Popular, effective ways of giving a public speech

MY OBSERVATION has been that schools concentrate more on debating than public speaking. Have you observed the same?

There are the UN-type, Karl Popper and BP (British Parliament) debating popularly making rounds in the schools, tournaments and league competitions occupying quite some space of an average high school’s timetable. Anything wrong with that? Absolutely nothing!

Yet my observation, again influenced by experience, tells me that there is more of public speaking than debating in everyday life, particularly in work places. The nature of our daily jobs, positions and circumstances in our various stations of life demand that we address people, we speak to people, to audiences, far more than we debate issues. Such groups of people could be prospective voters for a position or post you are vying for. They could be workmates above or below you at the work place. They could be a church group, visiting students, new students at school, college or university.

Essentially what is the difference between Public Speaking and Public Debating? Essentially the same, but here are the fundamental differences: Debating calls for specific rules and regulations of debate. There are particular protocols followed in debate in terms of order and procedure each according to the particular debate type (UN, KARL POPPER OR BP). Debating involves persuading or convincing the other side that may staunchly be at variance with your own thought tracks. You want to prove that you are correct in thought and the other side is wrong; perhaps even to prove that you are more intelligent than the other.

Public Speaking has less of the nitty-gritty of order and procedure. Except for the common phenomena of formal dressing, demur and presence; what we call deportment, a public speaker relies on individual verbal intelligence and wit. In Public Speaking you may not necessarily be arguing. A lot of PS topics may simply be a straight jacket flow of facts or wisdom simply exhibiting fluency, articulation and flavour of verbal intelligence flow. A public speaker wants to demonstrate outstanding gleam, shine or lustre of language . . . as opposed to cognitive argument and fact.

Here are three common ways of beginning a speech used by great speakers you can also learn and perfect:

◆ Beginning with a story: It is human nature that people love telling stories and listening to stories. The size of this appetite is arguably greatest amongst Africans. We are naturally gifted in telling a fabulous story. If we cannot tell it, surely we love just listening to an amusing story. So begin your speech with a little story, preferably about yourself. “One day I met a woman who was so ugly I nearly wanted to question God’s fairness in allocating facial looks . . . ” Only a fool would not give you all ears if you begin this way. They want to know who this woman was . . . and what happened and what you want them to learn from it. The progression of the little opener must be gripping and cliff-hanging as the example above but move at supersonic speed; one or two minutes the story is done. Do not go on and on rumbling on a story that may be fascinating but unconnected to your speech. Do not fall into the trap of over-telling this story. It must just be a teaser . . . not much longer than it has started. The important thing is to know where it links up or connects your main speech.

◆ A clever question instantly engages the minds of the listeners: Example: 1. Are you aware that there are always more people alive at any given moment than those that are dead since mankind started dying and being born? or Did you know that 11% of people are left handed? / Did you know that unless food is mixed with saliva you cannot taste it? /Did you know that lemons contain more sugar than strawberries? Etc. Ask one of these questions and every normal listener begins to think? What more can be more engaging? ◆ The third and final way is beginning with an intellectually absorbing quotation by some famous someone or hero. May be a famous musician, author, sports-person or philosopher: Examples:

◆ “Julius Nyerere said, ‘Education is not a way to escape poverty, it is a way to fighting it.”

◆ “If you have never failed, you have never tried anything new,” said Albert Einstein.

◆ “Freedom is not something that one people can bestow on another as a gift. They claim it as their own and none can keep it from them,” said Kwame Nkurumah.

◆ “Create the highest, grandest vision possible for your life, because you become what you believe,” said Oprah Winfrey.

◆ It is not enough to have a good mind; the main thing is tom use it well,” said Rene Descartes.

Once you begin this way, every sensible person listens and thinks and pays attention. “There is something to learn, hear and enjoy here!” Remember every one in the audience decides to listen to you or not in the opening statements you utter. Precisely in the first three minutes every listener has been put off or hooked on to your speech. So how you begin it wins listeners or puts them off.

Whatever way you finally practice and fall in love with, introducing yourself will never attract positive attention from an audience. There is no magic in anybody’s name and surname and their kind of job. Don’t do it . . . don’t give listeners this introductory detail if you aspire to become a great public speaker.