THE ART OF SPEAKING -- IV

 

The Art of Speaking --- IV

Some ill-informed people under-rate the audience based on a personal visit to US. A good speaker would choose to be accurate and would avoid irrelevant references to personal trips.

What makes a speech good?

After all, a good speech is one which “reaches” the audience as acceptable. The notion of acceptability suggested here is restricted to the extent that the listeners feel rewarded or at least happy to have sat through the session. Like any message, the extent to which the recipients feel enthused or kindled to ponder over, is a measure of success. However, despite the divided taste among people, a broad acceptability is the hall mark of a good speech. Some are delighted, some are happy and a vast majority acknowledges the quality.  Therefore, it is obvious that people are unbiased in accepting quality. At best they may differ in minor details of the proposals made.

The effort:

It is wise to understand the intricacies of a topic chosen for a speech. Every topic has several facets of information. It is unwise to touch upon every facet of an issue because different determinants come in to play in deciding the success of a suggestion. An avid speaker would merely identify the components of an issue and also declare that [s]he would confine to certain specific items. Now, the territory having been restricted, it is easier to analyze the intricacies of the chosen items. Conflicting views if any may be presented. Sometimes the speaker may have a preference among them. On such occasions [s]he may indicate the reasons for preference so that the listeners perceive the intention better. Quite some homework may have to be gone into as a preparatory exercise in augmenting the panorama of the concept.

It is not necessary that one should try to exhibit the volume of effort that has gone in to the exercise. A larger survey is suggested for achieving the maximum clarity for the speaker. Once the panorama is clear, it is easy to drive logic in all the interpretations that together account for comprehension.  Comprehension is the first requirement and the last reward respectively for the speaker and the listeners. If the effort serves this ably, it signifies a good speech. A number of attributes determines the quality of a speech. Reaching the audience is the intention; but how elegantly it is done determines the bondage [rapport] between the speaker and the listeners. A good speaker achieves it with in a couple of minutes of beginning the speech.  

The strategy:

The foremost need in making a speech acceptable is to be thorough with all the factual details relevant to the topic. Divergent views must be also well known to the speaker. This is essential for answering questions during interactions. A ready gist of points for reference is an ideal tool to provide the necessary back-up for discussion. A ritualistic reading from a “prepared text” is bound to depress the enthusiasm to listen.

Voice matters the most in all public speaking. Voice is not just the volume; it is a blend of components like pitch and pace ideal for the occasion. A speaker has to be “alive” to the situation in the sense that, appropriate volume of the voice must be arrived at to suit the acoustics. An optimum space between the receiver of the microphone and the mouth of the speaker determines the comfort in listening. While sticking to the optimum gap the speaker can still slightly wobble the head to sustain body language and natural disposition. Staying at the microphone should not be a rigid formality.

To continue   Prof, K. Raman