Public speaking is the most feared thing on the planet. Fact. Most people would prefer to die than take part in public speaking. That is about to change. In this article we will turn you into a great public speaker and tell you how you can fake the con dence!

So what would our top 5 tips for public speaking be?

1. Plant your feet. With our neves being at an all time high when public speaking we tend to move around more than usual and 9/10 we will move our feet in unusual ways. When you take the stage stand with your feet shoulder width apart. This will give you better posture and give your legs more strength making them less likely to be moving around.

2. Breathe. Many people when public speaking try to get it over and done with as fast as they can. This means they rush out their words and eventually run out of breath and end up gasping for air. Take your time. Breathe and speak at a comfortable pace. Slow. Clear. Calm.

3. Move with purpose. If you feel like you’ve been standing there for a while like a statue or you feel you legs need to move then simply take a couple steps to the left or right. Don’t run, slowly move step by step to either side. This will keep the audiences attention and keep you comfortable.

4. Use appropriate hand gestures. If you’re like a lot of people you like to talk with you hands. This is great for pubic speaking but make sure you get the size of the gestures just right. If it’s a large audience make your gestures larger so that all of the audience can see your movements. However this won’t work for smaller audiences. Keep your hands and arms closer to your body for small audiences. This will keep them engaged and keep them safe of mind that you won’t accidentally hit them mid gesture.

5. Use your voice. Not your everyday voice. Use a tone of voice that will propel your voice to the audience so that your words come out of your mouth clear, audible and most of all con dent. Don’t shout and don’t whisper.

Public speaking is a big part of JCI as we realize that it’s a major area of opportunity and development for most people. That’s why we as JCI She eld run a monthly public speaking club. The club runs on a regular basis with training sessions such as How To Speak To An Audience and Extempore (o the cu ), debating and public speaking training coming soon. Head to our Facebook page or our website (www.jcishe eld.org.uk) for more information and the latest events.

On a national level there is also JCI Public Speaking Academy. This academy runs over a weekend and throughout the course you will learn all there is to know about public speaking. More information is available on the JCI UK website (www.jciuk.org.uk)

There you have it our top tips on public speaking! Be sure to tell us how you’ve used these tips on our Facebook, Twitter or let us know via email at info@ jcishe eld.org.uk! 

Here are some photo's of our recent Public Speaking event, the EU Referendum Debate last night!