Immerse Yourself in the Skills of Public Speaking

Summary: 

Skills in public speaking and communications are important attributes that can be developed throughout your life. Discover the 10 essential goals to get started.

1. Learn Your Personal Style
2. Practice is Essential
3. Do Your Research
4. Be Authentic
5. Know Your Audience
6. Be Aware of Body Language
7. Inspire
8. Less is More
9. Integrate Digital Storytelling
10. Accept Imperfection

Steve Jobs. Martin Luther King, Jr. President Barack Obama. Oprah Winfrey.

Strong public speakers have lasted the test of time. Some grew up as shy kids that had to master the art. Others were born leaders who were naturals at drawing in an audience and waxing poetic. But did you know that fear of public speaking is a top phobia for many?

The trick is to work on your skills in order to face the concerns or fears you have in the subject. 

Essential Public Speaking Skills to Practice

No matter your strengths or your challenges, honing your skills as a public speaker is a necessary part of leading a successful professional life. But what are the essential skills needed to improve your communication and public speaking, and how can you get started in high school? First, let's review the essential public speaking skills upon which to focus.

1. Learn Your Personal Style: Are you loud? Are you able to memorize the content? Do you like to weave in humor? By learning — and playing into — your personal style, you’ll be much better suited to present in a successful manner.
2. Practice is Essential: No one is perfect at speech-giving. Even more important: practicing a speech out loud, versus in your head, makes all the difference. Thinking words is a much easier skill than saying them aloud at the right cadence. Practice, practice, practice.
3. Do Your Research: What anecdotes will supplant your information? How can you draw in your audience using research and anecdotes to provide interesting fodder?
4. Be Authentic: Gaining the interest of your audience starts with being authentic. Public speaking typically entails a subject with which you are interested, passionate, or professionally involved. Authenticity is important to demonstrate credibility. 
5. Know Your Audience: To whom is your speech targeting? What is their demographic? If you miss the mark with embracing your audience, you miss the mark with gaining their trust and attention. 
6. Be Aware of Body Language: Where do you keep your hands? How do you tend to stand? Nonverbals such as these can be distracting. Practice keeping hands moving, but minimally so. Video yourself to see how you present your personal nonverbals. 
7. Inspire: Speeches should be memorable. Whether it's research tied to your subject matter, or humorous anecdotes throughout, finding your personal style and building on it will make your speech memorable, and hopefully inspirational. 
8. Less is More: Speakers tend to lose their audience if speeches get too long-winded. Ensure your content is on-point, succinct, and without too much fluff. 
9. Integrate Digital Storytelling: Where possible, integrating digital storytelling amplifies the audience’s connection with the content. For more on digital storytelling in communications, check our story out here.
10. Accept Imperfection: No speech is perfect, especially (if not mostly) in the eyes of the speaker. Sometimes, you may speak too quickly; other times, you may stumble on the content. But with practice and a bit of self-awareness, you’ll achieve a successful level of speech-giving. 
    

While this may seem daunting, picking up extracurriculars centering on 

communications training for high school students can help you hone your skills. 

Extracurriculars that Involve Communications in High School

There are a number of options available to help you flex your communications and public-speaking muscles during your high school years. Remember: these are to help you build a foundation and get more accustomed to your personal skillset — and to take you a bit out of your comfort zone, as public speaking typically does. 

Speech Team: Many high schools have a speech team, which competes in various speech categories, including original oratory, dramatic interpretation, and impromptu speaking. This will help you gain valuable experience in crafting powerful speeches, adapting to different styles, and performing in front of an audience.

Drama Club: This is an excellent way to enhance your public speaking abilities, as it involves arguing for or against specific subjects in a structured format. You'll learn to think constructively, create compelling arguments, and communicate ideas persuasively and clearly.

Toastmasters International Youth Leadership Program (YLP): Toastmasters is an international organization that offers a program aimed at empowering young people to become more effective communicators and leaders. In this program, you'll learn to run meetings, organize events, and give speeches.

Volunteer: Offer your services to emcee local events or present at school assemblies, open houses, or local community gatherings.

Another unique option that takes your skills to the next level are college prep courses and in-person college prep programs.

Online and In-Person Communications and Public Speaking Courses

Online College Prep Courses: Top universities across the country provide relevant

college prep courses online where you can learn more about ways that communication and public speaking weave into a myriad of career options.

• Leadership is a vital skill that comes in many forms, even while you’re in high school. Do you want to be the leader of a team or club? Maybe you envision yourself as a future business leader or politician? What do you think your leadership style is? In this leadership course offered by Georgetown University, you’ll identify various leadership styles, explore the circumstances that call for each, practice effective leadership tools, and uncover ways to motivate others using your unique strengths. 
  
• Marketing is a dynamic industry full of public speaking and communications possibilities. In Georgetown’s course, Discover the Power of Marketing, you’ll focus on both traditional methods and digital channels to understand the vital role marketing plays in promoting and selling products or services. Explore marketing basics, how to build a brand, and catch a glimpse into the future of this innovative field.

Other options include in-person college prep programs. One in particular is Northwestern University’s IN FOCUS Seminar on public speaking. Through this course, you’ll discover and improve upon your own communication style. The class is a laboratory where you will be encouraged to speak publicly about topics that interest you; and to share information that is current in today’s news, and relevant to a larger audience.

Excelling at public speaking is a lifelong journey. By getting a head start in high school, you can help alleviate your fears or concerns and become better accustomed to the style you seek to use.