5 easy ways to improve your oratory skills and the art of speaking like a pro!

Humankind today is running a race for survival in practically all walks of life. There are hundreds and thousands of strategies that people adopt to win the races that mean so much to them depending on the demand and nature of the engagement in hand.

However, one of the skills that people everywhere in all lands, times, and climes have been trying to master throughout the ages, and regarded as absolutely significant, has been the art of effective speaking or more precisely, the oratory skill – a person with the best communicative skills has always been the winner!

Abhinav Borbora, a panelist who has been a part of several public shows said, “Whether it is at the workplace, a public gathering, or the college debate, the art of public speaking is a great professional skill with a huge edge over those bereft of this skill.”

This article is an attempt to identify the ways that come in most handy for incumbents for whom oratory skills hold the key to success in their chosen field of vocational relevance, as suggested by experts.

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1. Foreknowledge of the audience and homework

Whether one is addressing official colleagues or speaking at a public gathering, it is always a great advantage if the speaker has some foreknowledge of the nature and needs of the people who are going to constitute his audience. “As the speaker will be expected to enlighten the audience on matters of their interest and benefit, it is advisable in all situations for the speaker to go with some preparation relating to the subject to be addressed rather than facing the audience without any homework and speaking impromptu,” says Fahd Hazarika, a former television news anchor, and a show host.

“Such a preparation will not only boost the confidence of the speaker but will also enable him to meet their queries with alacrity and ease,” adds Abhinav.

2. Anecdotes of relevance

A tedious speech loaded with facts and figures, however significant they may be, is not likely to hold the attention of the audience for long. Moreover, a serious account of things sans any element of fun may at times turn out to be a test of the nerves of the speaker himself.

On the other hand, if the speech is interspersed with anecdotes and quotes that have a bearing on the subject, it is sure to have an impact on the audience. “It is also to be noted that anecdotes and stories should also be punctuated with humor. The atmosphere so created by the speaker then, in addition to impressing the audience will also help him gain a sense of self-assurance. This, in turn, is most likely to make the speech both effective and enduring,” says Karishma Ahmed, a communications specialist working at a reputed firm in Assam.

3. Keep it short

Since brevity is the soul of wit, it is of paramount importance that the speech be short and precise. “A long speech apart from being a pain on the reader’s attention span is also liable to commit gaps and lapses on the part of the speaker. The speaker in such situations may even betray his nervousness and cut a sorry figure much to his chagrin and disdain, says Karishma, adding that a short, crisp, and pithy speech, on the contrary, comes as a boon to both the audience and the speaker.

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4. Make it simple

To be an effective speaker, the golden rule always is to use words and sentences that are easily understood by the audience. As the purpose of the speech is to be of use to the audience it is important that the purpose be fulfilled in the simplest possible terms. Here, Fahd Hazarika says, “It is most essential on the part of the speaker to avoid jargon as the idea behind his address is not to bamboozle and perplex the audience.” Conversely, the use of bombast and jargon may have a negative effect on the speaker himself. It is best for the speaker, under the circumstances, therefore, to be simple and direct in the use of words.

5.Establish eye contact

Maintaining a certain amount of closeness with the members of the audience being addressed rather than speaking to them from an inaccessible heaven is most likely to stand the speaker in good stead. The best way to do this is by establishing eye contact with the audience by turning to different individuals within calculated intervals. “This can go a long way in creating an ambiance of affability and understanding to the advantage of all concerned where the audience participates with passionate interest and the speaker delivers with verve and vigor,” says Abhinav Borbora.