Negotiation

The Competent Communicator Manual

Speech 1: The Ice Breaker

For your first speech project, you will introduce yourself to your fellow club members and give them some information about your background, interests, and ambitions. Practice giving your speech to friends or family members, and strive to make eye contact with some of your audience. You may use notes during your speech if you wish. Read the entire project before preparing your talk. Objectives • “Break the ice” – To begin speaking before an audience by introducing yourself to fellow Club members. Begin to understand what strengths you already have, and areas that require particular emphasis in your speaking development. Time: Four to six minutes

Speech 2: Organize Your Speech

Good speech organization is essential if your audience is to understand your presentation. You must take the time to put your ideas together in an orderly manner. You can organize your speech in several different ways; choose the outline that best suits your topic. The opening should catch the audience’s attention, the body must support the idea you want to convey, and the conclusion should reinforce your ideas and be memorable. Transitions between thoughts should be smooth. Objectives • Select an appropriate outline that allows listeners to easily follow and understand your speech. • Make your message clear, with supporting material directly contributing to that message. • Use appropriate transitions when moving from one idea to another. • Create a strong opening and conclusion. Time: Five to seven minutes

Speech 3: Get to the Point

Every speech must have a general and a specific purpose. A general purpose is to inform, to persuade, to entertain, or to inspire. A specific purpose is what you want the audience to do after listening to your speech. Once you have established your general and specific purposes, you’ll find it easy to organize your speech. You’ll also have more confidence, which makes you more convincing,...