Essential elements of public speaking

The man or women who has their own ideas and can express them most effectively is a leader. He does the organizing, makes and imparts the plans, carries his own theories and beliefs into execution. She can act for himself. He or she influences others to significant and purposeful action. The advantages that come to men and women who can think on their feet, who can express without preparation a carefully considered proposition, who can adapt their conversation or arguments to ever changing conditions, can’t be emphasized strongly enough.

In public speaking, training counts as much as natural ability—if not more so. If you considers carefully the careers of people whose ability to speak has impressed the world by its preeminence you will incline to the conclusion that the preponderance of them were by no means born speakers at all. Nearly all great speakers who have left records of their progress in this powerful art testify that without the effort to improve, without the perpetual practice, no one would consider them marked for this so-called gift.

Here are three abilities frequently under-emphasized in public speaking training:

• Speaking to create pictures

A difficult attainment for some in the art of speaking is vividness. You may see the picture in your own mind's eye, but your mode of expression may not reveal the fact to others. Some have imagination in writing, with no suggestion of it in the speaking. Some erroneously take for granted that the human voice will respond to all promptings of the mind. This is no more true of the voice than, of course, than of the hand or the eye. The voice needs be training. Often it’s not merely of vocal response that needs improvement, sometimes a mental awakening is necessary. In that case, learning to see more clearly see images in one’s mind’s eye and learning to dream dreams may be necessary.

• Voice qualities

The most noticeable quality of a person's voice is its tone. It’s enough for this article to assert that the tone should be clear and agreeable. In public speaking, the clearness is all-important. However, a disagreeable voice may almost neutralize all the advantages of the clearness.

Lack of clearness may have several causes. The speaker may feel that the throat closes up, choking him. The tongue may become stiff, "cleaving to the roof of your mouth"—as many describe it. The speaker may breathe so vigorously that the escaping or incoming air makes more noise than the words themselves. Any of these, or any others, should be eliminated by advice and practice.

Usually whatever corrections will make the tone clearer will also make it more agreeable. The nasal pessimistic whine is not a pleasant recommendation of personality. High, forced, strident tones produce not only irritation in the listener but throat trouble for the speaker.

• Use of gestures

The use of gestures is determined by the personality of the speaker, the nature of the speech, the disposition of the audience, and the circumstances of the occasion. One speaker will gesticulate nearly all the time; while under the same conditions, another will seem seldom to move in at all. The two may be just as effective. A speech that charged with lively emotion will usually be accompanied with action; a grave speech, expressive of the profound feeling, would be comparatively without action.

Remember that gesture means the bearing or the action of the whole person; not simply movement of the arm and hand. Govern Gestures by this understanding. A thought or emotion, something that moves the man from within, causes a change, perhaps slight, perhaps very marked, in the eye, face, and body. This is gesture. This movement may from strength of the feeling extend to the arm and hand. However, this movement in arm and hand is only the fuller manifestation of one's thought or feeling--the conclusion of the gesture, not the gesture itself.

In closing, if you develop the ability to create vivid images in the minds of your audience, speak with a pleasant voice, and gesture naturally, you well be well ahead of the crowd.

There are many other important skills. To read more of my articles, go to my public speaking website.