Top-level speech and eloquence: Persuasion, Motivation, Debate, Competition

Author: Lin Ping / Country: Mainland China
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-01-01
Features: On stage, the materials you should prepare should be 20 times more than what you actually use. There is a saying about public speaking: "Speak for 5 minutes. Prepare for 2 hours." If you feel that you have ample material during your speech, you can speak confidently without fear of embarrassment. As long as you follow the right method and make thorough preparations, anyone can become an excellent speaker. Conversely, no matter how experienced or seasoned someone is, without proper preparation, they will inevitably encounter awkwardness during their speech. Napoleon once said, "The art of war is a science." Without planning and thought, success is impossible! This principle applies equally to public speaking. Do all speakers understand this—or even if they do, do they often act on it? Probably not! Many speakers spend no more time planning and organizing their speeches than it takes to cook a bowl of noodles. Beginners in public speaking rarely plan in advance. Preparing in advance requires time, careful thought, and even strong willpower. Thinking is a painful process. Everyone hopes to stand before an audience with confidence and courage when giving a speech, but many make a major mistake by not properly preparing their content beforehand. Unprepared, they are like soldiers going to war without ammunition, only carrying empty guns—how can they not feel fearful and anxious? In such situations, it is natural for them to feel uncomfortable in front of an audience. President Lincoln once said from the White House, "I believe that no matter how old I get, if I stand before people with nothing to say, I will feel embarrassed." If you want to gain confidence, you should be fully prepared before starting your speech—preparing the content you plan to deliver, and it should be something you feel compelled to share, something that will leave a deep impression on your audience. A thoroughly prepared speech is almost like completing 90% of it before you even start speaking. By the time you begin, words will flow effortlessly. There will be no constraints or burdens. So, how should you prepare? My advice is: First, mentally prepare yourself for impromptu speeches in various situations. When people ask you to speak without preparation, they usually expect you to offer an opinion on a topic where you have expertise. The issue here is to be ready to face the situation and decide what to talk about within the limited time you have. A great way to make your speech impactful is to mentally prepare for such situations in advance. During meetings, constantly ask yourself: "If I were asked to speak now, what would I say?" "Which aspect of the problem is most suitable to discuss this time?" "How should I phrase my agreement or disagreement with the current suggestions?" It's like a pilot constantly asking himself to solve problems that might arise at any moment, preparing for calm and precise responses in emergency situations. A brilliant speaker has also prepared countless speeches that were never delivered. Such speeches are not truly "impromptu"—they are speeches prepared in advance! Does thorough preparation for a speech mean you have to memorize every word? Not at all. To protect yourself from blanking out in front of an audience, many speakers fall into the trap of memorization from the start. Once they become addicted to this psychologically numbing habit, they are doomed to waste time in an ineffective way, ruining the impact of their speech. P8-9