Business Communication Skills for

Managers
Module 7: Public Speaking
Why learn about public speaking in business?
Effective Public Speaking
Learning Outcomes: Effective Public Speaking

7.1 Identify key principles of effective public speaking

7.1.1 Discuss key characteristics of public speaking
7.1.2 Discuss the importance of public speaking in a business setting
7.1.3 Identify various audience needs and expectations that can be addressed by a speech
7.1.4 Identify the five steps of developing an effective speech
What is Public Speaking?

Public speaking is, simply, an oral presentation or speech delivered to a live audience. It is
generally a formal or staged event, although impromptu speeches are a common occurrence—
and they can be a defining career moment.

Examples:
• attending a client meeting and being asked to explain a procedural or technical point

• attending a management meeting and being called upon to defend your recommendations
through research and analysis that you have conducted.
What is Public Speaking?

Nine Characteristics of Effective Public Speakers:

1. Confidence
2. Passion
3. Practice
4. Speak Naturally
5. Authenticity
6. Keep it Short and Sweet
7. Connect With Your Audience
8. Paint a Picture Through Storytelling
9. Repetition
Benefits of Public Speaking

Public speaking increases your potential:

• to connect
• to create
• to reach and impact your audience

Toastmasters International Guide to Successful Speaking notes,

“There is perhaps no greater skill [to] help you build your career or business than effective
public speaking.”
Audience Expectations

Your first and most important test as a

speaker:
CLEARLY communicate the purpose
AND benefits of
attending your speech.

As a speaker, you have the obligation to factor your audience into the design and development
of your speech.
Developing an Effective Speech

The 5 Steps of Developing an Effective Speech:

1. Choose your topic

2. Develop your benefit statement
3. Develop your positioning statement
4. Derive your title
5. Create your content
Discussion

Why does a public speech transcend a one-dimensional transfer of information?

Delivery Techniques
Learning Outcomes: Delivery Techniques

7.2 Describe delivery techniques for use during a public speech

7.2.1 Discuss effective ways to begin your speech
7.2.2 Discuss strategies to effectively use body language and gestures to emphasize your
message
7.2.3 Discuss strategies to effectively use vocal variety to emphasize your message
7.2.4 Identify types of language to avoid in your speech
Starting Your Speech

Best ways to start a speech:

1. Use a quote
2. Start with “What if...?” or “Imagine…”
3. Ask a Question
4. Use a dramatic pause or silence
5. Cite a statistic
6. Share a meaning statement

What NOT to do: Thank the audience for the opportunity to speak; or, “Today I’m going to be
talking about…”
Body Language and Gestures

7 Benefits of Incorporating Gestures Into Your Speech:

1. Clarifies and supports your words
2. Dramatizes your ideas
3. Lends emphasis and vitality to the spoken word
4. Helps dissipate nervous tension
5. Functions as visual aids
6. Stimulates audience participation
7. Helps You Become Highly Visible
Vocal Variety

6 Key Elements, Errors, and Practices to Develop Greater Vocal Impact:

• Volume--try to vary your voice
• Pitch and Resonance (a low pitch is preferred)
• Pace and Pause (slower pace is seen as more credible)
• Intonation (use all patterns appropriately):
• Ending a sentence with a rising tone indicates a question or suggestion
• Ending a sentence with a descending tone is usually interpreted as an order
• A flat intonation is used to indicate a statement
Language Choices

One of the most common barriers to communication is jargon, the terminology associated with
a given profession.

An in-depth understanding can lead to oversimplification or over-complication when explaining

a foreign concept.

How to avoid confusion:

• Eliminate bullet points
• Use stories and analogies
• Display images and diagrams to illustrate your point
Practice Question 1

You're tasked with presenting the overarching rollout of a new IT system that will change
workflow for your whole company. You will be presenting to the entire division in a large
auditorium. Your speech will be followed up by smaller, how-to oriented presentations for
individual teams. Your primary objective should be to:
a] communicate the project process and benefits using common terminology and/or
visuals
b] use jargon to establish credibility and confidence in successful project completion
c] convey the complexity of the project, using appropriate technical terminology
Audience Engagement
Learning Outcomes: Audience Engagement

7.3 Identify the role and importance of your audience

7.3.1 Describe techniques to gain and keep an audience's attention
7.3.2 Discuss effective ways to use audience participation
7.3.3 Discuss appropriate ways to respond to questions without derailing a presentation
Audience and Rapport

5 Techniques to Capture and Maintain an Audience’s Attention:

1. Surprise: reengages the audience’s brain
2. Suspense: slowly build your idea like a verbal puzzle
3. Storytelling: Share a compelling story to illustrate your point
4. Senses: The greater the sensory engagement, the stronger the interest
5. Involve: invite participation
Audience Participation

Ideas to to integrate your audience:

• Volunteer exercise
• Audience survey
• Question
• Q&A
• Partner exercise
• Small group exercise
• Written exercises or note-taking
Responding to Questions

Set clear ground rules during audience engagement to maintain control throughout audience
participation and prevent groups from becoming bored or distracted.

Use Four Step Approach to Managing Q&A’s

1. Listen: don’t jump to conclusions
2. Understand: paraphrase to confirm understanding
3. Communicate & Involve
4. Respond: Direct response to both the questioner and the rest of the audience
Activity

Do an internet search to find examples of TedTalks that involve an example of the

following:
• Surprise
• Suspense
• Storytelling
• Senses
• Involve
Speech Tips and Techniques
Learning Outcomes: Speech Tips and Techniques

7.4 Discuss tips and tricks to giving an effective speech

7.4.1 Discuss various strategies for overcoming common fears and anxiety about public
speaking
7.4.2 Discuss public speaking strategies of effective public speakers
Overcoming Fears and Anxiety
10 Tips for Managing Performance Anxiety:
1. Know your topic
2. Get organized
3. Practice, rinse, and repeat
4. Challenge worries
5. Visualize your success
6. Do some deep breathing
7. Focus on your material
8. Don’t fear a moment of silence
9. Recognize your success
10. Get support
Pro Tips

Understand the power of pathos: Emotion often drives decision making and opinion
formation.

Believe in your message: You do not want to come across as insincere.

Keep your speech brief: Too much information creates a cognitive backlog and state of anxiety
in your audience.

Make it memorable: Take time to condense your big idea into a short, memorable phrase.
Practice Question 2

You joined a Toastmasters International group and have built confidence and credibility as
a speaker. You’ve set your sights on speaking at a TEDx event, and you’re experimenting
with speech structures. You specifically want to make a persuasive speech that moves
people to donate to and support your non-profit.

Given that you only have 18 minutes, what elements should you incorporate into your
speech?
a] credibility, logic, and emotion
b] credibility
c] credibility and logic
Quick Review

• What are the 9 characteristics of effective of public speakers?

• What are the 5 Steps of developing an effective speech?
• What are the 7 Benefits of incorporating gestures into your speech?
• Name 5 techniques to capture and maintain an audience’s attention.
• What is a 4 step approach to managing Q&A’s?
• What are 10 Tips for managing performance anxiety?

Remember to understand the power of pathos, believe in your message, keep your speech brief,
and make it memorable!