Organizing a speech

Main Points

Number of main points

It is better to be remembered for covering 3 or 4 points well than to leave the audience
confused and sorting out 7 or 8 points you made.

Strategic Order of Main Points:

Chronological Order
Spatial Order
Casual Order
Problem Solution Order
Topical Order

-Each main point should be independent of the other main points.

-Use the same pattern of wording for each main point
-Balance the amount of time spent on each main point.

Supporting Materials
The “flesh” that fills out the skeleton of your speech
By themselves main points are only statements
Listeners need supporting materials to accept what the speaker says
Always provide sources to give credibility to the supporting materials

Delivering a speech

Connectives
Transitions
Words or phrases that indicate speaker has finished one thought and is moving to
another:“In addition” , “also” , “Not only” , “That brings me to the next topic”

Internal Previews
Lets the audience know what the speaker will take up next “now that we realize the
seriousness, I will address three solutions”

Internal Summaries
Remind the audience of what they have just heard: “Let me reiterate…”

Signposts
Brief statements that let you know where you are in the speech
 Numerate – “First this…, second this …”
Introduce a main point with a question – “What make this so…”
Simple phrase – “The most important thing to remember…”

Beginning and ending

Get Attention and Interest
Reveal the Topic
Establish Credibility and Goodwill
Preview the body of the speech

end:
Signal the End of the speech
Reinforce the central idea

MAKE UP OF AN AUDIENCE
How you address your audience will depend greatly on whom you are addressing.
​
Superiors: When addressing superiors, suggest rather than lecture or dictate. Back everything
said with facts.

Peers: When talking with peers, share information. Draw them into the presentation and ask
them to share their expertise and experiences. You will be more successful if you admit to your
own human foibles and show that you are slightly vulnerable.

Team Members: To team members relate facts through examples. Make sure you use “we”
language. Share success with team members, and accept blame when necessary.

Special Interest Groups: Focus your presentation around the concerns of this particular group.
Relate to them by persuading.

Mixed Groups: If the group is a mixture of team members and peers, you will need to use a
combination of presentation techniques in order to reach everyone. Capture attention in the first
few minutes by using examples each group can relate to.

A speaker connects with those in her audience by learning the similarities within the group.
Factors to study include: gender mix, age range, occupation, professional expertise,
educational background, ethnic/religion mix, family life, hobbies, moral values, upbringing,
political beliefs, and attitudes. This is not an exhaustive list but some major factors that can
impact the development of your speech. You should also know if any special guests will be
among those in the audience, any high-ranking church or government officials or local
celebrities. You might want to extend a special welcome.
Now that you have your own analysis, you can look at your audience. There will be some
characteristics that you will have similar to others in the group.
Now that you understand your audience, you can begin developing your speech.

Know your Audience

Audience size affects your presentation style:

whether you are formal, informal,
whether or not you will have interaction,
what visual aids you will use.

Size of the Group. The size of the group will affect your content, and presentation style. When
speaking to fewer than 30 people you have more flexibility. You can be more informal, and
make eye contact with every one in the room. With 30 to 50 people you will have less flexibility,
but can still make eye contact with everyone in the room. If you plan for group participation, you
can ask people to break into small groups. Addressing more than 50 people creates some
challenges. It is difficult now to make eye contact with everyone, and you will likely need a
microphone to be heard.

The Psychology of Audiences

It’s up to the speaker to make the audience choose to pay attention.
Every speech contains two messages:
One from the speaker
One received by the listener
People are egocentric
Egocentrism – the tendency for people to be most interested in themselves.
They pay closest attention to what affects their own values, beliefs and well being.

Demographic Audience Analysis

Look for observable audience traits
Identify the general features
Gauge the importance of the audience traits to the situation

Age
Whatever your age, you’re a product of your world
Gender
Old stereotypes no longer apply
Avoid sexist language and references
Racial, Ethnic or Cultural Background
Be aware of differences and be able to adapt
Religion
Highly charged emotional issue, be sure to consider the religious orientation or you
might end up being embarrassed.
Group Membership
Guilt by association – people judge you by the company you keep

Body Language
Body Posture.
Whenever possible, stand at a slight angle to the audience.
When you want to emphasize key points, “square” your shoulder to face the audience.
To create drama and make a more powerful impression, you can even move a step or two
closer to your listeners.

We have probably all seen speakers who roam all over a platform when speaking, sometimes
pacing back and forth. Feel free to move about when speaking. But too much pacing can be
distracting to your message

Body Language
Hand Gestures.
Eye Contact
The speaker has three major sections to make eye contact with
The larger the audience, the more sections you need to establish for effective eye contact

Eye Contact
The quickest way to establish a bond with your listeners is to look them in the eye pleasantly.
Avoiding their gaze is one of the surest ways to lose them. Speakers who can’t look into the
eyes of their listeners are perceived as insincere or dishonest. You should be looking into the
eyes of your listeners 80 to 90 percent of the time you are speaking.
​ Avoid however, the tendency to look at one part of the audience while ignoring the rest.
Try your best to establish eye contact with the entire audience. If you are speaking to 25 to 50
people you can divide your audience in three and make eye contact with different people in
each section throughout the presentation without making anyone uncomfortable. If your
audience is larger, you should vary the sections in which you make eye contact. When
addressing a small group you can usually look briefly from one person to another. For a larger
group, you can scan the audience as a whole rather than trying to engage the eyes of each
person individually. No matter what the size of your audience, your eyes should convey
confidence, sincerity and conviction. They should say, “I am pleased to be able to talk with you.
I believe deeply in what I am saying and I want you to believe it too.”

​ During your presentation, look for the cheerleaders―the achievers who make up about
20 percent of any group–and appeal to them. If you win over this group, the belongers who
make up about 50 percent of any group, tend to follow.
​ Some presenters tend to be pulled toward the negative person in the audience. Rather
than being energized by those who are smiling and nodding in agreement, they are pulled to the
one with the frown, or the one who has fallen asleep. Don’t waste your time on such a person.
You will likely lose your train of thought and miss out on others who are much more interested.
​ During your presentation keep coming back to the cheerleaders. They will make you
feel good and give you confidence to make your best presentation.

Facial Expressions. The initial feeling an audience gets from a speaker comes primarily
through facial expressions. The expressions on your face can make an audience feel relaxed or
anxious. To use facial expressions effectively, be yourself. Don’t try to act like someone else
you’ve seen. And smile before you begin speaking. A smile is the easiest and cheapest way to
improve your looks on or off the platform. It’s hard to go wrong if you offer your listeners a good
smile. They may not always agree with what you are saying, but they will like you more if you
smile when you speak.
​
WINNING CONVERSATION―HOW TO TALK SWEET
The voice has been called the melody of conversation: it can be loud, soft, harsh and angry, or
mellow and soothing. The tone of voice, which represents 38 percent of any message
delivered, can draw others toward you or push them away. Next to nonverbal communication, it
carries the most weight in any spoken message.
​ Voice pitch, volume, tone, speed, number and length of pauses, stammering, intensity,
and emotion conveyed all give a meaning far beyond the words themselves. A word may be a
word, but how it is received is dependent on how it is said. Some messages are so loaded with
emotional overtones that they deny the reality of what was said.
​ Meaning is given to words by the sender as she chooses the words, but also is taken by
the listener as she listens and interprets. Not everyone interprets meanings in the same way.
Others don’t always use words the way we do, and we can end up with all sorts of
misunderstandings.

VOICE
Lower, Louder, Slower

Lower: Lower the pitch of your voice. People generally don’t respond well to high-pitched or
shrill voices.
Louder: Project your voice to the back of the room. Practice on the microphone prior to speaking
and remember to position it correctly. Remember to articulate clearly and do not slur your words
together. In order to be heard, hold your head up and speak from the diaphragm. Open your
mouth wide.
Slower: Don’t forget to breathe, pause and add emphasis where needed. Most of us tend to
speed up when we get nervous. You are probably speaking more quickly than you think.

Vocalization
Slow speaker​ 80-90 wpm ​
Average speaker​ 100-150 wpm
Fast speaker​ ​ Up to 170 wpm

We can listen to 450-600 wpm!

We can think 5 times faster than we can talk!

This means that we can think five times faster than we can talk! If you are listening to someone
who is speaking at one hundred words per minute while you can listen at close to six hundred,
what is your mind doing the rest of the time? Wandering.

A fast talker can be both persuasive and expressive, but fast talk can also irritate a more slowly
paced individual. Words that tumble out with rushed urgency may make some people
uncomfortable. Equally irritating to others is a slow speaker who implies apathy and
indifference. You certainly don’t want to go to either extreme. But, in general, talking a bit fast
is better than talking too slow. Why? Speed projects charisma. Slowness projects lethargy.
The ideal is to speak fast enough to keep people intrigued with what you are saying, but not so
fast they feel uncomfortable or rushed.

Public speaking has a rhythm and flow. A clever speaker can shift her normal rhythm to
hammer a point. Hitler became adept at this, he frequently used drum-rolls keyed to the rousing
rhythm of his speeches. This added impetus and excitement to his words. Some people speak
with a soothing smoothness, others with awkward, unpredictable pauses that create an
uncomfortable feeling.

Vocalization
Volume – loudness or softness, adjust to the situation (electronically if necessary, don’t yell)
Pitch – highness or lowness of the voice, use inflections in your voice to avoid “monotone”
Pauses – momentary breaks in your speaking
takes experience to know when to pause, pause at the end of thought units avoid vocalized
pauses (“uh”, “er”, “um”...)
Variety
vary the loudness, pitch and rate to make the speech sound more natural and interesting
Pronunciation – use correct pronunciation of common words
Articulation – physical production of speech sounds
we habitually chop, slur and mumble, rather than enunciating
Dialect – variety of language distinguished by variations of accent, grammar or vocabulary

Volume and Diction

Volume can be used to soothe or irritate.

Loud voice – to scare people, to arouse emotion, to express anger

Soft voice – to gain attention, to express care and love

Diction is important
Words may be mispronounced while speaking loudly.

Cut all filler words such as: “ah,” “like,” “you know,” and “um” when speaking publicly. Replace
them with a pause.
A loud, angry voice is an effective weapon to scare the enemy. However, lowered, subdued
tones can be used to gain attention. A top television executive deliberately lowered his voice
during important meetings and always held center stage as his listeners had to lean forward to
hear what he was saying.

Each of us, through our voices alone, can transmit cold, uncaring messages of indifference, or
we can transmit love, caring and warmth. We need to expend tremendous effort to break
negative habits and move toward a pleasing tone of voice that is supportive and productive.

Public speakers must also watch their diction. Contractions like “couldn’t and shouldn’t” should
not be slurred. Also avoid reversing sounds. Say “prescription,” not “perscription”; “ask,” not
“ax”; “perspire,” not “perspire,” “picture,” not “ pitcher.” Other words often mispronounced are
words with silent letters such as “often” where the “t” is silent: or “toward” where the “w” is silent.

Tips for overcoming fear

* Pick your own subject matter. The more you like your subject, the more apt you are to see
your audience as friendly.

* Follow the “as if” principle. Act as if you are confident, and you truly will become more
confident. This is a real psychological theory put into a nutshell of truth: Your body tends to do
what your mind expects. If your mind expects a successful presentation, your body is more
likely to produce one.

* Put on a happy face. If you are smiling, your audience will be much more likely to smile with
you. If you look scared and miserable, you will unconsciously set the mood for misery.

* Think positively. Avoid negative thoughts like the plague! Instead, use affirming statements to
yourself: “I am well prepared and know my subject. That’s why I have been asked to give it. I
can deliver it well.” This type of positive thinking really works!

* See your audience as non-threatening rather than fearing them. Remember, your audience is
not against you―at least not yet. They have voluntarily come to hear you speak. Act like you
like them, that you are going to have some fun together and they are more likely to like you.

* Fake it. Don’t get up front and say, “I just have to tell you how nervous I am.” You may be
frightened, but no one will know it if you don’t tell them!
* Pray. Or collect positive energy before you present. Collect positive energy for yourself as
you deliver your speech, and also for the people in your audience―that they might receive all
the thoughts of love and good will that you have for them.

Believe it or not, stage fright has its good points. Fear produces energy and you can draw on
that energy and enthusiasm to help you give a more powerful presentation. Since most people
see public speaking as very difficult, when you stand up to speak you will automatically get
some respect. You hardly have to do anything else. Just standing before a group gains
respect. Then if you are fully prepared you can be confident in your ability to carry this off. Tell
yourself, “I am completely prepared. I wrote a good talk and I know my material. I will go out
there and with God’s help, I will do a good job. “ Remember, the best way to overcome stage
fright is to believe in yourself!

Accept every opportunity you can to speak. Each time you get up front will become easier. In
time it won’t be so terrifying.

CREDIBILITY

One of your prime objectives when speaking to an audience is to establish credibility and good
will. Credibility is mostly a matter of being perceived by your listeners as being qualified to
speak on a given topic. If, for example, I attempted to speak to you about nuclear physics, I
would have to take drastic steps to demonstrate my credibility on the subject since I have limited
knowledge of the subject. You too must establish credibility before your audience. Your
credibility can come from your elected position as a leader of women, reading, classes, you’ve
taken etc. Whatever the source of your expertise, your audience needs to know.

You can be helped toward credibility by preparing an introduction typed up in advance and sent
to the one who has been asked to introduce you. Since I speak professionally for many
organizations, this is what I have done. My introduction includes the number of books I have
written, how many languages they have been translated into, special honors I have received,
personalities I have appeared with, and a few other pertinent facts that would establish my
credibility to a group before I begin. This promotes a positive attitude among the audience and
leaves me with less “proving” to accomplish.

GENDER BENDERS

A number of researchers believe that gender differences in conversational styles result in

mis-communication that often occur in male-female conversation. For example, research shows
that women tend to nod their heads more and give more affirmative verbal cues than do men.
Men, in contrast, interpret such signals to mean “I agree,”: rather than “I understand.” A female
speaker who sees males in her audience failing to nod in agreement with her, may assume that
they aren’t listening, don’t agree or that she is being ignored.
Males may also view topics differently than do women. And generally speaking, males have
different interest levels, knowledge, and experiences than females about the topic being
presented. In order to pick up male interest on a topic be sure to include examples and stories
men can relate to.

Trembling:
If you are a trembler,
Leave the microphone on its stand rather than holding it in your hand.
Leave your notes on the lectern so that people can’t see them shake in your hands.
If your legs tremble, shift your weight between them.

The STAR method is a structured, four-part technique used to answer behavioral

interview questions (e.g., "Tell me about a time...") by detailing a specific Situation,
Task, Action, and Result. It ensures clear, concise, and evidence-based stories,
focusing 60% of the response on the actions taken.

Key Components:

●​ Situation (20%): Set the scene and provide context.

●​ Task (10%): Define the challenge or goal.
●​ Action (60%): Explain what you did to resolve it.
●​ Result (10%): Share the outcomes, impact, and learnings

Tips for Success:

●​ Be Specific: Use real-life examples from past jobs, projects, or volunteering.

●​ Focus on "I": Highlight your individual contributions, not just the team's.
●​ Quantify Results: Use data to measure success whenever possible.
●​ Prepare Stories: Have 5-7 stories ready that can be adapted for various
questions.