Posted by Nathalia Lopes on 21 Setembro, 2021
What differentiates a common speech from a memorable one? Oratory, of course. But to speak well in public is not only to have excellent knowledge of a subject. It is a skill that requires technique and training.
This content brings 10 oratory tips capable of improving your professional communication, mainly in meetings and presentations in the workplace. Know the concept of the term and its benefits!
What is oratory
Oratory is the art of public speaking with eloquence, that is, communicating clearly and objectively, maintaining a structured and fluent narrative. The good speaker can persuade and give credibility to the audience.
But to reach this level of speech, oratory relies on a series of appropriate techniques and rules, capable of qualifying the person who speaks, making her an excellent speaker.
Therefore, oratory is not a natural ability, but can be learned and developed. In addition, the professional who achieves this skill stands out in the market, because it has a direct impact on communication.
Even, the facility to communicate is one of the 15 most valued skills by companies in 2021 and a very desired soft Skill by those who hire.
Furthermore, oratory does not apply only to the public speeches, for example, of a candidate who expresses himself correctly in an interview and stands out during the selection or who communicates safely during the presentation of a report in the company, transmitting credibility.
Talking well favors those who need to lead a meeting, convince a client, negotiate a sale and submit a project to the management’s approval. Therefore, we conclude that good oratory is a characteristic of professionals of personality, safe and confident.
Still in this article, let’s talk about the benefits of oratory for the professional. Rather, know some situations where oratory can be used:
the submission of projects;
in job interviews and search for promotion;
the presentation of academic papers;
in meetings of work;
in negotiations with customers and potential customers;
to sell a product;
to mediate conflicts;
to negotiate a discount;
to meet new people;
in personal life, to talk to neighbors or in relationship discussions.
Importance of a good oratory
You know what good oratory can do for a professional? Considering that the mastery of the technique can be easily used in your favor, think of it as an important tool to convince, inform and even teach.
In this sense, a well-executed oratory manages to involve the viewer to the point of convincing him to accept the speaker’s vision, no matter if he is speaking to one or 10,000 people.
Therefore, knowing and mastering the techniques of speaking well in public is possible to become an excellent speaker and have great benefits in professional career. Check out some advantages of good oratory in professional life:
to improve performance;
increase the power of persuasion;
inspire confidence;
gain credibility;
strengthen networking;
communicate ideas with clarity;
be requested and be prominent in the profession;
mediate conflicts;
teaching and transmitting knowledge;
strengthen the professional image;
help overcome the fear of public speaking;
opening career doors;
prepare the pro for improv.
10 tips of oratory
As we said at the beginning of the article, no one is born an excellent speaker. But with the correct techniques, it is possible to learn and develop this skill. Follow 10 tips that might help.
1. Prepare to speak
Just like an athlete, a speaker needs training and preparation to have security and confidence. In this way, in addition to being able, it is necessary to master the content that will be addressed.
But attention: mastering a subject does not mean memorizing a text, it is different things. Decorated lines are easily perceived by the public. Thus, some strategies help in the preparation:
consider the topic you will address before the presentation, take time to do so;
study and make an outline or script;
include key points that I would like to highlight;
train what you will say during the performance, preferably out loud and in front of the mirror.
2. Breathe properly and use pauses well
Breathing well during speech is critical for a speaker. Since, people who present themselves in public in breathless way, swallowing words because of breathing, cause discomfort in the audience and hinder the understanding of the content.
In this sense, the correct breath needs an upright posture, with the shoulders well-fitted and without tension. Thus, it is valid to do breathing exercises so as not to waste the air, releasing it gradually and without contracting the throat muscles.
Another important factor is the good use of pauses during speech. Here, the tip is to seek the balance between intervals. Then take breaks when necessary, keeping your speech rhythm natural and comfortable for listeners.
3. Maintain body posture and take care of involuntary movements
Just as breathing should be natural, posture in front of the audience needs to show the same spontaneity. In this case, stretching days before the presentation and before it helps a lot, mainly to eliminate tension.
Still, the correct posture includes moving through space, but without exaggeration. Therefore, avoid standing completely still, but set points where you can position yourself from time to time.
Finally, avoid involuntary movements during the presentation. This includes rocking the leg, frequently fiddling with your hair, snapping your fingers and other characteristic anxiety modes.
4. Bet on objectivity in your speech
Everything is tied to time. Very long and full of rodeos annoy and make the audience lose interest. Therefore, avoid winding and go straight to the point, without being blunt or rude.
In this sense, establishing a roadmap is excellent because it synthesizes what needs to be said and prevents the public from emptying the environment before completion.
5. Use visual tools as a resource, but do not attach to them
The technology offers several tools that help make a presentation more attractive. An example is Power Point, able to illustrate the lines and give more clarity to what is being presented.
But make use of this equipment when it is strictly necessary, because there is nothing worse than watching a lecture in which the speaker just reads what everyone is viewing on the screen.
6. Be spontaneous and in a good mood
Very serious and cold speakers do not make a good impression. Most audiences prefer relaxed lectures, as there is greater engagement.
In this way, humor should be subtle and very well studied, so as not to impair performance and credibility. To define the tone of speech during a presentation, it is necessary to consider:
whether the theme of the talk allows relaxation;
the training or age group of the listening public;
if they’ll understand your sense of humor.
Trata-se de pontos importantes a refletir antes de fazer brincadeiras, enquanto fala em público. Assim, caso aconteça algum deslize, retrate-se. Mas não fique pedindo desculpas o tempo todo. Essa atitude demonstra insegurança e incerteza no que está dizendo. Se errar, corrija o equívoco ou o tom e prossiga.
7. Use recursos de narrativa, como o storytelling
Storytelling é uma técnica narrativa que usa histórias para vender ideias e serviços ou para compartilhar conhecimento. Esse recurso aproxima pessoas, empresas e conceitos. Um bom orador precisa envolver a plateia quase como por encantamento. Por isso, contar uma história com narrativa emocionante ou real agrada muito.
Of course everything will depend on the topic addressed. But if he allows, bring inspiring stories, able to hold attention and motivate from the example. When the audience identification happens, the speaker will have all the attention to himself.
8. Break with expectations
The storytelling feature can also serve to break the expectations of the audience. An example is to create a common problem for listeners and present a solution. The technique provides the construction of a mental picture in the listeners, making the speaker’s speech remain for a long time in their memories.
9. Promote interaction with the public
One of the biggest mistakes of oratory is to believe that no one cares what the speaker is talking about. This mistaken thinking limits the interactivity of those who speak, with those who listen.
An audience is not made up of robots. They are people who are there out of interest in what the speaker has to say. In addition, most like to participate. Invite them to ask, write, draw or answer questions.
Understand that these are little interactive exercises that will distract and make time go faster, especially if the talk is long or the theme heavy.
10. Seek inspiration from great speakers and evaluate each performance
Once again, technology can and should be used as an ally of good oratory. How about searching the internet for examples of great speakers? Research renowned speakers, note the posture, tone of voice, movements, breaks, tools used, narrative techniques and all the other tips above.
Still, be inspired by the way they conduct presentations, but try to define your own style, according to your profile. Also, whenever possible, search for feedback on your presentations. This can be done by audio and video recordings or by relying on the listeners' evaluation.
These impressions facilitate the evaluation of the progress of oratory, in the art of speaking well in public and qualify the speaker in the pursuit of excellence.
Source: https://blog.solides.com.br/dicas-de-oratoria/