Dr.C.S.Raju Born to taste Success –24

For getting a job or even for that matter for entrepreneurs also, the skill in speaking powerfully and effectively is essential. That is why, for selection for most of the jobs, apart from the written test, there are two more important steps namely interview and G.D (Group discussion) wherein your ability in speech communication is assessed. Some of the salient points on speech communication are given below.

Since this is a skill, there is no short cut. However, to master it quickly 10 valuable tips are given below.

  1. Attend various public meetings on varieties of topics and learn by doing the following.
  • Listen to the live speeches of popular speakers
  • Observe closely while they speak
  • Closely watch their body language
  • Know from them how they give pauses and use powerful words
  1. You have to definitely improve your language proficiency so that you can use appropriate and powerful words during oral presentations. This can be improved in the following ways.
  • Read standard news papers and magazines
  • Note down the good usage of words and read them often
  • From any standard dictionary, note down 3 to 5 new words daily with their meanings and usage
  • Use the learnt words in your day to day life
  1. Go through some of the books on quotations. Note down very useful quotations from popular authors like Shakespeare, Milton, and Wordsworth who have contributed much to the mankind. Memorize good quotations and go on using them or telling your friends and relatives so that you get them by heart and your mind is ready to supply them whenever you need.
  2. Generally in any meeting wherein a speaker speaks on a subject, there will be question time or time for clarification of doubts. Master all your courage to stand up on such occasions and speak a few sentences or at least ask a question.
  3. Always keep a note book and a pen. Remember that the speakers would have spent several hours and days in preparing their speech. They would have collected lot of statistics and points on the subject. When they articulate, note down very important points. They will be certainly useful for your future speeches.
  4. Never ever make the mistake of preparing the whole speech in writing on a paper and reading the same word by word.
  5. Eye contact is yet another important factor in speech communication. While speaking, please don’t look at the ceiling or walls or floor even if they are clean or unclean. You should look at the audience. If there are only a handful of people to whom you are speaking, you can fix your eyes to their eyes alternately. In case the audience is 40 to 50 or even more, don’t look at only a part of the audience who exhibit some interest, but have a distributed and spread out eye contact. This will help in keeping the session alive.
  6. Speech communication is a skill like swimming, dancing and playing a musical instrument. Knowledge about it, however much it may be, is not enough. Until and unless you jump into the water you can’t master swimming. Similarly the best way to improve your skill in speaking is by practice. HOW TO GET THIS PRACTICE? A few vital tips are given below.
  • Whenever there is a subject and invitation is open to everybody in your institution or organisation, speak without hesitation.
  • If there is a competition, participate. Winning is not your objective in the initial years, but to get a good practice.
  • Create opportunities to speak and speak. You can easily approach nearby schools or colleges or social clubs and offer your free services.
  • In the initial stages you have to prepare very well. You should even do rehearsals by speaking in front of a mirror at home.
  1. Go on recording in your diary, the serial number of your speech, topic and your experiences in speaking. As the number goes on increasing, your stage fear will correspondingly decrease since both are inversely proportional. If you cross half a century, your stage fear may almost vanish and if you strike a century, you become the master. Afterwards you can even give extemporaneous speeches.
  2. So the magical words for improving your speech communication are, knowing the techniques and then PRACTISE, PRACTISE AND PRACTISE. 