Guidelines for Effective Speaking

From time to time, engineers are required to speak to groups of colleagues, make presentations to clients, chair professional meetings, and deliver technical papers at professional conferences. The successful engineer understands the need to develop skills in public speaking and takes advantage of opportunities to refine and advance those skills. 

Here we list some general guidelines that should help the reader to become a more effective public speaker. These guidelines, which were adapted fi-om a publication of Toastmasters International, are applicable to public presentations of various kinds. 

Be prepared. By advance preparation, a speaker can speak with confidence, concentrating on what is to be said rather than on self. 

Speak clearly and distinctly. A speaker cannot hope to communicate snc-cessfully if he or she mumbles or uses slovenly langnage. 

Look your hearers in the eye. Good eye contact helps to increase the hearers interest and their participation in the presentation. Experienced speakers learn to analyze their audience and its reactions and make appropriate adjustments based on audience analysis. 

---