of the speech, what issues you plan to touch on and why they are important. It grabs the attention of the listeners, makes them put things aside and listen to you.

Main part. Give the content enough time, because that's what the listeners came for. Determine key idea which you will deliver. If there are several, select the main one, and discard the non-essential ones. Imagine that you are being asked about the topic of your speech in an elevator. What do you think? Do you have time to convey the main idea in a nutshell?

Prepare a summary of the speech in advance, because speaking impromptu is difficult. The speaker may lose his mind or go off topic. When the main theses are at hand, you can check the text and continue.

Prepare a structured report. So it will be easier for the listeners to understand the meaning, and for you to tell. The structure will help you see the logic of the story, find weak spots and eliminate them before the performance.

Work on your presentation separately. The size of the text and pictures should correspond to the area of the hall. Think about how it will look from the last rows. Try to write as little as possible and show more. Replace Text visual images or numbers that will help listeners quickly read the information they need.

If you are using finished presentation from past performances, check its relevance. Look for typos and errors, delete unnecessary slides. Do not show a presentation with incorrect data. Even worse - do not correct them on old slides, but only pronounce them orally.

Conclusion. Speakers often believe that if they spoke in detail about everything at the beginning, then it is not necessary to draw general conclusions. But it's not. Information repeated three times, people will remember better. So let me know key idea, opening the speech, then - in the main part, and then at the end.

Be sure to explain in motivational reports what to do next with this information and how to apply it in life. For example, if you are talking about an IT product, give a promo code to download the free version.

How will you perform

Perception of information. Inexperienced speakers think that the most important thing is what they will talk about. But in fact, more important - how. American psychologist Albert Mehrabyan back in the 60s that a speech is perceived according to the 7/38/55 scheme: 7% is information, words, 38% is voice, 55% is body language. The success of a speaker depends on his movements, the sound of his voice, gestures, and not on the text.

There is an exception to this rule. If the speaker is important, he will be listened to attentively even without a set voice and charismatic gestures. For example, the head of a large company or a teacher in the first grade.

Presentation style. great attention give to your voice and body. Speak confidently, vividly and loudly enough. Everyone in the room should hear you well. During the report, do not stand, but move. Be energetic and infect with enthusiasm. It attracts attention, keeps the audience from falling asleep.

The energy of the speaker depends on the physiology. Unprepared lecturers are usually lethargic or, conversely, hypertonic. Both conditions are corrected using simple tricks. But before you apply these tips just before a performance, try them in ordinary life. You need to know your body well in order to understand what will work for you and what will not.

If you feel lethargic, you should cheer up: jump and wave your arms. Renowned coach Tony Robbins jumps on a trampoline for several minutes before entering the gym to radiate energy. You can also breathe quickly: literally 5-6 breaths, exhalations, so as not to feel dizzy. Drink strong coffee and eat sweets to raise your blood glucose levels.

If, on the contrary, you feel jitters, you need to calm down. Squat 20 times to neutralize the adrenaline rush. Drink mint tea or warm milk. Try taking several deep breaths and exhaling to stabilize the pressure. As an emergency measure, gymnastics for the hands is suitable. Before entering the stage, clench and unclench your fists several times so that your nails dig into your palm. So you will lose excess energy and calm down.

Interaction with the audience. Make the audience feel at ease with questions and humor. Thanks to an appropriate joke, listeners begin to treat the speaker favorably. However, you should be careful. Sometimes speeches turn into an endless stand-up, in which the main idea of the report is lost - so keep a balance. And if humor is not yours forte, generally refuse jokes.

Questions to the audience are also an excellent method of interaction. Dialogue shakes the audience, makes them distracted from smartphones and other things. But here, as with humor, the main thing is not to overdo it. When a presentation turns into a conversation, it alienates the audience, who came for knowledge, not entertainment.

Crib

Prepare carefully for every performance.
Determine the purpose of the report. Decide how it will be: informational or incentive.
Find out in advance the nature of the audience and its preparedness in order to understand the degree of immersion in the topic.
Build your presentation according to the scheme: beginning, main part, conclusion.
At the beginning, greet those present, introduce yourself, thank you and briefly describe what will be discussed.
Prepare a structured report that will reveal the key idea. Do detailed plan. If you have little experience - better write a summary.
Conclude by re-emphasizing the key idea and explaining what to do next with this information. If necessary, encourage listeners to take the targeted action.
Pay great attention to oratory technique: interaction with the audience and your own manner.
Speak energetically and lively. Work on your voice so that you can be heard well in the back rows. Watch your physiology: if you feel lethargic - cheer up, overexcited - calm down.
To position the audience, joke and ask questions. Do it in moderation so as not to cause negativity.

How to speak in front of an audience 10 tricks of a speaker

How to perform in front of an audience

10 speaker tricks

So it happened! One fine day, you felt the strength and desire (or maybe you just didn’t have a choice) in order to speak to an audience with a presentation of your product.

The hall is full. The crowd is eager to listen to your every word. You prepared your speech, drew up your slides, put on your best costume, and took the stage. How to make sure that your speech is remembered, and the audience in the hall not only does not fall asleep, but also rewards you with enthusiastic applause? Today we'll talk about this.

The first thing to remember is that no speech should last more than 20 minutes. 20 minutes is the very limit that our brain can withstand so as not to switch to some other topic. If you can't take a break, you can come up with some physical occupation, so that people can be distracted and do something (for example, vote using remote controls, view photos, write something in a notebook, etc.).

The second thing to remember is that people have gathered not to see how brilliant you are, but to be entertained. Therefore, your speech should be cheerful, expressive, provided with examples (stories, tales, gossip, etc.), slightly provocative (so that there is something to discuss later) and, most importantly, practically useful. That is, times do not change, the audience still needs bread (benefit) and spectacles (entertainment).

Well, what you need to remember in the third place - it is important to choose right time speeches. If you want to be heard, speak first. If you want to be remembered, speak last (or before the break). Also remember that the last five minutes of any conversation are the most memorable.

What are the tricks and techniques that help to keep the attention of the audience?

There are only 10 of them.

1. Start with the main

Your speech should have one and only main idea, which needs to be repeated from time to time, ideally at least 8 times, in various interpretations. This thought must be practical benefit presentation participants, i.e. tell them why they are here at all.

For example: you and I have gathered to learn how to speak in public using 10 public speaking techniques… 10 public speaking techniques will help you overcome the fear of public speaking… there are only 10 techniques that public speakers use to keep the audience’s attention… etc.

2.Install eye contact with the audience

When contacting the audience, it is very important to develop in yourself the so-called “dosed look”. That is, you look into the eyes of people sitting in the first row (each in turn) and periodically throw a scattering glance at the second and subsequent rows (at no one in particular, but so that everyone thinks that you are looking at him). Under no circumstances should you be attached to one person. Your attention should go to everyone equally.

3. Play with speech

During the presentation, you should not mumble or lisp, you must fully and correctly pronounce all the words. Not sure of your own diction - practice tongue twisters. If you want to emphasize something, it is necessary to speak more quietly and more slowly than everything else. If you want to keep your attention, then play with pronunciation, stretch words so that the sound does not seem monotonous. And, of course, it is necessary to periodically pause, because. in pauses a person thinks.

4. Ask questions

Any question, even rhetorical, stimulates brain activity. You can start your speech with a question, this is a good technique used by many public figures. You can accompany the question with the performance of some physical actions.

For example: do you want your business to grow rapidly? Raise your hands if you want.

5. Provoke

Any provocation attracts attention. In order for the speech to be remembered and people to discuss your speech for a long time, it is necessary to prepare several phrases (questions, statements) that go against generally accepted standards.

For example: Do you believe that using our creams stops time? Do you want to get younger every day?

6. Tell stories

All stories (tales, gossip, parables, etc.) must be prepared in advance and adapted to the audience. Talk not about what you recently read in a magazine or on a women's website, but about something that once happened to your friend, client, or some famous person. And in no case do not mention the source of your knowledge.

For example: you need to remember that spontaneous speech is always worse than prepared speech. For example, such brilliant speaker how Cicero could not utter a word without a piece of paper.

7. Visualize

One of the clearest examples of visualization is Ostap Bender’s speech to the chess community of the provincial town of Vasyuki from immortal work Ilf and Petrov "12 chairs". Everyone remembers how the imagination drew railway line Moscow-Vasyuki, hotels and skyscrapers to accommodate guests and an airport to receive airships from Los Angeles and Melbourne. It is good to start visualization with the words “let's imagine” and continue with the classic phrases “look”, “listen” and “feel” (to cover all personality types - visuals, acoustics and kinesthetics).

8. Facts and quotes

Any speech sounds more convincing if it is accompanied by sayings of the great, as well as officially known figures and facts. It is necessary to prepare a small quote book for yourself and memorize it by heart, so that, on occasion, it is easy to operate with phrases that are suitable in meaning. By the way, if you suddenly realize that you lied a little (you made a mistake in quoting, forgot the name of the author, etc.), lie, as they say, “on a crystal eye”, in no case admit that you are embarrassed or you have lost control over the situation.

9. Be mindful of gestures

Be sure to watch your gestures as you speak. The “prisoner pose” (hands folded behind the back), the “football pose” (arms folded in front just below the waist) or, if you are holding a meeting sitting, the “rider’s pose” (the chair is turned back forward) are strictly unacceptable. If you feel that you still have nowhere to put your hands, take a pen, a pointer or cards made of thick cardboard (from thin - they will quickly become unusable). Show your wrists or palm to the audience more often (gesture of trust), unbutton your jacket if you are in a suit (gesture of openness).

10. Keep your face

Well, and probably the most difficult trick - always, no matter what happens, keep your face. During the performance, you are an actor who cannot afford to have Bad mood, depressive thoughts or everyday problems. Remember that every speaker inspires and behave as if the geopolitical situation around the world depends on your words.

As you can see, oratory techniques are not so complicated. Use them and public speaking will bring you joy and pleasure.

I wish you fiery speeches and always full halls!

Here are a few tips for successful public speaking. They will help make your speech interesting and engaging.

1. Preparing a speech

As you know, all good improvisations are carefully prepared in advance. A speech without prior preparation, especially for a novice speaker, will almost certainly be a failure. Remember the aphorism of Mark Twain: “It takes more than three weeks to prepare a good short speech impromptu".

First, make a "frame" or "skeleton" of the future public speaking:

Determine the motivation for people to listen to your speech. What do they need it for? What useful or interesting things will they learn for themselves?
Highlight main idea your speech.
Separate your subheadings by breaking your idea down into several component parts.
Determine keywords, which you will repeat several times so that those present will better remember what you are telling them about.
Think carefully about the plan and structure future speech. It should include an introduction, body and conclusions (end)

Having prepared the "skeleton", begin to build up "muscles" on it.

Find bright examples"from life", from history, literature that you use in the process of speaking.
Prepare the necessary diagrams, illustrations, graphs for visual consolidation of information.
Determine the moment during the speech when you turn to the audience with a question, asking them to name something, recount - this will help those present to concentrate on the discussion of the topic and significantly increase the efficiency of the perception of your material.
Write full text. Special attention give it a start and end.

A feature of the introduction is that the audience will very quickly make an impression of you, and this impression will dominate throughout the speech. If you make mistakes in the introductory part, it will be difficult to correct them. It is important from the very beginning to interest the public in the success of your first shot. To do this, in the introductory part, you can use any witty joke, tell interesting fact or recall an outstanding historical event, necessarily linking them to the topic of the speech.

The final part of the public speech provides for summing up. At the end, remember key issues mentioned in the speech, be sure to repeat all the main ideas. The successful construction of the last phrases, enhanced by their emotionality and expressiveness, will not only cause applause from the audience, but also turn them into your adherents.

Your main controller is time. The audience can listen carefully and perceive your ideas only for a limited period due to psycho-physiological reasons (usually no more than 15-20 minutes, then the audience's attention begins to weaken). Short, clear, understandable, persuasive and accessible phrases are expected from you. Follow Chekhov's: "Brevity is the sister of talent." Consider the pace of your speech. The most favorable rate for comprehension is approximately 100 words per minute. When planning your presentation, be sure to take into account the time that will need to be spent answering questions.

It is advisable to know in advance who you will have to speak to: the size of the audience, its interests, views, what it expects from the speaker, what kind of reaction you need to get from it. Depending on these indicators, adjust the individual points of your speech. You need to be on the same cultural level with the audience, communicate in its language, only in this case you can count on establishing psychological contact between the speaker and the audience. You should not touch on topics that are beyond the understanding of the audience.

Check the dictionaries for the meanings of the buzzwords you use. Find out the correct pronunciation. Language errors can cause ridicule in your address and ruin the whole performance, no matter how brilliant it may be in content.

When a speech is prepared, it is better to write down its main provisions or theses on small cards. Arrange them in sequence. These cards are very convenient to use during the performance. If this is not a two or three hour report, then it is not recommended to read the text, it is advisable to learn it by heart and pronounce it from memory, only looking at your notes from time to time.

Say the speech aloud several times (preferably in front of a mirror) to get used to the text and feel all the nuances well. For polishing phrases, intonation, facial expressions, it is desirable to work with a tape recorder or video camera. Such pre-training will reduce your anxiety, make you feel confident and greatly increase the likelihood of success in public speaking.

2. Place of public speaking

A pulpit or a podium, a stage or a balcony, in general, any elevation above the floor level always causes fear in people who do not have sufficient experience in public speaking. E. Morin called it "stage fright", and Mark Twain recommended to those who are afraid of performance: "Calm down, because the public still expects nothing from you" . It is better to set yourself up as if you first of all want to tell yourself something interesting, at the same time familiarizing everyone present with it.

Before speaking, it is very important to study the room in order to establish from which side the audience will look at you. When choosing a place, consider your height. You need to make sure everyone can see you. If you need to speak behind the podium, then if you are not tall, make sure that a strong stand is placed under the podium. The "talking head" looks comical and will not be able to hold the attention of the audience for a long time. It is necessary to ensure that the speaker is visible to the chest.

If you have to sit during public speaking, check the comfort of your seat. Sitting at the table, you can not slouch and put your hands on it; sitting in a chair, you can’t lean on the armrests and back, cross your legs, clasp your hands on your knees, try to sit on the edge of the chair, leaning forward slightly with your legs pushed back slightly and your heels pressed to the floor; it is necessary to sit straight, freely, radiating openness and goodwill; look people in the eyes, follow their emotions, gestures and facial expressions, demonstrate care and understanding with all your appearance.

3. Clothing

Performing in front of a large audience is like a performance, so great importance has speaker clothes. During a public speech, the speaker has to sit at a table, stand on a high pulpit, behind a podium, etc. Given this, pants and skirts should be long enough, socks should be high, and shoes should be in perfect order.

Wear things that you feel comfortable in and that don't distract you with their inconvenience. You should never have the thought: “How does it sit on me?”. It is better not to use completely new things that you wear for the first time. Clothes and shoes should not deliver to you internal discomfort and divert your attention.

The universal rule of successful public speaking is to not allow an imbalance between what you say and how you look. In formal occasions, it is better to use a medium-dark suit, a white or ivory-colored loose shirt and an elegant expressive tie. Contrasting colors, a good suit will help shape positive attitude to you and contribute to the success of public speaking. The tie should not have a bright pattern, so as not to distract attention from the face, however, it should not be one-color. Ties made of matte fabric, dark blue, red wine, burgundy with a barely noticeable pattern are best suited. The length of the tie should be such that its end barely covers the buckle on the waist belt.

If your jacket has two buttons, you need to fasten only the top, if three - only the middle one. Unless there is a very great need, you should not wear glasses when speaking in public, jewelry is also not needed.

If the speaker is a woman, her clothes should have long sleeves, the length of the skirt should be medium (to the middle of the knee), it should not be too narrow. Regarding colors, here the requirements are much more liberal than for men: the color just has to go to a woman. Women should also avoid bright massive jewelry. Shoes are the best dark colors with inconspicuous or plain bows; stockings of the same color as the shoes. Glasses should have a simple design and frames to match the hair color.

When performing in an informal setting (friendly parties, etc.), clothing requirements do not play a big role. You can dress however you like, but remember that if your appearance there will be some eclectic detail that catches the eye (a bright brooch, a noisy acid-colored tie, an original style of a suit with whimsical patterns), then it will distract attention from the content of your words. The public will remember exactly it and will not pay attention to what you said.

4. Successful public speaking - a few secrets

When you enter the classroom, move confidently, do not scurry or make fussy movements. Walk with your usual gait, this will convince those present that you are not worried and are not in a hurry. When you are introduced, stand up, be sure to give the audience a slight smile and make direct eye contact with the audience.

In order to show your importance and earn the respect of the audience, you need to control the maximum allowable space. Don't try to be a small person and don't hide somewhere in the corner of the stage. Be sure to take a seat in the center, or at least direct your gaze to the center from time to time. Straighten your shoulders, raise your head and lean forward a little, demonstrating something like a bow in front of the audience, you can repeat this gesture several times later.

When you get up on the podium, stage, rostrum or take another place to speak, do not rush to start talking right away. Be sure to take a break. You can take every opportunity - ask for a glass of water, lay out the papers, move something. Use the pause for as long as you feel necessary to prepare yourself psychologically and set up the audience to communicate with you. If you are very nervous, take a few deep breaths in and out before speaking. A pause will also help you to explore the space around you in a few seconds, to figure out how you will use it. Remember the theatrical axiom: the more talented the actor, the longer he can pause.

Next, do not just take in your eyes, but carefully examine the hall, take a closer look at the entire audience. Stop looking at a few of those present who will become visual points of support, beacons in your speech. Then, if necessary, you can change them. Try to give your personal attention as much as possible more people, but be sure to take a look around the entire space of the hall - from left to right, from the first to the last row. Do not linger long in the back rows and again turn your eyes to the front seats. Remember that they are always occupied by the most interested people, in their eyes you will find support for yourself. Having fixed for yourself a few of these visual "anchors", start talking.

Your facial expressions and gestures give a person where more impressions than anything you say. With gestures, you will focus on the importance of information. When gesticulating, there are three rules: first, do not put your hands in your pockets; second - do not hide them behind your back; third - do not occupy them with foreign objects. Hands are helpers that should always be free and ready to unite with your thoughts.

You can not use "defensive" or "defensive" body movements, for example, crossing the arms over the chest, laying them behind the back. Crossing the arms shows uncertainty about what the person is saying. It is best to take an open stance and show a smile from time to time. Constantly control your posture, keep your back straight, head up, move naturally.

During public speaking, do not stand still like a monument and do not throw your head back, as this will repel the audience and delay the flow of psychological energy that should dynamically affect those present. Be sure to move. You need to show yourself alive, energetic, dynamic. Your movements should be short, precise and convincing. When you want to emphasize something, move your body towards the audience or use the gesture of bringing your body closer to those present. If there is an opportunity to approach the audience, then do it when you want to tell her something important to convey and convince those present that you are right.

Maintain eye contact with your audience at all times. An experienced speaker always keeps an eye on the attention of the audience, looking from the front rows to the back. If you use notes, then do it very carefully: look down quickly and briefly at the text and look up again, transferring all attention back to the audience.

Consider the cultural, national, religious and other characteristics of the audience. For example, for the Chinese and Japanese, your open eye contact can cause negative feelings, as in Eastern cultures it is not accepted. Among the Caucasian peoples, a direct, firm look into the eyes of a man is perceived as a challenge to a duel, etc. Also, with great care, you need to use jokes on national or religious topics.

You should not have a frozen, motionless expression on your face. Otherwise, you will cause indifference and boredom from the public. The basis of your attractiveness as a speaker is a slight pleasant smile. Try to accompany the transition to each key topic with a special change on the face: slightly raise your eyebrows or move your eyes, use slow head turns. If you are sitting, include your hands in business: translate something or change their position a little. While sitting, emphasize the freedom of your posture at all times.

Repeated repetition of simple expressive phrases, vivid phrases contributes to the success of public speaking. However, try to avoid inappropriate and untimely use of them. The content of the phrases should not be allowed to be far from the thoughts that need to be conveyed to the audience.

Do not show superiority or frivolity when communicating with the audience, do not broadcast "down" in a mentoring tone. Be very serious about formulating answers to the questions posed - the answers provide an opportunity to once again emphasize the main points of your speech. Avoid irritation, hostility, or sarcasm, even if the questions are uncomfortable for you. Much better - calmness, goodwill and light humor.

Take philosophically any surprises and awkwardness - a microphone breakage, a glass of water falling on the floor, a sudden pause, etc. You can not give out your confusion and show negative attitude to negative points, which arose by chance or turned out to be "homemade" by your ill-wishers. It is best to respond to this with humor, to beat it in a way that is beneficial to you. The speaker must control the situation, show that all this does not interfere with him, and troubles do not unsettle him.

If the speech is interrupted by applause, you must wait for them to end and only then continue - so that the beginning of your next phrase was heard by everyone. Also remember that there is a difference between applause and applause. The speech must end before tired and irritated listeners begin to "slam" the speaker.

Concluding the speech, you need to look into the eyes of the audience and say something pleasant, demonstrating your satisfaction from communicating with the audience. Such a positive information impulse in the final will remain in the memory of people, in their perception of your public speech.

Portal for the student. Self-training