Public Speech

PUBLIC SPEECH IS THE ART OR SKILL OF ADDRESSING AN

AUDIENCE EFFECTIVELY.
Public Speech- Introduction and Basics
PURPOSE ADVANTAGES

1. To Inform 1. Enhance Reputation

2. To Persuade 2. Boost Self- Confidence
3. To Entertain 3. Advance Career
4. Create Opportunities
Principles of Public Speech
(born with or develop)
1. Perception (what audience wants to hear)
2. Perfection (continue after mistake, it is a chance to connect)
3. Visualise
4. Discipline (practice makes perfect)
5. Description (personal connect with stories)
6. Inspiration (focus- audience, should be honest and inspire)
7. Anticipation (create interest)
 Composition of Public Speech
1. Introduction
2. Body
3. Conclusion
Points to consider while preparing speech:
4. Clear (ideas, emotions)
5. Like and Informal Talk (create rapport with audience)
6. Vivid and Concrete
7. Brief (15-20 minutes unless audience wants more, brevity)
8. Interesting (use quotes, humour)
9. Audience Oriented (depth of knowledge, size of audience, age group, avoid sensitive topics)
Speech Delivering Skills
1. Speaking Skills
1. Be prepared and practice
2. Know your audience
3. Keep it short and simple
4. Interact with your audience
5. Speak with sincerity and passion
6. Close speech in a memorable way
7. Fluency
Speech Delivering Skills
2. Micro Skills
1. Correct Pronunciation
2. Correct order of words
3. Use of correct grammar
4. Use vocabulary appropriately
5. Appropriate language
1. As per situation
2. As per relation
6. Main idea should stand out
Speech Delivering Skills
3. Barriers while Speaking
1. Unclear message
2. Lack of consistency
3. Incomplete sentence
4. Know your audience
5. Multiple meaning of words
6. Use of negative words
Characteristics of a Good Speaker
1. Speaker’s Posture (upright)
2. Expression or Gesture
3. Voice
4. Movements
5. Pronunciation
6. Eye-Contact
7. Appearance
Essentials of Effective Speech
1. Preparation of Speech
1. Note down points
2. Arrange in logical order
3. Collect, organize and analyse your facts

2. Delivery of Speech
1. Vary pitch
2. Appropriate length
3. Interesting start (quote, story, poem, etc)
4. Maintain eye contact
5. Should be loud enough
6. Cover all points
7. Summarise at end, restate points, appeal for action
8. Memorable end (raise a laugh, build climax)
Group Discussion
AN ORAL COMMUNICATION SITUATION IN WHICH
PROFESSIONALS BELONGING TO AN ORGANIZATION
DISCUSS ON A PROBLEM OR AN ISSUE TO ARRIVE AT A
COMMON CONCLUSION.
Some Details
The group discussion is a personality test most popular with public /
private sector undertaking, government departments, commercial
firms, IIM’s, universities and other educational organizations to
screen candidates, after the written test.
In GD all there equal as participants. No one is officially chosen as
leader. But a candidate by his / her initiative / ability to join in the
discussion, maturity and clarity or ideas and understanding of group
dynamics gradually beings to direct the course of discussion and
mediate between the opposing views to above a evolve a
comprehensive view of the whole group.
Techniques for GD
Group of 8-10 candidates.
No nominated leader, but one assumes the role.
Time- 20 to 30 minutes.
Candidate addressed by name/ roll no. and to be
addressed adoringly.
Seating Arrangement- Circle and in ascending order of roll
no.
Techniques for GD
I. Strategy: (a) To gain group’s attention
• To begin speak to the person sitting diagonally opposite to you.
•Or, begin speaking to the person who has just finished talking.
• Make friend by speaking to those who have been ignored by the
rest of the group.
II. Your Objective: Getting the group’s attention is the first thing.
Having got it, use it to make your point most effectively.
Techniques for GD
III. Language
•Formal
•Simple, correct spoken English
•Not colonial English
•Not Literary English
Techniques for GD
IV. Body Language:-
a. Posture-
• Formal (Straight back, hands together in the front/on the edge of the table)
• Must reflect enthusiasm
b. Gestures and body movements:
• Shouldn’t be threatening or restricting other members.
• Avoid excessive use of hands.
• Be natural.
c. Eye contact: Establish eye contact with as many as you while speaking.
Skills observed in GD
GD gives the opportunity to assess certain traits and skills, (such as the following) of the
candidates that are not possible to observe in a resume, written examination or an interview:
• leadership qualities
• quality of participation
• analytical skills
• problem solving skills
• oral communication skills
• ability to handle people
• team spirit
Skills observed in GD
• non-verbal behaviour
• conformation to norms
• decision-making ability
• inter-personal behaviour
• behaviour in a group
• body language
• how much importance do you give to the group objective as well as your own
• how well do you listen to viewpoints of others and how open-minded are you in accepting
views
What do selector’s look for?
In a GD what do the panel of selectors look for? They will be looking
for a variety of attributes in you, which they were unable to assess
from the resume. These will include the following:
• Did you make any useful contribution at all?
• What was your level of knowledge about the subject?
• Did you communicate effectively?
• Were you a good listener?
• Did you unnecessarily interrupt others?
What do selector’s look for?
• How positive or negative was your body language?
• Did you exhibit any analytical skills?
• Did you provide leadership to the group?
• How good a team player were you?
• Did you look or sound “selfish”?
• Did you do anything to bring the group to focus on the topic rather
than going outside it?
Group Discussion: The Do’s
o Listen to others attentively; you may even take brief notes.
o Enter the discussion at an early stage.
o Communicate with confidence.
o Make sure that your contributions are focused on the given topic.
o Try to speak something new which has not been said by the earlier
speakers.
o If you find that any participant is not making her/his viewpoint clear, ask
pertinent questions.
o Even when you oppose a view point, use dignified language.
Group Discussion: The Do’s
o Try to make your contributions take the centre point for the discussion.
o If the discussion is going out of focus, try to point this out and bring it
back on track.
o Use positive body language.
o Remain confident and interested throughout, whether you are speaking
or not speaking.
o Conclude each argument at the right time and in the right manner.
o Collaborate instead of compete.
Group Discussion: The Don’ts
• Don’t appear or feel restless when someone is speaking.
• Don’t keep silent for a long time; the selectors are there
to hear you speak.
• Don’t exhibit negative body language.
• Don’t use abusive or objectionable language or
gestures.
• Don’t interrupt others when they are speaking.
Group Discussion: The Don’ts
• Don’t impose your views upon others.
• Don’t get irritated or lose temper if someone disagrees
with you.
• Don’t deviate from the subject given for discussion.
• Don’t take anything personally.
• Don’t give instructions to others in the group.
• Don’t speak for the sake of speaking.
Communication in
Committees
A COM M I T T E E I S A GROUP OF PE OPL E W HO W ORK C OL L E C T I VE LY,
DI S CUSS, DE CI DE AND RE COM M E ND SOL UT I ONS TO T HE P ROBL E M S
( OF A C ONCER N) W HI CH POSSI B LY CANNOT BE SOLVE D BY AN
I NDI VI DUAL .
Principles of Committee
1. The number of persons in a committee should depend upon the need and be
optimum minimum (about 5 to 10 persons).
2. Responsibility, authority, objectives and duties of the committee should be
clearly defined.
3. Agenda of the committee should be prepared and communicated to the
committee members at least a week before they meet for discussions.
4. Problems which can be taken care of by an individual should not be included
in the agenda of the committee.
5. Committee meetings should begin and end on prefixed timings.
Principles of Committee
6. Problems not related to the subject-matter at hand should not be
discussed because it will simply waste time.
7. The operation of the committee should be a cooperative
development.
8. The recommendations made by the committee should be
published and circulated to interested and concerned persons. The
committee should be apprised of the action taken based upon its
recommendations.
9. A committee must be dissolved after its purpose is over.
Types of Committees
Standing or Permanent Committees
Temporary Committee
Advisory Committee
Educational Committee
 Decision Making in Committees
1. Brainstorming
• Generate new ideas
• Be creative
• Withhold criticism
• Combine earlier ideas
2. Nominal Group Technique
• Meet as a group, each person writes their own problem
• Each member to present one idea, no discussion
• Discussion of idea
• Rank idea, pick the highest ranked idea
 Decision Making in Committees
3. Delphi Technique
• Developed by Rand Coorporation
• Group of Experts (Do not meet)
• Questionnaire for feedback on prediction about problem
• Experts get others composite feedback (revised for fixed time or till the feedback remains same)
• Prepare report

Significance
• Anonymity
• Flexible

Criticism
• Costly, Time consuming
• No scientific support
• Expert may not know subject
Decision Making in Committees
4. Dialetic Decision Making
•Clear problem statement
•Alternative proposals
• Identify implicit and explicit assumptions
• Divide groups and sub-groups and conduct GD

For better understanding of proposal

Focus on better and not the best solution
Advantages of Committee
1. A committee often performs worth-while tasks since two experts
are better than one.
2. A committee coordinates the efforts of the departments which are
represented (e.g., sales, production and engineering) in development
of a new product.
3. A committee is of special value in broad policy determination and
rounding out plans.
4. A committee reduces the work load of management.
Advantages of Committee
5. Committees are especially good at innovation or brain storming.
6. A committee helps securing co-operation of various personnel.
7. A committee is effectively used to appoint persons to fill vacant
positions in the enterprise.
8. Committee meetings may be called to train younger executives
and to give them a keener insight into the operation of the
business.
Disadvantages of Committees
1. Sometimes it turns out to be true that what a committee finishes in a
week, a good individual may complete in a day.
2. It may be said that committee operations are slow and committees tend to
hang on for a considerable time.
3. An executive afraid to stand behind his own decisions may use a rubber-
stamp committee and thereby share his responsibility with others.
4. In a committee, no individual can be held responsible for anything.
5. Committee decisions represent generally a compromised position and do
not truly reflect the real feelings of the individual committee (or group)
members.
How to make committee effective
Define functions and scope of committee clearly
Competent membership
Correct Size (5-10)
Only selected and appropriate matters discussed
Chairman play role effectively
Conferences
A CONFERENCE IS A MEETING OF A LARGE GROUP OF
PERSONS ASSEMBLED FOR THE PURPOSE OF DISCUSSING
COMMON PROBLEMS OR ACTIVITIES.
About Conferences
The number of participants may be anything from 10 to 500 or more; a large conference is divided
into small groups for the purpose of discussions. The participants may not be from the same
organization. The conference is a tool of learning and training and development; members pool
together and share their knowledge and experience, and discuss their problems. It is an enriching
activity. It does not have a task to complete; any conclusions that are arrived at during the
discussions are included in a report of the conference. Copies of the report are given to the
participants and their organizations.
A conference does not have any authority but it may make recommendations since the participants
are persons who have experience and are engaged in the activity and are directly affected by the
state of affairs in the field. A conference is generally understood as a meeting of several people to
discuss a particular topic. It is often confused with a convention, colloquia or symposium. While a
conference differs from the others in terms of size and purpose, the term can be used to cover the
general concept. A convention is larger than a conference; it is a gathering of delegates representing
several groups. At a conference, innovative ideas are thrown about and new information is
exchanged.
Purpose of Conference
•Academic Conference
•Business Conference
•Trade Conference
•Unconference
Types of Conferences
•A symposium is a casual gathering and includes refreshments and entertainment.
•A seminar is organized to discuss a particular topic. They are usually educational in
nature and attendees are expected to gain new knowledge or skills at the end of the
seminar
•A workshop is more of a hands-on experience for the participants with
demonstrations and activities; the amount of time one speaker addresses the group
is limited
•A round-table conference is a get-together of peers to exchange thoughts and
opinions on a certain topic, usually political or commercial. There are a limited
number of participants who sit at a round table, so that each one can face all the
others
Conferences
Advantages Disadvantages
1. Spread knowledge of different fields 1. Expensive to hold
2. Stimulate creative thinking in participants 2. Dominated by few delegates
3. Contribute to knowledge of participants 3. Some participants not focused on main
purpose of conference
4. Promote healthy relations among
participants 4. Lead to generalization of specific problems
5. Draw attention towards pressing problems
How to make Conference effective?
1. Invite serious and knowledgeable participants
2. Print out invitation for circulation
3. Invite intelligent and knowledgeable session chair
4. Proper seating and refreshments arrangements in advance
5. Healthy and congenial environment
6. Maintain respect for time