Art of oratory is one of the most valuable skills, which helps to convey your position beautifully and competently to a wide range of listeners. Not many people have the innate ability for such performances. Those who have mastered the secrets of oratorical skills have the potential to become an interesting personality and achieve overwhelming success in almost any field (business, politics, art, etc.)
A real orator must possess a number of qualities that make him an ace of public speaking. Firstly, he needs to be erudite in order to pick the right words for processing his thoughts at the right moment. Secondly, a speech must be competent, clear and understandable for the target audience. Thirdly, the professional must subordinate his excitement keep cold-blooded and calm during the presentation.
General Criteria which a Skillful Speaker Must Have
The first necessary thing is to have a clear pronunciation and well-posed voice because it is the key to a beautiful and coherent speech. This can be achieved by correctly pronounced consonants and pure vowel sounds. In order to make a speech pleasant for a speaker and his audience it is necessary to practice the exercises for the development of voice. Besides, to avoid accidentally slipped slang expression during the presentation an orator should exclude many shoddy slang words from his vocabulary.
Pay attention to the fact that your voice should be smooth because it forms the favor of the audience. The tempo and loudness should be selected on the basis of the location and number of participants. Loud and slow speech is ideal for a large hall. Also keep an eye on the intonation.
In order to make people listen, you should have excellent understanding of the topic and talk about it in the context of those issues which are interesting for your audience. If you build your performance as a dialogue with the public, you will be provided with many interested persons who will fix their attention on you. During the presentation always talk only about the main thing, omitting unnecessary extra facts. Remember that a good speaker should maintain neutrality in relation to the various controversial issues. Be a diplomat, not an aggressor - sometimes it is better to remain silent.
If suddenly, while speaking to the audience you were engaged in the discussion, you need to be as objective as possible. While conducting a public dialogue you may encounter with the opinion contrary to yours. Do not try to argue, but simply accept the human right to the own position. The aim of any discussion should consist in reconciliation of several parties.
Remember that during the dialogue it is necessary to behave appropriate and be harmonic. Do not let the emotions get out. The art of oratorical speech lies in the harmony of calmness and confidence.
Try to speak on business because the evasion of specific statements and the main theme will irritate both opponents and observers. And vice versa, clear and precise thoughts can help to convince a person to believe you and what you say.
Start speaking only after you are sure that your colleague has finished his thought. The ability to listen to the interlocutor is a very valuable quality.
The art of oratory skill presupposes the presence of some personality traits. These include calmness and inner discipline, a tendency to self-development, good memory and imagination. Besides, insight also will not be superfluous. Also do not forget about the eloquence because the ability to shape your thoughts into attractive manner is a great talent. Confidence is an important component of a good orator because this quality infects the audience and it starts to subconsciously trust every word of the speaker. Communication skills will help you find the "key" to any listener or interlocutor, so try to develop this skill by any possible way.
Watch your body. Smooth movements will play in your favor. Good posture will put you in the best light. There is no need to stoop, or vice versa, scatter on the chair. Remember that all eyes are on you, so be self-possessed.
When you speak, always look at the person to whom it is addressed. Oratory speech should exclude any negligence. Try to keep your facial expression coincided with what you say, otherwise the audience can catch you on insincerity.
The basis of oratorical art lies in the fact that during the speech you promote one basic idea, and all of your applications and replicas should be directed precisely on it. Try to remove all thoughts unrelated to the main purpose from your consciousness. If you arrange the information you want to convey in your head, then your performance will be maximally logical and consistent. Always try to keep in mind what you want to say. Remember, the more interest you show to the subject of the debate, the higher quality your speech will have.
You should also pay attention to the fact that constructive criticism is an essential attribute of any dialogue with the opponent or the public. If you are accused in something, take it calmly and confidently prove your idea. It is better to criticize opponents carefully and condescendingly. It will help you to show a positive mindset and you will not seem an enemy in the eyes of the interlocutor.
Key Aspects of Working with the Audience
Firstly, you need to take into account that listeners are divided by many aspects: gender, age, education, etc. Therefore it is necessary to consider to whom and what you are going to say, otherwise you can meet with indifference or even aggression.
Secondly, oratory skills imply the ability to conquer the attention of the audience, so before the speech try to think about what will be interesting to hear for your listeners as much as possible.
Thirdly, the speaker should be well aware of what his audience wants and deliver it. The notion of the needs of each individual listener will make the performance enthralling.
Fourthly, the art of public speaking skills is based on a positive attitude to people, even if the target of the performance is criticism.
Remember that a positive-minded person will cause the same feelings in the audience, and it means that the speaker during a performance can easily achieve his goals (Skills You Need).
Works Cited
Skills You Need. “Effective Speaking”. Skillsyouneed. N.d. Web. 6 May 2016
