Today we’re sharing and discussing some tips and techniques that you can use to help you be more comfortable and confident while speaking; in other words, to be able to think fast and talk smart.

1. Approach – Think of any perplexing situation as an opportunity to share what it is that you’re thinking, not a threat to who you are. Think of speaking as a positive opportunity to share your ideas with people – Henceforth you become more open to such situations.

2. Audience – What does your audience need to know from you? What do they already know? What do they expect of you? What’s their attitude about your topic? Understand what your audience needs by categorizing those needs as their knowledge of the subject, their expectations for what you’d do, and their attitudes towards what you’re saying. – Appreciate the audience, tailor your message to suit their needs.

3. Context – Oftentimes, we find ourselves in different positions as we pitch our message. Context is important: What time is it? What emotional state is your audience in? What emotional state do you want to put them in? Where are you physically?  – Pay attention to all the factors involved, be it the timing of your message, your tone of voice (whether you’re speaking or writing, emotional content matters just as much as the informational content), and the location in which the message is delivered.

4. Structure – We as humans remember things 40% better when they are structured. – That’s how we can learn to group together pieces of information just like we used to remember cell phone numbers. Structure your talk to keep people engaged! – Structures set expectations for the audience while the message is being delivered, therefore it helps to have a map for your speech/ essay.

“How to help you know what comes next?“

Here are examples of some types of orderly message organizations:

·         Past-Present-Future structure (chronological order)

·         Problem-Solution-Benefit structure (one of the most persuasive)

·         What-So What-Now What structure (one of the most versatile)