The Art of Public Speaking

(sweaty palms, stomache aches, a feeling of nausea)

For many of us, the art of public speaking does not come very easily. Being on dead-center stage with your peers staring down at your every move, the pressure in on. However, as nerve wrecking and unpleasant as many of us find public speaking, it is a vital means of promoting ourselves and is necessary in pursuing any career. 

Figure 1:
Martin Luther King

Take many politicians, for example, Barack Obama, George W. Bush, and even Adolf Hitler. The popularity of many of these men arose from the power of the speeches that they delivered to the public. Words are powerful, the best of them can be passed down for generations to come. As American journalist, Chuck Palahniuk once said "We all die. The goal isn't to live forever, the goal is to create something that will (1961)."The speech that Martin Luther King delivered way back in 1963 on racial inequality still continues to ring in our ears today, "I have a dream....". The following Youtube video shows the entire clip on Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech: Martin Luther King "I Have a Dream" 

So how exactly does one provide a meaningful, powerful speech, that will be remembered for centuries to come, or at least make a lasting impression in the audience for the next hour? The art of public speaking integrates so much more than just words itself, it is a sum of speech, humour, body language, confidence, delivery and so much more. The following link provides tips on presenting a powerful speech: Tips on Public Speaking. For myself, and others aiming on becoming a registered dietician, public speaking will be a crucial skill as health promotions will be a large part of what I do on a regular basis. 

For those still nervous about presenting in front of an audience, relax! Presentations now no need to be as long as Martin Luther King's seventeen minute speech. Pecha Kucha presentations have recently been introduced as a replacement for long, nerve wrecking speeches. What exactly is a Pecha Kucha? 20 slides, 20 seconds per slide, all for a total of 6 mins 40 sec on stage. It is much more straight to the point than a regular speech, and with only 20 seconds per slide, it saves the anticipation of finding words to say. My fellow classmate, Yinglin Huang states some benefits of this short presentation plus great pointers on how to deliver an effective, thought provoking Pecha Kucha that will keep your audience on their toes! Check out her blog here.

References:

Figure 1: Martin Luther King [Photo], (2012). Retrieved from: http://www.walkingbutterfly.com/tag/martin-luther-king-jr/