S. Johnson, one of the great satirists, once said about his contemporary: “He is not only boring in himself, but his very appearance makes those around him sad.” This statement can be considered fair to many speakers. Very often everything becomes clear after the first sentence spoken, and if it is unsuccessful, then it is impossible to attract the attention of listeners.

That's why the problem exists "the image of a speaker." They write and talk a lot about the “personality of the speaker,” about what is required of him, what he should be like (eruditeness, culture, etc.). But we don't mean a real person speaking in front of an audience. We are talking about constructing the image the speaker needs, about a certain impression that the speaker makes on the listeners with his speech. He can act as a leader or tribune, as a person who seems to be consulting with the audience, informing the audience, as a commentator on events, etc. It's a matter of strategy.

And here, first of all, it is important to remember the types of audience attention.

In the case when attention arises independently of will, consciousness, we speak ofinvoluntary attention.

Involuntary attention occurs whenever:

1) a person encounters something unusual, unexpected, interesting for him;

2) a person’s field of vision or hearing comes into contact with something that excites him, cares about him, and corresponds to his practical interests and needs;

3) a strong, varying intensity or contrast stimulus acts.

Involuntary attention does not tire, since it arises “by itself” and does not require nervous expenditure. However, it is not stable and easily switches to another object.

By concentrating on some subject or process consciously, through an effort of will, listeners organizevoluntary attention.

Voluntary attention occurs when performing obligatory but uninteresting work. It is accompanied by nervous costs and tires.

If attention arose as a conscious, volitional one, but is then maintained without any effort on the part of the listeners, since they are captivated by the performance, this is a manifestation post-voluntary attention.

Post-voluntary attention does not tire and can last for a very long time (for example, ancient speakers who were listened to for 5-6 hours).

very importantaddress to the listener . Many people find it difficult to know exactly how to address their audience. If earlier the address was long and florid, with exaggerated respect, with multiple listings of those present, now the situation has changed. In recent decades, address, like speech itself, has become simpler, unadorned, and more businesslike.

Contact with listeners is established in a frank and friendly manner, however, depending on the situation, with a predominance of trust or with a predominance of distance. The address, if possible, should take into account the composition of the audience: dear colleagues, respected friends, dear colleagues. If the listeners are unknown, then honorifics are perceived as exaggeration. Treatment should be respectful, but not servile.

The rather frequently used address “dear present” is quite colorless. Based on this, we can conclude that the listeners are just “present”. The address is not necessary at the beginning of the speech; it can be used in any part of it. In particularly expressive places it serves to improve contact with listeners. During speech, the address must sometimes be varied.

The address always serves to maintain contact with the listeners, and in order to use it correctly, some more experience and a kind of subtle instinct are needed.

5) in addition, it is very important attunement to the listener, to the audience. It is important not to allow either underestimation or overestimation of it. It is always easier to speak when addressing a homogeneous audience (specialists, students, colleagues, people of the same political orientation, etc.). It is much more difficult to speak in front of a heterogeneous audience.

So, Hamilton said: “Tune in to your listeners. Think about what attracts their attention, what they would like to hear, what brings back fond memories, and hint at things they know.”

You should always put yourself in the position of a listener, especially if a certain opinion is expressed in the speech. It is important for the speaker not only to introduce the listener, but also to feel him.

What are these people like who are listening to me? What do they think, what do they feel, what do they know, what would they like to hear, and what should I tell them? Will what I have to say be new to the listeners or am I banging on an open door?

An instructive anecdote about a respectable citizen who once wanted to read an intelligent book. And I. Kant’s book “Critique of Pure Reason” fell into his hands. Three minutes later he slammed the book shut and thought, shaking his head: “Friend Kant, I would like your worries!” The speaker may also find himself in Kant's position.

Everything that the speaker says may be good and correct, but the listener is not interested in it. The listener is always interested in facts and thoughts that relate to him.

6) usually the introduction is able to capture and captivate listeners. But how to preserve and maintain their attention throughout the entire speech, so that, as O. Erist rightly noted, “...to avoid a situation where a quarter of the listeners are busy “digesting” the content of the speech, and three-quarters are struggling with sleep”?

7) the most important condition for maintaining attention to the performance is hiscontent, those. new information unknown to listeners or an original interpretation of known facts, fresh ideas, analysis of a problem.

8) the presentation should be accessible , it is necessary to take into account the cultural and educational level of listeners, their life experience. We should never forget this: many people hear exactly what they want to hear. Quintilian was right when he said: “What offends the ears cannot penetrate the soul of a person.”

9) maintains attention empathy, which occurs when a speaker passionately describes events that affect the feelings and interests of the audience. At the same time, there is an interested silence in the hall.

10) listeners do not remain indifferent to trust, when the speaker manages to connect the subject of speech with own experience, own thoughts.

11) colloquial speech is usually combined with natural, casual manner of presentation, which has a good effect on listeners and invites joint reflection and conversation. The manner of presentation is manifested in posture, gestures, facial expression, and sound of voice. Gestures coming “from the heart” enhance the effect of speech and make it more expressive. They help convince listeners.

Many novice speakers ask the following questions: “What to do with my hands?”, “How to make sure my hands don’t show my excitement?” But it’s better to formulate the question differently: “How can my hands help me?”

You can't keep your hands in your pockets, it shows bad manners. Besides, keeping your hands in your pockets will prevent you from learning how to use them. Use your hands to create images of your friends.

According to some researchers, a gesture in a speech carries about 40% of the information. You can agree or disagree with this statement. But try to keep your hands at your sides during a speech, forgetting about the gesture, and you will immediately feel the “wooden” dryness of your voice and the stiffness of your thoughts.

Here's an interesting example. An old master craftsman constantly comes to one old church (every Sunday). He was almost deaf, but, nevertheless, he regularly came and sat on the first bench in front of the pulpit. During the sermon, the pastor enthusiastically gestured with his arms, hands, and whole body and spoke especially loudly for this listener. One fine day the preacher exclaimed: “But it is truly wonderful that you attend all my services so diligently. I hope you understood everything I said?” “Mr. Pastor,” the old man answered, “the understanding of the matter is such that I didn’t understand a word, but I really like looking at you!” This example shows that when you speak, you have not only listeners, but also spectators. But only the deaf are happy with excessive gesticulation.

It is best when the posture when performing is calm, and the gestures are free and natural, and not careless and defiant. When the listener sees a figure rushing in front of him, he becomes irritated. Gestures can and should accompany the train of thought. There are no standard gestures; there are inviting, rejecting, imperative, and interrogative gestures.

1. About 90% of gestures must be done above the waist. Gesticulation below the belt often means uncertainty, failure, confusion.

2. Elbows should not be closer than 3 cm from the body. A smaller distance will symbolize the insignificance and weakness of your authority.

3. Gesture with both hands. The hardest thing is to start using gestures that you find acceptable.

Gestures are the fundamental basis of any language. Don't be afraid to use them.

12) finally, very important conviction Andspeaker's emotionality . If he is sincere, these qualities not only keep the listeners' attention on the problem, but allow him to infect those gathered with his attitude towards it. Eastern wisdom says: “You, the speaker, will not convince anyone if you don’t have in your heart what comes off your tongue.”

13)necessarymoderate speech rate , such that listeners have time to follow the speaker’s train of thought, assimilate what is said, and write down.

14) necessary in speech pauses . It is during pauses that we comprehend what has been said, and the opportunity to ask a question arises.

It must be remembered that a person can actively listen for an average of 15 minutes. Then you need to pause or make a slight digression and bring up some interesting fact.

O. Ernst advises using and dramatization speeches: emotional and visual depiction of events related to the topic.

This technique was used by the ancient Greek orator Aeschines in his speech against Demosthenes in the famous dispute about the golden wreath: “Imagine: walls are collapsing, hail is falling, houses are in flames, elders and wives, forgetting forever that they were once free, and rightly indignant not so much at weapons, how many against the perpetrators of their troubles, cry out to you, begging you with tears: do not give a wreath to the destroyer of Greece.”

15) experienced speakers with excellent command of the topic sometimes resort to provocations: state something that causes disagreement among the audience (and therefore attracts their attention), and then, together with them, come to constructive conclusions.

The more complex the performance, the more effort the listeners have to make to concentrate their attention. A classic technique that can be used to relieve emotional tension is humor. Humor creates a natural pause for the intellect to rest.

16) however , a sense of humor is a natural gift . And if it is not developed, you must at least be aware of it. It becomes awkward when you see a person on the podium who is making himself laugh intensely. Safer in this sense are humorous sketches - paradoxical examples, funny stories from the lives of great people, historical anecdotes, etc. However, you also need to be able to tell them.

For example, characterizing the features of formal communication, the lecturer cited a story from the life of Mark Twain, a great lover of jokes. Once the writer was late for a dinner party. He apologized to those present and continued in a guilty tone: “I just had to run to my aunt and strangle her.” They listened to him with kind smiles and began to console him: “Well, it’s okay, there’s no need to make excuses like that.”

However, when resorting to a joke, we should not forget that at one time D.I. Pisarev said: “When laughter, playfulness and humor serve as a means, then everything is fine. When they become a goal, then mental debauchery begins.”

17) permanent eye contact allows you to monitor the reaction of listeners and manage their attention. “The eyes not only “listen” - they also “answer,” notes R. Hoff. If you sense misunderstanding or indifference in the response, there is an opportunity to save the situation by explaining what was said or saying something that will touch the heartstrings of the listeners.

If contact is established with some part of the hall, according to the law of emotional contagion, it covers everyone. And contact cannot be established without a glance. “Your eyes should help to realize the main goal: your thoughts should reach the listeners, your eyes should connect with the eyes of the listeners, like a firm handshake between friends,” advises F. Snell.

How to end a speech.

Experienced lecturers believe that it is better to finish a speech a minute earlier than later than the allotted time. If the lecturer drags out his speech, listeners in Italy stroke their chin (the beard grew while you were speaking). If the talk is coming to an end and the audience is showing signs of fatigue, it is best to consider ending the talk. “Be sure to announce that you will finish soon, otherwise the listeners may suffer a shock from unexpected joy,” the humorist wrote.

It happens, however, that, in an effort to say everything, the speaker gets so carried away that he drives the audience to exhaustion or violent protest. In such cases, some speakers cheerfully say hello to everyone or throw out the remark: “I have everything.” This sounds banal, because it is known that the last impression is the strongest, and if there is no conclusion, the essence of the speech eludes the audience.

1) you need to prepare a conclusion in advance, but since not a single speech goes as expected (after all, it is impossible to accurately predict the audience’s reaction), the conclusion may differ from the prepared one. For example, you wanted to end with a powerful quote, but you feel that it will not be received. It is better to abandon it and limit ourselves to the conclusions and wishes of the audience.

2) the conclusion should be related to the main idea of ​​the speech, be major, optimistic in spirit.

3) performances whose end echoes the beginning are well received. They evoke positive emotions and lift your spirits.

This is how Professor M.A. Menzbir ended the mentioned lecture on the Mediterranean Sea: “...If any of those present, having reached the shores Mediterranean Sea, under the palm trees of Bordicera or the olives of Sorrento, I remembered their story, heard in the country of the far north, on an unsightly evening of a gray December day, this would be the best I dare to hope for when leaving the audience.”

4) very often they ask questions after the speech. Answering questions can make or break the performance.

The answer to the question should be extremely short and concise.

In order to respond correctly to a question asked, you need to understand its essence. If the question is formulated unclearly or verbosely, reformulate it and repeat it out loud. If a question is asked clearly but quietly, it must be repeated so that everyone can hear it.

Explanatory questions must be answered. The following remarks are unacceptable: “I told you so!” or “How come you didn’t understand!”

It is advisable to answer additional questions, at least suggest the source of information.

Never shy away from questions that sound like a challenge and are related to the desire to test the speaker’s position. There must be an answer, you just need to maintain restraint and a sense of humor.

The art of answering questions improves from performance to performance. And objective self-analysis of each speech is very important. These notes will be very helpful in the future; these are steps to hone your skills.

Techniques to keep the audience's attention

1. Correct position in space

Do not try to stand at the lectern to hide from everyone, do not stand far from the audience, and do not sit at the table if you have the opportunity to take a more comfortable position. Try to stand in the most visible place in front of the audience and stay as close to the audience as possible. This position is practically more comfortable (since you are clearly visible to everyone), and also signals your self-confidence.

Also, move around occasionally to keep your performance interesting. If some of the participants are distracted, simply move a little closer to them in order to attract their attention.

2. Eye contact

Remember how we were taught as children to look at the opposite wall while reciting a poem? Or choose one person and look at him? So, forget these tips. They create the feeling that you do not notice others and they have a feeling of your detachment. In addition, you may not notice what is happening in the room, for example, that someone is bored or wants to ask a question. To create a feeling of live communication, look periodically at one listener, then at another. Periodically move your gaze from the first rows to the more distant ones, from right side audience to the left. There is no need to shift your gaze often, do it slowly logical pauses. This way, you will control your audience and listeners will feel your attention.

3. Gesticulation

IN public speaking you just need to use gestures to improve the perception of what is being said. In this case, gestures should be broader and more active than in Everyday life. If you are not used to actively gesturing in everyday life, or you are not sure that you will be able to do it naturally, it is better to rehearse them in advance. Also, choose a comfortable position for your performance in advance. It must be open: legs and arms are not crossed, palms are facing the viewer when gesturing.

4. Work with your voice

If during your presentation you notice that interest is falling and participants are distracted, there are 3 ways to attract attention: speak louder, speak softer, take an expressive pause. Interestingly, they are usually used in this order: first, when the participants are a little noisy, the speakers speak louder. If the noise continues, the speaker lowers his voice and the listeners, realizing that they cannot hear you well, fall silent themselves and ask others for silence. And, if the previous methods did not help, an expressive pause is used.

5. Questions

To keep your listeners from getting tired, ask them questions more often. This way you force them to join in the flow of the speech, give them the opportunity to express their thoughts and simply add variety to the environment. Questions in the audience need to be thought out in advance: they should be simple and at the same time relevant. Questions are also a neat way to get the attention of individual distracted participants.

6. Visualization

Colorful presentations, Handout, simple and visual graphics make information easier for listeners to perceive and remember more clearly. An important point: the presentation should not be overloaded: it only complements and illustrates your words, and does not duplicate your text.

7. Casual speech

Simplify your text as much as possible, do not overload your listeners with complex terms. Try to find vivid examples and quotes that will be remembered by listeners. Be welcoming and friendly. Even before the speech begins, you must feel sympathy for your listeners and demonstrate it throughout the entire communication.

8. Coffee breaks and air conditioning

No matter how interesting your presentation is, if your audience is tired or hungry, their attention will drop. The same thing happens if the room is very stuffy or cold. Therefore, make sure you are comfortable temperature conditions and over time. If you see that your audience is tired, take a coffee break. After this, to “turn on” the participants, you can start communication with a warm-up for attention or with questions to review what has been covered. These measures will help you activate your listeners and normalize the dynamics of your speech.

In general, in order to be interesting for the audience, it is worth following the main principles: the speaker must be confident in himself and his words, and also interested in providing the most comfortable conditions for assimilating information.

How can we help?

If you have to important speech, and you understand that preparing for it is difficult, sign up for. We will help you prepare, we will work out everything difficult questions, prepare the text and structure of the speech, and analyze ways to keep the audience’s attention.

Lecture tests: Public speaking

1. How can you win and retain the attention of your audience?

Visual contact.

Contrast stimuli.

Change the volume and pace of speech.

Questions for the audience.

Controversial videos.

2. Which channel of perception is typical for verbal means: “it is clear that”, “look at this problem”, “put two facts side by side”, “you can draw a circle”:

auditory,

visual,

kinesthetic,

non-modal.

3. Which channel of perception is characterized by verbal means: “feel the difference”, “get the essence”, “grope for the solution”:

auditory,

visual,

kinesthetic,

non-modal.

4. Which channel of perception is characterized by verbal means: “listen”, “listen”, “the fact speaks about”:

auditory,

visual,

kinesthetic,

non-modal.

5. Which channel of perception is characterized by verbal means: “understand”, “analyze”, “realize”:

auditory,

visual,

kinesthetic,

non-modal.

Tasks:

1. Write a short introduction to the topic “How does a person think?”

Just as a plant grows from a seed, each human act comes into being from the hidden seeds of thoughts. Without thinking, action is impossible. This is in equally applies to “spontaneous” and “unintentional” actions, as well as to conscious behavior.

2. Make an expected portrait of the audience to whom you would like to speak with the topic: “Profession - manager.”

An audience portrait is a comprehensive compilation of characteristics of the intended audience. The portrait of the audience, as a rule, consists of the following parameters:

socio-demographic (gender is not important, age is 18 and older, nationality is not important);

intellectual (level of education - secondary / higher / incomplete higher education, specialists);

quantitative (group, communication through the media);

status-role (subordinate, colleague, students);

emotional and psychological (interested).

Tests for the lecture: Business conversation

1. From the following, which two mistakes are often made in the process of preparing a conversation:

Unpreparedness for a meeting

Strict adherence to previously established dialogue plans

Strives to make the conversation friendly

Partners do not know the subject of the upcoming conversation

2. Is it possible to include the following among the features of business conversations:

treating partners,

exchange of souvenirs, business cards

handshake, kissing

3. Is it possible to give preference to one of the following three methods of starting a conversation:

Tension Relief Method

Hook method

Direct approach method

4. From the list below, exclude prohibited techniques during business conversation:

Under no circumstances should you:

Interrupt your partner;

Negatively assess his personality;

Emphasize the difference between yourself and your partner;

Rapidly speed up the pace of conversation

Avoid spatial proximity and do not look at your partner

Try to discuss the issue rationally, not paying attention to the fact that the partner is excited

Not understanding or not wanting to understand his mental state

Smile

Give compliments

Empathize for your partner

Look him in the eyes

Call by name

Laugh

Offer tea, coffee

TASKS: give a short answer (2-3 sentences) to the questions asked:

1. How does phatic communication differ from business conversation?

Phatic communication.

It can take place between both acquaintances and strangers.

Contact making. The purpose of establishing contact prevails over the purpose of transmitting information.

Business conversation.

Business interlocutors may not be personally acquainted before the meeting.

Business communication proceeds in accordance with ethics and etiquette.

2. What would you classify as the specifics of conducting a business conversation in modern conditions?

Telephone conversations

Skype - negotiations

The task of any speaker is to attract and maintain the attention of the audience throughout his speech. In addition to competent and logical presentation of thoughts, good speaker must have charisma and an interesting, “catchy” style. This can be learned by practicing reliable ways to attract and hold your audience's attention.

Methods and techniques

Always remember: within the first 7 seconds you speak, the audience decides whether they will get into trouble with you or not. This is the most important point. For the next 30 seconds, the audience evaluates your speech: whether it is interesting, informative or not. Conclusion: the whole performance depends on the first minute. If you didn’t manage to conquer the audience right away, it will be difficult to “shake it up” later.

1. Start with an intriguing, “awakening” introduction. This could be a story, a parable, a new joke (a bearded joke gives away a boring storyteller) related to general theme whether revealing the essence of the report. Then move on to the initial (introductory) part of the speech itself.
2. Tell us about your speech plan. The listener must know what exactly will be discussed. There is something distracting the person, he can join the performance at any moment. It would be good if you prepared programs for each listener with thesis plan report.
3. Remind them to take notes. This goes without saying, but this way you will be able to highlight and underline important points speech.
4. Ask questions. It can be:
   • rhetorical questions to all listeners;
   • rhetorical questions to to a specific person(it’s good if at this moment you address him by name).

   Allow the audience to discuss the issue for some time (10-15 seconds). This will stir things up and make the listener turn on. Make the audience active participants in the process more often.

5. Use visual aids. Didactic (brochures, booklets, handouts), photo and video series. This should not be the main part of the speech. Use these tools as auxiliary techniques. Watching the video – no more than 5-7 minutes. The video material should be interesting, with moderate sound, without technical problems. This requires additional preparation.
6. Dilute the monologue with interesting digressions close to the topic. Objective: to arouse interest and curiosity. Listeners should have a mixed, paradoxical feeling. For example, “There is no greater disappointment than a dream come true. How do you understand this statement?
7. Tell us about examples from your personal experience. This will bring you closer to your audience and relive their own memories.
8. Add quotes to your monologue famous people. Try to include in your speech statements that not everyone has heard, not particularly famous words well-known people.
9. While communicating with listeners, try to move. Walk here and there, move closer to the hall. Infuse your speech with gestures. This will keep the audience's attention on your personality. When addressing someone specifically, take a couple of steps in their direction and come closer.
10. Color your speech emotionally. Make sudden pauses (1-2 seconds), raise and lower the tone of your voice, add gestures. This technique works well because the audience’s curiosity, interest, and attention increase.

Mistakes during performance

1. Too many jokes. 1-2 funny stories quite enough.
2. If you have a monotonous in a quiet voice– take rhetoric lessons. Practice lively eloquent speech.
3. Express your thoughts clearly, simply, understandably, concisely. Read the speech outline several times. Check whether the structure of the report is logical. It’s good if you first “perform” in front of your friends and family, rehearse.
4. Do not allow non-specific constructions in the report. Abstraction in judgments is understandable and interesting to few people. All data is in numbers, facts are substantiated.
5. If you are noticeably nervous, try to imagine your speech several times in private before going out in public. This technique of experiencing stress in a calm environment works on emotional condition like relaxation. Remember:

If your business has any presence online, you probably have an email list or group of subscribers. This is your invaluable asset, the basis for profitability and good appetite in the evenings. But can you be sure that these subscribers will buy your products and services, and not turn their noses towards competitors? People are drawn to those they trust, whom they know and love...

But there is no reason to panic: here are 5 proven ways to earn such trust

1. Build trust by meeting others' expectations

First way to build trusting relationship with your subscribers is consistent behavior.

We all have friends who are overflowing with great ideas. Such people are a little like crazy people: their energy does not allow them to stop in one place. Every day they look for new experiences and rush headlong from one goal to another. This is not very good for business. With such friends it can be incredibly fun, but, frankly speaking, they do not exude reliability. We prefer people who are straight as an arrow in their actions. Trust always grows from predictability.

2. More truth - more trust

The next step leading to the heavenly kingdom of enchanted clients is truthfulness. Try never to deceive: today few people take statements on faith; more often they immediately double-check them on Google :) In addition, people who learn about something for the first time will still not believe you: the first reaction to something new is almost always skepticism. Credibility comes from detailed, thoughtful explanations. If you convince, don’t be partial and don’t put noodles in your interlocutor’s ears.

3. Give the client quality and you will gain even more trust

Another way to get more trust- improve the quality of your services by maximum height. Make sure that your competitors are lagging behind in some way - and clearly demonstrate your advantages to your clientele. Combined with the previous two - truthfulness and consistency - this ironclad method win the trust of the target audience.

4. An objective market review is a proven path to client trust

Another way to build trust is to publish an expert opinion about a popular product. But we must remain equanimous. This is not a flash sale where the goal is to sell a mountain of discounted junk in 15 minutes. Take your time, make an objective and thoughtful review, and help people choose what they really need. Trust gained in this way is the most reliable in the long term. Just don’t be like a user posting a paid review of something they haven’t even held in their hands. A couple of accusatory comments and the trust index will instantly flow down the drain. 😉

5. Showcase your connections with influential people!

To gain a little more trust in addition to the previous four points, it is a good idea to show that your close circle of friends includes some famous person. The whole secret is not to shout about it at all corners, but to mention desired name just once, accurately calculating right moment, and at the same time be absolutely natural. But there is a “pitfall” here: this technique will only work if your audience also considers this person admirable and respect. Make sure in advance that you will be understood correctly!