Re: Doing a speech : Mon Feb 20, 2012 12:23 am  

sally cinnamon wrote:

Prepare some good soundbites, say young people want a hand up, not a hand out, along with rights come responsibilities, bridge the gap between government and the governed, today the hand of history is on our shoulders, this is the time not to falter but to lead.

..but paraphrase them, otherwise it'll sound like management bollux

Re: Doing a speech : Mon Feb 20, 2012 4:00 am  

Totally agree with the deliberate/slowed down advice, if you can think of the people there as your friends without being overly friendly in what you say that will help to relax you a little.
So don't think too much about who they are, just that they are ordinary folk same as you and I, two arms, two legs etc.

Think about your syntax, don't make yourself look silly by making grammatical errors or make a simple sentence over complex and/or ambiguous or repetitive. Concise and to the point can sometimes be the best way rather than over elaborating, however too concise and it sounds like a mandate, it can be hard to strike the balance and it often comes with practise but some people can just do it easily.
Write/type your speech in big bold letters with wide paragraphs (this is what politicians and heads of state do), underline a sub heading if you like, so if you do forget where you are it should be easy for you to find where you're up to. If you have 5+ sheets of A4, it doesn't matter.

You could practise in front of people you know, then if you want maybe even down your local.
No-one is expecting you to be the next great orator or Martin Luther King, however your belief in what you say if said with passion & empathy for the cause will have an emotive effect on the people regarding the message you are giving or at least make them think much more as opposed to just delivering a monotone speech.

I've always been a natural chatterbox, I loved debating at school and in my career doing staff training, presenting contracts and other guff to all & sundry but there's always an element of nerves so don't worry if you get the jitters a little.

Suck on a throat lozenge and if poss maybe even have a glass of water to hand (It's surprising how dry your throat can get at the wrong time when you're a little nervous.
Lastly, smile and try to look around at the people when you speak, it has just that little bit more personal meaning if you look into people's eyes when you say stuff but don't hold their gaze too long.
Sorry that's a shed load to take in.
Hope it goes well

Re: Doing a speech : Mon Feb 20, 2012 4:08 am  

Scooter Nik wrote:

..but paraphrase them, otherwise it'll sound like management bollux

Absolutely agree, too many soundbites or 'in' phrases/words and it makes you look like you nicked the local MPs speech brochure...not good.

Re: Doing a speech : Mon Feb 20, 2012 7:35 am  

I think sally cinnamon was joking about the soundbites...

Re: Doing a speech : Mon Feb 20, 2012 10:41 am  

I can never tell with SC...

Good call on the glass of water too, apart from anything else it's a great time waster - if you forget your place, take a sip and regroup. If you get nervous, take a sip and a deep breath. And take a sip when you've made an important point, it gives your audience a moment to absorb it, especially if you're making multiple complex or technical points.

Just don't get carried away with that, the same manager I mentioned on the management b'llox thread, looked like he was dehydrating, every little point he made was accompanied by a sip of water. Make it look natural.

Re: Doing a speech : Mon Feb 20, 2012 10:54 am  

Scooter Nik wrote:

... Good call on the glass of water too, apart from anything else it's a great time waster - if you forget your place, take a sip and regroup...

There is film footage of one J Stalin doing that during a speech.

Very effective way of slowing down – and raising tension if you use it very deliberately too.

Re: Doing a speech : Mon Feb 20, 2012 11:32 am  

Mintball wrote:

There is film footage of one J Stalin doing that during a speech.

Preferred Hitler's more manic (and, arguably, Scargillesque) style myself.

Re: Doing a speech : Mon Feb 20, 2012 2:21 pm  

Dally wrote:

Preferred Hitler's more manic (and, arguably, Scargillesque) style myself.

Scargill was 7 when Hitler died, he must have been some child.

Re: Doing a speech : Mon Feb 20, 2012 3:28 pm  

Make it up as you go along. That's what I usually do, especially if it's only for 10 minutes.

Re: Doing a speech : Tue Feb 21, 2012 2:06 am  

Remember that the vast majority of the audience want you to come across well - they are silently supportive. Very few people enjoy the embarrassment associated with watching someone stumble and stutter over a speech. I'd also question very much trying to be funny - if it doesn't come naturally don't go there.