"Belief. Confident speech in any situation "- a book on how to become an orator

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

The ability to speak well and communicate your ideas to other people is an important component of success in any area. Not everyone is given such talent by nature, but it is possible and necessary to learn how to perform. Today we are publishing a few secrets of successful performance from Brian Tracy's book.

Pause strength

Probably the most powerful vocal trick you can learn is pause. The ability to pause is worth a lot.

Just as in music, the beauty of a piece is revealed in the pauses between notes, in oratory, the drama and power of speech is conveyed by the silence that you create, moving from one point to another. The ability to pause is akin to an art, but it can be learned with practice.

Many speakers, going on stage to the audience, get nervous. Therefore, they speak faster than usual, in a higher voice, almost without pauses. When a person is relaxed, he speaks in a slower, deeper, more authoritative tone and pauses regularly. There are four types of pauses that you can use to make your presentation more impressive.

1. Semantic pause

Use these pauses regularly at the end of a sentence or paragraph to allow people to absorb new information and become aware of your thought.

Listeners cannot perceive more than three sentences in a row. If you do not give them time to assimilate what has been said, everything for them can end in mental overload. And then they will start to lose the train of your thoughts and get distracted. Their mind will wander and return to your presentation only if you do something that grabs their attention.

Nothing grabs attention like a pause. By keeping silent, you force people to stop all other activities. Their thoughts return back to you, and fall into the trap created by silence.

At that moment, they give you their full attention again. Each time you stop, you force them to focus on your words again.

2. Dramatic pause

You can use a pause of this kind if you want a specific moment to cut into the minds of the listeners. Take a dramatic break before or immediately after speaking the most important phrase in your speech, thus giving the audience time to appreciate the significance of the words spoken.

3. Emphatic pause

This type of pause can be used to emphasize certain key points. For example, I sometimes stop in the middle of a seminar and ask with curiosity in my voice: "Who is the most important person in this room?" Then I pause and wait a few seconds while the listeners name their answer options. Some say: "The most important is me!" Others: "The most important is you." After waiting for a pause, I usually say, meaning, of course, everyone in the audience: “You are right! You are the most important person in this room."

After that, I pause again to give the audience time to comprehend my phrase. Then I continue: “You are the most important person in your entire world. You are the most important person for all people in your life. And the quality of your life largely depends on how important you consider yourself to be. Then I explain the importance of self-esteem and self-esteem, as well as the fact that the relationship of each to himself depends on his relationship with others in both professional and personal life.

4. Pause closing the sentence

Such pauses are appropriate when you say phrases or quote verses that are known to everyone. As you repeat the first part of a line, the audience rushes forward in their minds, wanting to complete the sentence with you. Thus, people become even more involved in the perception of your speech and begin to listen even more attentively.

When I say that competition in business is growing and that we must constantly improve our competence if we want to survive in the competition, and not wait for a crisis that will force us to take action, I say: "Until the thunder breaks out …" - after which is why I shut up and wait for the people sitting in the hall to finish the sentence for me, saying aloud: "A man will not cross himself."

Each time you use this technique, you must force yourself to wait until the listeners complete the sentence themselves. Then you need to repeat these words and finish your thought. You can rest assured that the audience's attention will be riveted on you.

Voice tone

When you want to emphasize a certain point, you usually start speaking in a louder, stronger voice. The more emphasis you put on a particular phrase, the more meaning your listeners will attach to it. If you want to share some touching, soulful story, your voice becomes lower and begins to sound more intimate, chamber.

For a good speaker, the pace of speech is constantly changing - it speeds up, then slows down, the voice sounds louder and quieter, periodically interrupted by various pauses, which give the words drama and expressiveness and at the same time allow people to rest and again catch the thread of the speaker's thoughts. The more diverse and rich in vocal elements your speech is, the more interesting and fun the audience will be listening to you - regardless of the topic.

Physical qualities of the speech apparatus

Voice is the tool you use to speak and persuade. Therefore, it is worth taking care of it. There are a number of tricks you can use to keep your voice and throat from letting you down and working at its peak.

Before a long presentation, say a four- or eight-hour workshop, it is important to eat well, preferably protein foods. A protein-rich breakfast or lunch will energize you for four to five hours of work. Protein feeds the brain, so you need it. It helps you think and speak effectively. (Note. - Once in the human body, protein is broken down into amino acids, and they in turn release neurotransmitters that transport nerve impulses.) If you recharge with proteins, your voice will remain strong and your mind clear.

To keep your voice in good shape, only drink room temperature water before and during your performance. Cold water with ice cubes can cool the vocal cords and deprive your vocal instrument of warmth.

As much as you care about your voice, sometimes you will have problems with it. For example, if you have a cold, it will be difficult for you to speak loudly and clearly so that you can be heard in the last row. If this happens, drink hot water with plenty of honey and lemon juice. This miraculous combination has saved me more than once in similar situations.

Due to long flights and sleepless nights, I have a sore throat about once a year. On such occasions, during the seminar, I constantly drink hot water with honey and lemon, so that my voice remains clear and strong. I was able to talk with a sore throat for eight hours without a break, from morning to evening, constantly massaging my vocal cords with hot water, honey and lemon juice. You should do the same.

Summary

Practice and use your voice as a musical instrument. Speak with varying tone and speed. Speak so that you can be heard even in the last row, and do not forget to intersperse speech with pauses. If you follow these tips, you can get your message across to your audience in any situation.