Public Speaking for Friendly Crowds

Overview

Program open house. Annual fundraiser. Board meeting. Staff meeting. Opportunities to speak in front of friendly audiences – people already supportive of our organizations – are regular in the lives of senior nonprofit leaders. But other than during the speaking itself, when do you find time to hone your public-speaking skills?

In this workshop-based class, learners will practice the hard skills necessary to be a better public speaker. Through a series of practical exercises to increase awareness and mastery of posture and breathing, learners will become more poised and confident before they ever step in front of a microphone. “Real world” challenges will be incorporated into the class, such as having to write and present a speech in 10 minutes, as well as answer questions off the cuff. Everyone (including you!) will leave more confident in their speaking skills.

The session will include activities and exercises to help learners feel confident and present their best.

Key Concepts

• Posture and breathing techniques to create a more poised appearance
• Verbal warmups
• Pitch and intonation for “American Melody” method of public speaking
• Preparing remarks with minimal notice

Learning Objectives

At the end of this course, you will be able to:

• Use talking points naturally without sounding scripted.
• Describe effective posture and body language for common public-speaking situations.
• Demonstrate effective vocal warm-ups.

Audience

• Executive directors and CEOs
• Communications and marketing directors
• Board chairs
• Anybody who speaks publicly for your organization