Tips to Improve Public Speaking Skills- Shiv Khera

 If you work in technology, you may wish to avoid the anxiety that comes with speaking in public for work. However, both technical and business positions require giving presentations on occasion. In situations like these, you may require public speaking tips to help you develop skills that you haven't used in a long time. This is where we step in. Read on to discover how to improve public speaking at work and elsewhere. We spoke with Marla Cormier, president of Emerging Leader Training, to supplement these suggestions. Cormier, like many others, was terrified of public speaking until she practised.

Here are some tips on how to improve public speaking:

Start practising when you are not under extreme pressure

Even though jobs that do not require public speaking are scarce, you must learn how to improve public speaking skills to be competitive. You can accomplish this by practising your skills in non-pressure situations, such as:

• Toastmasters, a non-profit dedicated to improving public speaking skills, has formal debate clubs.

• Talking Points and Drink Talk are two examples of games. Practise "debate nights" with friends.

• This type of informal practice allows you to strengthen these new muscles in a safe, nonjudgmental environment in which you can pick up public speaking tips and receive live feedback.

Understand the assignment as well as your target audience

Before you begin working on the content and structure of your presentation, you must first understand what people expect from you. What is the scope of this assignment? Who is going to be watching your presentation?

Speak with your boss, coworkers, event coordinators, previous presenters, as well as previous attendees to find out about:

• How long should the presentation be?

• Is the topic already decided, or will you choose it yourself?

• Is there any information that your topic must contain?

• Will you give your presentation remotely or in person?

• What technology will you have access to?

• Is a slide deck required?

• Is it reasonable to expect handouts from the audience?

• How familiar is the topic with the audience?

• Should you stay away from technical terms?

Maintain a simple structure

To create an effective presentation, first develop a clear structure. A well-structured presentation provides the following benefits like keeping an audience's interest and organising complex information to avoid awkward silences and keep calm

You could use a standard presentation structure, such as:

• A pitch structure in which you attempt to persuade your audience of the value of an idea/product/service.

• A structure that attempts to persuade your audience on how to solve a problem by presenting a situation-complication-resolution structure.

• A dramatic structure that uses Joseph Campbell's Hero's Journey to demonstrate how an organisation can change.

Choose a structure that is appropriate for the purpose of your presentation. For example, if you want to gain support for a new product concept, you could use a pitch structure which will help you in how to improve public speaking.

Create a strong introduction and conclusion

Effective presentations quickly capture the attention of your audience and conclude with a memorable, thought-provoking, or motivating takeaway. Even if the meat of your presentation is in the middle, the ends can leave the most lasting impressions.

In general, your introduction should be 10-20% of the length of your presentation. It's a good idea to start with a 30-45 second hook, such as:

• Relevant statistic

• Describe a current problem or situation

• Curious rhetorical question

Pull together the story you've told or the point you've argued during your conclusion. To do so, try:

• Putting out a call to action

• Describe the possibilities you can see

• Using a quote from a public figure who inspires you

Practise alone and record yourself doing so

Record yourself giving the presentation alone and watch the video critically for:

• Presentation duration

• Your vocal inflections and tone

• Your physical appearance/body language

• You can find areas for improvement by viewing yourself through the eyes of an audience member.

Keep an eye out for the following common and distracting errors:

• Act of kindness too much or too little

• Insufficient eye contact

• Delivery is monotone/uninterested.

• Filler words such as "like" and "um"

• Inappropriate/informal wording

• stumbling/stop-start pattern

• Genuine emotion, as well as an engaged tone, volume, and speaking pace, will allow you to emphasise your main points.

About Shiv Khera

Shiv Khera is a self-help author and activist from India. While working in the United States, he was inspired by a Norman Vincent Peale lecture and followed his motivational teachings. Khera is the author of several books, including You Can Win. In India, he established the Country First Foundation to "ensure freedom through education and justice" and launched an anti-caste-based reservation campaign. He also rose to the position of National President of an Indian political party. His tips and programs on public speaking Skills will help you a lot to gain confidence in life and in front of a audience.