How to Be a Good Speaker - Research Paper Example

How to Be a Good Speaker Introduction A good speech is always from a good speaker who is capable of maintaining the attention of the audience throughout his or her speaking. Capturing the attention of the listener especially in the public domain is very crucial. According to Huff (2008) a speaker may having a piece of nice information to offer to the audience. However, some audience may find it difficult to separate what is said from how it is said. In support of this, MacInnis (2006) stated that platform behavior affects the quality of presentation of a speaker. These behaviors include the level of preparedness before the start of the speech, the level of composure exhibited all through the speech, mental attitude, experience and physical control. Studied shows that even the native speakers may not be speakers and sometimes have difficulties in expressing their speeches. A good speaker always have an interesting something-if not important, to say to the audience, caring about the platform and keeping it simple and effective (Huff, 2008). Most of the political aspirants with captivating speeches have made their political journey successful through good speaking. For example, President Obama has his speech blended with fluency and order. This was one of the stronghold elements that brought success to his table in American politics. This research paper examines strategies on how to be a good speaker and it will respond to the following questions; 1. How does integrity stimulated the ability to become a good speaker? 2. How does generosity of the speaker promoted attention during speech time? 3. Does self-confidence improves platform performance of a speaker? 4. Does telling a story ensures attention is maintained by the audience? How does integrity stimulates the ability to become a good speaker? Integrity in speech is the level feasibility of ideas one is giving to the audience. Simply, this means that the information in the speech should be genuine and honest so that the audience will continue listening to the whole of the speech. Research by Dale Carnegie Training (2011) found that every speaker is responsible for the outcome of the speech. If at some point during the presentation the audience realizes that the speaker is giving false information, there is high possibility of them carried away by the distractors around. Integrity also is portrayed when the speaker stand up for what he/she believes it is right to be given to the audience. Most of the political leaders often do a lot of mistakes in this area by promising people what they may not achieve. As a result of dishonesty, audience often loose trust in a speaker. Speakers with integrity are perceived as real people and with class. When the audience realizes that the speaker is a real person, they will remain attached to the speech until the end. How does generosity of a speaker promotes attention during speech time? Albert transformed the lives of many individuals on his speech on the “influence of great leaders on people’s action.” What came out to be an inspiring aspect in his speech was the generosity in sharing the information. Studies have shown that during the course of presentation, the audience can realize that the speaker is giving out all and holding nothing back instead (Dale Carnegie Training, 2011). According to Abbott (2006) it is important to tell the audience what they are expecting and why they need to have what you are saying. This can come from personal testimonies or the success of others in the topic it is presented. However, a great speaker should choose carefully how to use personal self during testimonies. Some audience may not appreciate that and perceive it as being bragging. Therefore, personal testimonies should not be used beyond personal achievement as a speaker. The better a speaker knows his/her audience, the more he/she likely to provide a good speech which is meaningful to the audience. A good speaker obtains good presentation skills from regular practice. It is evident that most of the speakers who are there on the platform regularly re capable of giving spectacular speeches since they have all the composure and skill of handling platform behaviors (Dale Carnegie Training, 2011). The more experience speaker has, the more skillful he/she will become during presentation. It is important to know that skill of presentation is a talent that I developed and is boosted further by the commitment to this potential. For example, Munroe was a great inspiration speaker and he could address different types of audience. He started the platform presence at an early stage in high school. His commitment and support made him a great speaker with inspiration. This shows that skill in speech is achieved through practice and more practice. Does self-confidence improves platform performance of a speaker? A belief of becoming a great speaker should first begin from oneself. In this case, one should realize his/her interpersonal qualities and he/she can connect best with others. Researches have shown that great speakers have variety of interpersonal qualities and they capitalize on working on them (Abbott, 2006). The most important of these qualities that define a speaker’s self-confidence are those qualities that make a speaker accessible, appealing and exclusive during speech presentation. It is recommended that during the speech, a speaker should exercise these qualities for instance by asking questions or even giving a time of discussion with the audience. This will make the audience to stay on course all throughout the speech time because they know at one point they will be integrated into the speech. Does telling a story ensures attention is maintained by the audience? Speech is basically a formal story that is presented to the audience. To keep the audient on the track, it is important to give an informal story that excites and engage the audience. Some audience may not comprehend what the formal story (speech in this case) is all about, but when an informal story is introduced, they feel the presence. MacInnis (2006) stated that it is important to tell a story that perfectly demonstrates the important information of the speech. The audience will get to understand further the information in the speech from the story a speaker is giving. Findings of the research The findings of the research shows that majority of the speakers with integrity are able to maintain the audience’s attention throughout his/her speech. The generosity of the speaker in giving out the speech information also maintains audience’s attention in the speech. To become a good speaker, one should be confident if himself/herself before going to stage to give out the speech, and the use of story in the speech makes the audience exited and engaged to the speech. Basically, these findings shows the qualities a person should exhibit in order to become a good speaker. These qualities are integrity, self-confident, ability to tell a story and generosity. In conclusion, the part of conclusion of a speech should be brief and positive. A speaker needs to brief all the points he/she has covered in the speech as well as commenting on the important sections. Also, this is a point where a speaker should welcome questions from the audience and carefully end the speech by ensuring that people are aware. References Abbott, P. (2006). The President's Speeches: Beyond “Going Public” by Matthew Eshbaugh-Soha.Political Science Quarterly, 121(4), 726-727. doi:10.1002/j.1538-165x.2006.tb01568.x Dale Carnegie Training,. (2011). Stand and Deliver: How to Become a Masterful Communicator and Public Speake. New York: Simon and Schuster. Huff, W. (2008). Public speaking. New York: Peter Lang. MacInnis, L. (2006). The elements of great public speaking. Berkeley, Calif.: Ten Speed Press. Read More