If you find yourself  needing to speak NOW, here are some techniques to help you. 1. Scan the audience. Who are they? Why  are they here?...

The spoken word and the written word are different, and the key to success  for speakers is being good to listen to.  A speech is an oral...

Let’s assume you followed the advice in the first post in this series. Your head is full of things you want to say and you have clarified...

A ‘pattern of arrangement’ is a way of ordering the contents of your speech.  It provides the listener with a sense of shape and...

1. Allow enough time The biggest mistake most people  make is to underestimate how long this takes.  Speeches may appear unstudied,...

In theatre there are staging calls, and technical rehearsals,  and dress rehearsals, all of  which give the performers an opportunity to...

If your script were a cake, the last step is to bake it. You’ve done a lot of work on the  preparation, now you need to make sure it...

What happens if you want to interest  your listeners in something unfamiliar – a  new idea, technique, or approach to something, which...

To paraphrase Jerry Seinfeld, ‘if it’s true that more people fear public speaking than dying, then most of the people at a funeral would...

First let’s dispel the idea that the existence of  a script means  most of the work is done.  It isn’t.  If you have to  read aloud in...

Notice I avoid saying ‘write the script’. The spoken word and the written word are different, and this presents a trap for speakers. The...

A reluctance to deal with conflict  constructively hurts our world. Good ideas remain unspoken, people create silos, and leaders don’t...

I am limited in my experience  of  financial institutions, and Mr Banks in Mary Poppins is  the only person I know of from the Bank of...

The way you assemble  your material is crucial for making the right impact. There are some basic components which any essay or ...

About 2300 years ago, Aristotle wrote down the secrets to being a powerful speaker. These same secrets have formed the basis for nearly...

How do you close in a way that makes them feel galvanised, reinforces your message and makes you memorable?  Not by shuffling and...

If you are  saying something official on Anzac Day, you should start by reading the information kit which the  APL has  compiled. It is...

OK now I've used Socrates to catch your eye, this is really about your end of the speaker-audience connection. People will pay attention...

No I’m not complaining about people who embarrass us with details of their dental dramas, or their sex life, I’m talking about how to...