Speaking Skills

Dont let your schooling

get in the way
of your
education
--Mark Twain
Speaking Skills

Principles
Organization
Practicing
Performing
Visual aids
 Speaking Principles
Every week, every day, almost every hour,
Your job is to communicate!!!
Departmental seminar
Teaching
Scholarly presentation
Grant proposal
Job interview
 Speaking Principles
The 4 fundamentals of success

1. Choose the right topic and style

2. Organize the content clearly
3. Practice several times and several ways
4. Perform with your whole being
 Speaking Principles
Principles are fine, but
Be Yourself!
dontcopy someone else
dontmake yourself
uncomfortable
dotry different things
dodevelop your own style
 Speaking Content
Choosing the content
1. Choose a topic you can handle
2. Strictly define the topic
3. Gauge the audience
4. Determine the kind of occasion
5. Check out the setting
 Speaking Content
Matching the hatch, or
How to hook the audience
Informative talks
Purpose: transmit information
Audience: peers, reporters
Setting: conference, workshop
Size of audience: small to medium
Topics: data, methods, statistics
Aids to effectiveness: tables, maps
 Speaking Content
Matching the hatch, or
How to hook the audience
Persuasive talks
Purpose: spur to action
Audience: politicians, superiors
Setting: keynote, board presentation
Size of audience: small to large
Topics: principles, examples
Aids to effectiveness: quotes, tragedy/victory
 Speaking Content
Matching the hatch, or
How to hook the audience
Narrative talks
Purpose: tell a story
Audience: general, mixed, banquet
Setting: school group, informal
Size of audience: any size
Topics: people, places, things
Aids to effectiveness: props, slides, videos
 Speaking Content
Matching the hatch, or
How to hook the audience
Humorous talks
Purpose: entertain
Audience: adult, casual
Setting: banquet, welcome, informal
Size of audience: medium to large
Topics: unusual events, people (no jokes)
Aids to effectiveness: personal anecdotes
Speaking Organization

Creating
and
Evaluating
are two different tasks.

SEPARATE THEM!!
 Speaking Organization

Brainstorming
is
essential!
 Speaking Organization
Brainstorming is essential!
Listing
Write general topic at top of paper
Write words or phrases as they come
Keep going!!!
Dont edit along the way
Then group, cross out and rewrite ideas
 Writing Organization
Brainstorming is essential!
Freewriting
Write general topic at top of paper
Begin writing, whatever you think about the
topic
Keep writing for at least one page, maybe more
Read the page, circle interesting points
Start over with the interesting points
 Speaking Organization
Brainstorming is essential!
Clustering
Write general topic at center of paper and circle
Write related ideas around this circle, circle
them and connect to main idea with lines
Do the same with the smaller circles
Later re-group, choose main points
 Speaking Organization
For every ten bad ideas,
there is one good one;
and for every ten good ones,
there is one that is practical.

--Michael Eisner
Former CEO, Walt Disney Company
 Speaking Organization
Organize into 3 parts
Introduction
Body
Summary
The preachers formula for a sermon:
Tell em what youre gonna tell em;
Tell em;
Tell em what ya told em!
 Speaking Organization
The Introduction

Introduce the messagefocus the

audience
Anecdote, fact, quotegrab their attention
Put purpose in terms of audience
State your intention
 Speaking Organization
The Introduction
Ill describe the process for turning an
invention into a company.
I want you to leave tonight understanding
genetic engineering.
Ill show you how a good environment is also
good for business.
Speaking Organization
The Introduction
Introductions must be SHORT!
No more than 20% of time
For long talks, no more than 10
minutes, better if 5 minutes
Avoid the long wind-up before
the pitch!
 Speaking Organization
The Body

Deliver the message

convince the audience
3-5 main points, covered
equally
Clearly identify the
points as you make them
 Speaking Organization
The Body
I will present three approaches to protecting
endangered species.
The first approach is captive breeding
Now, the second approach, reintroduction...
The third is my favoritehabitat protection
 Speaking Organization
The Body

60% of the time

So, 20% per point!
More than 5 points? Reorganize!
Be ruthlessthe only way to win!
 Speaking Organization
The Summary

Drive home the messagemotivate the

audience
Synthesize the main points
Give the audience a specific challenge
 Speaking Organization
The Summary
Tomorrow, when you see that infomercial,
remember that a researcher started it all!
If someone starts to trash genetic engineering,
give them an earfulof high lycene corn!
When you start to buy something, ask
yourself, Is that good for meand us?
 Speaking Organization
The Summary
This is the big finaleso
save time for it!
20% of the time
Just finish once
Strong finish, so audience
knows when youre done!
 Speaking Organization
The 15-minute Scientific Talk
Plan for 13 minutes
Introduction 2 minutes
Body 3 points in 9 minutes
Summary 2 minutes

Be Ruthless the only way to win!!

 Speaking Practicing
Practice is a process, not an event

Practice is not rehearsing the night before

Practice is not memorizing the talk
Practice is gradually getting to know and
love the talk
 Speaking Practicing
First step Planning
Schedule time for preparation at several
intervalsbe ruthless!
Brainstorm
Prepare an outline
Prepare a visual-aid plan
Draft visual aids in first-draft
 Speaking Practicing
Second step Creating the text
A week before
Write phrases, important terms
Write word-for-word only for most
important presentations (persuasive)
Read aloud to test flow, expression
Time the presentation
 Speaking Practicing
Third step -- Relaxing
Forget about it!
 Speaking Practicing
Fourth step -- Finalizing
Day or two before
Read aloud again
Draft final visual aids
Plan for several minutes fewer than
allowed
Draft final talking textbe ruthless!
Speaking Performing
Like it or not, you are
a performer!

Listeners judge you by

performance, more than
content

Listeners decide to like

you in the first few
minutes.
 Speaking Performing
Appearance
Look as good as you can
Dress better than the audience
(better to be overdressed than
underdressed)
 Speaking Performing
Mannerisms

Nervous people act nervousso practice!

Be alert to personal idiosyncrasiesthey
are exaggerated when nervous
Move aroundnaturally
 Speaking Performing
Mannerisms
Dontput hands in pockets
Dontwave the pointer like a conductor
Dontlean on the podium
Dontstare at the floor, window, screen
Donthide behind the podium
 Speaking Performing
Speaking style
Speak from key phrases, ideas
Dont read the presentation
Dont memorize the presentation
Use short sentences
Use common words
Vary voice level, pace
 Speaking Performing
Engaging the audience
Speak to audience as one person
React to individualssmile, call names
Work in the positive space
Look around and gestureat least a little
Have fun!
 Speaking Performing
Engaging the audience

Strong start
Strong finish
 Speaking Summary
The keys to a successful presentation

1. Choose carefully for each occasion

2. Organize ruthlessly for clarity
3. Practice several ways
4. Perform with entire being
Visual Aids
When speeches are read
The listeners are few.
But props are a treat
That pull us all through.
Or
Never, ever, ever, ever, ever

GIVE A TALK WITHOUT PROPS!

Visual Aids -- Contents

The content of a slide, if it is to be

understood by a majority of the viewers,
must express the meaning of the work in a
manner which, other things being equal,
focuses the viewer on the single, essential,
overarching conceptual message that is the
purpose for the communication device.
Visual Aids Contents

Keep It Simple,
Stupid!
Visual Aids -- Contents

One major idea per slide

One or two levels of headings
Key words, not sentences
Simple tables, figures and maps
 Players on a basketball team
Center
Tallest player
Back to the basket
Rebounding skills
Soft touch around the basket
Power forward
Strongest player
Slashing ability
Strong defense
Good hands
Forward
Most versatile player
Move without ball
Outside shooter
Good passer
Shooting guard
Best shooter
Both fast and quick
Quick release
Defense is a plus
Point guard
Best ball handler
Team leader on floor
Vision of entire court
Good defender
 Players on a basketball team
Center
Power forward
Forward
Shooting guard
Point guard
 Players on a basketball team
Center
Tallest player
Back to the basket
Rebounding skills
Soft touch around the basket
 Players on a basketball team
Center
Power forward
Strongest player
Slashing ability
Strong defense
Good hands
 Players on a basketball team
Center
Power forward
Forward
Shooting guard
Point guard
Best ball handler
Team leader on floor
Vision of entire court
Good defender
 Players on a basketball team
Center
Center generally is the tallest player on the team
because he plays in the middle of the court.
The center usually plays with his back to the basket
so he can see when someone is going to pass him
the ball; so he needs great sense of his position
relative to the basket.
Because he plays under the basket, he must be a
great rebounder, on both the offensive and defensive
ends.
He also needs a soft touch around the basket, which
is not a common trait of very tall people
Players on a basketball team
Center
Tallest player
Back to the basket
Rebounding skills
Soft touch around the basket
North Carolina State University

TOT 3-PT REBOUNDS

Player Name FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF TP A TO BLK MIN

Evtimov 6-11 4-5 0-0 2 2 4 3 16 5 6 1 47

Bennerman 6-12 3-8 8-9 1 6 7 2 23 3 2 1 43
Simmons 4-8 0-0 4-5 1 7 8 3 12 2 2 1 29
Atsur 3-7 2-6 3-4 1 2 3 3 11 2 3 0 45
Bethel 1-8 1-6 0-0 0 3 3 4 5 1 1 1 47
Grant 3-5 1-1 6-6 0 1 1 1 13 1 2 0 21
Brackman 3-4 1-1 1-1 0 0 0 0 8 2 0 0 18
Team 1 4 5
Totals 26-55 12-27 22-25 6 25 31 16 86 20 16 4 250
 NC State defeats Miami, 86-77

Cameron Bennerman
Free throws 8 of 9
Total points 23 (career high)
Team totals
Free throws 22 of 25 (88%)
Turnovers 16
Visual Aids -- Composition
What is beautiful?

Sunsets over a mountain lake? NO

A still-life by Cezanne? NO
Snoop Dogg in concert? NO
Jessica Simpson? NO
Visual Aids -- Composition
What is beautiful?
BIG
I mean BIG
I mean really BIG!!!!!!!
Visual Aids -- Composition

BIG
is
BEAUTIFUL!
Visual Aids -- Composition

60-Point Type
48-Point Type
36-Point Type
24-Point Type
18-Point Type
12-Point Type
Visual Aids -- Composition
General Suggestions
44-point for titles (maybe 40)
36-point for subtitles (maybe 32)
28-point for text (maybe 24)
Nothing smaller than 18-point
Got it? Nothing smaller than this
This is 18-point type
And this looks too small for me
Visual Aids -- Composition
Font types
Serif types for extensive text
(Times New Roman)
San-serif types for main headings (Arial)
No condensed type
No fancy type styles
1 or 2 fonts per slide
Maybe something special for emphasis
Visual Aids -- Composition

Color combinations
Visual Aids -- Composition
Color combinations
White background is always okay
Use high-contrast font color
Black
Red
Blue
Visual Aids -- Composition
Color combinations
Black background is okay occasionally
Strains the eyes
Need high-contrast font color
White
Yellow
Green
Visual Aids -- Composition
Color combinations
Blue background is great
Easy on the eyes
Can take many font colors
White
Yellow
Visual Aids -- Composition
Color combinations
Yellow on green reads easiest
Best font colors
Yellow
White