How to Give a Speech with Confidence
- 1). Become an expert on your speech topic. Research issues surrounding the topic of your presentation by reading news articles, magazines and blogs. This fosters confidence that you know the material and quells inner insecurity about your worthiness as a presenter. Compare the ideas of well-known scholars in the field to the concepts discussed in your speech.
- 2). Practice your speech alone. Never memorize your speech verbatim. More stress will arise from trying to memorize every word than speaking comfortably on each point. Take any spare time to pull out a printed copy of your speech outline and formulate a speech in your head. Do this on the bus, while waiting in line and the moment you wake up. Tape record your recitation and improve issues related to pitch, rate of speech and stuttering.
- 3). Practice the speech by talking about the subject with others. Ask a friend or family member to have a conversation about one of the speech points in which he lets you recite one of the paragraphs in a casual manner.
- 4). Get to know your audience. The University of California, Berkeley, suggests talking to the audience before the speech if time permits. This makes them more receptive to your message and provides stress-reducing distraction from your upcoming speech. View the speech as having a slightly more formal, one-sided conversation among friends. Considering you will have discussed the speech with close acquaintances prior to the presentation, this view won't be a significant mental leap.
- 5). Give yourself a pep talk before the presentation commences. Smile and take deep breaths, inhaling through the nose and exhaling out the mouth. Envision executing the speech with perfection. Imagine yourself relaxed, graceful and with perfect posture. Winthrop University advises telling yourself that everyone in the room believes you are charming, witty and eloquent by imagining a room full of proud teachers.
- 6). Keep a healthy perspective. Remind yourself that the speech takes up an insignificant portion of your day and will be over soon. Take solace in the notion that how well you deliver a speech has no bearing on your quality of character or identity. If you are giving the speech to friends, remember that you are in a crowd of people that already supports you. If the speech is in front of strangers, take comfort in the belief that none of their opinions can accurately reflect who you are based on such a short time.
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