PUBLIC SPEAKING
COMPONENTS OF A SPEECH
Organizing speeches serves two important functions. First, organization helps improve clarity of
thought in a systematic way. Second, organization increases the likelihood that the speech will be
effective
Audiences are unlikely to understand disorganized speeches and even less likely to think that
disorganized speakers are reliable or credible. Speeches are organized into three main parts:
introduction, body, and conclusion.
Introduction
The introduction of the speech establishes the first, crucial contact between the speaker and the
audience. For most classroom speeches, the introduction should last less than a minute. The
introduction needs to accomplish three things:
Focus your audience's attention. Speakers must have an “attention grabber” to interest the
audience—a joke, astonishing fact, or anecdote. (Rhetorical questions like “Haven’t you ever
wondered how…” are notoriously ineffective.) The introduction is the place where the main
claim or idea should be stated very clearly to give the audience a sense of the purpose of the
speech. Speakers need to orient the audience and make connections between what they know or
are already interested in and the speech topic.
Establish goodwill and credibility. Many people believe the most important part of persuasion
was ethos, or the character the speaker exhibited to the audience. The audience needs to see the
speaker as someone to listen to attentively and sympathetically. Ethos is generated by both
delivery style and content of the speech. Making eye contact with the audience and displaying
confidence in voice and body are two important ways to establish ethos. In addition, if you
express ideas that are original and intelligent, you will show what “intellectual character.”
Audiences pay attention to habits of thought that are interesting and worth listening to.
Give a preview. Mentioning the main points to be covered in the body prepares the audience to
listen for them. Repetition is an important aspect of public speaking, for listening is an imperfect
art, and audience members nearly always tune out in parts--sometimes to think about previous
parts of the speech, sometimes for other reasons. The preview should end with a transition, a
brief phrase or a pause to signal to the audience that the speech is moving out of the introduction
and into the body.
The body follows and is itself structured by a mode of organization, a logical or culturally
specific pattern of thinking about ideas, events, objects, and processes. Having a mode of
organization means grouping similar material together and linking the component parts together
with transitions. Good transitions show the relation between parts of a speech. They display the
logic of the speech. Common transition phrases include: in addition to, furthermore, even more,
next, after that, then, as a result, beyond that, in contrast, however, and on the other hand. One
,special type of transition is called the internal summary, a brief restatement of the main point
being completed.
Body
In the body, the fewer the main points the better. For short classroom speeches, under 10
minutes, speeches should not have more than three main points. For longer speeches, more than
five main points ensures that audiences will have trouble following and remembering the speech.
In the speech, main points should be clearly stated and "signposted," marked off as distinct and
important to the audience. Transitions often serve to signpost new points, as do pauses before an
important idea. Additionally, speakers might number main points—first, second, third or first,
next, finally. Always make it easy for the audience to recognize and follow key ideas.
There are several common modes of organizing the information in the body of your speech:
Temporal organization groups information according to when it happened or will happen. Types
of temporal patterns include chronological (in the sequence it occurred) and reverse
chronological (from ending back to start). Inquiry order is one special mode of temporal
organization useful in presenting some kinds of research: here you organize the body in accord
with the unfolding processes of thinking and gathering data, taking the audience from the initial
curiosity and questions to final results.
Cause-effect is a related mode of organization, showing how one event brings about another.
Cause-effect, like other temporal modes, may be used for past, present, or future events and
processes. Cause-effect can also be reversed, from effect back to cause.
Spatial patterns group and organize your speech based on physical arrangement of its parts. If a
speech is describing a place, a physical object, or a process of movement--downtown Mercer, a
plant cell, or the Battle of Shiloh--spatial patterns can be useful.
Topical designs are appropriate when the subject matter has clear categories of division.
Government in the United States, for instance, falls into federal, state, and local categories; or
into executive, legislative, and judicial branches; into elected and appointed officials. Categories
like these can help divide the subject matter to organize the main points.
Compare/contrast takes two or more entities and draws attention to their differences and/or
similarities. Sometimes speakers explain a difficult subject by comparing it with an easier, more
accessible one--to explain nuclear fusion with the stages of high school romance, for instance.
The use of analogies often assists in audience understanding.
Conclusion
Following a transition from the body of the speech, the conclusion follows. The conclusion
should be somewhat shorter than the introduction and accomplishes two purposes: summarize
main ideas and give the speech a sense of closure and completion. Good conclusions might refer
back to the introduction, offer an analogy or metaphor that captures the main idea, or leave the
audience with a question or a challenge of some type. Brief quotations can also make effective
conclusions (just as they can make effective openings for introductions).
, PRESENTATION METHODS
A presentation is a form of communication in which the speaker conveys information to the
audience. In an organization presentations are used in various scenarios like talking to a group,
addressing a meeting, demonstrating or introducing a new product, or briefing a team. It involves
presenting a particular subject or issue or new ideas/thoughts to a group of people.
It is considered as the most effective form of communication because of two main reasons:
Use of non-verbal cues.
Facilitates instant feedback.
Following are the various styles / methods of giving presentations:
1. Visual Style
What it is: If you’re a firm believer slides simply exist to complement your talking points, this
style is for you. With this speaking style, you might need to work a little harder to get your
audience engaged, but the dividends can be huge for strong public speakers, visionaries, and
storytellers.
When to use it: This style is helpful when speaking to a large audience with broad interests. It’s
also great for when you need to throw together slides quickly.
Visual style presenter: Steve Jobs
2. Freeform Style
What it is: This impromptu style of presenting doesn’t require slides. Instead, the speaker relies
on strong stories to illustrate each point. This style works best for those who have a short
presentation time and are extremely familiar with their talking points.
When to use it: Elevator pitches, networking events, and impromptu meetings are all scenarios
in which to use a freeform style of speaking. You’ll appear less rehearsed and more
conversational than if you were to pause in the middle of a happy hour to pull up your
presentation on a tablet.
Freeform style presenter: Sir Ken Robinson
3. Instructor Style
What it is: This presentation style allows you to deliver complex messages using figures of
speech, metaphors, and lots of content -- just like your teachers and professors of old. Your
decks should be built in logical order to aid your presentation, and you should use high-impact
visuals to support your ideas and keep the audience engaged.
When to use it: If you’re not a comfortable presenter or are unfamiliar with your subject matter
(i.e., your product was recently updated and you’re not familiar with the finer points), try
instructor-style presenting.
Instructor style presenter: Al Gore
, 4. Coach Style
What it is: Energetic and charismatic speakers gravitate towards this style of presenting. It allows
them to connect and engage with their audience using role play and listener interaction.
When to use it: Use this presentation style when you’re speaking at a conference or presenting to
an audience who needs to be put at ease. For example, this style would work well if you were
speaking to a group of executives who need to be sold on the idea of what your company does
rather than the details of how you do it.
Coach style presenter: Linda Edgecombe
5. Storytelling Style
What it is: In this style, the speaker relies on anecdotes and examples to connect with their
audience. Stories bring your learning points to life, and the TED’s Commandments never let you
down: Let your emotions out and tell your story in an honest way.
When to use it: Avoid this style if you’re in the discovery phase of the sales process. You want to
keep the conversation about your prospect instead of circling every point or question back to you
or a similar client. This style is great for conference speaking, networking events, and sales
presentations where you have adequate time to tell your stories without taking minutes away
from questions.
Storytelling style presenter: Jill Bolte Taylor
6. Connector Style
What it is: In this style, presenters connect with their audience by showing how they’re similar to
their listeners. Connectors usually enjoy freeform Q&A and use gestures when they speak. They
also highly encourage audience reaction and feedback to what they’re saying.
When to use it: Use this style of presenting early in the sales process as you’re learning about your
prospect’s pain points, challenges, and goals. This type of speaking sets your listener at ease,
elicits feedback on how you’re doing in real time, and is more of a dialogue than a one- sided
presentation
Connector style presenter: Connie Dieken
7. Lessig Style
What it is: The Lessig Style was created by Lawrence Lessig, a professor of law and leadership at
Harvard Law School. This presentation style requires the presenter to pass through each slide
within 15 seconds. When text is used in a slide, it’s typically synchronized with the presenter’s
spoken words.
When to use it: This method of presentation is great for large crowds -- and it allows the speaker to
use a balance of text and image to convey their message. The rapid pace and rhythm of the slide
progression keeps audiences focused, engaged, and less likely to snooze.
Lessig style presenter: Lawrence Lessig
8. Takahashi Style
What it is: This method features large, bold text on minimal slides. It was devised by Masayoshi
Takahashi, who found himself creating slides without access to a presentation design tool or
PowerPoint. The main word is the focal point of the slide, and phrases, used sparingly, are short
and concise.
COMPONENTS OF A SPEECH
Organizing speeches serves two important functions. First, organization helps improve clarity of
thought in a systematic way. Second, organization increases the likelihood that the speech will be
effective
Audiences are unlikely to understand disorganized speeches and even less likely to think that
disorganized speakers are reliable or credible. Speeches are organized into three main parts:
introduction, body, and conclusion.
Introduction
The introduction of the speech establishes the first, crucial contact between the speaker and the
audience. For most classroom speeches, the introduction should last less than a minute. The
introduction needs to accomplish three things:
Focus your audience's attention. Speakers must have an “attention grabber” to interest the
audience—a joke, astonishing fact, or anecdote. (Rhetorical questions like “Haven’t you ever
wondered how…” are notoriously ineffective.) The introduction is the place where the main
claim or idea should be stated very clearly to give the audience a sense of the purpose of the
speech. Speakers need to orient the audience and make connections between what they know or
are already interested in and the speech topic.
Establish goodwill and credibility. Many people believe the most important part of persuasion
was ethos, or the character the speaker exhibited to the audience. The audience needs to see the
speaker as someone to listen to attentively and sympathetically. Ethos is generated by both
delivery style and content of the speech. Making eye contact with the audience and displaying
confidence in voice and body are two important ways to establish ethos. In addition, if you
express ideas that are original and intelligent, you will show what “intellectual character.”
Audiences pay attention to habits of thought that are interesting and worth listening to.
Give a preview. Mentioning the main points to be covered in the body prepares the audience to
listen for them. Repetition is an important aspect of public speaking, for listening is an imperfect
art, and audience members nearly always tune out in parts--sometimes to think about previous
parts of the speech, sometimes for other reasons. The preview should end with a transition, a
brief phrase or a pause to signal to the audience that the speech is moving out of the introduction
and into the body.
The body follows and is itself structured by a mode of organization, a logical or culturally
specific pattern of thinking about ideas, events, objects, and processes. Having a mode of
organization means grouping similar material together and linking the component parts together
with transitions. Good transitions show the relation between parts of a speech. They display the
logic of the speech. Common transition phrases include: in addition to, furthermore, even more,
next, after that, then, as a result, beyond that, in contrast, however, and on the other hand. One
,special type of transition is called the internal summary, a brief restatement of the main point
being completed.
Body
In the body, the fewer the main points the better. For short classroom speeches, under 10
minutes, speeches should not have more than three main points. For longer speeches, more than
five main points ensures that audiences will have trouble following and remembering the speech.
In the speech, main points should be clearly stated and "signposted," marked off as distinct and
important to the audience. Transitions often serve to signpost new points, as do pauses before an
important idea. Additionally, speakers might number main points—first, second, third or first,
next, finally. Always make it easy for the audience to recognize and follow key ideas.
There are several common modes of organizing the information in the body of your speech:
Temporal organization groups information according to when it happened or will happen. Types
of temporal patterns include chronological (in the sequence it occurred) and reverse
chronological (from ending back to start). Inquiry order is one special mode of temporal
organization useful in presenting some kinds of research: here you organize the body in accord
with the unfolding processes of thinking and gathering data, taking the audience from the initial
curiosity and questions to final results.
Cause-effect is a related mode of organization, showing how one event brings about another.
Cause-effect, like other temporal modes, may be used for past, present, or future events and
processes. Cause-effect can also be reversed, from effect back to cause.
Spatial patterns group and organize your speech based on physical arrangement of its parts. If a
speech is describing a place, a physical object, or a process of movement--downtown Mercer, a
plant cell, or the Battle of Shiloh--spatial patterns can be useful.
Topical designs are appropriate when the subject matter has clear categories of division.
Government in the United States, for instance, falls into federal, state, and local categories; or
into executive, legislative, and judicial branches; into elected and appointed officials. Categories
like these can help divide the subject matter to organize the main points.
Compare/contrast takes two or more entities and draws attention to their differences and/or
similarities. Sometimes speakers explain a difficult subject by comparing it with an easier, more
accessible one--to explain nuclear fusion with the stages of high school romance, for instance.
The use of analogies often assists in audience understanding.
Conclusion
Following a transition from the body of the speech, the conclusion follows. The conclusion
should be somewhat shorter than the introduction and accomplishes two purposes: summarize
main ideas and give the speech a sense of closure and completion. Good conclusions might refer
back to the introduction, offer an analogy or metaphor that captures the main idea, or leave the
audience with a question or a challenge of some type. Brief quotations can also make effective
conclusions (just as they can make effective openings for introductions).
, PRESENTATION METHODS
A presentation is a form of communication in which the speaker conveys information to the
audience. In an organization presentations are used in various scenarios like talking to a group,
addressing a meeting, demonstrating or introducing a new product, or briefing a team. It involves
presenting a particular subject or issue or new ideas/thoughts to a group of people.
It is considered as the most effective form of communication because of two main reasons:
Use of non-verbal cues.
Facilitates instant feedback.
Following are the various styles / methods of giving presentations:
1. Visual Style
What it is: If you’re a firm believer slides simply exist to complement your talking points, this
style is for you. With this speaking style, you might need to work a little harder to get your
audience engaged, but the dividends can be huge for strong public speakers, visionaries, and
storytellers.
When to use it: This style is helpful when speaking to a large audience with broad interests. It’s
also great for when you need to throw together slides quickly.
Visual style presenter: Steve Jobs
2. Freeform Style
What it is: This impromptu style of presenting doesn’t require slides. Instead, the speaker relies
on strong stories to illustrate each point. This style works best for those who have a short
presentation time and are extremely familiar with their talking points.
When to use it: Elevator pitches, networking events, and impromptu meetings are all scenarios
in which to use a freeform style of speaking. You’ll appear less rehearsed and more
conversational than if you were to pause in the middle of a happy hour to pull up your
presentation on a tablet.
Freeform style presenter: Sir Ken Robinson
3. Instructor Style
What it is: This presentation style allows you to deliver complex messages using figures of
speech, metaphors, and lots of content -- just like your teachers and professors of old. Your
decks should be built in logical order to aid your presentation, and you should use high-impact
visuals to support your ideas and keep the audience engaged.
When to use it: If you’re not a comfortable presenter or are unfamiliar with your subject matter
(i.e., your product was recently updated and you’re not familiar with the finer points), try
instructor-style presenting.
Instructor style presenter: Al Gore
, 4. Coach Style
What it is: Energetic and charismatic speakers gravitate towards this style of presenting. It allows
them to connect and engage with their audience using role play and listener interaction.
When to use it: Use this presentation style when you’re speaking at a conference or presenting to
an audience who needs to be put at ease. For example, this style would work well if you were
speaking to a group of executives who need to be sold on the idea of what your company does
rather than the details of how you do it.
Coach style presenter: Linda Edgecombe
5. Storytelling Style
What it is: In this style, the speaker relies on anecdotes and examples to connect with their
audience. Stories bring your learning points to life, and the TED’s Commandments never let you
down: Let your emotions out and tell your story in an honest way.
When to use it: Avoid this style if you’re in the discovery phase of the sales process. You want to
keep the conversation about your prospect instead of circling every point or question back to you
or a similar client. This style is great for conference speaking, networking events, and sales
presentations where you have adequate time to tell your stories without taking minutes away
from questions.
Storytelling style presenter: Jill Bolte Taylor
6. Connector Style
What it is: In this style, presenters connect with their audience by showing how they’re similar to
their listeners. Connectors usually enjoy freeform Q&A and use gestures when they speak. They
also highly encourage audience reaction and feedback to what they’re saying.
When to use it: Use this style of presenting early in the sales process as you’re learning about your
prospect’s pain points, challenges, and goals. This type of speaking sets your listener at ease,
elicits feedback on how you’re doing in real time, and is more of a dialogue than a one- sided
presentation
Connector style presenter: Connie Dieken
7. Lessig Style
What it is: The Lessig Style was created by Lawrence Lessig, a professor of law and leadership at
Harvard Law School. This presentation style requires the presenter to pass through each slide
within 15 seconds. When text is used in a slide, it’s typically synchronized with the presenter’s
spoken words.
When to use it: This method of presentation is great for large crowds -- and it allows the speaker to
use a balance of text and image to convey their message. The rapid pace and rhythm of the slide
progression keeps audiences focused, engaged, and less likely to snooze.
Lessig style presenter: Lawrence Lessig
8. Takahashi Style
What it is: This method features large, bold text on minimal slides. It was devised by Masayoshi
Takahashi, who found himself creating slides without access to a presentation design tool or
PowerPoint. The main word is the focal point of the slide, and phrases, used sparingly, are short
and concise.
