Master the art of public speaking: best techniques and skills

Many people run away from the art of public speaking, especially those who are shy and believe that the audience is the ideal place.

However, there are moments in life when we have no choice: either we take the microphone and speak to the public, or opportunities are given to others.

And, being caught by surprise is not ideal, after all, for those who are not in the habit of speaking to audiences, it is common for ideas to escape the mind, and there is that awkward silence.

Therefore, the best solution is precisely to develop this art, so that when opportunities arise, you seize them and ace your presentations. Today we’ll look at some strategies for this, so stick around!

Why is public speaking an art?

There are those who disagree, but public speaking is an art, and only those who have picked up a microphone and felt the ground disappear beneath them understand what we are talking about.

Tingling hands, a cracking voice, sweat running down the back of your neck and the feeling that your legs want to run far away are common for those who have not mastered this type of skill.

The fear of speaking to audiences is usually associated with issues such as low self-esteem and fear of disagreements, after all, many of these people have control over what they intend to say, so the lack of content is not the problem.

And, if you’ve ever attended a lecture and felt like the hours weren’t passing and that nothing you heard was being absorbed, you certainly understand that it’s not enough to just open your mouth and start talking.

We consider public speaking an art because through the right skills it is possible to win over the public and convey ideas clearly, and this is certainly not easy for everyone.

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Guaranteed opportunities with the art of public speaking

As we saw previously, the art of public speaking receives this title because it is an essential skill for ensuring an adequate presentation.

And, contrary to what many believe, it is not enough to just be extroverted to speak well to audiences, after all, speaking texts without the correct tone does not help the public in any way.

Sometimes, a shy person who applies cohesion and the correct tone to their presentations is better able to communicate with the audience appropriately.

So, if you think that you weren’t born to talk to people and that your place is in the audience, forget that idea. It is important that you understand that many opportunities can arise from this, such as:

• Leadership at work
• Participations in religious environments
• Ease of interacting with new people;
• Professional prominence outside the work environment;
• Among others.

So, if before you didn’t consider exposing your ideas to the world, know that this can open many doors for you and help you evolve as you always wanted.

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Skills needed to master the art of public speaking 

Do you remember we talked about extroversion not being one of the requirements to master the art of public speaking?

This happens because social ease is not the only skill needed to deal with audiences, after all, there is no point in talking for the sake of talking, without generating value for the listener.

And even if you are shy, with some skills you can “get around” this issue to be able to communicate your ideas clearly.

That said, see below some essential skills for speaking in public perfectly and naturally:

• Emotional control;
• Cohesion and coherence when formulating ideas;
• Oratory;
• Development of body language;
• Power of persuasion 
• Self-confidence
• Among others

So, if you don’t like being in an audience but already have some of the skills described above, know that this already puts you ahead of many extroverts.

What are the best techniques to perfect this gift?

In the previous topic we learned about the skills needed to master the art of public speaking.

But, we know that just having the skill does not guarantee that we will be able to use it, after all, shyness and trauma can prevent us from expressing our ideas clearly.

Therefore, the best solution is to invest in techniques and strategies that allow you to train this skill, until the barriers disappear.

1. Learn to value what you say 

Many times, the difficulty in speaking in public exists due to the devaluation we apply to our ideas.

There are those who say that if you distrust what you say, it’s probably because it’s not true. But whoever says this certainly doesn’t know the mind of an anxious person.

Therefore, if you want to communicate your ideas well, start by valuing the things you need to say to the public.

This way, it is easier to complete the speech and communicate well, after all, you have no doubts about what you are saying.

2. Engage in activities that require public speaking 

Yes, I know you think that you should feel ready to speak in public, but the longer you delay this moment, the more anxiety you will have about this situation.

Therefore, don’t expect to be perfectly adapted, invest in practice precisely to lose your fears and understand where you need to improve.

Don’t worry, for this you don’t need to start giving talks or be willing to speak at the company’s end of year party with 300 guests.

Sometimes, starting to talk to friends and expressing your ideas in meetings with close colleagues helps.

Furthermore, over time, opportunities to improve the skill will arise, and you will develop it without realizing it.

Therefore, try to accept life’s challenges and learn to put your voice at all times.

3. Don’t focus on the size of the audience: think you are talking to just one person

When it comes to mastering the art of public speaking, one of the biggest obstacles is fear of the public.

In general, people who suffer from this issue feel chills when they see an audience, even if there is no one there.

To resolve this issue, it is important that you stop evaluating your audience with numbers, after all, talking to 50 people is much less scary than talking to 5,000.

Therefore, it is important that you remember that everyone is a spectator and is willing to listen to you, so don’t be afraid because there are many people, what matters is what you have to say.

It is important that you know that you will not resolve this issue overnight, but with the right dedication it is possible to overcome fears and difficulties that prevent you from speaking to audiences.

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