Rhetoric and oratory skills to convince anyone - tips

The ability to speak in public has been a useful skill at all times. People who have excellent public speaking skills will always be in demand by society and will be able to find work. It's no secret that there are few such people; they always stand out among others.

They turn out to be successful leaders, politicians, businessmen, journalists, writers, teachers, since in many professions knowledge of rhetoric plays a vital role. The purpose of this public speaking course is to provide everyone with the opportunity to learn free online materials, lessons, exercises, techniques and rules for mastering the basics of rhetoric.

And if you want to understand the topic in as much detail as possible, sign up for our “Modern Rhetoric” program.

What is rhetoric

Rhetoric

is a philological discipline that studies oratory, eloquence, worldview and the rules of speech construction.

The very first professor from Rome, Quinitilian, called rhetoric as “ the art of speaking well.”

" However, Plato, who lived 500 years before him, said that rhetoric is the art of persuasion. But not art, which is based on knowledge and truth, but on the apparent.

His student Aristotle argued the following. Every time we try to convince someone or talk them out of something, we consciously, subconsciously or unconsciously use rhetoric.

Speaker's task:

1. Learn
2. Entertain
3. Move the public to do something

Types of rhetoric:

1. Political is a management tool in a political system. Possesses journalistic speech with the function of persuading society.
2. Legal - necessary for lawyers to deliver a public judicial speech and influence the legal consciousness of people. It is also needed to build an objectively reasoned argument in court.
3. Military - needed for military culture and adaptation of people to service. With its help, the quality of performing assigned tasks during service increases. For example, the motivation of soldiers for a military task.
4. Pedagogical - used to optimize the process of transferring experience. For example, a good speech by a teacher to students. It creates curiosity and interest in the topic.
5. Diplomatic - necessary for a diplomat in diplomatic missions. This is communication between states through their representatives. Here, too, you need to monitor your speech and follow important rules.

You can look at how rhetoric has developed on an international scale. Or look at different parliaments around the world. Then you quickly find the difference between at what level ( for example, politics

) convince the public and the electorate.

For example, in England and America, where there is a long tradition of the rhetoric of argumentation, parliament is interesting. There are real spontaneous debates there.

And if you look at the German Bundestag or the Russian Duma, then politicians there simply read the speech from the page.

But be that as it may, in different countries there are rules of rhetoric that should be followed. And we will talk about them below.

Development of rhetoric in Russia

Rhetoric in Russia arose on the basis of Roman science. Unfortunately, it was not always in such demand. Over time, when political and social regimes changed, the need for it was perceived differently.

Development of Russian rhetoric in stages:

• Ancient Rus' (XII–XVII centuries). During this period, the term “rhetoric” and educational books on it did not yet exist. But some of its rules were already applied. People at that time called the ethics of speech eloquence, piety or rhetoric. Teaching the art of the word was carried out on the basis of liturgical texts created by preachers. For example, one of these collections is “The Bee,” written in the 13th century.
• First half of the 17th century. During this period, a characteristic event was that the first Russian textbook was published, revealing the basics of rhetoric.
• The end of the 17th – the beginning and middle of the 18th century. At this stage, the book “Rhetoric”, written by Mikhail Usachev, was published. Many works were also created, such as “Old Believer Rhetoric”, works “Poetics”, “Ethics”, several lectures on the rhetorical art of Feofan Prokopovich.
• XVIII century. At this time, the formation of rhetoric as a Russian science took place, to which Mikhail Vasilyevich Lomonosov made a huge contribution. He wrote several works dedicated to it, of which the book “Rhetoric” became the basis for the development of this science.
• Beginning and mid-19th century. This period is characterized by the fact that there was a rhetorical boom in the country. Famous authors published a large number of textbooks. These include the works of I.S. Rizhsky, N.F. Koshansky, A.F. Merzlyakova, A.I. Galich, K.P. Zelensky, M.M. Speransky.

However, starting from the second half of the century, this science begins to actively supplant literature. Soviet people studied stylistics, linguistics, speech culture, and criticized rhetoric.

Public speaking

Oratory requires that the speaker and his audience be completely compatible with each other. After all, every audience is different and every audience needs a different speech.

If I speak in front of specialists, I should use more professional phrases and terms.

And if there is a conversation in front of an inexperienced audience, then you need to structure your speech more pedagogically. It's better to start with the most basic concepts and only move forward slowly.

If this is a conversation in front of a young audience ( students and academics

), then you should perform dynamically and be funnier.

But if we speak in front of professors and deans, then we need to be more serious and joke a little less.

And this is the most interesting thing about rhetoric! The same speech will be loved and a huge success in front of the same audience. However, this will completely reject the other.

It follows from this that a good speaker will always ask himself the question - who is sitting in front of me? Who is my audience and what are the characteristics of the target audience? What do they know and what would they be interested in hearing?

Such analysis is the speaker’s main weapon.

So if you have a presentation, always have different versions for different audiences. For example, for specialists, young people, beginners and the elderly.

How to convince your audience with arguments?

Arguments need to be made weighty, and not just listed. Usually, when people argue, they try to bring more arguments.

For example, they say this for economic reasons, this for political reasons, and so on. As a result, they do not develop their argument at all, but simply give an enumeration. They don't go deep.

And if we want to convince people, then it is very important to go deep and build a beautiful argument.

Types of arguments in rhetoric

Here are the main types of arguments in rhetoric:

• To logos is the statement defended by the speaker. It is considered a more correct form, as it is based on the true circumstances of the case.
• Towards ethos - it appeals to the participants in communication ( the speaker and the audience
  ). It is divided into two types: Towards authority - it is considered correct only on the basis of an authoritative source of information. This includes quotes and opinions of great people, the authority of a position, organization, institution, and so on.
• To the individual - highlights the personal qualities of another person. Everything is based on the personality of the opponent, and not on the essence. Mainly used when criticizing other people's statements. Divided into: Indicates that the opponent is acting contrary to the argument
• Getting personal ( criticism and insult
  )
• Explaining your opponent's point of view with his personal circumstances

Outline of a good argument

SEXI

is an argumentation scheme. These letters represent one element in the argument. Under no circumstances should he be forgotten.

S

(
statement
) - statement. For example, we should open a new branch in Ukraine. Or I think that you should pay me more for my work.

E

(
explanation
) - explanation or justification. That is, to what extent we can substantiate our statement. Unfortunately, many have a very short rationale. As a rule, 2 - 3 logical justifications.

But often it does not convince because the person does not understand the other person's point of view. Therefore, you need to give at least ten ( and preferably twenty

) offers.

The deeper the justification, the more likely it is to convince the interlocutor. But in fact, a third element of argumentation in rhetoric is still needed.

X

(
eXample
) - example.
It's always good to have a concrete example of what you're talking about. This could be a fictitious ( made up
) example. But it is desirable that it be from real life.

You give an example of a competing company that opened a branch in another country. Or you are talking about a colleague who received 10% more salary than you.

It is worth saying that the example is very simple in argumentation. It's much easier to understand. It also acts as evidence. If there is an example from life, then your abstract justification is not just some kind of theory. There is real life evidence for this.

I

(
impact
) - significance. It is worth explaining why what we say is not only correct, but also significant for the interlocutor.

You can imagine that we are talking about a formula that plays no role in life. But if we can show that this rule has great weight, then the person will change his thinking and action.

That is, it is not enough to simply explain and give an example why the statement is correct. At the end of the speech you need to say why this is important in everyday life.

Remember that the truth lies in the depths!

Therefore, the argument must be presented as if we are digging a deep hole. And the more information we provide with justification, example and significance, the more likely it is to convince.

Which arguments are especially effective?

There are hundreds of possibilities for argumentation and explanation. But still, the most effective type is an argument for benefit

. If we show some advantage, then the person will readily agree.

People have different needs and wants. For some, the most important thing is money. You can show that he will earn more or lose less. In this case, this argument will have the main force.

There are people for whom reputation is important. You can explain in the rationale that if you do this, then his reputation will rise. Then such a person will believe us faster.

There are people who believe in freedom. In this case, you need to prove that if you do this, then he will have more freedom. Then this person will believe us.

In general, focus not only on having a deep argument ( statement + justification + example + significance

).
But pay attention to what
the target audience interests

After all, there are a lot of arguments. However, only a few of them will truly convince the public.

And the important thing for the speaker is to recognize what the main benefit is for the audience. Because if he correctly finds the benefit, then the public will have a natural interest in believing the argument.

VERBAL AND NON-VERBAL SPEECH

Oratory is the art of speaking. All this is studied in rhetoric.

Verbal speech is text that can be written on paper.

You are now reading verbal speech.

Nonverbal speech is sounds, gestures, pauses, intonations...

What is not in these lines.

Verbal speech does not change when the speaker changes.

Words remain words.

Nonverbal speech varies among speakers.

Nonverbal speech changes depending on the speaker.

Both forms of speech are important to the public.

Nonverbal is even more important, research shows.

Verbal speech is taught at school. And, in my opinion, they teach very well. Therefore, there is almost no request for such a speech.

Two or three people out of a hundred is not a request.

The demand for nonverbal speech is very great.

This is what we teach first.

But this is all rhetoric . She studies both verbal and non-verbal SPEECH .

It also includes poetics, prose theory, argumentation, etc...

How did this story end?

The entire group completed training in the Basic course and moved on to the second. Everyone was satisfied with the skills they received. Including the woman who said that I was teaching the wrong rhetoric.

How to learn to speak beautifully

Now you will learn how to learn to speak beautifully and competently. These techniques and laws of rhetoric will help you overcome speech barriers. This is especially important in public speaking for beginners. The rules seem to be banal, but few people follow them.

Speak freely

Reading a speech guarantees that you will not be listened to. So speak freely and don't sight read.

The problem is that people are not confident and do not know how to behave in front of the public. In this case, they take a script and write the entire speech word for word. Then everything is read.

But such a few speeches cannot convince anyone!

Therefore, for professionals, I recommend not to take any script with you at all. Just speak freely. It doesn't matter if you forget a couple of points from your speech. The public will never remember 100% of what you said anyway.

If you have 10 points, you speak freely, don’t read from the sheet and forget three points, then it’s not scary. The public will still remember a maximum of three points from what you said.

And for those who feel insecure in front of the public and cannot remember everything, I advise you to make a cheat sheet

.

Take a small piece of paper and write down key words or concepts. Place this sheet in front of you on the table or hide it in your pocket. If there is not enough content, then take out the sheet and quickly look through it.

But the most important thing is not to use a script. Because it is with its help that you will put your audience to sleep. Remember this one of the important lessons of public speaking.

Speak as briefly as possible

In rhetoric, speak as briefly as possible. After all, the longer a speaker speaks, the less interesting his speech seems.

You can test this rule on yourself. If you ask yourself how interested you are in listening to a person for 90 minutes. You say it's long. And even 45 minutes will seem relatively long.

Quite a good and popular format for speeches of 18 - 20 minutes

. People are happy with this. On the one hand, it takes a relatively long time to develop an idea. But on the other hand, this is not an annoying school lesson of 45 minutes.

Therefore, try to make your presentation no more than 20 minutes.

Oratory with emotion

Oratory skills must include emotions. Many people want to appear completely serious and significant in front of the public. They forget that speaking with emotions is very important. After all, emotions encourage people to continue listening and remember what the speaker said.

So when you give a presentation in front of an audience, don't turn into a robot. Don't talk monotonously and just look at your script. Don't speak completely without emotion.

Instead, you need to show your attitude to the topic.

If we are happy, then we need to say it with a smile. Or if we are sad, then we need to speak with a sad face. And if you are angry and dissatisfied, then show that you are angry and you don’t like something.

This is how the public will remember you!

Structure of a speaker's speech

Why should the structure of a speaker's speech be followed? Firstly, it is very good at helping the target audience understand what we say. If there are sections in the speech, then people will know what you are talking about and what you will talk about.

If there is no structure, then the audience gets lost in your speech. She generally doesn’t know where you are now, what you are arguing for or against.

But structure is also important for yourself. If you have a clear structure of rhetoric in your head, then you don't need a script. After all, you know exactly in what order you will speak and give arguments.

Classic structure:

1. Introduction - talk about your topic and thesis
2. The main part - here we argue for or against
3. Conclusion - summing up your speech

But it is not always necessary to structure your speech in a classic style. Sometimes you can start with the most important thing ( the main part

).

For example, to structure speech historically ( in the form of chronology

). That is, what happened before, what is now and what will happen next.

Or, for example, there is a pro-contra structure. In it, you first present arguments for

", then "
against
". At the end, you weigh them and say what was most important for you.

However, whatever you choose for your speech, it is important to have a structure. Prepare it at home and then stick to the plan. This is also an important rule for a speaker.

Rhetorical figures

Every brilliant speaker will do more than just work on their arguments and the content of their speech. He will also develop the style. The last one is rhetorical figures. That is, the way we formulate our ideas. What comparisons, metaphors, parallels we give, and so on.

At one time, rhetoric in the ancient world focused almost exclusively on rhetorical figures. Here I will show the three main ones.

The first thing will be repetition

. If there is a main argument that we repeat at the first, twelfth and eighteenth minutes, then it is more likely that the audience will remember exactly what is needed.

Repetition is a very simple feature of rhetoric. All you have to do is simply repeat your main point. And like a good speaker, you will ask yourself this question.

Where will I want to repeat and at what specific point in the presentation should I do it?

Pause

- This is the second rhetorical figure. Often, when we are nervous in front of an audience, we think about how to finish quickly. And we tend to talk quickly and generally not pause.

The problem is that it is difficult to listen to a speaker who speaks without pauses. After all, he chatters and drives through his speech like a tractor.

However, pausing gives the audience a chance to think about what you have told them. A good speaker will always think about the key place to pause. It should last about 2 - 3 seconds.

By the way, with a pause you, as a speaker, seem most self-confident. After all, you are not afraid to pause while waiting for someone to ask you something.

Metaphor

is the third rhetorical figure that visualizes an idea. For example, saying that he fought like a lion sounds more impressive. It's better than just saying he struggled really hard.

Therefore, you need to find a metaphor ( picture

) for your main idea. This is a great idea for any speaker.

Think about where you need to visualize the main idea. What and what kind of picture needs to be drawn to the public so that it is imprinted in their memory.

Speaker's voice

It is the speaker's voice that determines the mood. By it we perceive a person and can imagine how he feels.

Let's say there is information that is transported in an inappropriate voice. In this case, we trust the mood of the voice more than the content of what is said.

For example, we talk to our parents on the phone and say that everything is fine with us. However, the intonation goes down. In this case, the parents ask us again if everything is okay. They don't believe us and ask what's wrong. Why such an indifferent and bad mood?

Therefore, it is by intonation that we evaluate how much we can trust what was said.

Accent

When we listen to people, we can clearly feel the emotions with which the speaker speaks. What is his mood and what does he want from us?

For example, if you talk to someone on the phone, you can quickly sense the person's mood and intention. That is, we can analyze other people's voices very well. But we have little control over our voice.

Let's start with the emphasis.

In every sentence we subconsciously place a specific emphasis. With its help we completely change the meaning of the sentence.

If we speak monotonously without emphasis ( like a robot

), then after 15 minutes the listener simply becomes uninteresting. And if we emphasize the wrong word, then we say something we didn’t mean to say at all.

For example, let's take a simple sentence.

I don't want this now.

The interesting thing is that if you put emphasis on another particle of the sentence, the meaning will completely change. You can put emphasis on the first letter " i

».

I

I don't want this now

This means that I don't want it, but maybe other people do. But that's exactly what I don't want. You can put emphasis on “ this”

" Then it means that I don’t agree with this proposal and that’s exactly what I don’t want.

If you put emphasis on the word " now

“, then in principle I might and would like to. However, right now I don’t want that.

And if you put emphasis on “ I don’t want”

", then I really don't want to. It's not that I can't or that it doesn't suit me. Namely, I have no desire to do this.

What does this all mean now? Am I using the wrong accent? Now I have to think with every word? Or, with each sentence, ask yourself which word is better to put emphasis on?

No!

There is no need to pay close attention to every sentence. Just think about where it’s best to put emphasis on the key points.

What is the most important thing in my speech and what do I want the audience to remember? And it is in this sentence that I would ask myself which word I would put emphasis on.

Melody

It is worth mentioning the melody of the voice. There are people who speak monotonously and without emotion. Mostly these are men.

Everything comes in one or two tones. There is practically no mobility in the voice. As a rule, after 15 minutes the whole room falls asleep.

Women often speak too emotionally. They can move from the highest tone to the lowest. This number of notes makes it very difficult to listen to.

Therefore, you need to find a balance between monotonous ( 3 - 4 notes

) and too melodic voice movement.

And if there is a problem with self-confidence, watch the direction of intonation. If you are making a statement, use a downward intonation at the end of the sentence. This sounds more confident. And if you want to pose a question, then at the end you can go up intonation.

How to get rid of "um"

It is also worth mentioning the specific sound of speech. For example, " aam

" or "
uh
" People, when they don’t know what to say next, insert this “aam” or “um.”

This is very annoying and annoying. There are people who can make such annoying sounds 30 - 40 times within a minute. If we want to rhetorically embellish speech, then we need to completely get rid of such sounds.

What can be done?

You can enter into a dispute

with your friend or colleague.
You need your partner to count how many times you say the word “ um
.”

um ” more than 20 times within 15 minutes.

" If you are arguing for the first time, then put the number higher. Then further reduce the number. For example, not 20, but 5 times.

Also, as an exercise, record your voice on a voice recorder.

. Take some article and read it for 2 - 3 minutes. Just read the article and pay attention to what was discussed above. Do this several times to hone your ability to speak beautifully.

Practicing the art of speech

If we do not prepare well for our speech as a speaker, then we are almost guaranteed to present it poorly. Therefore, practice the art of speaking at least once out loud.

Unfortunately, many people don't do this. They believe that simply preparing the slides is enough.

But it is important to speak your speech out loud at least once. Because that's when we'll realize how long the presentation is. Sometimes it feels like we've been talking for 5 minutes. But in reality it can be much more or less.

And by speaking aloud, we can well estimate and calculate the time. We also understand in which transitions we lack words, arguments or specific examples. This is when we get a sense of presentation. In what mood do we speak and finish?

If you want to become a skilled speaker, then train your speech not only in theory and on slides. But say it at least once. For particularly important presentations, I advise you to speak 2 or 3 times in front of the mirror. Or better yet, record yourself on camera and rate the performance.

In the Encyclopedia Dictionary

(Greek rhetorike), 1) the science of oratory and, more broadly, of artistic prose in general. It consisted of 5 parts: finding material, arrangement, verbal expression (the teaching of 3 styles: high, medium and low and 3 means of elevating style: selection of words, combination of words and stylistic figures), memorization and pronunciation. Rhetoric was developed in antiquity (Cicero, Quintilian), developed in the Middle Ages and in modern times (in Russia M.V. Lomonosov). In the 19th century the doctrine of verbal expression merged into poetics and became part of the theory of literature under the name of stylistics. All R. 20th century the broad (general literary, linguistic and even philosophical) significance of tereffective speech communication is being revived. 2) Musical rhetoric is a musical theoretical doctrine of the Baroque era, associated with the view of music as a direct analogy of oratorical and poetic speech. Included the same parts as literary rhetoric; their content was expressed in a system of specific musical techniques (see Art. Figure).

Speaker's clothing

People are greeted by their clothes and escorted by their intelligence. Therefore, the first picture of a person is created in the first 20 - 40 seconds. First, what you are wearing is visible.

Before opening his mouth, the person we are talking to already has a first idea. So always dress nicely! This is not only good for changing the perception of your audience. But it is also psychologically beneficial for ourselves.

For example, there is an interesting experiment. One weekend people were told to simply run 30 minutes around the park. They had regular sports clothes. In half an hour they ran one specific distance.

The following week, the same people were told to run again. However, this time they were given the best sportswear from top brands. This time they all ran a much faster, longer distance in that half hour.

In general, we feel more comfortable in beautiful things. Because of this, we are more capable physically and intellectually. Therefore, pay attention to the speaker’s clothing. This is also one of the tricky techniques of rhetoric.

Video

In this section of the training on public speaking skills, you can watch videos of famous speeches by outstanding speakers: Martin Luther King, Steve Jobs, Vladimir Lenin and others. Also here you can find videos from various competitions, presentations and speeches of people to investors. In addition, the section contains video lessons from leading experts in the field of public speaking.

Watch all videos →

Language of facial expressions and gestures

Pay attention to the speaker's facial expressions and gestures. This also lies at the heart of rhetoric. I'll tell you about one experiment.

Namely, how professors at one university were filmed. Then they showed this picture to the students, but without sound.

The most interesting thing is that these students were well able to determine how attractive this or that professor was. Although in general, they did not know what the person was talking about, since there was no sound. Additionally, students rated how competent they thought the professor was.

Therefore, the language of facial expressions and gestures is important in how your target audience defines and evaluates you.

Eye contact with the audience

Modern rhetoric is very similar to cuisine. Even if we are not the best cooks, we can still appreciate how delicious a dish is. And we can also talk about the speaker.

Even if we ourselves are not the best speakers, we can clearly determine how good a speaker is. How confident does he feel in front of the public?

If we are talking about the language of facial expressions and gestures, then the main point will be visual contact with the public. If we don’t look at all the listeners, then people perceive us as insecure and incompetent.

Unfortunately, not many people look at their audience!

Instead, they pay attention to the floor, table, or peer at the ceiling. And they do this especially when people are thinking about the next thought.

It is at this moment that the speaker, as a speaker, does not seem competent. After all, if a person does not know what he wants to say, then he looks in a completely different direction. And if he knows, then he looks specifically at the audience.

Here's another lesson in rhetoric. When you record yourself, notice how constantly you look at the camera. And also how often they looked around. If you notice that it’s bad, then repeat the exercise 2 - 3 times.

If there is an audience sitting in front of us, then often bad speakers look in one direction. And if they look at the public, then at a couple of people they like. But they don't look at all the participants in the seminar.

This is a big mistake!

After all, with good visual contact we can integrate the audience into our presentation. And do it as if we are speaking in dialogue with a person, and not a group.

So it's important to not just look up, down, or straight to one side. You need to look at absolutely all the people in the room. This is another trick in the art of public speaking.

Where and how to stand during a presentation

Many people don't know where to stand during a presentation. Left, right or center. The answer is simple. You need to stand in the center

the place that is predisposed for the speaker. That is, not to the side, not far or close to the audience.

If a person is not centrally positioned in the expected position for a speaker, then he is perceived as lacking self-confidence.

How exactly should you stand?

It is clear that posture should be straight. There is no need to hunch over, stand crookedly or lean on one side. There are those who lean on the table in front. You don't need to do this either. There is also no need to wobble your legs and arms.

Stand facing the audience.

Don't be afraid to move a little to the right, left, forward and back. You don’t need to stand in one place rooted to the spot all the time.

In large rooms it is better to move a little to the sides. This is good for the audience's eyes. Sometimes you need to walk around your stage.

However, you don’t need to move around like a pendulum all the time.

For example, take two steps to the left and stop there. From there, talk for 30 - 50 seconds and change your position in the room again. At the same time, stay close to the audience and do not go too far into the distance.

In general, such slight movements to the side are also good. But standing centrally is even better.

Speaker Gestures

Very often people do not gesture at all. Some hold their hands behind their backs. In this case, there is no connection with the speaker and no trust in him. He seems to be hiding something.

Therefore, keep your hands visible at all times. Moreover, you need to keep it in the active zone

. Everything below the belt in rhetoric is a passive zone. And if the speaker is nervous, he begins to shake his hands from side to side. It doesn't look professional.

Therefore, the hands must be in the active zone. This is approximately in front of your stomach. There is also an aggressive zone for politicians. This is where gestures are at head level or even higher. But you don't have to do that!

Gestures should also be specific and visualize what you are saying in words.

This is especially useful when comparing different options. You can clearly visualize each characteristic with your own hands.

If you weigh them, you can show the scales and palm level for each option with your hands. It's like you're weighing on a scale.

If you say that you need to be precise, then use your hand to place a dot in the air. At the same time, say that you need to be very precise at this point. This point in the air gesture will help you visualize your idea.

Or if you say that there is a limit somewhere, then draw a line with your hand in the form of a border. Show your listeners the wall you can't cross.

Does every idea need to be visualized with gestures?

No no need. Visualize only the most important ideas. For example, if you want to distance yourself from some company, then make a repulsive gesture. It's like pushing someone away from you with your hands.

How to spontaneously come up with gestures if the emphasis is on someone else?

I will say that in your oratory it is good to have at least one specific and thoughtful gesture. For important moments, think about what kind of visualization and what gesture you can use to emphasize what was said.

Legs

90% are staring us in the face. 10% look at gestures. It would seem that this has nothing to do with the legs. But what people really pay attention to is their upper body.

They try to control their gestures and gaze. However, they forget that they also have legs. As a result, all sorts of incidents happen to the legs.

For example, when women are nervous, they simply cross their legs. And the men begin to wobble on their knees. It feels like they want to run away somewhere.

Therefore, the legs should be straight and not crossed. The public may not consciously look at your feet. However, she will subconsciously feel that at this moment you are not confident.

Here's another exercise for you.

I recommend recording yourself at home and watching the performance, but without sound. This is necessary to concentrate on your body language. This way you can check how accurately you are looking into the camera. How much gestures emphasize what was said.

If you don’t like it, repeat the exercise several times.

Video. Fragment of a rhetoric lesson. Gesture training:

That's not all.

Here is another video on working with gestures in our School of Rhetoric :

Sincerely, rhetoric coach Oleg Bolsunov.

Secrets of public speaking →

↑ Table of contents of a book on public speaking

/ School of modern rhetoric / What is rhetoric / Theory and practice of rhetoric / Rhetoric is /

How to overcome stage fright

Here are tips to help you overcome stage fright. These rules are also very important when speaking. Especially in front of a large audience. If you follow the recommendations below, you will not have any problems with fear.

Why do so many people have stage fright?

Where does stage fright come from? The first problem is that people are always afraid of new things

or something that is rarely done. If you practice speaking weekly, you won't have such fear. You are no longer afraid to stand in front of a group of people and explain something to them.

And for a standard person who does not perform, this is a very unusual situation. People often feel awkward in it.

Therefore, you need to constantly practice and speak in public as often as possible. This way the situation will become ordinary and familiar to you.

The second reason why people are afraid to speak in public is the fear of making a mistake.

. Our culture is built on catching mistakes and giving negative points for them.

For example, at school, because of mistakes, they give a worse grade. At home, our parents punished us for bad behavior. That's why we are afraid of making a mistake.

This is where fear arises in the compartment!

I recommend not paying attention to mistakes and treating them calmly. Mistake is normal. You learn a lesson from it. And if you suddenly make a mistake again, it will only take you to the next level of knowledge.

Competence effect

The competence effect is the first tip against stage fright. If you are knowledgeable about the topic, you will feel more confident during the presentation. If you master the topic, then the words will automatically follow you.

Therefore, if you are not a big expert in your topic, then it is better to prepare for the presentation in advance. Otherwise, you simply won’t know where to start.

If you have a free hour, it is better to divide it into several pieces of 12 minutes each. For example, we prepare 12 minutes on Monday. Then we prepare for 12 minutes on Tuesday and so on.

This kind of repeated preparation will allow you to gradually integrate into the topic. This is much better than preparing once in an hour. This is how the brain gets used to the material. As a result, stage fright is greatly reduced, and you begin to feel more confident.

Acclimatization

The next method that helps overcome stage fright in front of the public is the acclimatization effect.

When we hold a presentation in an unfamiliar room, it makes itself felt. If we don’t know exactly where the windows, doors and entrance are, then we don’t acclimatize to the room. This again creates uncertainty.

How are Olympic champions trained?

They arrive in advance at the place where they will compete. For example, they check what the pool looks like. What is the temperature of the water in it? Runners usually want to run a few times and get a feel for the track.

Therefore, if you are performing in a new room, ask to inspect it in advance.

It would also be good if the day before the event you ask to perform in this room. This is necessary to find out the effect of the sound of your voice and how many people will be able to listen to you.

And just get acquainted with all the parameters of the hall. Where are the doors? Where do people usually come from? What distance do you want to take from the audience and so on.

If they don’t allow it in advance, then arrive at least 40 minutes early and get ready.

Types of eloquence

There are five main types of eloquence:

• Socio-political type - diplomatic, socio-political, political-economic, parliamentary, rally and agitation speeches.
• Academic view - scientific lectures, communications, abstracts, seminars and reports.
• Judicial view - speeches of the actors in trials: lawyers, prosecutors, judges.
• Theological eloquence or spiritual appearance - parting words, sermons, solemn speeches of a church orientation.
• Social and everyday types of eloquence - table, anniversary, holiday or memorial speeches.