how to give a speech confidently

• Delivery Techniques →

How to Give a Speech: 10 Tips for Powerful Public Speaking

When we start preparing to give a speech, it can be a nerve-wracking experience. It’s completely normal—most of us feel a combination of excitement and nerves when we’re about to take the stage.

However, with some strategic planning and practical advice, you can make sure your speech is powerful and effective. In this blog post, we’ll explore how to give a speech that will leave your audience engaged and inspired.

We’ll examine 10 tips to help you build a powerful speech, from outlining your points methodically to crafting captivating introductions . Whether you’re a beginner or experienced public speaker, these nuggets of wisdom will help you take your next speech to the next level. Let’s get started!

Quick Review of Key Points

Preparing ahead of time is the key to giving an effective speech. Make sure to structure your speaking points, rehearse your delivery, and be aware of the needs of your audience for maximum impact.

How to Prepare for a Speech

Preparing for a speech is an essential step to public speaking success. It can help to build your confidence, create content that reaches the audience, and reduce performance anxiety.

Although it can be time-consuming in the beginning, preparation will ensure less stress and more comfort during delivery. Here are some tips to consider when preparing for a speech:

Practice : Before delivering a speech, practice it out loud several times. This will allow you to gain experience in speaking without an audience and increase your confidence when you do have one.

Practicing also helps to identify awkward moments in the speech or any difficult phrases which then can be changed or removed altogether. Additionally, it helps you determine where to pause for effect. Research : Depending on the topic of the speech , research should be done beforehand to gather information that is relevant and interesting for the audience. It is important to get acquainted with the language typically used by audiences to ensure a clear understanding of what is being said.

Additionally, relevant statistics and stories concerning the topic are a great way to draw in listeners and make the presentation more engaging .

Know Your Audience : When preparing your speech, be sure to consider who will be listening. For instance, if giving a presentation at work, include industry jargon that members would understand and include relevant topics from publications that might be familiar to the employees.

On the other hand, if consulting business professionals in their field then technical language may be easier for them to comprehend than laypeople or students.

By gathering valuable information about the topic and getting comfortable with a speech’s content and delivery through practice, speakers will gain more assurance during their talk as well as respect from their audience.

Preparing beforehand not only gives insight into how to engage listeners but also encourages more meaningful conversations after the event. Now that we have discussed how to prepare for a speech let us move on to creating an outline which will provide structure during delivery.

Create an Outline

After determining the audience and purpose of your speech, the next step to effective public speaking is to create an outline .

An outline serves as a roadmap to ensure that your speech has a logical flow and contains all important points. It also can help keep you on track during the speech itself, allowing you to stay focused and organized.

When constructing an outline, consider drawing up both a main point and sub-points for each portion of the speech. Both should be relevant to the goal of the presentation and backed up by facts and research.

Brainstorming can help in this process; try grouping your ideas together in clusters to make sure you cover all possible angles.

Furthermore, writing out exact quotations or figures can prove beneficial in forming a cohesive argument. At this stage, it is also wise to decide where transitions, humor, stories, or other engaging techniques will be included.

While there are differing opinions as to whether outlines should be memorized or simply used as a reference while speaking, many agree that they should serve their purpose – not only articulate the main thoughts of the speech but also assist the speaker with maintaining focus and preventing distractions.

The debate between those who advocate for memorization versus casual consulting touches upon issues such as rehearsal time, risk of errors in delivery, ease of practice versus actual performance and more.

Each side has valid arguments that should be weighed prior to deciding what type of approach best suits your needs.

Having a firmly constructed outline acts as a valuable tool when it comes time to deliver a powerful public speech. By actively utilizing this tactic, speakers may not only enhance their clarity and coherence, but also add structure and vibrance to their presentations.

Now that we have explored what goes into crafting an effective outline, let’s dive deeper into how we can best collect resources and research our topics for maximum impact.

Collect Sources and Research

Collecting sources and research is a crucial step for any public speaking engagement. It ensures that you have the necessary information to make strong points and back up your statements.

Before writing your speech, take time to research your topic to gain familiarity with different perspectives, facts, and counterpoints. This will help you to craft an argument that can stand up to scrutiny while also adding a breadth of knowledge to your speech.

Interviews can be a powerful source of evidence and anecdotes, so try to include one or two relevant interviews in your research process. Relying solely on secondary sources such as books and articles can lead to a narrow scope of understanding.

Interviews provide an opportunity to hear directly from an expert and create an interesting dynamic in your speech by adding personal experiences as well as commentary from a professional.

In research it is important to stay objective. Gather a variety of perspectives and be open-minded about their merits. Don’t forget to consider both sides of the argument when researching for your speech.

Doing this allows you to understand the opposing perspective and enables you to anticipate potential counter arguments from your audience.

By acknowledging them beforehand, you may increase the persuasive power of your speech by showing confidence in the points you make.

Once you have collected all sources, review them carefully and separate the most pertinent information from the less useful material.

Synthesising this information into concise yet impactful points is a critical part in delivering powerful talks without overloading your audience with too much data or going off track during your speech delivery.

Organizing Your Speech

Before you start putting your words together, it’s important to consider how the different parts of a speech fit together. By taking the time to organize the ideas in your speech , you’ll be able to deliver a presentation that is well-constructed and easy to understand.

One way to help with organizing your speech is to write an outline . An outline is like a map or plan that will provide you with a framework for each section of your speech.

Start by writing out your main points and then include additional details underneath each one. This will help keep your speech focused and provide direction for where you are going next.

Another approach for organizing your speech is known as the “inverted pyramid” method. This structure starts with your conclusion at the beginning of the speech, and then works backward by providing more explanation and detail as it moves toward the introduction.

This method can be helpful when speaking about topics that are unfamiliar to the audience since it doesn’t require them to wait until near the end of the presentation to learn what you’ve been talking about.

No matter which organization approach you choose, make sure to practice it before giving your speech so that you are comfortable with its flow. Lastly, remember that it’s ok to adjust things while you speak if they don’t seem or feel quite right.

Now let’s take a look at how we can use these organizing techniques to actually put our speeches together – starting with structuring our speech.

Structure Your Speech

Creating a strong structure for your speech will ensure that the audience stays engaged and understands your main points. As you are developing an outline, map out how you want to begin and end your speech.

Break up the information into smaller sections with either verbal or visual cues so that your audience can clearly see how you are transitioning between topics . Consider adding humor judiciously throughout your presentation as this could help engage the audience and lighten any tension.

The length of your presentation is also important. You will want to make sure that you include all of the necessary information without going over time.

Oftentimes less is more; if you can say it in five minutes why use ten? Make sure that you practice timed rehearsals so that you can gauge how long you’re actually speaking.

In contrast, avoid trying to pack too much content into one presentation as this could overwhelm both you and the audience. If needed, offer supplemental reading materials for those who may be interested in delving further into the subject matter.

Paragraphs can also be helpful when organizing large amounts of content within the body of your presentation. Utilizing paragraph breaks gives your audience a break and helps to highlight key ideas or summaries before moving onto a new topic area.

Finally, it is crucial to remember what your desired outcome is from the presentation; plan accordingly by ensuring that the beginning, middle, and end serve their respective purposes and adhere to that goal.

With careful deliberations, structuring a successful presentation can be achieved with relative ease.

Having established a solid structure for your speech, it’s important to focus on another key element: rehearsal. The next section will discuss the benefits of practicing before delivering a powerful public speaking performance.

Rehearse Your Speech

Rehearsing is integral to giving a successful speech. When you rehearse your presentation, you give your mind an opportunity to become familiar with the notes and concepts that you are presenting. It also increases your confidence and reduces anxiety or self-doubt.

In fact, studies have found that those who rehearsed their presentation had higher scores in public speaking performance and language proficiency evaluations.

When it comes to how much rehearsal is enough, opinions are divided. Some people believe that over-rehearsing can lead to a more robotic speech with less natural emotion and connection with the audience .

On the other hand, others argue that no matter how well-versed someone is on the topic, additional rehearsal time improves both the delivery of the speech and memorization of key points and facts.

Ultimately, it’s important to practice until you personally find the most comfortable level for yourself, as this will ultimately result in a more engaging delivery.

Finally, if at all possible, try to practice in front of a friend or colleague for honest feedback on any elements that need improvement before the big day. Rehearsal dedication may be tedious, but it results in big rewards on stage–enabling you to deliver your content with clarity, confidence, and poise.

With thoughtful preparation complete, it’s now time to step into the spotlight and give your speech!

Giving Your Speech

The key to success when giving a speech is to be well prepared and confident. Every individual’s preparation process will vary, but the basics should stay the same.

Start by studying your content, understanding the material and being able to repeat it in your own words. Clarify any potentially difficult points. Create visual aids like PowerPoint slides or handouts that supplement the key ideas in your speech.

Practice your public speaking skills with informal conversations with friends and family or rehearse it alone in front of a mirror. Use visualization; imagine yourself confidently delivering your speech. Consider addressing a practice audience if possible to become more accustomed to a live size group.

On the day of the event, arrive early and plan for any potential obstacles: What if my computer doesn’t work? What if I forget something? Allow sufficient time for setup and check-in.

When you are ready to give your speech, take some deep breaths, focus on the positives, and distract yourself from any anxious thoughts with positive affirmations. Remember you have prepared diligently for this moment, you are well prepared and you will succeed!

Start strong by engaging the audience immediately with an attention grabbing opening statement. Speak clearly and make sure that everyone can hear and understand your message.

Slow down and emphasize points as needed throughout your presentation. Be aware of pace, volume, and tone of voice: too fast/monotone can confuse/bore listeners while pauses add a dramatic effect that keeps their interest piqued.

Ultimately, giving a successful speech will depend on knowing your material well enough to speak confidently in front of your audience without hesitation or missteps.

When you do make a mistake (and they happen!) don’t panic – know that mistakes are inevitable but don’t be discouraged; get back on track as soon as possible and continue at the same energy level you had before the mistake occurred.

Having successfully given your speech, take a moment to reflect on what went well and what could be improved upon for next time before transitioning into the next step: mastering delivery.

Master Your Delivery

Mastering your delivery is the key to an effective speech. Without purposeful body language and careful emphasis on certain words , your speech may lack wow-factor and prevent listeners from tuning in. Following these simple tips can help you get started with delivering an engaging and memorable speech:

The most important part of delivery is practice. Rehearse and perfect your speech ahead of time – this allows for more natural flow and confidence during your presentation. It also helps to create pauses between sentences for clarity, emphasize key points, and not be too casual or stiff.

Practicing inflections and varying tones adds interest to your speech by keeping listeners’ attention.

Additionally, it’s important to project your voic e so everyone in the room can hear you; make sure you’re speaking loud enough but don’t feel pressure to shout or yell at any point unless that’s part of the atmosphere of the event.

It’s also crucial to maintain good posture while speaking – stand tall with both feet on the ground, keep your back straight, hold yourself up without gesturing too much or leaning against a podium if applicable.

To further engage listeners, use purposeful hand gestures as they help emphasize certain points and add visual interest – however, avoid overusing them as it can hinders communication.

Make meaningful eye contact with audience members throughout the presentation – otherwise you might come across as unenthusiastic or bored with what you’re saying which deters attention away from the content itself.

By mastering your delivery, you can boost the impact of your presentation considerably – providing a memorable experience for your audience that stands out from others’. As such, it’s worth investing time into practicing ahead of time until delivery feels comfortable and second nature.

Having said this, making use of visual aids such as PowerPoint slides can greatly improve the impact of a speech once delivery has been mastered – let’s look into that next.

Use Visual Aids

Using visual aids can help presenters express concepts more clearly and engage the audience.

Visuals are particularly useful when conveying complex information, such as data, trends, or statistics — they impart meaning at a glance. But some public speakers may wonder if visual aids can be distracting or unnecessary.

Even though visuals can attract attention away from a presenter’s verbal delivery, carefully designed visuals can actually support the speech and help provide clarity. If done well, visuals are effective for capturing an audience’s interest and helping them to better understand the content being presented.

For example, a graph or chart should relate to the points made in the speech and should be discussed in more detail during its appearance onscreen. The presentation can also include larger images that effectively reinforce the ideas conveyed in the speech.

Videos and sound clips are other powerful forms of multimedia that could be employed to make the speech more meaningful.

To ensure that visuals enhance the message of the presentation, key factors to consider include relevancy to topic, good graphic design or aesthetics, accurate size to prevent distortion or blurriness, and seamless integration into the keynote slides or printed handouts .

In this way, visuals offer an opportunity for presenters to demonstrate their creativity and keep their audiences interested in what is being said. Thus, used wisely and aptly, visuals can add tremendous value to speeches by presenting arguments more efficiently and driving home important points. Now let’s explore effective techniques for speech giving that will allow you to craft and deliver your speeches with confidence.

Effective Techniques for Speech Giving

There are a number of effective techniques for giving a speech that will help you deliver it with confidence and poise.

First, practice your delivery in advance. You should practice both in front of a mirror or recording device to check for any distracting habits such as talking too quickly or mispronouncing words.

Second, use simple, clear language and short, concise sentences. Avoid overly technical terms and jargon that may leave your audience confused.

Third, work to establish a connection with your audience by using appropriate facial expressions and hand gestures while speaking.

Fourth, utilize effective persuasive techniques such as presenting evidence, strong arguments supported by facts, personal anecdotes and vivid metaphors.

Finally, articulate an organized structure for your speech. Your speech should have an introduction, body and conclusion to clearly communicate the main point and provide the audience with the necessary context to understand it better.

While these techniques may sound intimidating at first, they can be learned over time with practice and will make all the difference in how successful your speech delivery is received by your audience.

To build on these skills further , the next section will provide tips on how to build confidence when giving a speech.

Building Confidence

Building confidence is key when giving a powerful speech, as it will enable you to deliver the speech in a more poised and credible manner.

To create this confidence , start by understanding that any hesitation or butterflies prior to your speech are completely normal and should not be feared. Instead, view them as natural states of anticipation for something exciting, knowing that you are about to give an amazing speech.

Next, understanding who your audience is and tailoring your speech to meet their expectations will help build your confidence.

Familiarizing yourself with their interests and knowledge on the subject matter ahead of time can equip you with the understanding needed to respond appropriately if questions arise or objections surface during the speech.

Further, practice is key when building confidence for a public speaking engagement . Rehearsing with friends or colleagues before hand will give you an opportunity to learn where problem areas are within the content of your speech, as well as help solidify your delivery by becoming more comfortable with each step.

Checking sound levels in the room you’re presenting in coupled with learning where exits/emergency locations are located within that space can also help alleviate stress levels and boost self-assurance while delivering the speech.

Finally, wearing comfortable clothing and dressing professionally adds an extra layer of confidence when speaking in public.

If possible, bring an additional outfit on hand during the presentation in case of spills or accidents that would require a quick change between sections of the talk. Having this back-up plan in place can aid in keeping peace of mind at ease throughout the speech.

In conclusion, building confidence prior to a public speaking event can mean the difference between a good and great delivery of your message.

By taking into account each of these tips you can ensure that this part of your preparation runs smoothly and sets you up for success when delivering powerful speeches.

With a well-crafted note card of talking points and strong sense of self-assurance, it’s time to start speaking with passion!

Speaking with Passion

As a public speaker, your audience expects you to engage not only with your words but also with your emotions. To share the most impactful message, it is important to speak passionately about your subject.

Doing so will make your speech more memorable and thereby more effective in convincing your audience of its legitimacy.

The power of speaking authentically with emotion lies in its relatability and connection. Showing feelings allows people to connect with you as a person rather than just a speaker. It opens the door to understanding through empathy and active listening .

Examples might include adding personal stories , telling jokes, or displaying your feelings openly during the delivery of your message.

However, not all topics lend themselves easily to expressing emotion. If the subject matter is overly complex or technical there may be less opportunity for emotional expression—but this doesn’t mean those conversations can’t incorporate emotion.

Even if faced with a difficult situation such as death or financial turmoil, emotions can still be conveyed in a respectful way that keeps audiences engaged.

Remember that how much emotion you show depends on the type of audience you’re sharing it with—using sensitivity when delivering passionate speeches helps avoid awkwardness or embarrassment for any attendees who may find opinionated language uncomfortable for whatever reason.

Striking the right balance between being straightforward and showing compassion takes practice, so take the time to develop a style that works best for you and improves upon each performance.

Finally, incorporating passion into a speech gives it life and makes it relatable and engaging—which are essential elements to speaking effectively.

Having passion means giving ourselves permission to take ownership over our stories, making them deeply personal in order to reach our goals and touch people’s hearts in meaningful ways. With that said, let’s move on to discussing how we should tackle dealing with challenges while giving a speech.

Dealing with Challenges

The process of delivering a speech can be challenging, but it is also rewarding. Difficulties can arise during the process that may threaten to derail your success. To ensure you are adequately prepared for these possible pitfalls it is important to consider strategies for proactively mitigating the risk of encountering these challenges. 1. Public Speaking Anxiety: Many people experience some form of anxiety when asked to speak in public. There are a number of techniques available to combat this fear and increase confidence, such as deep breathing exercises, mental rehearsal, positive self-talk and visualization of success.

Learning about the audience, creating an engaging presentation and using props or visual aids can also help reduce anxiety levels and create a better overall experience for both the speaker and the audience. 2. Unfamiliar Topics or Audiences: When presenting on unfamiliar topics or to an unknown audience it can be difficult to prepare effectively.

In this situation it is important to conduct research on the topic and familiarize yourself with the needs of your audience so that the content is tailored accordingly. It is also helpful to use humor or stories related to the topic in order to engage your audience and make them more receptive to your message. 3. Lack of Support: If you lack support from family, friends, colleagues or mentors, it can be difficult to push through difficult conversations or speeches without any additional motivation.

To overcome this challenge, seek out peer mentorship opportunities or find compatible online communities where people discuss similar topics or objectives. Here you can share ideas, provide feedback and learn from others who have experienced similar issues. 4. Time Constraints: One of the biggest challenges when giving a speech is managing your time effectively in order to deliver an effective message without going over allotted timeslots and boring your audience .

To successfully address this challenge try setting manageable goals for each section of your speech and practice regularly. Replicating real-time conditions as closely as possible will help you stay within time constraints when delivering your speech on the day itself. In conclusion, there are many potential challenges you may face when giving a speech or taking part in a public speaking event – but with proper preparation and practice they are easily managed if approached correctly.

With knowledge of techniques for dealing with such scenarios comes increased confidence when stepping up to the podium – further improving your chances of delivering an effective speech that resonates with your audience members.

Responses to Frequently Asked Questions

How should i end my speech to leave a lasting impression.

The best way to end your speech is by reinforcing your main point and summarizing the key takeaways. You should also encourage the audience to take action, whether it be to sign up for a newsletter, make a donation, or visit your website for more information. This final call to action will not only leave a lasting impression on the audience but will also help you achieve any goals you might have had when making your speech in the first place.

What techniques can I use to keep my audience engaged during my speech?

One of the best techniques for keeping an audience engaged during a speech is to keep it interactive . Ask questions throughout the presentation, as well as allowing for audience input and discussion. This can help to keep people’s attention and create a more engaging experience.

Another great tip is to use humor. Even if you don’t consider yourself a natural comedian, sprinkling in a few jokes here and there can break up the monotony of long speeches and keep people interested. Humor can also help to make points stick in people’s minds, making them easier to remember.

Finally, try to be enthusiastic about the content of your speech. If you show too much indifference or lethargic behavior, it will discourage your audience from paying attention and taking your message seriously.

Instead, be passionate about what you are saying so that the energy of your words carries into the room and engages your audience with excitement.

How can I use storytelling to make my speech more interesting?

Storytelling is a powerful tool that can be used to make any speech more interesting. Telling stories in your speech will help engage the audience and make your message stick. Here are some tips for using storytelling in your speech:

1. Choose stories that are relevant to your message and audience. Think about stories that will best illustrate the point you are trying to convey, or evoke emotions in your listeners. 2. Use vivid descriptions and visuals when telling your story. Be sure to include details such as setting, character descriptions, dialogue and plot points. This will help to bring the story to life for your audience. 3. Make sure the story you are telling has a strong conclusion or moral at the end. This will help add emphasis to your message and make it memorable. 4. Practice telling stories out loud before delivering a speech with them. Rehearsing will help you deliver your story more effectively and with more confidence in front of an audience. By using these tips, storytelling can be an effective tool to make any speech more interesting, engaging, and persuasive!

How can I prepare for my speech effectively?

Preparing for a speech effectively is essential to delivering an impactful and memorable presentation. Here are some tips: 1. Have a clear goal in mind. Before starting to prepare, ask yourself what the purpose of giving the speech is: what message do you want to convey? Defining this will help to structure your content and focus your research. 2. Research thoroughly. Make sure you understand the subject matter well, so that your delivery sounds confident and inspiring. Using facts and data will strengthen your arguments and make your talk more convincing. 3. Outline your speech. Make a rough outline of how you want it to go – from beginning to end – well in advance of the actual presentation. This will give you a strong foundation upon which you can craft an engaging talk with an effective narrative arc that keeps audiences interested and engaged. 4. Practice regularly. Rehearsing your speech out loud several times is key to ensuring that you know it well enough to feel comfortable when delivering it live in front of an audience.

5. Time yourself. Record how long it takes for you to go through your entire speech, so that you can adjust the length as needed before delivering it live – remember that most speeches should last no more than 10-15 minutes. 6. Identify potential questions from the audience and prepare answers before hand. Knowing ahead of time what kind of questions people may ask can help reduce the anxiety of not knowing what comes next, enabling you to stay confident when speaking in public. 7. Work on building up confidence levels before delivering a speech. Visualize yourself succeeding in delivering a great presentation; practice relaxation techniques such as deep breathing or positive self-talk; or use props during practice sessions such as water bottles or stress balls if needed to remain calm during the real thing!

What strategies can I use to reduce my anxiety when giving a speech?

1. Plan Ahead: Create an outline of your speech beforehand and practice it multiple times to become familiar with the content. Doing a trial run with the audience can also help you get used to speaking in front of people.

2. Visualize Success: Positive visualization is a great way to reduce anxiety before giving a speech. Imagine yourself confidently delivering the speech while feeling relaxed and composed.

3. Get Organized: Make sure you have all the materials necessary for your presentation, including notes, slides, etc., to reduce any additional stress that may come from not having what you need when you speak.

4. Take Deep Breaths: Before and during the speech, take a few deep breaths as this will help calm nerves and make sure your breathing is regulated throughout the duration of your presentation.

5. Speak Slowly: It is common to feel anxious while giving a speech and try to rush through it too quickly. Speaking slowly helps maintain composure while delivering your message effectively and clearly.

6. Pay Attention to Your Body: Your posture, stance, movements , facial expressions can all influence how confident you appear to your audience and how nervous you may be feeling inside. Check in with yourself frequently throughout the presentation and correct any tense body language or physical actions if needed.

7. Focus on the Audience: If you notice that your anxiety levels are growing as you present, shift your focus onto the audience instead of yourself as this will help refocus your attention away from negative thoughts that may arise from fear or insecurity.

8. Make Eye Contact: Establishing eye contact with your audience is a key confidence-builder for public speakers—it shows that you’re strong, engaged with them, and receptive to feedback or questions they might have regarding your speech topic .

9. Practice Positive Affirmations: Positive thoughts will boost your self-confidence as well as your mood which can help increase performance quality significantly during speeches or presentations in general—so don’t forget to tell yourself “you can do it!” several times throughout the day leading up to the event!

10. Seek Support of Friends & Family: Many experienced public speakers suggest seeking support of close friends & family members prior and during their speeches—not only does it allow helpful critique regarding content but it also creates a more comfortable atmosphere while speaking which can reduce pre-speech jitters drastically.

10 Tips for Improving Your Public Speaking Skills

Few are immune to the fear of public speaking. Marjorie North offers 10 tips for speakers to calm the nerves and deliverable memorable orations.

Marjorie North

Snakes? Fine. Flying? No problem. Public speaking? Yikes! Just thinking about public speaking — routinely described as one of the greatest (and most common) fears — can make your palms sweat. But there are many ways to tackle this anxiety and learn to deliver a memorable speech.

In part one of this series,  Mastering the Basics of Communication , I shared strategies to improve how you communicate. In part two, How to Communicate More Effectively in the Workplace , I examined how to apply these techniques as you interact with colleagues and supervisors in the workplace. For the third and final part of this series, I’m providing you with public speaking tips that will help reduce your anxiety, dispel myths, and improve your performance.

Here Are My 10 Tips for Public Speaking:

1. nervousness is normal. practice and prepare.

All people feel some physiological reactions like pounding hearts and trembling hands. Do not associate these feelings with the sense that you will perform poorly or make a fool of yourself. Some nerves are good. The adrenaline rush that makes you sweat also makes you more alert and ready to give your best performance.

The best way to overcome anxiety is to prepare, prepare, and prepare some more. Take the time to go over your notes several times. Once you have become comfortable with the material, practice — a lot. Videotape yourself, or get a friend to critique your performance.

Communication Strategies: Presenting with Impact

Search all Communication programs.

2. Know Your Audience. Your Speech Is About Them, Not You.

Before you begin to craft your message, consider who the message is intended for. Learn as much about your listeners as you can. This will help you determine your choice of words, level of information, organization pattern, and motivational statement.

3. Organize Your Material in the Most Effective Manner to Attain Your Purpose.

Create the framework for your speech. Write down the topic, general purpose, specific purpose, central idea, and main points. Make sure to grab the audience’s attention in the first 30 seconds.

4. Watch for Feedback and Adapt to It.

Keep the focus on the audience. Gauge their reactions, adjust your message, and stay flexible. Delivering a canned speech will guarantee that you lose the attention of or confuse even the most devoted listeners.

5. Let Your Personality Come Through.

Be yourself, don’t become a talking head — in any type of communication. You will establish better credibility if your personality shines through, and your audience will trust what you have to say if they can see you as a real person.

6. Use Humor, Tell Stories, and Use Effective Language.

Inject a funny anecdote in your presentation, and you will certainly grab your audience’s attention. Audiences generally like a personal touch in a speech. A story can provide that.

7. Don’t Read Unless You Have to. Work from an Outline.

Reading from a script or slide fractures the interpersonal connection. By maintaining eye contact with the audience, you keep the focus on yourself and your message. A brief outline can serve to jog your memory and keep you on task.

8. Use Your Voice and Hands Effectively. Omit Nervous Gestures.

Nonverbal communication carries most of the message. Good delivery does not call attention to itself, but instead conveys the speaker’s ideas clearly and without distraction.

9. Grab Attention at the Beginning, and Close with a Dynamic End.

Do you enjoy hearing a speech start with “Today I’m going to talk to you about X”? Most people don’t. Instead, use a startling statistic, an interesting anecdote, or concise quotation. Conclude your speech with a summary and a strong statement that your audience is sure to remember.

10. Use Audiovisual Aids Wisely.

Too many can break the direct connection to the audience, so use them sparingly. They should enhance or clarify your content, or capture and maintain your audience’s attention.

Practice Does Not Make Perfect

Good communication is never perfect, and nobody expects you to be perfect. However, putting in the requisite time to prepare will help you deliver a better speech. You may not be able to shake your nerves entirely, but you can learn to minimize them.

Find related Communication programs.

Browse all Professional & Executive Development programs.

About the Author

North is a consultant for political candidates, physicians, and lawyers, and runs a private practice specializing in public speaking, and executive communication skills. Previously, she was the clinical director in the department of speech and language pathology and audiology at Northeastern University.

Why Gender Equity in the Workplace is Good for Business

Research indicates a correlation between gender equity and organizational success, yet it also points to obstacles for women in leadership.

Harvard Division of Continuing Education

The Division of Continuing Education (DCE) at Harvard University is dedicated to bringing rigorous academics and innovative teaching capabilities to those seeking to improve their lives through education. We make Harvard education accessible to lifelong learners from high school to retirement.

• PRO Courses Guides New Tech Help Pro Expert Videos About wikiHow Pro Upgrade Sign In
• EDIT Edit this Article
• EXPLORE Tech Help Pro About Us Random Article Quizzes Request a New Article Community Dashboard This Or That Game Popular Categories Arts and Entertainment Artwork Books Movies Computers and Electronics Computers Phone Skills Technology Hacks Health Men's Health Mental Health Women's Health Relationships Dating Love Relationship Issues Hobbies and Crafts Crafts Drawing Games Education & Communication Communication Skills Personal Development Studying Personal Care and Style Fashion Hair Care Personal Hygiene Youth Personal Care School Stuff Dating All Categories Arts and Entertainment Finance and Business Home and Garden Relationship Quizzes Cars & Other Vehicles Food and Entertaining Personal Care and Style Sports and Fitness Computers and Electronics Health Pets and Animals Travel Education & Communication Hobbies and Crafts Philosophy and Religion Work World Family Life Holidays and Traditions Relationships Youth
• Browse Articles
• Learn Something New
• Quizzes Hot
• This Or That Game
• Train Your Brain
• Explore More
• Support wikiHow
• About wikiHow
• Log in / Sign up
• Education and Communications
• Communication Skills
• Speaking Skills

How to Speak Well and Confidently

Last Updated: February 19, 2023 Approved

Building Confidence

Speaking eloquently, maintaining presence.

This article was co-authored by Amy Chapman, MA . Amy Chapman MA, CCC-SLP is a vocal therapist and singing voice specialist. Amy is a licensed and board certified speech & language pathologist who has dedicated her career to helping professionals improve and optimize their voice. Amy has lectured on voice optimization, speech, vocal health, and voice rehabilitation at universities across California, including UCLA, USC, Chapman University, Cal Poly Pomona, CSUF, CSULA. Amy is trained in Lee Silverman Voice Therapy, Estill, LMRVT, and is a part of the American Speech and Hearing Association. There are 8 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. This article received 32 testimonials and 96% of readers who voted found it helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 1,010,302 times.

Good communication is the key to success, whether you're speaking in front of a large audience or trying to get a point across to a new friend. If you want to know how to speak well and confidently, you've got to believe in yourself, speak slowly and carefully, and have strong convictions about what you're saying. If you want to know how to sound intelligent and thoughtful when you speak, then see Step 1 to get started.

Tip: It's all in how you say it. If you start a sentence by saying, "I think that…" Or, "But maybe…" then nothing you say afterwards will sound as forceful as it would have if you just made the statement.

• Look people in the eyes when you talk to them - you can look away for a moment or two to get your footing, but in general, stay focused on the eyes of the people you're talking to.
• If you see someone looking confused or concerned when you're speaking, you may even think about whether or not you're being clear enough. However, you shouldn't let one confused person get you off track.
• If you're talking to a larger group where it's difficult to really make eye contact, focus on looking at just a few people in the audience.

• Plan appropriately.
• Engage with your audience.
• Pay attention to body language.
• Think and speak positively.
• Cope with your nerves. [3] X Research source
• Watch recordings of your speeches. This will help you to improve each time.

• If you really want to know the room, you can also show up on a day before your actual speaking engagement to get a sense of what it's like.

• This way, when it's time for your big moment, remember what you visualized -- how can you get there?

• One of the reasons people get nervous when speaking is because they don't like the unknown; that's why you have to gather as much information as possible.

• Have great posture
• Avoid slouching
• Don't fidget with your hands
• Avoid pacing around too much
• Look ahead of you instead of down at the floor
• Keep your face and body relaxed

• If you will leave some time for questions after your speech, you can practice giving it to a friend in advance; have the friend ask some tough questions to help yourself prepare for what may come.

• If you can't think of anything you'd want to praise yourself for, then you'll need to work on boosting your confidence. Build your self-esteem by focusing on something you're good at, addressing your flaws, and spending time with the people who really care about you and make you feel good about yourself.

• If you speak in a low voice, not only will others not be able to hear what you say, but you will also portray a submissive demeanor, which suggests the opposite of a confident one.
• On the other hand, you don't want to speak so loudly that you're talking over people just to be heard. Your words alone should get people's attention.

• This doesn't mean that you have to throw fifty $100 words into your speeches or everyday conversations every time. Just a few key "fancy" words can make you sound more intelligent, but not like you're trying too hard.
• Keep a vocabulary journal. Write down all of the new words you've encountered while reading and define them.

• Of course, if you're just speaking with friends, then slang is fine, but if you're addressing a more mature audience and want to speak well, then you should avoid it.

• If you use verbal pauses (such as "um" or "uh") while you speak, don't be too worried about it. It's just a natural way of getting our minds into gear and even President Obama uses them quite frequently. If you think you use them too much, you can try to tone it down, but don't think that you have to avoid them completely.

• If you're giving a speech, then write it down and say it aloud. Reading your own words can help you see where you're being repetitive, and which things you'd like to cut.

• Think about writing an essay. You have to repeat your main points at the end of every paragraph and in your conclusion, don't you? Well, speaking is not so different.

• Tell a story or two. If you're giving a speech, a story at the beginning or the end can help introduce your points in a more human way.

• You can also develop a routine for talking to friends. Find something that calms you down when you're nervous about speaking, whether it's grabbing a Koosh ball in your coat pocket or smiling a bit more.

Community Q&A

• Pauses may seem as though you are forgetful or you don't know what to say while you are speaking, but in reality, they can be used to grab the audience's attention. If people are losing interest in your speech, or you need to emphasize something, just take a pause! Thanks Helpful 10 Not Helpful 0
• It's important to dress appropriately. Always wear clothes that suit your figure. Don't be afraid to dress it up a little too. Thanks Helpful 9 Not Helpful 1
• Practice really does make perfect. If you're giving a speech, then rehearsing it in advance will help you sound clear and confident on the big day. Thanks Helpful 12 Not Helpful 4

• Remember that there is a fine line between confidence and arrogance. Don't portray an exaggerated amount of confidence, or you will come off as arrogant and overconfident. There's nothing worse than coming across as believing that your ideas are better than the ideas of everyone else. Thanks Helpful 13 Not Helpful 0
• In addition to speaking your own ideas, do not forget to listen to the ideas of others too! Otherwise, others may find you to be self-centered, and you will lose the benefit of their valuable opinions. Thanks Helpful 8 Not Helpful 1

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://mannerofspeaking.org/2012/03/15/speak-with-conviction/
• ↑ https://socialself.com/blog/confident-eye-contact/
• ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/adaptation/201811/conquer-your-fear-public-speaking-these-5-tips-0
• ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/click-here-happiness/201901/positive-affirmations-11-keys-affirmations-work
• ↑ http://sixminutes.dlugan.com/volume-public-speaker/
• ↑ Amy Chapman, MA. Voice & Speech Coach. Expert Interview. 18 October 2019.
• ↑ https://www.huffpost.com/entry/confident-public-speaking_n_4058830
• ↑ https://www.businessinsider.com/9-techniques-to-delivering-a-speech-with-confidence-2011-3

About This Article

If you want to learn how to speak well and confidently, follow these 6 steps: Step 1: Write concise notes outlining your speech. Don’t try to write out your entire talk – just make notes that cover your most important points. Bring your notes with you on the day of your presentation for reference. Step 2: Practice your speech frequently. You’ll feel more confident if you know what you’re going to say, and how you will say it. It’s a good idea to practice in front of a mirror to work on making eye contact and using gestures effectively. If you are able, present your talk to a small group of family or friends, and ask for their feedback. Step 3: Before giving your talk, take a few moments to calm and center yourself with relaxation techniques. Try breathing deeply, inhaling with your nose until your lungs are full, and exhaling through your mouth. Another effective technique is visualization: Imagine yourself delivering a great speech, and the audience’s applause when you are done. Step 4: Make sure your audience can hear and understand you by speaking loudly and slowly enough so that they can easily follow what you are saying. Slow down, enunciate clearly, and pause from time to time to allow your audience to process what they have heard. A steady, deliberate pace will make you seem more authoritative, and your speech more effective. Step 5: Make eye contact with your audience from time to time throughout your speech. Pick out a few supportive people in the room, and move your gaze between them. You can imagine you’re giving the speech just to them if the audience seems intimidating. Step 6: Conclude your speech with a concise statement of the main theme of the talk, and thank the audience for listening. Enjoy the applause – you’ve earned it! Did this summary help you? Yes No

• Send fan mail to authors

Reader Success Stories

Eren Korkmaz

Sep 16, 2017

Did this article help you?

Joan Walmsley

Sep 19, 2021

Angie Malcolm

May 5, 2016

Sankalp Dua

Apr 9, 2016

Sep 12, 2016

Featured Articles

Trending Articles

Watch Articles

• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy
• Do Not Sell or Share My Info
• Not Selling Info

wikiHow Tech Help Pro:

Level up your tech skills and stay ahead of the curve

• Bipolar Disorder
• Therapy Center
• When To See a Therapist
• Types of Therapy
• Best Online Therapy
• Best Couples Therapy
• Best Family Therapy
• Managing Stress
• Sleep and Dreaming
• Understanding Emotions
• Self-Improvement
• Healthy Relationships
• Student Resources
• Personality Types
• Guided Meditations
• Verywell Mind Insights
• 2024 Verywell Mind 25
• Mental Health in the Classroom
• Editorial Process
• Meet Our Review Board
• Crisis Support

16 Public Speaking Tips for Students

Arlin Cuncic, MA, is the author of The Anxiety Workbook and founder of the website About Social Anxiety. She has a Master's degree in clinical psychology.

Aron Janssen, MD is board certified in child, adolescent, and adult psychiatry and is the vice chair of child and adolescent psychiatry Northwestern University.

Public speaking tips for students aim to reduce anxiety that can interfere with giving presentations or speeches in class. These tips can also be helpful for those with social anxiety disorder (SAD)   who have difficulty speaking in front of a group or telling a story among friends.

Public Speaking Tips

If you have SAD and need to give a speech  in elementary school, high school, college, or university, it helps to be as prepared as possible . Beyond preparation, however, there are strategies that you can use to reduce anxiety and fight the urge to stay home with a fake illness.

Even great speakers practice their speeches beforehand. Practice out loud with a recording device or video camera and then watch yourself to see how you can improve. If you are feeling brave, practice in front of a friend or family member and ask for feedback.

• Talk about what you know : If possible, choose a topic for your speech or presentation that you know a lot about and love. Your passion for the topic will be felt by the audience, and you will feel less anxious knowing that you have a lot of experience to draw from when other students ask you questions.
• Concentrate on your message : When you focus on the task at hand, anxiety is less likely to get out of control. Concentrate on the main message of your speech or presentation and make it your goal to deliver that message to the other students in your class.
• Grab the audience's attention : Most of your fellow classmates will pay attention for at least the first 20 seconds; grab their attention during those early moments. Start with an interesting fact or a story that relates to your topic.
• Have one main message : Focus on one central theme and your classmates will learn more. Tie different parts of your talk to the main theme to support your overall message. Trying to cover too much ground can leave other students feeling overwhelmed.

Tell Stories

Stories catch the attention of other students and deliver a message in a more meaningful way than facts and figures. Whenever possible, use a story to illustrate a point in your talk.

Being prepared to speak in public can also be important if you have social anxiety disorder. Feeling confident and prepared to give your speech may help lessen your feelings of anxiety. Some of the things that you can do to prepare include:

• Visit the room : If you have access to the classroom where you will be speaking outside of class hours, take the time to visit in advance and get used to standing at the front of the room. Make arrangements for any audio-visual equipment and practice standing in the exact spot where you will deliver your speech.
• Rack up experience : Volunteer to speak in front of your class as often as possible. Be the first one to raise your hand when a question is asked. Your confidence will grow with every public speaking experience.
• Observe other speakers : Take the time to watch other speakers who are good at what they do. Practice imitating their style and confidence.
• Organize your talk : Every speech should have an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. Structure your talk so that the other students know what to expect.

Manage Your Anxiety

Taking steps to deal with your feelings of anxiety can also make public speaking easier. Some of the things that you can do:

• Tell someone about your anxiety : If you are speaking in front of a high school or college class, meet with your teacher or professor and describe your public speaking fears . If you're in elementary or high school, share your fears with your parents, a teacher, or a guidance counselor. Sometimes sharing how you feel can make it easier to overcome stage fright.
• Visualize confidence : Visualize yourself confidently delivering your speech. Imagine feeling free of anxiety and engaging the students in your class. Although this may seem like a stretch for you now, visualization is a powerful tool for changing the way that you feel. Elite athletes use this strategy to improve performance in competitions.
• Find a friendly face : If you are feeling anxious, find one of your friends in class (or someone who seems friendly) and imagine that you are speaking only to that person.

Press Play for Advice on Finding Courage

Hosted by therapist Amy Morin, LCSW, this episode of The Verywell Mind Podcast shares a strategy to help you find courage when you need it the most.

Follow Now : Apple Podcasts / Spotify / Google Podcasts

Maintain Perspective

Remember that other students are on your side. Think about a time when you have been an audience member and the student delivering the speech or presentation was noticeably nervous. Did you think less of that student? More likely, you felt sympathetic and wanted to make that person more comfortable by smiling or nodding.

Remember—other students generally want you to succeed and feel comfortable. If for some reason the audience is not on your side or you experience bullying or social exclusion, be sure to discuss this with a parent, teacher, or guidance counselor.

Be Confident

Sometimes just knowing what makes a good speech can help you feel more confident. Focus on some of the following elements and practice them before you have to speak in public.

• Develop your own style : In addition to imitating good speakers, work on developing your own personal style as a public speaker. Integrate your own personality into your speaking style and you will feel more comfortable in front of the class. Telling personal stories that tie into your theme are a great way to let other students get to know you better.
• Avoid filler words : Words such as "basically", "well", and "um" don't add anything to your speech. Practice being silent when you feel the urge to use one of these words.
• Vary your tone, volume, and speed : Interesting speakers vary the pitch (high versus low), volume (loud versus soft), and speed (fast versus slow) of their words. Doing so keeps your classmates interested and engaged in what you say.
• Make the audience laugh : Laughter is a great way to relax both you and the other students in your class, and telling jokes can be a great icebreaker at the beginning of a speech. Practice the timing and delivery of your jokes beforehand and ask a friend for feedback. Be sure that they are appropriate for your class before you begin.
• Smile : If all else fails, smile. Your fellow classmates will perceive you like a warm speaker and be more receptive to what you have to say.

Don't Apologize

If you make a mistake, don't offer apologies. Chances are that your classmates didn't notice anyway. Unless you need to correct a fact or figure, there is no point dwelling on errors that probably only you noticed.

If you make a mistake because your hands or shaking, or something similar, try to make light of the situation by saying something like, "I wasn't this nervous when I woke up this morning!" This can help to break the tension of the moment.

A Word From Verywell

It's natural to feel frightened the first time you have to speak in front of your class. However, if you fear continues, interferes with your daily life and keeps you awake at night, it may be helpful to see someone about your anxiety.

Try talking to a parent, teacher, or counselor about how you have been feeling. If that doesn't get you anywhere, ask to make an appointment with your doctor. Severe public speaking anxiety is a true disorder that can improve with treatment .

Spence SH, Rapee RM. The etiology of social anxiety disorder: An evidence-based model . Behav Res Ther. 2016;86:50-67. doi:10.1016/j.brat.2016.06.007

By Arlin Cuncic, MA Arlin Cuncic, MA, is the author of The Anxiety Workbook and founder of the website About Social Anxiety. She has a Master's degree in clinical psychology.

Strategies for Becoming a Confident Public Speaker

by Janice Tomich

• Fear of Public Speaking

Lack of public speaking confidence, whether with peers or strangers, is considered a social anxiety disorder. More people don’t want to be front and centre than do. Across the spectrum, glossophobia (fear of public speaking) touches 73% of the population. 

Try to think of people who would tell you that they love public speaking. Likely you can’t come up many names. Usually, someone’s first reaction when the subject of public speaking comes up is they’d rather not . They’ll tell you about the unexplainable surge of fear they feel when they even just think about giving a presentation. 

If you’re the one of many people who declines speaking opportunities (or have sleepless nights before your time to take the stage) then I think it’s fair to say that public speaking is not your favourite thing to do either.

Many professionals and executives find public speaking daunting. But as an executive communication coach , I know that speaking with confidence is attainable. For everyone.

Table of Contents

What is Public Speaking Confidence?

Public speaking confidence means no longer having sleepless nights before a big presentation. Confidence means knowing your presentation conveys an impactful message that your audience needs to hear. Once you’re confident in your public speaking skills, you’ll be able to deliver your message powerfully, with ease.

You’ll speak and be heard. That’s the goal.

How To Cultivate A Confident Mindset For Public Speaking

Awareness Is the First Step To Building Public Speaking Confidence

The first step to dropping the weight of public speaking nerves and anxiety is understanding that it’s embedded in our DNA. 

In primordial times, people always lived in groups. Living alone would have left us vulnerable to the environment. If you were rejected by the group, your isolation would lead to a justifiable fear—you’d have no community or group to protect you. 

Now, many centuries later, things have changed. But the same fear response remains and it can be activated by the same types of situations, or perceptions of them. For many people, standing alone to give a presentation before a group can trigger a fight or flight response. Public speaking isn’t life threatening—there is no need to be on high alert—but the reaction is deeply embedded in the human psyche.

Knowing the root reason for why you experience public speaking anxiety while delivering a presentation or speech (or even while thinking about it) is the first step to mastering confident public speaking. 

The next step is to work on your mindset.

If you’re feeling unheard or misunderstood, I can help.

Switch Perspective To Create A Positive, Confident Mindset

Focus on your audience, not yourself.

Strong leaders are those who inhabit a position of “being of service.” Strong leaders focus on giving, supporting, and mentoring and this is what allows them to leave a legacy of success. 

This same concept of “being of service” applies to your ability to speak confidently. Public speakers are often very self-focussed. They think it’s about them and what they know. That they’re being measured, being judged. But nothing could be further from the truth. 

Shifting you focus from yourself to others and fully believing your speech is about those you serve (not about you) puts you on a solid foundation to learning how to be a confident public speaker. While creating and developing your presentation, put yourself in your audience’s shoes. What’s in it for them? 

A simple technique to start connecting with your audience better in the speech itself is to direct the content to point at them. You can use phrasing such as “This is something you’ve probably experienced” or “Have you noticed…?”

Most people who gather to listen to your presentation or speech are on your side. They would not be investing their time to attend if they weren’t rooting for you and believe that what you have to say will benefit them. One caveat, of course, is that you will never be able to please everyone. (That’s a perfectionist perspective and it’s unattainable.)

Pro Tip: Increase your comfort level (and your confidence) when you arrive at your speaking event by reaching out and introducing yourself to others. Find out why they decided to attend the event. It’ll be easier to create an interactive presentation when you know who’s in the room and what they want to learn from you.

Focus On The Message You Want To Send

Take the time to learn what your audience wants to hear. 

Your audience wants to learn from you and pull nuggets of information they can use themselves or take back to their team(s). 

Practically speaking, one way to do this is to use a whiteboard and brainstorm what you think your audience wants to learn from you. For inspiration, think about questions that colleagues or clients have asked you. Check out online discussion forums like Quora or Reddit, which can provide insights into what questions are being asked.  

Consider too that audiences can differ in how they learn best. How can you deliver your message in a way that they can easily understand? So that they can run with your ideas and implement them into their lives?

Too often, we think that public speaking confidence is something we either have or we don’t and that it’s unrelated to the contents of your speech, your core message. The truth is that you’ll feel far more confident public speaking when you’ve taken the time to really plan and think through your ideas and align them with what your audience needs to know. There’s nothing more confidence-building than being well prepared and knowing that what you’re going to say will make a real impact on your audience. Because you wrote the speech for them, not for yourself.

Visualize Your Public Speaking Success

You may roll your eyes and think that visualization is bunk. It’s not. Elite athletes use it to drive their success. 

The mind has incredible power. It can even build muscle without lifting weights. By visualizing working out your arms or fingers you can grow muscle . Not at the rate the actual performance results in but good results for sitting on the couch and imagining. 

To help my clients prepare for presentations a few days before the event I guide them (in their mind’s eye), to watch themselves deliver their speech or presentation on event day. Begin from when you wake up and get ready to getting yourself to the event, meeting the hosts, being introduced, delivering their presentation, and listening to the applause. All this while bringing up positive emotions and seeing a successful outcome.

It’s through parsing and focussing on the details , with excitement or positive feelings, that makes visualization work. When feeling a crisis of confidence leading up to your event and / or while on stage, retrieving positive imagery and feelings will disrupt any anxiety or imposter syndrome.

How Imposter Syndrome Sabotages Your Confidence

Have you questioned whether you’re the best person to be speaking about a subject (although you have years of experience) or do you let your monkey mind take control while it’s chattering at you? Do you sabotage yourself thinking your audience has a better grasp of what you plan to share with them? 

That’s the Imposter Syndrome rearing its ugly head. A feeling of unworthiness (a fraud) and self doubt although you are more than qualified to speak to the subject. Often it’s people who are smart and have accomplished many/great things that are unable to believe what their success is telling them about their abilities.

Know this…many of us get bitten by Imposter Syndrome…from one of my heroes, the very accomplished Maya Angelou to the brilliant musician Leonard Cohen. Can you even begin to imagine that they would doubt themselves? 

The imposter phenomenon was first described by Pauline Rose Clance and Suzanne Imes their 1978 paper “The Imposter Phenomenon in High Achieving Women: Dynamics and Therapeutic Intervention.” The Imposter Syndrome is driven by perfectionism and it tends to affect high achievers because they confuse their achievements and their self-worth. They have difficulty seeing that not succeeding at something as anything other than failure (instead of what it is—a stepping stone to learning.) 

It’s easy to see the relationship between public speaking confidence and Imposter Syndrome. It’s common for perfectionists to think that someone else is a better speaker or that they need to be a “perfect” (even when you’re new to speaking). Even those who have ample experience public speaking can still suffer from Imposter Syndrome, because they feel the bar is even higher, and hold themselves to an ever-higher (and ultimately unattainable) standard.

Build Confidence by Managing Imposter Syndrome

• Remove the finger pointing words you use when thinking about yourself as a public speaker. Don’t use words like “must,” “should,” or “will.” Instead, use a vocabulary which is more open to the possibilities such as “It’s an opportunity to try,” “I would like to,” or “It would be good for me to…”
• All presentations are not A+ candidates. No presentations are “perfect.” If you leave a presentation less-than-satisfied with your performance, don’t label it as a failure. Instead, ask yourself what you learned. Flip the switch to a learning. Cultivate a growth mindset and you’ll more quickly (and more effectively) build your confidence in public speaking with each event.
• Create a success jar or sucess board. Catch yourself when you are successful . Write the occurrence and what you did to make success happen on a slips of paper. Later, when you’re having a crisis of confidence, pull out a few slips from the jar (or read off items from your board). This is a quick way to get your growth mindset back on track.
• Beat perfectionism back by evaluating what is out of your control. Sometimes at public speaking events things go not according to plan. Maybe the tech went awry or the host did not introduce you in the way you had asked to be introduced. Or perhaps you were given only a short window of time to pull a presentation together or weren’t given all the information you needed to do a good job. Perfection is unattainable for lots of reasons, but one big one is that there are often too many variables out of your control.

​​​​Margarita Quihuis ESG Advisor, ED: Peace Innovation Institute, The Hague Peace Innovation Lab Stanford

The Role of Planning, Preparation, and Practice

Key to learning public speaking confidence is how you get ready. It’s near impossible to communicate confidently when you know that you haven’t adequately prepared. 

My clients and students often give me a look of disbelief when I tell them that Steve Jobs would spend months and months preparing for his presentations. He and his teams had Plan B and even Plan C in place in case technology failed or something didn’t go as planned. 

Many of the executives I work with who are the face or spokesperson for their organization, invest days and weeks in preparation. They know the importance of being prepared. 

Nancy Duarte of Duarte Designs, who works with Silicon Valley giants on their keynote speeches recommends, 30 hours of practicing for a one-hour speech. This does not take into account creating the content or building the slidedeck. For a one-hour speech you can expect to spend 60 hours for the creation side.

Of course not all presentations are an hour long or are high-stakes.

Not all presentations take the time investment I’ve spoken of above. However, each and every public speaking event is important and requires dedicated planning, preparation, and practice.

Pro Tip: If you’ve got a big speech planned and you want to know how much you should practice, I addressed that in length in my blog post “ How Many Times Should I Practice My Speech “

Learn Your Speech or Presentation The Easy Way (Don’t Memorize It)

Memorizing your presentation or speech is a poor investment of time. While it might seem counter-intuitive, memorizing your speech can actually fuel your anxiety lower your confidence. If you’ve memorized your speech, you might freeze up like a deer in headlights if you forget just one word or where you are in the flow of your presentation.

You’re better served by committing your key points to memory and then assimilate the core message you plan to speak to for each of the key points. Learning your key points is a more natural way to deliver a presentation confidently. Internalize the concepts, not the individual words. 

You can tell when a speaker has memorized their presentation. It’s obvious because there is a flavour of performance art—the delivery is usually disassociated from the words.

Memorized presentations sound robotic. It’s hard to instil passion in them and they lose their  conversational energy. Often, this results in not being able to connect with and engage your audience, which is the opposite of what you want. Connecting with your audience is how your confidence will grow, speech by speech. Memorizing a speech puts a wall between you and your audience.   Pro Tip: Use this framework (it’s the one I use when I’m practicing a presentation myself and it’s also the one I use with my clients) instead of memorizing .

Confident Speeches Start with Rituals

Rituals ground us and help us stay focussed on the task at hand. Rituals dissipate feelings of anxiousness and can help you deliver your presentation confidently. 

As you start practicing your speech or when you’re about to deliver live create a few rituals for yourself to set off with a confident start:

Take two or three deep breaths. Take the time to do this before you speak. No one will notice the few seconds it takes. Many people don’t actually know how to take a deep breath . Do you? 

To ground yourself and stay focussed on delivering your presentation these techniques will help you stay present:

• Feel your feet on the floor from the tips of your toes to the back of your heels
• Have an amulet in your pocket such as a stone or shell that has a special meaning for you to touch when you’re feeling your confidence waning 
• Touch a piece of jewellery such as a ring or necklace. 

Just as you are about to speak in your mind’s eye imagine with your first words projecting to the back of your audience.

The key to using rituals to build your confidence is consistent practice. At every practice session initiate your rituals and you’ll be easily able to access them when you go ‘live’.

Rituals are just one way. If you’re struggling with presentation nerves I encourage you to read another blog post of mine which gives 20+ ways to calm yourself down before a big speech or presentation .

Use Confident Body Language

How do you feel when you slump over in your chair? Not very energetic, right? In a slumped position it’s hard to take full breaths and your overall vibe feels a little low. Now sit up tall, projecting your upper chest forward (which allows you to take a deep breath) and notice the difference in how you feel. You likely feel you have more energy and more positive too … simply better. 

Dr. Amy Cuddy, who is known for her TED Talk on body language, posits through her research that how we hold ourselves reflects on how we feel. Standing tall with your arms extended out (the SuperWoman Pose) will have positive feelings coursing through your body. A caveat though, Cuddy’s research has been refuted and maligned although she stands by it. That all being said, I do feel better when I stand tall with my arms in the air formulating a V. My clients have said the same. 

Consider too, how you’re perceived when you stand tall as opposed to hunched over. How about when you walk confidently on stage or enter a Zoom room with your shoulders back and sitting erect? The perception is that you’re confident, which when mirrored back makes you feel confident as well.

Introverts Can Be Confident Public Speakers Too

Extroverts are thought to be the best public speakers. They love to put themselves out there and to be the center of attention with public speaking coming naturally to them. They usually don’t lack confidence or deal with the fear or anxiety to hold them back. Extroverts are often good storytellers and can easily speak off the cuff and are fuelled by the exchanges. 

If you tend towards introversion you’ve probably noticed your ability to connect at a deep level with others. Introverts are often thought to be genuine and humble, which are perfect traits for public speaker’s ability to engage an audience. 

Introverts, often prefer to gather their thoughts about what they want to say and speaking in front of an audience can be overstimulating, which requires them to rest after an event. Introverts can be excellent public speakers too.

While you can’t change your genetic makeup, you can teach your nervous system to be less reactive with regular exposure to things that overwhelm you — including public speaking. Introverts can gradually desensitize themselves with regular exposure to speaking up and at events.

Many people find public speaking daunting. Speaking eloquently with confidence and ease is attainable. It’s a skill set to be learned – step by step.

Through building your confidence by challenging your mindset, managing your energy, learning how to make the best of your speech preparation, pulling your shoulders back and stand tall, and manage any overwhelm you can deliver a presentation that receives terrific feedback and accolades.

If you want to build your public speaking skills and would like to learn how I help my clients communicate with confidence and ease, here’s  access to my calendar  to book a time to see how we can work together to make that happen.

Share this post:

Related Posts

Why Do Women Shy Away from Public Speaking Engagements?

In recent years, movements such as the #metoo movement have sought to disarm patriarchal institutions from ‘owning it all’. North America is at something of a tipping point, with equitable societies seemingly within reach. The

22 Ways to Calm Your Nerves Before a Speech or Presentation

So, you have a big presentation coming up. Maybe you’ve been invited to pitch an idea to your boss or deliver a presentation to an industry association. Maybe you’re even giving the keynote. Your first

Manage Presentation Anxiety to Become Confident Public Speaker

I’m a public speaking coach, and I know that for a lot of people (including those you think look cool and composed on stage) the thought of public speaking creates a surge in anxiety levels.

Janice Tomich Site Map

Testimonials

Social Media

© 2023 Janice Tomich. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy   |   Terms of Use

Give the keynote. Without the nerves.

• EXPLORE Random Article

How to Give a Speech

Last Updated: June 24, 2024 References

This article was co-authored by Deb DiSandro . Deb DiSandro is the Owner of Speak Up On Purpose, an organization dedicated to improving and teaching public speaking. Deb has over 30 years of experience as a national speaker and has presented at the Erma Bombeck Writer’s Conference and the National Society of Newspaper Columnists. She was awarded the National Speakers Association Member of the Year 2007 and has been published in Writer's Digest, Daily Herald, Women's Day, and Better Homes & Gardens. This article has been viewed 268,583 times.

It's time to tackle what people are afraid of more than death: public speaking. Luckily, there are several strategies to help you get through this nerve-wracking event. Preparation is key and can help you speak confidently, no matter what the topic!

Preparing the Speech

• So what's yours? Did your teacher give you a specific topic to cover? If so, what's your stance? Or is it more personal? Two or three personal stories with a connecting theme can be quite the vivid speech.

• Who are they? Age? Gender? Beliefs?
• How much do they know about your topic? This will determine the amount of complicated language you can use (hint: if they don't know much, don't use it!).
• Why are they there? To be taught something? Because they have to be? Because they're genuinely interested? If your audience has to be there, try to create an opening that’s sympathetic, supportive, and fun to get them engaged.
• How long have they been there? If you're 17th of 18th speeches, take that into account!

• Have at least three points to support your message (that one succinct sentence you're working with). Address the counterargument, but don't focus on it.
• Only complicate it as much as your audience can tolerate. Stay away from jargon and technical terms if it's gonna leave your listeners scratching their heads and feeling out of place.

• Self-deprecating humor (making fun of yourself) has its place. Again, this comes down to knowing your audience and the format of your speech. A best man speech? Totally appropriate. Addressing the president of your company about budget locations? Maybe not.
• Antithesis is about using opposites. Clinton said, "I want to nominate a man who’s cool on the outside but who burns for America on the inside" in his speech about Barack Obama. Pretty vivid stuff.

• Opt for strong, descriptive verbs instead of adverbs.
• Think active, too. "When we have the manpower, we can force change," is much more powerful when it's turned around -- "We can force change when we have the manpower." Make 'em sit up in their seats, you know?

• So no hemming and "hawwing", no apologizing, no "I wondered...," no "Thank yous," just brass tacks. Get right in there. Don't talk about painting -- get right in there and start creating an image for them. They're there for your speech, not how you felt about it or how you feel now. Hook 'em from the get-go by starting strong outta the gate.

• Take notes on paper or using an app as ideas come to you.
• You should have a clear introduction, body, and conclusion. The introduction and conclusion should both be brief and to the point, the conclusion being a reiteration of the intro. And the body? Well, that's everything else.

Practicing the Speech

• Get to the point where you're comfortable delivering it just with the notecard. The more comfortable you are with the speech, the more it'll show when you're delivering it.

• Be sure to memorize the most important aspects, such as a funny story, quote, or memorable turn of phrase so you can deliver them exactly as you imagined.
• This doesn't mean that you have to go out there unarmed. No, you'll be taking your notecard with you! If your mind blanks, you can take a look-see at it and go right where you need to. You ran over it with the notecard 10 times for this reason.

• Delivering it to someone helps you get used to someone looking at you while you're talking. Public speaking can be pretty terrifying, so having a practice audience will help calm your nerves.
• Have them actually pay attention. At the end of your speech, ask them what questions popped up in their mind. Were there any holes in your argument? Or did anything confuse them?

• Practice in front of the mirror so you can see your body language. What gestures work where? How do you feel about the pauses and what do you do during them?
• Practice in the shower because it's probably one of the few times during the day where you can mindlessly go over it. Does your mind blank on any part? If so, review it.
• Practice while you’re doing other things as well, like driving, walking your dog, or mowing the lawn.

Delivering the Speech

• Your speech conveys a certain amount of emotion, right? (Correct answer: Yes.) Take those moments and move with them. You use your hands every day to express emotion -- this speech is no different. You're still communicating to people, just on a bigger scale. Though the scale is different, the gestures remain the same.
• For a great example of how to move on stage and use your hands while speaking, check out Bryan Stevenson's Ted Talk on Equal Justice.

• This should be used carefully, though. Don't whip out a different prop every sentence. Stick to one really effective prop, like the brain. Telling a story about your dad's last burning building he ran into? Take out his burned firefighter helmet. Talking about the time you ran into Will Ferrell at your local Starbucks? Whip out your autographed grande, coffee-stained cup when you get to the part about how you fainted after asking. Use them sparingly, but effectively.

• Use graphs to illustrate your points, especially if they're hard to understand. Pictures can be more memorable than just being told factoid, regardless of how pivotal it may be.
• Don't face the pictures when you're talking! You know what's on there -- keep delivering the speech to your audience, not the screen.

• Show emotion in your tone, too. Don't be afraid to chuckle a bit or show a bit of grief or frustration. You're human. Your audience is looking for a human connection, not a robot spitting words at them.

• Take your speech and literally write in the pauses if it'll help you. Draw a big ol' slash through the text to indicate a break. Once you have it down, you'll be able to feel where the pauses will go.

• Take a deep breath. You did it. Next time you'll be giving a speech on how to give speeches. What were you so nervous about in the first place?

Sample Speeches

Community Q&A

Reader Videos

• Take a deep breath, look confident, smile and walk onto the stage. Thanks Helpful 46 Not Helpful 2
• Practice on tape and listen to yourself until you are used to your voice and delivery. Thanks Helpful 27 Not Helpful 4
• Be prepared for questions. If you do not know the answer, there is no need to panic. Be honest and tell them upfront that you don't know but will find out. Do not invent answers. Thanks Helpful 27 Not Helpful 12

Things You'll Need

• Source material
• Notecard(s)
• Tape recorder

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://westsidetoastmasters.com/resources/powerspeak/ch03.html
• ↑ http://www.rogerdarlington.me.uk/Speech.html
• ↑ http://www.forbes.com/2010/08/16/public-speaking-speeches-communication-leadership-careers-advice.html
• ↑ https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/282524
• ↑ https://www.toastmasters.org/resources/public-speaking-tips/preparing-a-speech
• ↑ https://www.forbes.com/2010/08/16/public-speaking-speeches-communication-leadership-careers-advice.html#5dc92b8410cf

About this article

To give a good speech, try to practice it as much as possible beforehand, like in the shower, when you're running errands, or in front of a mirror, since you'll be more confident going in if you have it memorized. When you're delivering your speech, stand up straight with your feet shoulder-width apart so you look confident. You should also use your hands to naturally gesture throughout your speech instead of holding them at your sides. Also, make eye contact with random people in the audience, and avoid scanning the room or staring at the back wall. For more tips from our expert co-author, like how to write a speech, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

Reader Success Stories

Mahina Betty

Aug 14, 2018

Did this article help you?

Ankit Kumar Mishra

Jul 10, 2016

Aug 13, 2016

• About wikiHow
• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy
• Do Not Sell or Share My Info
• Not Selling Info

14 Tips On How To Improve Speaking Skills (Speak Like A Pro!)

If you feel nervous or flustered when it’s your time to talk, use these actionable practices to be more articulate and well-spoken in the workplace and beyond.

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter

Whether you’re chatting with coworkers at lunch, having an important conversation with your boss, or giving a big presentation, speaking with confidence and charisma can transform your daily life.

Research shows that communication skills are strong predictors of your success in the workplace and relationships . Yet, so many people still struggle with verbally expressing themselves. Excellent speakers benefit from:

• Improved communication
• Getting their ideas heard
• Earning more respect
• Being interrupted less
• Having more loyal and deep connections
• Not being underestimated or overlooked

If you are hesitating or flustered when it’s your turn to talk, here are 14 actionable tips for improving your speaking skills.

Watch our video below to learn powerful presentation skills in person, on video, and in meetings:

How to Improve Speaking Skills at Work and Beyond: 14 Action-Packed Tips

Most kids learn to talk around 1 to 2 years old, but learning to express yourself verbally is a lifelong learning experience. You can excel in your career and get what you want by mastering the art of talking. 

Many tools are available to improve your speech, whether you’re a native speaker or an English learner. Here are the top 14 science-backed ways to speak better: 

#1 Stay in your zone of genius (only talk about what you know)

You may notice that the most professional-sounding people tend to stay in their zone of genius when speaking publicly. You won’t hear Oprah pretending she’s an expert in electric cars. Nor will you hear Elon Musk advising about spirituality and personal development.

They both stay in their realms of expertise, which naturally makes them sound confident when they speak. They’re not faking it— they know what they’re talking about!

If you struggle to speak with conviction, you may inadvertently talk about topics you don’t know much about. Instead, focus on your zone of genius.

Your zone of genius is the mental space where your skills and interests converge .

It includes the subjects, facts, and stories you know the most about. These things are easy for you to talk about with others because you’re knowledgeable and passionate about them. 

Avoid talking off the cuff about topics you’re not familiar with. Not only does this make you sound uninformed or untrustworthy, but it can send off the message that you are a “know-it-all.” 

Masterful conversationalists are usually not afraid to say, “I don’t know.” Similarly, a public speaker won’t add random facts or opinions that they can’t back up with authentic knowledge on the topic.

Pro tip: Not a master in your subject? No worries! Most people have limited knowledge in a particular field. Try learning from the Three Book Rule, which states that if you read 3 books on a specific topic (for example, tennis), you’ll be more knowledgeable than 99% of the population.

#2 Read books or articles out loud

Reading is one of the most underrated tools for becoming a great speaker. It can make you sound more articulate and smooth in your speech. Plus, you learn new vocabulary and better comprehend the book in the process. 

Unlike conversations or spoken speeches, written text tends to have a better structure for learning, as authors and editors have worked together to keep the text free of grammatical errors or awkward sentences. Reading books aloud helps you learn to speak more smoothly in day-to-day conversations. 

Repeat this exercise at least once per week (or every night before bed if you’re determined):

• Find a quiet place where you won’t be interrupted.
• Choose a book you enjoy, flip to a random page, or continue reading where you left off.
• Read the page out loud from start to end.
• Take note of words you had trouble pronouncing or sentences that sounded awkward out loud. Notice how fast or slow you read and the tone of your voice. Depending on the character’s speaking, you can also practice changing your voice if you’re reading fiction. This can help you practice vocal variety.
• Look up the pronunciation of specific words if needed. 
• Now read the page or passage out loud again. Change your performance based on what you noticed in the first round. Emphasize important points with a shift in volume or inflection (highness or lowness of your voice)  
• Optionally, use voice memos on your phone to record yourself reading.
• Listen back to your recordings and find places where your inflection, cadence (the rhythm of speech), and volume change. Do these align with the overall message of the piece? 

If you feel unsure about reading aloud, try listening to audiobook samples to hear how different speakers recite written words. You can also use a free resource like Librivox to listen to free audiobooks.

#3 Use tongue twisters to practice enunciation

Mumbling speech can make it challenging to understand what you’re saying. When people mumble, it sends the message that they don’t want to be heard or feel embarrassed by their speech. On the other hand, people who enunciate their words are seen as more intelligent. 

Eloquent speaking is undoubtedly an art, but it starts with the simple act of training your mouth to move in a certain way. Those silly tongue twisters from your childhood can be surprisingly useful. Repeating related sounds can improve your English speaking skills and articulation of specific words. 

Repeat these 10 times each or until you can say them over and over without fumbling: 

• Red leather, yellow leather, red leather, yellow leather.
• Sally sells shells by the seashore.
• Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers. A peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked. If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers, where’s the peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked?
• How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?
• You know New York, you need New York, you know you need unique New York. 
• I saw a kitten eating chicken in the kitchen. 

Use tongue twisters regularly and as a vocal warm-up before you do a lot of talking. 

Bonus Tip: Learn the Art of Stage Presence

Did you know that public speaking is actually a skill? Many people struggle with stage anxiety because they feel they ‘missed the memo’ on public speaking or they are lacking because they do not have a natural stage presence. Not true!

Stage presence and public speaking are skills you need to be taught—very few people have them naturally. 

Watch our video below to learn the 7 steps to overcome stage fright and beat performance anxiety:

Here are all the aspects of public speaking you can master.

• How to make a first impression with an audience
• How to have stage presence
• Powerful body language
• How to speak with a commanding voice
• What to do with your hands while speaking

For every speaking skill you add to your toolbox, the less speaking anxiety you will feel.

If you want help really diving into your presentation skills, be sure to sign-up for our course…

Master Your People Skills

• Create a Memorable Presence
• Communicate with Confidence
• Achieve Your Goals

Have a question about the presentation or People School? Email Science of People support .

#4 Talk to yourself

One of the easiest ways to step into your power as a speaker is to start talking to yourself. People often dismiss those who talk to themselves as crazy when, in reality, talking to yourself is entirely normal. 

Scientists have found that talking to yourself is beneficial for enhancing your performance in sports, finding things you lost, and solving problems. A practice called mirror meditation combines neuroscience and self-reflection to overcome insecurities like physical appearance and public speaking. 

You can use self-talk with or without a mirror to achieve two primary goals:

• Build your confidence : Psychologists say that talking to yourself in a mirror can help externalize your inner dialogue and sort through your thoughts. Speaking positive things to your reflection is a form of positive affirmation. For example, you can calm your nerves before talking to someone important by telling your reflection, “You’ve got this! You are well-spoken, eloquent, and powerful with your words. You’re going to rock this conversation. I love you.” You don’t necessarily have to say these things out loud, but you want to signal to your mind that you are your number one fan (and you should be!).
• Rehearse before big moments (and sort through your thoughts) : For example, you can rehearse what you’ll say to your boss while you’re driving in the car on your way to work. Don’t worry about acting looking weird—nobody will be able to hear you. Use verbal recitation to gather your thoughts, so you can repeat the key points you want to discuss in the meeting. Similarly, before a big speech, you may want to walk around your room and go over a speech script in your head or out loud. 

Both methods can work synergistically to improve your speaking skills drastically. But the most important thing to remember about self-talk is: Avoid talking to yourself negatively whenever possible , especially before a critical communication event like a meeting, presentation, or important lunch. 

Listen to your internal voice and avoid internal statements like:

• “You sound stupid.”
• “I am horrible at public speaking.”
• “Your voice sounds embarrassing.”
• “You idiot, get it out already.” 

Replacing negative self-talk takes practice. Replace critical self-talk with positive affirmations ( here are 120 great ones ) and learn more about silencing your inner critic so you can feel more confident in your speech.   

#5 Learn from the best (& mimic them)

Humans are psychologically programmed to mimic each other. Mirror neurons are primal “monkey see, monkey do” parts of our brain that imitate the actions we see in other people. They explain why babies naturally smile when you smile or why you can learn to swim by watching others move in the water. 

Recent research has also revealed how these neurons are critical for learning language and communicating with others. You can even “hack” your mirror neurons to help you become a better speaker. Think about the best speakers you know and try a few of these simple practices to pick up on their best qualities:

• Watch a video of your favorite speaker three times in a row. Notice their tone of voice, stature, and vocal quirks. Learn a few sentences from the speech and try to re-enact them in a mirror. For example, if you want to mimic the conversational yet profound tone of Denzel Washington, watch this video of his speech at a graduation:

• Pretend you’re an actor and recite lines from a movie character you like. You can find specific scenes from movies on YouTube. Analyze how the script structure impacts your feelings about that character’s confidence and self-expression.
• Listen to a podcast of someone you admire and repeat things they say out loud. Podcasters are great speakers because they only have their voice to capture your attention. For example, Rob Dial of The Mindset Mentor is authentic, empowering, and energizing podcaster who speaks directly to the audience’s needs. 

Pro Tip : Speech mimicry helps you learn to speak more confidently in public or on stage, but remember to stay true to your unique qualities. You don’t want to copy other people’s words, or you will be inauthentic. Instead, take note of the specific qualities you want to adopt—such as a deeper voice, a slower pace of speaking, or a particular type of vocabulary—and integrate these into your existing communication style. 

#6 Always remember your MVP

An MVP isn’t just the star of a sports team. It’s the Most Valuable Point you need to make in any communication setting. If everything else you say was forgotten, what is one sentence that gets your point across?

Before you go into a meeting with your team, give a speech, or check in with your boss, think about your MVP. For example,

• I’m going into this check-in with my boss to ask for a raise of X dollars. 
• I want to sit down with my significant other tonight and resolve our miscommunication about X. 
• My main goal for today’s work lunch is to get to know 3 new things about each of my colleagues. 
• The key purpose of this article is to help people improve their speaking skills in various settings.  

Regardless of the communication setting, an MVP gives purpose to your words. 

Bonus: If you want to sound really convincing, practice turning your MVP into a specific sentence or two. Something like:

• “My performance in the past 6 months has doubled the company’s revenue, and, as a result, I believe I deserve a higher raise.”
• “There was a miscommunication earlier, but after some deep thinking, I realize it was my fault, and I am truly sorry.”

Having a concrete sentence or two memorized can help deliver your speech powerfully and convincingly.

#7 Sound more confident by speaking louder and lower

Speaking isn’t only about what you say but how you say it. A 2017 Yale study found that the sound of your voice is what makes people:

• Believe what you’re saying
• Feel certain emotions 

Think about it: How do you feel when you hear someone using filler words like “um” or “like” in every sentence? What about someone who talks softly? Or someone who raises their voice at the end of a statement to make it sound like a question?

You probably won’t perceive them as confident in what they’re saying. You may even be less likely to do business with them, believe their story, or give them what they’re asking for. 

There are three keys to sounding more confident when you talk:

• Speak louder (but don’t yell) : When you feel nervous, you may naturally talk more softly. But this can create a negative feedback loop that makes you sound (and feel) less confident. Instead, make your voice sound stronger by speaking at a moderate volume that you adjust based on the room and audience size. 
• Speak lower : Research shows that people who speak louder and lower are perceived as more dominant and authoritative. This is particularly important for women who talk in soft, high tones. You don’t need to change your natural voice completely; instead, practice speaking in the lower end of your range. 
• Talk at a moderately fast pace : If you speak too slowly, you could sound boring. People who drone on in a monotone don’t tend to keep our attention for long. On the other hand, if you speak too fast, you could sound annoying or difficult to understand. Studies have found that people who talk at a moderately fast pace (about 195 words per minute) seem more intelligent, persuasive, and attractive. Measure your voice with a Metronome app for Android or iOS and try to land in the 110-160 word per minute range.

Remember that your optimal vocal volume and pitch may change depending on your audience. Learn more tips about How to Speak with Confidence and Sound Better .  

Watch our video below to learn how to sound confident on the phone with 5 simple steps:

#8 Prepare your voice

Have you noticed your voice sounds groggy in the morning or strained after singing too loud on the drive to work? It’s not the best vocal state for negotiating a business deal or asking for a raise. 

Vocal care isn’t just for singers or public speakers. Proper preparation ensures your voice doesn’t crack when it comes time to speak up in a meeting. To sound better when talking, remember to:

• Use deep breathing : Shallow chest breathing can make you sound more jittery or nervous when talking. Deep belly breathing exercises can help improve your oxygen levels while simultaneously calming your body. 
• Exhale first : When it comes time to speak, most people breathe and start their sentences with an inhale. Instead, remember to exhale first. Blow out a strong breath just before you start talking.
• Stay hydrated : Your voice is directly affected by your level of hydration. Research even finds that hydrated voices sound better . If you are about to speak for an extended period in a speech or meeting, drink plenty of water in the hours leading up to the event.
• Use our 5 vocal warm-ups in our article and video below:

5 Vocal Warm-Ups Before Meetings, Speeches and Presentations

#9 Start and end with the best points

The serial-position effect explains why people remember the first and last things you say the most clearly. Whether talking to your coworkers about a project or giving a big pitch to a client, you should emphasize the best points at the beginning and the end.  

This is particularly important for presentations, but you can apply it to daily conversations. When preparing to speak, the first thing to do is brainstorm all your key points and ideas. It helps to jot them down on flashcards or digital slides. Arrange them so that the juiciest or most essential points come first. Then, reiterate them at the end as well.

For example, if you’re selling your marketing services to a client, the very first lines of the presentation may emphasize why your agency’s package is the best one available. This is sort of like a thesis. You might start with: “Top Level Agency is a one-stop shop for your marketing needs because we do all web design and digital production in-house (no freelancers or contractors!), offer 24-hour emergency technical support, and monthly payment plans.” 

Then, you can introduce yourself, explain the package offerings, and dig into more details. At the end of the presentation, repeat the key benefits they’ll get from working with your company. 

People remember the beginning and the end ! Avoiding burying your important points in the middle! Many people tell stories chronologically and accidentally bore their audience with background stories and foundational info that leaves a bad first impression. 

Pro Tip: Practice your opening and closing line the most. If you have these, you know you will start and end on a high.

#10 Master the art of presentations with 4 quick tips

From job interviews to congratulatory speeches to workplace meeting presentations, speaking in front of a group of people is a life skill that we all must practice at some point. It’s how you sell yourself, your ideas, or your products and services. Yet over 30% of Americans list public speaking (glossophobia) as one of their biggest fears. Fortunately, overcoming glossophobia can be as simple as preparation and practice. 

Here are four quick tips to transform your presentation skills:  

• Start with a hook : First impressions are everything! A sparkling one-liner, a fascinating story, or an intriguing question are the easiest ways to capture your audience’s attention before you dig into the details. Notice how Vanessa Van Edwards’ Tedx Talk starts with a funny phrase about her awkwardness: 

• Cut out excess info : A short presentation packed with information is far better than a long, boring drone full of fluff. Cut down your speech to the basics so that everything supports your main point. Avoid irrelevant facts or boring anecdotes. 
• Don’t just talk : The most captivating presentations use multiple modalities. Instead of just standing and talking, an engaging presenter will layer on the graphics, charts, videos, and visual demonstrations. 
• Pretend you’re a performer : In his book, Steal the Show , actor, and coach Michael Port says the quickest way to boost your confidence is to simply act like you’re giving a performance and you don’t have any stage fright. Transform your negative inner talk to something positive by tricking your mind into thinking you’re capable and confident in your speaking skills. 

Pro Tip : If you are planning for a big presentation and fear losing the audience’s attention, consider making your presentation more interactive by inviting the audience to participate. You can use non-awkward icebreakers , “raise your hand” questions or a social media poll on a related topic. 

Some presenters even invite an audience member to the stage for role-playing or a mini-case study. For example, in a meeting presentation about how you plan to improve upselling techniques in your stores, you may invite a coworker to act out a customer-salesperson scenario. 

Want more tips? Take your presentations to the next level with these 10 Presentation Ideas That Will Radically Improve Your Presentation Skills . 

#11 Use meaningful hand gestures

People who “talk with their hands” are naturally more magnetic. Studies show that gestures increase the value of spoken words by up to 60%! But you don’t just want to flail your hands around without purpose. Our analysis of the top TED Talks of all time found that there are specific movements that portray confidence.

These 7 powerful hand gestures include:

• Show the number : Any time you mention a number, use your fingers to add a visual element of that amount. 
• Increase or decrease : Spread your hands closer or farther away to demonstrate the intensity of a conversation point. For example, if you say, “this is a small problem,” you may close your hands together to show a small space. 
• Feel it in the heart : When discussing something emotional, gesture toward your heart or chest region. You may naturally put your hand over your heart when you say, “this means so much to me.”
• Guide your explanations : Use your hands to give a visual guide to a complex explanation. For example, suppose you’re discussing two opposing viewpoints. In that case, you might gesture to the right for Point 1 and to the left for Point 2.
• Bring things together : When you discuss the convergence of points or groups, bring your palms together in the center to demonstrate these two things merging. 
• Emblems : Cultural hand motions like thumbs up, A-OK, or pointing with an open hand can be used to highlight specific talking points. 
• You-me-we : Bring people into what you’re saying by gesturing towards them, yourself, and then between you. 

Watch this video with Vanessa Van Edwards to see how each gesture works:

Here are another 60 Hand Gestures You Should Be Using and Their Meaning . 

#12 Learn to decode body language (and use it to your advantage)

Have you ever wished you could tell what people are thinking? Decoding body language is an underrated social superpower. If you understand how to tell if your boss is being confrontational or your colleague is withholding information from you, you can have a major communication advantage. 

You’ve probably heard the statistic that 65 to 90% of communication is nonverbal. Unspoken cues often give us more insights into people than what they say out loud. Some of the most notable body language cues to look for include: 

• Lip pursing : People may be subconsciously holding something back. If you accidentally purse your lips during a speech, it may make you seem to withhold something from the audience. 
• Raised eyebrows: When someone is guilty, they might subtly raise their eyebrows to show fear. On the other hand, eyebrow raises can also indicate amusement or surprise. Take notice of your eyebrows while talking in the mirror and use them to emphasize your points.
• Touch : A light touch on the arm can be a thoughtful way to get someone’s attention or help. Combined with speaking in a soft or friendly tone, this can help you appear more kind and more compassionate.
• Firm handshake : A nice firm handshake can portray you as confident but not domineering. Deliver your handshakes with a well-rehearsed introduction like “I’m Joe. It is a pleasure to meet you.” 
• Laughing : In awkward situations, subordinates might laugh to appease the person in power, while superiors may refrain from laughing to uphold their status. As you speak, notice when you awkwardly laugh out of nervousness versus when you laugh because something is actually funny.  
• Sitting versus standing : A sitting person is physically lower than a standing person, making them potentially seem inferior or easier to reprimand. You almost always want to be standing when you are giving a speech or a presentation. On the other hand, sitting while having a tough conversation with your significant other can help create a level playing field for open-hearted discussion. 

Note how you use body language as you talk to others daily. There are so many ways you can combine speaking skills with a specific position or nonverbal cue to portray more confidence, kindness, or influence. Learn more about understanding Body Language In the Workplace: 15 Cues You Must Know . 

#13 Work on pronunciation with this app

Whether you are a native English speaker or learning the English language, countless words in the dictionary aren’t pronounced the way they are spelled. But proper pronunciation can make you sound more knowledgeable and well-spoken. 

The most commonly mispronounced words include:

• Desert vs. Dessert 
• Comfortable

Do you think you’re guilty of mispronunciations? Use the free app, Say It ( Android ) ( iOS ) to check your speech. Oxford University Press developed it to help practice sounds, words, and sentence pronunciation. 

Pro Tip : If you accidentally mispronounce a word in conversation or a presentation, don’t be afraid to correct yourself. It happens to everybody, and there is no shame in saying “excuse me” and repeating it. If you have an accent, embrace it! As long as people understand your words, pronunciation shouldn’t be an argument of tomAYto versus tomAHto. 

#14 Improve your listening skills

Paradoxically, the best speakers tend to be the best listeners. After all, communication is a two-way street. Listening is one of the most valuable social skills because it helps you:

• Understand other people
• Make deeper connections
• Demonstrate that you’re interested in what others have to say 
• Avoid dominating a conversation
• Learn how to speak better

Listening is particularly important if you feel shy or socially awkward . Next time you’re having a conversation, practice active listening with:

• Loud listening : When someone else is speaking, strategically use sounds like “oh,” “ah,” or “wow” to show you are engaged.
• Eye contact : Avoid using your phone or diverting eye contact when someone is talking. Instead, casually hold their gaze for 3-5 seconds to show that you care. But don’t be overbearing with eye contact , or you might appear weird.
• Asking questions : Show that you were paying attention to another person’s story or presentation by asking questions about what was said. Just be sure you don’t interrupt them or cut anyone off while inquiring.
• Wait for your turn to talk : A great conversationalist’s most obvious skill is knowing when to talk. Your decision to speak while someone else is still talking could send the message that you think your opinion is more important than theirs. Politely wait your turn and even leave a few seconds of pause after someone else finishes their thoughts. 

Stuttering and Language Processing Resources:

Do you struggle with stuttering or other language processing issues? You definitely can get help! Here are some great resources to check out:

• The Stuttering Foundation
• Find a Speech Therapist

Key Takeaways: Speak Better with Planning and Practicing

Nobody is born a masterful speaker, but the most charismatic people have cracked some communication code. Fortunately, the secrets to their verbal success are accessible to everyone. Start speaking better with these simple practices:

• Talk louder, lower, and at a moderate pace : If you find yourself speaking soft and slow, it can help to increase the volume, lower the tone, and speed up the rate of your words. This will help you sound and feel more confident while talking. 
• Mimic speakers you admire : Find people you want to sound like and listen to them regularly. Identify the characteristics you want to mimic, like their cheeriness, articulation, or authority. Learn lines from their videos and recite them as you watch.  
• Read out loud : Written words tend to be more edited than spoken ones. Practice reading your favorite books out loud so you can 
• Master pronunciation and enunciation : Avoid mispronunciations and mumbling. Instead, use the internet to learn how to pronounce words you’re unsure about and train your mouth to enunciate specific words with tongue twister exercises. 
• Use hand gestures: Your hands are among the most underrated tools for speaking. Use them to your advantage by emphasizing essential points. 

Whether you’re talking to an audience of 2 or 2,000, public speaking can catapult you to higher levels of self-development and professional success. To take your speaking skills to the next level, learn these 15 Science-Based Public Speaking Tips to Be a Master Speaker . 

Popular Guides

How to deal with difficult people at work.

Do you have a difficult boss? Colleague? Client? Learn how to transform your difficult relationship. I’ll show you my science-based approach to building a strong, productive relationship with even the most difficult people.

Related Articles

Science of People offers over 1000+ articles on people skills and nonverbal behavior.

Get our latest insights and advice delivered to your inbox.

It’s a privilege to be in your inbox. We promise only to send the good stuff.

• SUGGESTED TOPICS
• The Magazine
• Newsletters
• Managing Yourself
• Managing Teams
• Work-life Balance
• The Big Idea
• Data & Visuals
• Reading Lists
• Case Selections
• HBR Learning
• Topic Feeds
• Account Settings
• Email Preferences

5 Ways to Get Over Your Fear of Public Speaking

• Mark Bonchek
• Mandy Gonzalez

Play out the toughest scenarios in advance.

We all want to be good public speakers. But for many of us, fear inevitably gets in the way. The good news is you don’t have to overcome your fear in order to be a great public speaker; it never goes away entirely. Instead, the goal is to have  less fear. You can dial down your fear by being prepared. This means knowing the material so well that you don’t have to think about it. Checklists are helpful to make sure you have all the details covered. Enlist friends to help review your material, ask tough follow-up questions, or act like an indifferent audience. Play out the toughest scenarios in advance, so you won’t have any surprises when it’s showtime. Then you can focus on being fully present in order to connect with your audience in an authentic way.

We all want to be fearless public speakers. We dream of confidently striding onto the stage to give a speech or presentation, breaking the ice with the perfect joke, captivating the audience with compelling stories, handling the most difficult questions with ease, and exiting to cheers and applause.

• Mark Bonchek  is the Founder and CEO (Chief Epiphany Officer) of Shift Thinking . He works with leaders and organizations to update their thinking for a digital age. Sign up for the Shift newsletter  and follow Mark on Twitter at  @MarkBonchek .
• Mandy Gonzalez can be seen on the stage, TV, and film, and is currently starring on Broadway as Angelica Schuyler in Hamilton . She just released her debut album Fearless and is the founder of the #FearlessSquad , a movement for inclusion and positivity in social media.

Partner Center

Inc. Power Partner Awards Application Deadline This Friday, July 12 Apply Now

• Newsletters
• Best Industries
• Business Plans
• Home-Based Business
• The UPS Store
• Customer Service
• Black in Business
• Your Next Move
• Female Founders
• Best Workplaces
• Company Culture
• Public Speaking
• HR/Benefits
• Productivity
• All the Hats
• Digital Transformation
• Artificial Intelligence
• Bringing Innovation to Market
• Cloud Computing
• Social Media
• Data Detectives
• Exit Interview
• Bootstrapping
• Crowdfunding
• Venture Capital
• Business Models
• Personal Finance
• Founder-Friendly Investors
• Upcoming Events
• Inc. 5000 Vision Conference
• Become a Sponsor
• Cox Business
• Verizon Business
• Branded Content
• Apply Inc. 5000 US

Inc. Premium

15 Ways to Boost Your Confidence Before a Big Presentation

Here's how to stop those butterflies for good..

You have to give a big, important presentation in just 15 minutes. Your heart is racing, your palms are damp--you're starting to panic.

It's completely normal. In fact, most speakers, beginners and veterans alike, readily admit to feeling nervous in the moments leading up to a big speech or presentation.

Darlene Price, president, of  Well Said, Inc.  and author of " Well Said! Presentations and Conversations That Get Results ," says instead of trying to lose the butterflies, you should aim to  leverage  them.

"The adrenaline surge can fuel your body with the energy and enthusiasm necessary for a great performance," she explains.

Whether you're stepping to the front of the room to speak to just a few people, or making a grand entrance in a ballroom to address thousands, here are 15 ways to effectively use the moments before you present to prepare your body and mind for peak performance: 

1. Talk positively to yourself.

Claim your success before you begin, Price says.

"Let's learn from the experts in sports psychology. They've proven that an athlete's positive self-talk prior to and during a performance consistently creates a higher win rate," she explains.

What's more,  research suggests  that using your first name or the pronoun "you" instead of "I" can make it easier to deal with stressful experiences.

In the minutes leading up to your presentation, say over and over within yourself, "You are a dynamic speaker!" "You are enthusiastic and engaging!" "You are prepared and confident!"

"Write your own set of self-affirmations and confidently declare them," she advises. "Your words will create a self-fulling prophecy."

2. Use the restroom.

"First thing's first," Price says. "Needing the toilet when you wouldn't normally 'have to go' is a common reaction to anxiety and pre-speech jitters. Why take chances? Plan ahead and use the restroom in the moments prior to going on stage."

3. Strike a power pose.

Take advantage of your alone time in the bathroom to strike what Harvard psychologist Amy Cuddy dubbed a  power pose .

Cuddy describes power poses as expansive and open stances where you take up a lot of space and hold your arms and legs away from your body.

When you expand your body,  Cuddy tells Business Insider , "your mind starts to feel more confident and powerful--it starts to see those challenging situations not as threats but as opportunities." 

4. Exercise lightly.

Do some light stretching, a few knee-bends, or take a brisk walk down the hall and back to send more oxygen to the brain and reduce tension, Price suggests.

5. Take several deep belly breaths.

Since anxiety tightens the muscles in the chest and throat, it's important to diminish that restricting effect with deep inhalations, Price explains.

Don't underestimate the power of a long, slow, deep breath. "It maximizes the amount of oxygen that flows to the lungs and brain; interrupts the adrenalin-pumping 'fight or flight' response; and triggers the body's normal relaxation response," she says. In the moments leading up to your presentation, breathe deeply and deliberately.

6. Don't pretend you're not nervous.

If you're nervous before your presentation, pretending not to be can actually make things worse.

According to  recent research out of Harvard , once activated, a state of arousal, as when someone is anxious, is difficult to control. And  research out of Boston University  suggests that hiding your feelings of anxiety from observers, which they call suppression, can actually lead to an increase in feelings of anxiety and heart rate.

7. Reframe your nervousness as excitement.

The  Harvard research suggests  reframing anxiety as excitement, rather than trying to calm down, since both are states of high arousal. Anxious study participants who announced that they felt excited were perceived as more persuasive and competent when they gave their speeches,  as previously reported on Business Insider .

"Harnessing the power of the mind-body connection means that you can learn to use your thoughts to positively influence your body's physical responses," Price says.

8. Focus on giving.

Did you get overwhelmingly nervous the last time you gave a birthday gift to a friend? Probably not. You may have felt anticipation, excitement, even joy, but not anxiety, Price says.

"As a speaker, think about your presentation as a gift to the audience; a nicely wrapped package full of valuable information, helpful ideas, and meaningful content," Price says. "The mental attitude of giving empowers you and frees you. It takes your mind off of yourself and puts the focus on helping others."

9. Acknowledge the three audience truths.

Prior to speaking, tell yourself:

"This audience believes I am the expert."   The audience perceives you as a recognized authority simply because you're the one speaking, she explains. "Plus, you know more than they do about the topic."

"They want me to succeed."  Audiences are rooting for you. They want and expect you to add value; to be interesting, engaging, and informative otherwise the presentation is a waste of their time, says Price.

"They don't know what I'm going to say."  If you make an error, don't announce it or apologize, just keep going. "The audience will never know."

10. Practice the first minute in your mind.

Whatever you're planning to say as the captivating opener--a witty quotation, personal story, or startling statistic--rehearse the first few sentences several times, Price suggests.

Knowing exactly how you're going to start gives you confidence, enables you to look directly into the eyes of audience members as you begin (not at notes or a slide), and creates a powerful first impression.

11. Sip water that is either warm or room temperature, with lemon if possible.

"This helps with dry-mouth, cuts through mucus buildup in the mouth, and clears the throat," Price says. Avoid cold food and drinks, dairy products, and carbonated beverages--and ensure a glass or bottle of water is within arm's reach during your speech.

12. Meet and greet the audience before you speak.

Shake hands and talk with as many people as possible ahead of time. "This shows the audience you're approachable and personable," Price explains.

"You may even learn a few names, issues, and stories to weave into your presentation. Plus, having conversations with your listeners ahead of time transforms scary 'public' speaking into natural, relaxed 'personal' speaking."

13. Check out the meeting room and audiovisual set-up.

As the speaker, be sure you know the environment, including the seating arrangement, presentation electronics, microphone, and lighting.

Get to the room early and ensure you're comfortable with the set-up. "This step shows the audience you're prepared and helps ensure your presentation runs smoothly," she says. 

14. Assume a standing position in the five minutes prior to speaking.

If you're the host or only speaker, you'll be standing anyway. However, if you're one of several speakers on the agenda, and your turn is coming up in five minutes, simply step to the back of the room and stand, or  stand up  if you're backstage.

"The sitting position is motionless, passive, and inactive. By standing, you summon energy ahead of time, give your body a chance to warm up, and place yourself in a posture ready for action," Price says.

Maintain a positive, pleasant expression on your face in the moments before you speak.

"Smiling actually relaxes the body. Physiologically, smiling emits endorphins in the brain that calms the nerves, creates a pleasant attitude, and promotes a sense of well being," she says.

Plus, a smile conveys confidence and self-assurance. It shows your audience that you're happy to see them and enthusiastic about your message.

This story first appeared on Business Insider . 

A refreshed look at leadership from the desk of CEO and chief content officer Stephanie Mehta

Privacy Policy

12 Wonderful Tips to Gain Confidence When Speaking

Updated May 8, 2023

Gain Confidence When Speaking

Contrary to what poets will have you believe, our “speech” often reflects our most vulnerable expressions. If you’re anxious or lacking confidence , you can still learn to mask its expression in your eyes with practice. But it is bound to come out sooner or later in your speech. A stutter here, a few empty filler words there, and you’re exposed!

Start Your Free Personal Development Course

Effective resume making, job hunting, campus recruitment training & others

And yet, speaking is what we do the most, to express, communicate , and celebrate! It’s also the most effective way to inspire another. How can we speak confidently, even when we’re not experts? How can we consistently enthrall our audience with our speech? How can we communicate how we want to without letting self-doubt get in the way?

This post intends to show you the way!

The 12 fool-proof tips outlined below will teach you to become a confident verbal communicator and rise as a dynamic orator. We don’t mean to overwhelm you with great advice here. Still, we give you deceptively simple tricks you can apply in any speaking opportunity: in a public forum, with colleagues at work, at church, everywhere. Read on if you’re ready to know more.

1. Make a Good First Impression

Do you know that we form an opinion within 30 seconds of meeting someone? Yes, that’s as long (or, in this case, as short) as it takes to grab your audience’s attention: 30 measly seconds. (Heck, even instant noodles take longer than that to cook!)

But this is excellent news for the prepared speaker. If you can “nail it” for that first 30 make-or-break seconds, you will likely have your audience in your pocket and enjoy a rewarding session. Now this doesn’t sound too bad, does it?

Here are some clever tips to wing that first impression:

• Dress comfortably . Like it or not, looks do matter, not (only) to others but to ourselves. If you undress for the occasion, you’ll likely feel less confident and miss that grand first impression. So dress up to suit yourself (and not just the occasion).
• Wear your most disarming smile . We all have that smile. The ones that genuinely crinkle our eyes. It is the best suit you can wear no matter what the occasion.
• Make appropriate eye contact . Eye contact invites trust. Enough said!
• Bring out that deep voice : Okay, we’re kidding here because not all of us are blessed to sound like a commanding George Clooney ! But you’re still likely to have “that voice,” that pitch-perfect tone and pace that screams “confidence,” even as you appear friendly. Practice before a mirror until you get it right.

2. Laugh Your Blues Away

Now that you’ve got that crucial first impression , it’s time to address those butterflies – no, bandicoots in your stomach. Well, laughter is indeed the best medicine, my dear!

Break the ice with your audience with a joke or two. A self-deprecating joke delivered with a twinkle in the eye can immediately endear you to the audience, showing you have the nerve to laugh at yourself. You can even throw in a potent one-liner that immediately grabs your audience’s attention (and interest).

But of course, this has to be appropriate to the occasion. For instance, you can’t go about cracking Dilbert jokes when you have to share a moving epitaph on a recently deceased friend. But perhaps you can still share something (appropriately) funny about your friend that breaks the tension and showcases his great sense of humor.

With laughter,

• You send some much-needed oxygen to your belly so those butterflies ease up on you.
• Make friends in the audience because everyone loves a funny guy.
• You give yourself time to study the audience before you start the “real” talk.

So armor yourself with the best chuckle-worthy jokes from the internet and prepare to blow your audience away with humor!

3. Show Them That You’re The Boss of Your Material

This one is tricky as it needs you to be an expert at what you speak. Not an expert on the topic you speak or amongst the audience you talk to, just an expert at what you speak.

It means that you’ve:

• Researched your content well, so it is factually
• Practice plenty in front of a mirror until you’re convinced about what you speak.
• Prepared to learn more, possibly from the audience. (It can always happen).

You see, most of us shy away from speaking in front of an audience due to our fear of judgment. But if someone asks you to speak, somebody thinks you’re good enough. Work with that while you keep your mind open to learning from another.

4. Follow a Clear Structure

You’re more likely to step off course without a clear course path. So design your speaking tryst into a clear structure. At the least, you should have the following:

• A short but captivating introduction.
• The topic’s significance: Why is it essential to the audience and you?
• Details about your topic.
• A joke or two to help you gather yourself when you lose track.
• Formal distractions like questions, quizzes, etc.
• Conclusion with the next step – email for future contact, suggestions for further research, a call to action, etc.

5. Speak to Your Friend(s) in the Audience

Again, they always exist: the ones who nod, look interested in what you say or participate in the topic. These are your friends in the audience (even if you’ve never met them before).

These folks are:

• Not out there to judge you.
• Their presence can reassure you that you’re indeed on the right track.
• Reiterate your confidence . It works wonders; the more confident you become, the better you will speak. It, in turn, will invite more people to connect with you.

You can and should actively call them out to participate even more – perhaps with a friendly question or a shared joke. Do it discreetly so they don’t feel like you’re putting them on the spot.

6. Use Your Face and Body to Support Your Voice Speaking

The success of your public speaking stint depends on the final cohesive message you send. It comes as much from your body language , tone, and facial expressions as it does from the words you speak. So again, practice before a mirror until your body language appears natural and comfortable and your facial expressions resonate with your voice (signaling confidence, conviction, and clarity).

7. Be Comfortable With Your Mistakes

Hey there, an eager beaver. We know you’re working mighty hard to improve your speaking skills . But don’t panic when you trip. (And you will stumble sometime. )

Even the most renowned orators are known to have a misstep or two in their long public speaking careers. It’s not so much that you made a mistake that puts off the audience. It’s how quickly you get back on your feet that matters. If you can brush away your mistake with a joke or two or even gracefully accept it before moving on, your audience will be more than willing to forgive you. Forgive yourself first, and the audience will continue to love you.

8. Use Creative Visualization

Here’s a positive thinking tip: visualize your success with public speaking to create your success with public speaking.

As new-age Gurus have repeatedly told us, “As you think, so you do.” If you enter a presentation thinking you’ll enjoy it while you ace it, you’re more likely to have a successful session. But if you believe that ghost called fear and think you’re going to mess up, you’re actively preparing to mess it all up!

Before your session, take 20 minutes to visualize what you want to create for yourself:

• A smiling, confident you, effortlessly connecting with the audience.
• Good delivery on the topic of your choice.
• An audience captivated by great charisma, yours !

9. Fake That Confidence

Don’t get us wrong here, but there’s a profound sense in words, “Fake it till you make it.”

If you’re a rookie too nervous about standing in front of a crowd, we suggest you practice 10 minutes of active visualization before you “fake confidence” in front of a mirror. Do this consistently for 21 days, and you’re sure to enjoy a notable difference.

It does two things:

• Convinces your most prominent critic – you!
• When done with adequate preparation on your topic, this takes care of rehearsal too!

10. Keep it Simple

The best way to a hassle-free presentation is to keep your material simple and hassle-free.

Don’t let excessive ambition ruin your public speaking tryst. It is when you try to fit “too much” into your message. Some well-tested tips are:

• Let your speaking center around one core message. We all have limited attention spans and even shorter memory. So ensure that your entire speech supports just one significant message. Don’t distract your audience with unnecessary subplots.
• Say it straight. Sarcasm has its uses, but it is not communicating. Neither is beating around the bush. If you want the audience to do something, like a vote for your church, give them ten good reasons to do so in your speech, all ending with that one message: vote for us!
• Ditch the notes when you go live: This is scary, especially for those speaking for the first time. Yet, this is the only way to connect to your audience honestly. You’ll also ensure that your content is clear and precise (AKA “simple”) so there’s not too much complex stuff for you to memorize.

11. Breathe Deep and Easy, Again

In the long course of your public speaking stint, you’ll likely have that one moment when nothing seems to work. You’re speaking to a passive audience, many people don’t connect to you or the topic, or worse, seem bored, and you’ve forgotten your slide notes mid-way. It’s simply Murphy’s Law, acting in your life: “Anything that can go wrong will go wrong!”

The good news: a deep breath can beat even Murphy at his best game!

So when you find yourself like a deer facing headlights, unsure of what else to do, breathe deep and easy and command yourself to relax. If a breath can bring life into you, it can get you out of a tight spot. So take a moment and breathe deeply and easily again.

12. Enjoy Your Public Speaking Opportunity

For years, public speaking has consistently been ranked THE top-most fear, right there with the fear of truth. We understand that it is a big deal when you first get started. But like all fears, this one is a devious ghost. Its power lies in making you believe in its lies: “People will judge you, you will fail, people will mock you, you will make a fool of yourself, etc., etc.” Lies!

Instead, ignore it as you consciously decide to enjoy every public speaking opportunity. It’s your prerogative to do so! Relish it, revel in the chance, and enjoy your experience. Don’t make it a “must-do” item on your list; instead, make it a “want-to-do” item you cannot ignore. It may sound cheesy, but we ask you to find your passion for public speaking!

If you train your mind to find at least three good reasons why you want to become a public speaking champion, you’re more likely to find opportunities to do it and even improve. The more you try, the more confident you will grow. It’s a guaranteed truth!

We’ll leave you with a simple note from the dynamic and charming Hilary Clinton , a fantastic public speaker herself.

“If you’re uncomfortable with public speaking – and nobody starts comfortable; you have to learn how to be comfortable – PRACTICE. I cannot overstate the importance of practicing. Get some close friends or family members to help evaluate you or somebody you trust at work.”

*Please provide your correct email id. Login details for this Free course will be emailed to you

By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy .

Forgot Password?

This website or its third-party tools use cookies, which are necessary to its functioning and required to achieve the purposes illustrated in the cookie policy. By closing this banner, scrolling this page, clicking a link or continuing to browse otherwise, you agree to our Privacy Policy

Explore 1000+ varieties of Mock tests View more

Submit Next Question

🚀 Limited Time Offer! - 🎁 ENROLL NOW

To revisit this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories .

Products are independently selected by our editors. We may earn an affiliate commission from links.

How to Have a Great Conversation With Just About Anyone

Over the course of his career as a journalist and podcast host, Josh Smith has had in-depth chats with everyone from Jodie Foster to Jessica Gunning, despite spending much of his childhood too afraid to speak due to a speech impediment. Now, he’s condensed the lessons that helped him morph into a confident professional interviewer into Great Chat , a self-help guide to having better conversations—and improving your wellbeing in the process.

Look around you today, and it’s increasingly obvious that we’ve lost the ability to converse. You flirt with someone on a dating app for weeks—even months—only to meet them in real life and find they have no chat at all. You watch your friends’ lives play out on social media rather than carving out time to catch up in person. As for your relationships with your coworkers? How many times a day do you find yourself saying: “You’re on mute.”

It’s little wonder that loneliness is increasingly becoming a problem. One in four adults now feels very or fairly lonely, and we have fewer friends on average than we did 30 years ago. The World Health Organisation has declared loneliness a global health threat, while the US surgeon general has compared the associated health risks of loneliness with that of smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Clearly, it’s time for us all to remind ourselves of the value of simply having a chat with each other.

I know firsthand how transformative mastering the art of conversation can be. As a child growing up in a tiny village in the middle of nowhere, I had a speech impediment, which—coupled with the realization that I was gay—brought on plenty of anxiety and bullying. It’s only after I found my voice with the help of a speech therapist that I discovered the confidence to talk to just about anyone, enabling me to carve out the life—and career—I wanted for myself, one that revolves around interviewing celebrities on my podcast, Reign with Josh Smith.

Here, seven tips that helped me improve my conversation skills – and, by extension, my mental health.

Be an active listener, not a passive one

Most of us listen to what someone is saying with the intention of replying rather than truly understanding them better. As a general rule of thumb, try to spend twice as much time listening in a conversation as you do talking. Being an active listener means maintaining eye contact, focusing your mind solely on the person in front of you (never on your phone), and refraining from offering any unsolicited advice. If you feel the urge to interrupt, say something like “I see” or “I understand,” instead.

Check in with your social battery

Know what drains you and what restores you emotionally. No one can have a life-changing heart-to-heart when they’re feeling totally depleted. If your diary is chock-a-block, you owe it to yourself—and everyone else—to reschedule some things. There’s no need to make up an excuse; just say that you have too much on, and would love to meet another time. Equally, if there’s a social event that you’re particularly nervous about—say, going to a wedding alone—conserve your resources beforehand rather than going on a night out/agreeing to host a dinner party/meeting your partner’s parents for the first time. That way, you’ll have the energy to speak to everyone at the event—even the guy from uni you haven’t seen since that awkward sexual encounter 10 years ago.

Ask unexpected questions

Meeting someone for the first time? You’ll leave a far better impression if you ask something quirky instead of talking about the weather. Instead of “What have you been up to lately?”, try “What are you proudest of recently?” Little tweaks to common questions can make them feel more personal, pique someone’s interest, and cause them to dig a little deeper.

Know that difficult conversations can be some of the most rewarding

Being able to address disagreements is key, whether it involves a tricky chat with your boss or clearing the air with a friend you feel has wronged you. Setting up a time to speak in advance will give both of you a chance to prepare what you would like to say. There’s no harm in writing notes to refer back to if you get flustered. If you’re feeling anxious, it’s OK to say that you’re nervous and worried you might say the wrong thing. Make sure you both have ample time to speak, even if that means sitting in silence for a while, and never raise your voice. Remember, you’re not looking to take someone down; you’re doing this to come to a mutual understanding.

Make every space you enter feel like a club toilet at 2 a.m.

Why? Because it’s the ultimate safe space, where everyone’s liberal with compliments and reassurances. The goal when chatting should always be to make everyone feel comfortable and celebrated. Telling people that you love X, Y, or Z about them will make you both feel amazing (just steer clear of focusing on their appearance, as you never know how people feel about the way they look).

Don’t filter yourself

Mindless chatter doesn’t tend to lead to meaningful connections. I used to worry that admitting anything embarrassing or awkward would mean that people would cast me off as damaged social goods. In reality, everyone has something that they feel insecure about and think people will judge them for. Opening up about these things to each other is one of the fastest, most therapeutic ways to bond. People are drawn to authenticity like a magnet; you never have to filter your story.

Start and end strong

How you bookend a conversation is just as important as what’s said. Start by asking someone how they are—not out of habit, but from a place of genuine curiosity—keeping your body language warm and relaxed. And if you’re nervous about how to end the conversation? Go for a simple, “It’s been really great chatting with you; let’s catch up again soon.” It always leaves a positive impression.

Great Chat: Seven Lessons for Better Conversations, Deeper Connections and Improved Wellbeing by Josh Smith (Lagom) is out now

More Great Living Stories From Vogue

Meghan Markle Is Returning to Television

Is Art Deco Interior Design Roaring Back Into Style?

Kate Middleton and Prince William Share a Never-Before-Seen Wedding Picture

Sofia Richie Grainge Has Given Birth to Her First Child—And the Name Is…

The 10 Best Spas in the World

Never miss a Vogue moment and get unlimited digital access for just $2 $1 per month.

Vogue Daily

By signing up you agree to our User Agreement (including the class action waiver and arbitration provisions ), our Privacy Policy & Cookie Statement and to receive marketing and account-related emails from Vogue. You can unsubscribe at any time. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

12+ Speech Examples That Worked — And What We Can Learn From Them

• The Speaker Lab
• July 5, 2024

Table of Contents

Delving into speech examples can unlock the power of your voice and ideas. You’ll learn reasons for crafting speeches, ranging from persuasion to education. Plus, we’ll show you how to make yours hit home with structure, storytelling, and rhetorical tricks. Explore iconic historical speeches for inspiration and break down modern ones to see what works today. Plus, learn strategies to present confidently to different audiences and situations. From leveraging visual aids effectively to tailoring your message just right, this piece covers it all.

Understanding the Purpose of Speeches

At its core, every speech serves a purpose. This might be to persuade, inform, entertain, or inspire. But why does this matter? Knowing your speech’s goal shapes everything, from the words you choose to how you deliver them.

Crafting Your Speech for Impact

To create a memorable speech, start with structure. A solid framework guides your audience through your message without losing them along the way. Next up is storytelling—our brains are wired to love stories because they help us understand complex ideas easily. And don’t forget about rhetorical devices; tools like repetition and metaphor can make your message stick.

An effective speech isn’t just about what you say but also how you say it. Varying your tone keeps listeners engaged while making eye contact helps build trust and connection.

Famous Speech Examples

The power of speeches in shaping history cannot be overstated. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech is a masterclass in using vivid imagery and anaphora to appeal emotionally and intellectually. Meanwhile, Winston Churchill’s “We Shall Fight on the Beaches” showcases how determination and resilience can rally nations during tough times.

These examples teach us that great speeches combine substance with style, making their messages unforgettable long after they’re delivered.

Analyzing Modern Speech Examples

In today’s digital age, speeches still have significant impact. Take Malala Yousafzai’s impassioned pleas for education rights or Steve Jobs’ commencement address at Stanford University urging graduates to stay hungry for knowledge.

Analyzing these modern classics reveals key ingredients: authenticity resonates deeply with audiences; simplicity makes even complex topics accessible; and personal anecdotes ensure relatability. This trio is worth remembering when crafting your next presentation.

Find Out Exactly How Much You Could Make As a Paid Speaker

Use The Official Speaker Fee Calculator to tell you what you should charge for your first (or next) speaking gig — virtual or in-person! 

Every speech is a journey where you’re the captain, and your audience are the explorers. To make sure it’s a trip worth remembering, focus on structuring your content effectively, weaving engaging stories into your narrative, and employing rhetorical devices that stick.

Structuring Your Content for Clarity

The backbone of any impactful speech lies in its structure . Think of it as constructing a building; without a solid foundation and framework, everything else crumbles. Start with an attention-grabbing opening to hook your listeners right off the bat. Next comes the body of your speech. This is where you delve deep into your main points, supporting them with evidence or fleshing them our with anecdotes. Lastly, end with a powerful conclusion that not only summarizes key takeaways but also leaves your audience pondering long after they’ve left the room.

A well-structured speech ensures clarity and makes it easier for audiences to follow along without getting lost in jargon or complex ideas. For more insights on crafting clear messages, check out our guide on structuring speeches here .

Engaging Storytelling That Resonates

We’re hardwired to love stories—they evoke emotions and create connections better than any other form of communication. Incorporating personal experiences or relevant anecdotes within your speech can transform abstract concepts into tangible realities for your listeners. This doesn’t just help them understand but also remember what you’ve said long after the applause dies down.

To master storytelling techniques that captivate, check out this podcast episode here .

Using Rhetorical Devices Effectively

Rhetorical devices are like spices—they can turn bland content into something flavorful that sticks. For example, repetition reinforces important points in your speech; analogies help explain complex topics simply by comparing them to familiar things; and questions engage audiences directly, making them active participants rather than passive listeners. So don’t shy away from sprinkling these elements throughout your presentation.

Famous Speech Examples Throughout History

When we talk about speeches that have left a mark, it’s like diving into a treasure trove of history’s most pivotal moments. These aren’t just words; they’re the voice of change, courage, and inspiration.

Speech Examples with Powerful Purpose

Some speeches have enough power behind them to move mountains. Take Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have A Dream” speech, for example. It wasn’t just about sharing an idea; it was about rallying a nation towards equality and justice. Or consider Winston Churchill’s “We Shall Fight on the Beaches” speech urging resilience during World War II’s darkest hours. Each word chosen had purpose, shaping content to stir hearts and minds.

Speech Examples with Compelling Structure

Crafting something memorable starts with knowing your core message inside out, then supporting that message with facts and anecdotes to illustrate your point. Structure is key; opening strong grabs attention while closing on an thoughtful note leaves your audience thinking long after you’ve stepped down from the podium.

Rhetorical devices aren’t old school tricks but rather essential tools in your arsenal. Imagine delivering lines as compelling as those found in John F. Kennedy’s inaugural address , where rhythmic patterns and strategic repetition emphasize his vision for America—truly captivating.

When we think about speeches that have grabbed headlines and hearts in recent years, a few key examples spring to mind. These modern orations offer rich lessons for anyone looking to make an impact through public speaking.

Speech Examples with a Target Audience

Today’s memorable speeches don’t just happen by accident. They’re meticulously crafted with the audience in mind. Take for example Malala Yousafzai’s Nobel Prize acceptance speech . She used her personal story as a powerful tool to engage and inspire her audience. By sharing her experiences, she made abstract issues like education rights tangible and urgent.

To craft your speech for impact, start by identifying the core message you want to convey. Then think about how you can connect this message with your audience on an emotional level. Use stories from your own life or others’ lives as Yousafzai did; doing so lets people see themselves in your narrative.

Delivering Your Speech Confidently

The best content can fall flat without confident delivery. Watching Susan Cain’s TED talk on the power of introverts, we see how calm presence combined with passionate storytelling captures attention even if you’re not naturally extroverted.

Practice is key here but so is believing in what you’re saying. Find that driving belief before stepping onto any stage or platform because confidence comes from conviction first and foremost.

Adapting Your Speech to Different Audiences

Imagine stepping up to the podium, your heart racing. You’ve prepared a killer speech, but as you scan the room, you realize not everyone will receive it in the same way. This is where adapting your speech to different audiences becomes crucial.

Crafting Content That Resonates

To make sure your message hits home, tailor it to who’s listening. For example, if you’re speaking at a tech conference, dive deep into specifics and latest trends that excite a tech-savvy crowd. But if it’s a community event with people from all walks of life, keep technical jargon at bay and focus on more universal themes.

The key is knowing what matters most to your audience. A great place for insights is through forums or social media groups related to your topic or industry. Engaging directly with these communities can give you an edge by understanding their interests and concerns better.

The Art of Style Flexibility

Your delivery style should shift as much as your content does depending on whom you’re addressing. For corporate executives? Be concise and authoritative; they appreciate getting straight to the point because time is money for them. Here are some top presentation tips that might help sharpen those skills.

When engaging younger audiences or speaking in less formal settings like workshops or meetups, your approach is going to be different. In cases like these, focus on storytelling techniques instead of brevity. Using anecdotes and analogies can be incredibly effective in making complex ideas relatable and memorable for these audiences.

Making Adjustments on the Fly

Sometimes despite all preparations things don’t go according plan. Maybe jokes fall flat or technical details lose people’s interest. That’s why being observant of audience body language and facial expressions is so important. Depending on the cues you’re getting, you should be ready to adjust course mid-presentation.

This adaptability not only saves potentially sinking speeches but also endears speakers to their listeners, showing they care about the experience of receiving the message. Remember, no two audiences are alike. Every group brings its unique set of challenges and opportunities. By fine-tuning your approach in each setting, you’ll be able to connect deeply across a broad spectrum of situations, leaving a lasting impression every time.

Utilizing Visual Aids in Speeches

Visual aids have the power to make your speech more memorable. However, poorly used visual aids might mean you’re remembered for the wrong reason. Let’s talk about how to make your speeches stand out with some well-placed visuals.

The Importance of Visual Aids

Visual aids do more than just break up the monotony; they can help drive your point home. For instance, when you present data or statistics, showing a graph can make those numbers stick better in your audience’s mind than simply hearing them could ever do. This is because our brains process visuals faster than text or speech.

If you’re interested in adding visual aids to your speech, other examples include props, slides, maps, and videos, just to name a few. Consider what will work best in light of your presentation and your resources.

Tips for Effective Use of Visual Aids

To get started on the right foot, keep these pointers in mind:

• KISS (Keep It Simple, Speaker): A cluttered slide distracts more than it informs. Stick to one main idea per visual aid.
• Cohesion Is Key: Your visuals—think fonts, colors, pictures, and themes—should match your message style and tone. For instance, you wouldn’t choose silly pictures for a formal presentation.
• Audience Engagement: Polls or interactive elements not only hold attention but also provide instant feedback from your listeners. Poll Everywhere offers an easy way to incorporate live polls into presentations.

Incorporating effective visual aids isn’t just throwing pictures onto slides. It requires thoughtfulness and strategy to enhance understanding and retention among audiences. This is where theory meets practice. Now go turn that next presentation into something spectacularly vivid!

Free Download: 6 Proven Steps to Book More Paid Speaking Gigs in 2024​

Download our 18-page guide and start booking more paid speaking gigs today!

FAQs on Speech Examples

What are the 3 main types of speeches.

The three big ones are informative, persuasive, and special occasion. Each serves its own unique goal.

How do you start a speech example?

Kick off with a hook: ask a question, share an interesting fact, or tell a quick story to grab attention.

How do you create a speech?

Pick your main idea, outline key points, add stories or stats for support, and wrap it up neatly at the end.

How do you make a speech sample?

Draft it around one clear message. Mix in personal anecdotes or relevant quotes to spice things up and connect better.

Diving into speech examples shines a light on the art of communication. From crafting speeches with purpose to using storytelling and rhetorical devices, these techniques let you connect more deeply with your audience. To see effective techniques at work, simply analyze historic and modern speeches that resonate.

Before the big day, practice your delivery to boost your confidence. Adapting to different audiences ensures your message lands right. And don’t forget, visual aids can truly enhance understanding.

So start shaping your ideas with clarity and conviction today! Let these insights guide you in making every word count.

• Last Updated: July 3, 2024

Explore Related Resources

Learn How You Could Get Your First (Or Next) Paid Speaking Gig In 90 Days or Less

We receive thousands of applications every day, but we only work with the top 5% of speakers .

Book a call with our team to get started — you’ll learn why the vast majority of our students get a paid speaking gig within 90 days of finishing our program .

If you’re ready to control your schedule, grow your income, and make an impact in the world – it’s time to take the first step. Book a FREE consulting call and let’s get you Booked and Paid to Speak ® .

About The Speaker Lab

We teach speakers how to consistently get booked and paid to speak.  Since 2015, we’ve helped thousands of speakers find clarity, confidence, and a clear path to make an impact.

Get Started

Let's connect.

[email protected]

Copyright ©2023 The Speaker Lab. All rights reserved.

Watch CBS News

Biden fields questions about fitness to run for president in 2024: "I've gotta finish this job"

By Kathryn Watson

Updated on: July 11, 2024 / 8:39 PM EDT / CBS News

President Biden held a solo press conference today — his first since November — to conclude the NATO summit in Washington, D.C., Thursday evening. A number of questions he's received are about whether he should remain at the top of the Democratic ticket.

The news conference represents one of his biggest public tests since last month's unsteady  debate performance , which caused alarm among Democrats on Capitol Hill and raised concerns  about whether he should be the party's 2024 presidential nominee.

The president has acknowledged he had what he says was a "bad night" at the debate and he has been trying to prove he can be the nominee and defeat former President Donald Trump. But the president didn't help his case when, shortly before the press conference, he introduced Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as "President Putin," to the shock of other world leaders. 

The president soon realized his error and corrected himself, retaking the podium. "I'm so focused on beating Putin," Mr. Biden explained. 

The president has a lifelong reputation of being prone to gaffes — but on Thursday night, he can't afford them. 

The president began the press conference by touting the successes and history of NATO.

"For those who thought NATO's time had passed, they got a rude awakening when Putin invaded Ukraine," he said. 

And the president sought to contrast himself with Trump. 

"Meanwhile, my predecessor has made it clear he has no commitment to NATO," Mr. Biden said. 

What questions did Biden answer during his news conference?

Biden says Harris is "qualified to be president — that's why I picked her"  

 As he began to take questions, the president stumbled almost immediately. 

Mr. Biden was asked what concerns he has about the ability of Vice President Kamala to beat Donald Trump if she were at the top of the ticket. 

"Look, I wouldn't have picked Vice President Trump to be vice president if I didn't think she was qualified to be vice president," he responded. 

Asked about Harris' qualifications later, Mr. Biden said she is "qualified to be president — that's why I picked her." 

"First of all, the way she's handled the issue of freedom of women's bodies, to have control over their bodies," he said. "Secondly, her ability to handle over any issue on the board, this is a hell of a prosecutor."

Biden says running is not about his legacy 

 CBS News chief White House correspondent Nancy Cordes asked the president if he's spent time thinking what it would mean for his legacy if he were to stay in the race and then lose to Trump. 

"Well look, I'm not in this for my legacy," the president replied. "I'm in this to complete the job I started."

The president pointed to the strength of the economy, and how inflation has stabilized. 

Biden says he should "pace myself a little more" The president was asked about reporting that he told Democratic governors he wants to limit events past 8 p.m., and needs more time to sleep. He insisted that wasn't the case. 

"Look, what I said was instead of my every day starting at 7 a.m. and going to bed at midnight, it would be smarter for me to pace myself a little more," he said. "And I said for example, the 8, 7, 6 — instead of starting a fundraiser at 9:00, start it at 8:00. People get to go home by 10:00. That's what I'm talking about."

"And if you look at my schedule since I've — since I made that stupid mistake of — in the campaign — in the debate, I mean, my schedule has been full bore," he added. 

Biden once saw himself as "bridge" to new generation. What changed? 

In 2020, one reporter pointed out, Mr. Biden referred to himself as a "bridge" candidate to a younger, newer generation of Democratic leaders. What changed, she asked him. He touted his accomplishments "more than most any president since Johnson," and his "wisdom on how to deal with the Congress to get things done." He indicated that he felt he wasn't done. "I want to finish, to get that finished," he said.

Referring to the threat he says that Donald Trump and the conservative-majority Supreme Court pose to democracy, Mr. Biden said, "We have never been here before. That is why I didn't hand off to another generation —I have to finish this job because there's so much at stake."

Biden points to the success of the NATO summit 

The president made the case for his candidacy by arguing that people should look at the product of his work. He asked a reporter to name a more successful NATO summit than this one. 

"The idea anybody suggests that we haven't had an incredibly successful conference, how many times did you hear, in that conference — I know it sounds too self serving — but other leaders, heads of state, in thanking me, and saying the reason we're together is because of Biden?" he said. 

Mr. Biden has consistently urged Europe and countries outside of Europe to unite and stand for Ukraine. 

What spurred this concern about Biden's campaign?

During the  debate , Mr. Biden, 81, stumbled early on, flubbing lines as his voice appeared ready to give out. His campaign later said he was suffering from a cold. His voice never recovered throughout the 90-minute debate, he failed to effectively respond to a number of false statements made by Trump during the debate, and at times he lost his train of thought. At one point, he struggled to name Medicare when answering a question about the tax rate for wealthy Americans, and then said that "we finally beat Medicare." 

Mr. Biden's campaign had hoped to allay concerns about his age with the early debate, but instead, that performance is now threatening his political future.

Recently, Mr. Biden said the NATO summit could be a test of his fitness for office, and  Democrats on Capitol Hill , Democratic governors and world leaders will be watching, too. 

"Who's going to be able to hold NATO together like me," the president challenged ABC's George Stephanopoulos in an interview last week. He added, "I guess a good way to judge me is you're going to have now the NATO conference here in the United States next week. Come listen. See what they say."

Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland told the Washington Post the NATO summit "gives [Mr. Biden] an opportunity to showcase his leadership and foreign policy credentials, and the press conference gives him an opportunity to address concerns."

The president has declined to agree to take a in-depth neurocognitive test, telling Stephanopoulos on Friday that every day in office is a cognitive test.

"I'm running the world," the president said. 

Aside from the ABC News interview, the president has largely relied on teleprompters to deliver speeches. Some Democrats say they want to see the president unscripted on the campaign trail and to meet with him in person, while reporters have called on the president to hold a press conference as soon as possible. 

What's happened at NATO?

Russia's war on Ukraine continues to be a key theme for NATO, as Mr. Biden and other world leaders make the case that Russia will not stop at Ukraine . The president announced air defense equipment will be given to Ukraine by the U.S., Germany, the Netherlands, Romania and Italy. In the coming months, the U.S. and its  partners will provide Ukraine with dozens of additional tactical air defense systems, he said. 

"We know Putin won't stop at Ukraine. But make no mistake — Ukraine can and will stop Putin," the president said of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Latest information about the president's health

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said this week that the president has not been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease or any other serious neurological disorder. 

On Tuesday, Jean-Pierre said Walter Reed neurologist Dr. Kevin Cannard's January visit to the White House was not for the purpose of treating the president. But on Tuesday night, the Associated Press reported that Cannard visited Mr. Biden at the White House in January. Jean-Pierre then  released a statement  saying that Cannard had in fact met with the president at the White House in January, but only as a part of his annual physical, the rest of which was completed in February.

The White House and the president say he's up for another four years on the job, despite concerns from voters and some Democrats. 

How is Biden polling against Trump?

CBS News polling shows Mr. Biden has slipped slightly in head-to-head polling against Trump, although within the margin of error. Trump now has a 3-point edge over Mr. Biden across the battleground states collectively, and a 2-point edge nationally. That's due in part to Democrats saying they're less likely than Republicans to "definitely" vote. 

• Increasing numbers of voters don't think Biden should be running after debate with Trump — CBS News poll

Mr. Biden has cast doubt on polling and his low approval numbers. When Stephanopoulos said he's never seen a president reelected with a 36% approval rating, the president retorted that he doesn't believe the number.

"Well, I don't believe that's my approval rating," the president told Stephanopoulos. "That's not what our polls show," though he declined to provide any specific numbers.

Kathryn Watson is a politics reporter for CBS News Digital, based in Washington, D.C.

More from CBS News

Top Biden aides meet with Senate Democrats amid concerns after debate

Biden campaign believes there's still "no indication" anyone but Biden can win

First Senate Democrat calls on Biden to withdraw from race

Biden meets with Democratic mayors as he tries to shore up support

Advertisement

Supported by

Powell Welcomes Cooling Inflation but Wants ‘More Good Data’ Before Rate Cut

Jerome H. Powell, the chair of the Federal Reserve, delivered optimistic remarks to Senators as inflation and the job market slow gently.

• Share full article

By Jeanna Smialek

Jerome H. Powell, the chair of the Federal Reserve, indicated on Tuesday that recent inflation data had given the central bank more confidence that price increases were returning to normal, and that continued progress along these lines would help to pave the way toward a central bank rate cut.

“The committee has stated that we do not expect it will be appropriate to reduce the target range for the federal funds rate until we have gained greater confidence that inflation is moving sustainably toward 2 percent,” Mr. Powell said.

He added that data earlier this year failed to provide such confidence, but that recent inflation readings “have shown some modest further progress, and more good data would strengthen our confidence that inflation is moving sustainably toward 2 percent.”

Mr. Powell delivered the remarks on Tuesday in an appearance before the Senate Banking Committee. While Mr. Powell avoided zeroing in on a specific month for when the Fed might begin to cut interest rates, he also did little to push back on growing expectations that a reduction could come in September. Fed officials meet in late July, but few economists expect a move that early.

Mr. Powell said he was “not going to be sending any signals about the timing of any future actions” in response to a lawmaker question about when rate cuts might come.

The chair’s congressional testimony came at a delicate moment for the central bank. Fed officials are trying to figure out when to begin cutting interest rates, which they have held at the highest rate in decades for roughly a year now. But as they weigh that choice, they must strike a careful balance: They want to keep borrowing costs high long enough to cool the economy and fully stamp out rapid inflation, but they also want to avoid overdoing it, which could crash the economy too much and cause a recession.

We are having trouble retrieving the article content.

Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and  log into  your Times account, or  subscribe  for all of The Times.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access.

Already a subscriber?  Log in .

Want all of The Times?  Subscribe .