”Who’s afraid of public speaking? Delivering a great speech is like making a delicious soup with all the right ingredients.
Ah, wait, I don’t actually know how to make soup!
But back in high school, I loved making green walnut jam. How did I make it? Someone taught me, I wrote down the recipe, and followed all the steps. It was hard, especially since it took several days. But the joy of seeing how much everyone around me appreciated it, how the jam would disappear in a week, made the effort worthwhile. My recipe, however, was essential.
Learning to deliver a good speech is much like following a recipe.
There are several key ingredients to a successful speech. One of them is structure.
Have you heard of the rule of three points? You’ve probably encountered phrases like:
- Veni, vidi, vici
- The Three Musketeers
- The Three Little Pigs
- Liberté, égalité, fraternité
- The Three Wise Men
- The emperor had three daughters
- Beginning, middle, end
The rule of three is essential in public speaking. The number three is magic in rhetoric. It helps you appear more convincing and credible while organizing your thoughts clearly.
For thousands of years, since the time of ancient Greek philosophers, arguments structured around three points have dominated educated public discourse. The audience will remember a speech organized into three parts and can follow a clear, concise flow of ideas. If you base your speech on seven or eight points, you risk losing the audience’s interest.
If you want to make a convincing argument, it’s good to have three points. A single point is easy to dismantle. Think of your argument as something that needs a stable base. As physics tells us, the minimum stable structure is a tripod.
Here are some ways to structure your message using three points:
- Chronologically: past, present, future; beginning/now/20 years later.
- Geographically: in traffic, at the office, at home (or as the French say, metro, boulot, dodo); in Romania, in France, in the USA.
- Involving protagonists or actors in a process: employees, clients, suppliers.
- Aspects: social, economic, political.
- From specific to general (or vice versa): the impact on an individual, a group, a society.
However, structure alone isn’t enough.
Before you formulate what you’ll say, it’s essential to think about your audience and the setting. Will it be in-person or online? What kind of people will be there? How big is the room, and how many attendees are expected? Is it a conference room? Will people be seated at tables? How much time do you have? What do they know about you and your topic? What are their expectations, concerns, or objections?
Analyzing your audience helps you adapt your speech and style effectively.
Another important aspect is what you do with your body language in front of people.
I’m talking about your voice, posture, gestures, eye contact, and movements. Which of these do you think is most important? All of them, of course, but voice comes first. If people can’t hear you, or if you speak too softly or monotonously (like a certain TV presenter years ago), you’ll lose your audience. On the other hand, if you shout, you risk coming across as hysterical. Not everyone has a powerful voice. If you know your voice isn’t strong, ask for a microphone—it’s better for everyone. You’ll be comfortable, and they’ll hear you clearly.
As for posture, do some exercises before speaking. Bring your shoulders forward one by one, then push them back. Straighten your back. You don’t want to walk on stage looking timid.
A little movement on stage is good, but moving too much or too fast can make the audience dizzy. The amount of movement should match the length of your speech.
Your hands should follow your ideas, not just hang by your sides or cross over your chest. Gestures are encouraged, and their amplitude should match what you’re saying.
Make an effort to look at the people you’re speaking to. Choose a few friendly faces and make eye contact with them. In any audience, there will be people who like you, some who are neutral, and a few who don’t. I recommend not focusing on the latter—it won’t help you at all.
It’s also crucial to consciously concentrate on what you’re doing. Just as our smartphones have multiple apps open at once (I usually have 40-50 apps running), our minds also juggle many topics. Focusing on your subject and audience is critical. Put other thoughts on hold and explore one topic with your audience.
This focus on your audience and a single topic helps tame the anxiety that often comes with public speaking.
You might also worry about questions from the audience, fearing they’ll catch you off guard. I suggest thinking in advance about what they might ask and saying, “Before I answer your questions, you might be wondering…” This technique gives the audience time to think and makes the transition smoother.
And let’s not forget—enjoy presenting your idea. Smile, be curious about meeting others, and share your energy with them.
This joy, that little drop of “salt,” is the secret ingredient that enhances any dish, even sweet ones.
Lastly, remember what the Romans used to say: “Repetitio est mater studiorum.” And they knew a thing or two about rhetoric.”
via: Forbes