THE ART OF PUBLIC SPEAKING
LETS TALK MENTAL HEALTH
July 9, 2018By Brian Kibet Tarpei
Public speaking as an art can be defined in several different ways; It is very vast and ranges from informal speeches for example in family gatherings all the way to orations and commencement speeches in university graduations.
Public speaking can be defined as an expression of thought and emotion through sound. Public speaking begins at the very basic form of language which is words; these words are combined to form sentences to form a speech.
This speech is usually packaged as a message that is intended for a particular group of people who are referred to as an audience.
There are seven key elements that inform a successful speech. These are elements that will determine whether the message is passed in an effective way or not. The most important element of public speaking is the speaker, the speaker is responsible for communicating the message and therefore they should be very conversant with the topic of discussion
They must be careful to ensure their wellbeing and peace of mind. This they can do by clearing any distractions off their minds and exercising deep breathing so they can be very focused throughout the speech. The second element of public speaking is the channel you will use, make sure as a public speaker, the channel you plan to use suits you and that you are very comfortable and conversant with it. If you are using a translator, ensure there is rapport between you and them so that your message is not distorted. Choose a language that you are good at.
Thirdly, ensure the message you are communicating is well structured and organized that you may fulfill the objectives of your speech. The listener is also very important in any public speech. As a speaker therefore, you must ensure that you are very sensitive towards them and all the factors affecting them emotionally and psychologically and legally.
The feedback is also a very important in public speaking, the speaker should be careful to monitor the physical reactions of the members of the audience so that they can adjust their speech accordingly. While at it, the speaker should be on the lookout for any physical interference. The speaker should be in a position to control disturbances for example holding on questions to the end of the presentation. Any disturbance may distort then intended communication and may lead to a lapse in whatever is being communicated.
The final element of public speaking is the situation, different situations always come with different ways of addressing therefore, a good public speaker should be able to analyze the situations and address it accordingly. In conclusion, great speakers should be able to understand all the elements of public speaking and use them to be more effective in their communication.
