Look people in the eyes when you talk to them - you can look away for a moment or two to get your footing, but in general, stay focused on the eyes of the people you’re talking to. If you see someone looking confused or concerned when you’re speaking, you may even think about whether or not you’re being clear enough. However, you shouldn’t let one confused person get you off track. If you’re talking to a larger group where it’s difficult to really make eye contact, focus on looking at just a few people in the audience.
Plan appropriately. Practice. Engage with your audience. Pay attention to body language. Think and speak positively. Cope with your nerves. [3] X Research source Watch recordings of your speeches. This will help you to improve each time.
If you really want to know the room, you can also show up on a day before your actual speaking engagement to get a sense of what it’s like.
This way, when it’s time for your big moment, remember what you visualized – how can you get there?
One of the reasons people get nervous when speaking is because they don’t like the unknown; that’s why you have to gather as much information as possible.
Have great posture Avoid slouching Don’t fidget with your hands Avoid pacing around too much Look ahead of you instead of down at the floor Keep your face and body relaxed
If you will leave some time for questions after your speech, you can practice giving it to a friend in advance; have the friend ask some tough questions to help yourself prepare for what may come.
If you can’t think of anything you’d want to praise yourself for, then you’ll need to work on boosting your confidence. Build your self-esteem by focusing on something you’re good at, addressing your flaws, and spending time with the people who really care about you and make you feel good about yourself.
If you speak in a low voice, not only will others not be able to hear what you say, but you will also portray a submissive demeanor, which suggests the opposite of a confident one. On the other hand, you don’t want to speak so loudly that you’re talking over people just to be heard. Your words alone should get people’s attention.
This doesn’t mean that you have to throw fifty $100 words into your speeches or everyday conversations every time. Just a few key “fancy” words can make you sound more intelligent, but not like you’re trying too hard. Keep a vocabulary journal. Write down all of the new words you’ve encountered while reading and define them.
Of course, if you’re just speaking with friends, then slang is fine, but if you’re addressing a more mature audience and want to speak well, then you should avoid it.
If you use verbal pauses (such as “um” or “uh”) while you speak, don’t be too worried about it. It’s just a natural way of getting our minds into gear and even President Obama uses them quite frequently. If you think you use them too much, you can try to tone it down, but don’t think that you have to avoid them completely.
If you’re giving a speech, then write it down and say it aloud. Reading your own words can help you see where you’re being repetitive, and which things you’d like to cut.
Think about writing an essay. You have to repeat your main points at the end of every paragraph and in your conclusion, don’t you? Well, speaking is not so different.
Tell a story or two. If you’re giving a speech, a story at the beginning or the end can help introduce your points in a more human way.
You can also develop a routine for talking to friends. Find something that calms you down when you’re nervous about speaking, whether it’s grabbing a Koosh ball in your coat pocket or smiling a bit more.
