Qualities of Public Speaker

1.    Research a topic – Good Speakers stick to what they know. Great speakers research what they need to convey their message.

2.    Focus – Help your audience grasp your message by focusing on your message. Stories, humour, or other “sidebars” should connect to the core idea.

3.    Organize Ideas Logically– Bridging is key. A well-organized presentation can be absorbed with minimal mental strain.

4.    Employ quotations, facts, and statistics – Don’t include these for the sake of including them, but do use them appropriately to complement ideas.

5.   Master Metaphors– Metaphors enhance the understanding ability of the message in a way that direct language often cannot.

6.   Tell a Story – Everyone loves a story. Points wrapped up in a story are more memorable, too!

7.   Start Strong and Close Stronger – The body of your presentation should be strong too, but your audience will remember your first and last words.

8.   Incorporate Humour– Knowing when to use humour is essential. So is developing the comedic timing to deliver it with greatest effect.

9.   Vary Vocal Pace, Tone, and Volume – A voice is like fingernails on the chalkboard.

10. Punctuate words with gesture – Gestures should complement your words in harmony. Tell them how big the fish was, and show them with your arms.

11. Utilize 3-dimensional space – Chaining you to the lectern limits the energy and passion you can exhibit. Lose the notes, and lose the chain.

12. Complement words with visual aids – Visual aids should aid the message.

13. Analyze your audience – Deliver the message they want to hear.

14. Connect with the Audience – Eye contact is the first step. Aim to have the audience conclude “This speaker is just like me!” The sooner, the better.

15. Interact with the audience – Ask questions and care about the answers. Solicit volunteers. Make presentation a dialogue.

16. Conduct a Q&A session – Not every speaking opportunity affords a Q&A session, but understands how to lead one productively. Use the Q&A to solidify the impression that you are an expert, and not a speaker.

17. Lead a discussion – Again, not every speaking opportunity affords time for a discussion, but know how to engage the audience productively.

18. Obey time constraints– Maybe you have 3 minutes. Maybe you have 25. Either way, customize your presentation to fit the time allowed, and respect your audience.

19. Craft an Introduction– Set the context and make sure the audience is ready to go, whether the introduction is for you or for someone else.

20. Exhibit confidence and poise – These qualities are sometimes difficult for a speaker to get, but easy for audience to sense.

21. Handle Unexpected Issues Smoothly – Maybe the lights will go out. Maybe the projector is dead. Have a plan to handle every situation.

22. Be Coherent when speaking off the cuff – Speaking before, after, or during a presentation leaves a lasting impression. Doing it well tells the audience that you are personable, and you are an expert who knows their stuff beyond the slides and prepared speech.

23. Seek and utilize feedback – Understand that no presentation or presenter is perfect. Aim for continuous improvement, and understand that the best way to improve is to solicit candid feedback from as many people as you can.

24. Listen critically and analyze other speakers – Study the strengths and weakness of fellow speakers.

25. Act and speak ethically – Since public speaking fears are common, realize the tremendous power of influence that you hold and use this power responsibly.