If someone were to ask you how many Ps there are in speechmaking, you'd be forgiven for thinking that there is only one. Strictly speaking, of course, you'd be right. But if you intend to make a speech, you had better remember that there are, in fact, three Ps in speechmaking - Pace, Poise and Polish.
And if you can remember to make use of all three in your speechmaking then you are guaranteed to impress each and every audience that you address.
Pace. This is a 'make or break' P, so don't underestimate it's importance. If you get this wrong, your audience will either be bored to tears and will be struggling to hide their yawns from you OR they will miss every third word you say as you race to finish your delivery.
Have you ever listened to a speaker who had been taught that speaking slowly allowed the audience to understand what you were saying better? If you have, you'll know that there is a world of difference between easily understandable and excruciatingly slow! Even the most interesting topic will be made boring by a slow drawl and your audience will be itching to scream "speed it up, won't you? I have to be in work tomorrow morning!"
Delivering your speech too slowly is guaranteed to make even the most generous audience lose their concentration and their patience.
On the other hand, if your pace is too fast, many people in your audience will simply lose the thread of what you are saying and listening to you will become too much like hard work. Your responsibility is to make the audiences' task of listening to your speech easy, not difficult and you should be striving to give your audience the luxury of simply relaxing and letting your words seep effortlessly into their minds.
Speak slowly enough for your audience to absorb what you are saying yet fast enough to prevent your delivery from becoming tedious. Learn to vary your pace throughout your presentation so that your delivery remains interesting to those listening to it.
Poise. Most speakers only focus on the subject matter of their speeches and work long and hard on the actual construction of their speech. Hours are spent collecting information, arranging it into the correct sequence, choosing the most appropriate opening and closing words and making sure that the rhythm and flow of their delivery is just right.
And of course, all that work is essential if you are to give an excellent speech. But the effort doesn't stop there. How you present yourself is just as important as how you present your words.
Take a moment to run through this checklist before you step out in front of your audience:
1. Is your clothing smart, clean, appropriate and arranged correctly? 2. Is your hair neatly combed? 3. Does your body language convey the right impression?
Always remember that the audience will start forming their opinion of you from the second that they set eyes on you and long before you start to speak. Your poise - that is, the visual impression given to the audience - will be the first element that will influence their decision.
Make sure that your impression is a positive one.
Polish. This is what will make a good speech great! It is also the element that will be of the most help in ridding yourself of any pre-speech nervousness. Proper preparation is the key to most things in life and when speaking in public thorough preparation is nothing less than vital.
Make time to rehearse your speech in front of a mirror, or better still, in front of your family or friends. Make sure that you become very familiar with the content of your speech. Practice until you find the most effective style of delivery and think about the incorporation of suitable gestures. Spend time on anything that you feel needs to be practised until it becomes second nature.
Take time to scrutinise your stage outfit and pay close attention to your posture. Don't lean, don't hunch, don't slouch and don't allow yourself to display any outward signs of tension. Polish your performance until it shines! You must strive to appear relaxed, confident and in control at all times - even if you don't feel it.
Pace, Poise and Polish - if you can remember these three Ps in 'speechmaking' you can guarantee that your speech will be delivered in such a manner that any audience will be entertained, enraptured and enthralled by your performance.
About the Author:
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