How to be an effective speaker by Stuart Cristina

Author:Stuart, Cristina
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
Tags: Public speaking
ISBN: 9780844232805
Publisher: Lincolnwood, Ill. : NTC Business Books
Published: 1989-10-19T16:00:00+00:00

Summary — understanding your audience

• Research your audience.

• Watch their body language.

• Use comprehension questions in small groups.

• Control the interruptions.

• Use interest prompts.

Questions and answers

Be sincere; be brief; be seated.

Franklin D. Roosevelt

Whenever you talk, your audience will want to ask questions, therefore it is prudent to anticipate how you’ll handle them.

When to allow questions

In a small group you may decide to allow questions throughout your presentation, as they will occur naturally when they are most relevant and you will be in a good position to control them. It’s always a good idea to encourage questions if you are presenting an instructional talk, as you’ll need to check comprehension —and questions can provide valuable feedback for you.

I have said earlier in this book that I prefer to ask for questions to be kept until the end of my talk so that I can present my material in the order which I have chosen, but when I am running training classes, I often pause for questions so that the monotony of one voice is broken. This helps to maintain a higher level of concentration and allows the listeners occasionally to become active participants; questions also enable me to check that everyone has understood.

There are disadvantages to allowing questions during your presentation:

• They disrupt the flow and structure of your talk.

• The answer may be contained later on in your talk.

• Only one person may be interested, i.e., the questioner.

You may be able to manage a spontaneous question and answer session in a small informal group, but large audiences

need to be controlled more firmly. If you are the sole speaker, let the audience know when you expect questions and even suggest to them that they jot down those which occur to them as you are talking.

\ ou should always schedule your questions before your final summing up so that you can end on a positive note. Don’t forget that your last words to die audience will be retained longest and you don’t want these to be a minor argument which you had with a questioner. When question time is over, if you have been unlucky enough to face any difficult or hostile questions, you should regain control by repeating your main points. Demonstrate to the audience that you are a reasonable person by finishing on a humorous note if this is appropriate.

When you restate your main proposition, include any comments from the audience which support it and ignore adverse questions or remarks. Thus, you show that you are confident and can cope calmly with controversy. The audience doesn’t want to see you embarrassed and they expect you to behave in a professional manner.

If you are introduced by a chairman, be sure to check with him beforehand regarding who will handle die question and answer session. Unless you are part of a panel discussion, my personal preference is for the speaker to control the questions.

Questions to a panel

On a panel it’s advisable to allow questions immediately after each speaker, because if the audience

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