Speaker's speech examples. How to write a speech for a performance

To write an excellent speech that is meaningful and useful for listeners, use the tips of the Speakers Club.

Where to start writing a speech

There are two languages - written and spoken. Please note that your speech will not be read, but listened to; it must be natural.

How can a speaker convey an idea and clearly convey the meaning?

Excellent speech should be understandable even to a child. Do not use specific terms in front of an unprepared audience. It is important for a speaker to instill trust in the audience. The more incomprehensible there is in a speech, the less trust there is, and therefore the less influence you have on the people in the room.

Think of relevant real-life examples. It is desirable that they describe the struggle for goals and victories achieved.

Create vivid images and pictures in the imagination of your listeners, use juxtapositions and contrasts. Use metaphors, but avoid clichés (“start with a clean slate”, “much water has passed under the bridge”, “ray of hope”, etc.)

Make objects and concepts unfamiliar to the audience clearer - connect them with well-known objects, explain with simple examples.

You can repeat the main idea of the speech several times, but using different words, paraphrase.

Say a beautifully rhymed idea or just a beautiful-sounding phrase unchanged. Make your phrase your “brand.” Arnold Schwarzenegger said “I’ll be back” in almost every movie. Boxing match announcer Michael Buffer literally patented the phrase “Let’s get ready to rumble.” The hero of Oleg Yankovsky in the film “That Same Munchausen” said: “Smile, gentlemen, smile.” Make a few phrases yours. Repeat them often, but always to the point. Your job is to create situations where your signature phrase would be appropriate.
Visual perception is very important. Supplement your speech with a good presentation and use visual aids. But remember that the presentation is an addition to the speaker, not him to it. Don't become a voice-over; add on-screen graphics to your story only when needed to better convey your message.

Avoid lengthy off-topic discussions. Don’t say “in such situations”, say “in situations where there is not enough money...” Outline what you are talking about. Don't force your audience to think, make sure they understand your thoughts without straining their brains, be they complex or simple.

How to end a public speech

Sooner or later, every person has to speak in front of an audience. And since the latter is very selfish, this activity can cause a lot of trouble. But as Mark Twain said: “The public initially expects nothing from you,” so don’t be nervous, but it’s a good idea to take a few useful tips and review examples of public speaking.

Where to begin?

Any example of public speaking begins with proper speech preparation. No matter how wonderful the speaker’s text may seem, you need to understand that behind it lies remarkable work and long hours of practice.

Every successful example of public speaking begins with preparing the speech. It was not for nothing that Mark Twain once said that it takes about three weeks to prepare an impromptu. Any performance, regardless of its type and intended purpose, must be prepared in advance. First you need to make the so-called “skeleton” of the performance. To do this, you need to decide on the following positions:

Understand the motivation of the people who came to listen to the speech.
Determine the main idea of the speech.
Divide this idea into several components (subheadings).
Identify keywords. They will need to be repeated several times in the speech so that the listeners better remember what is actually being discussed.
Every speech should have a clear plan and structure. The speech should consist of an introduction, main part and conclusions.

Muscles

Once the speaker has decided on the basic structure of his speech, it is necessary to build muscle on this “skeleton”. What could they consist of?

You can use vivid examples from life or literature, the main thing is that they correspond to the main topic.
To help the listener visually consolidate the information received, it is worth preparing graphs, slides, pictures, videos, etc.
You can ask the audience a question during the speech, this will help keep the audience's attention on the main topic.

Introductory part

Particular attention should be paid to the beginning and end of the speech. They play the main role in communication between the speaker and the listener. The introduction helps to form a first impression of the speaker, and the summary allows the audience to consolidate the information received.

While preparing your speech, many questions may arise. For example, how to start a public speech? The main thing here is to interest the audience from the very beginning. The first impression of the speaker will accompany him throughout the entire speech, and if you make a mistake, it will be difficult to correct it later.

For example, the introduction to a public speech could be a witty joke or some interesting fact. You can puzzle the audience with a question or intrigue with a pause. The main thing is to attract attention. Just don’t start apologizing for the fact that your voice is hoarse, this is your first speech, etc. The speaker should always be confident in himself, and turn every trouble to his aid. For example, if the speaker is really sick, you should not apologize, but say that due to such and such circumstances, I ask everyone to sit closer so that I can be heard.

End of speech

As for the ending, it is important to summarize the entire speech, highlight the main ideas and recall the issues raised. The last phrases must have a certain emotional message and be expressive, only in this way the listener can not only reward the speaker with applause, but also become an adherent of his ideas. Although, no matter how much you talk about the correct construction of a speech, it will be easier to consider examples of public speaking.

Types of public speaking

Examples of public speaking are divided into several types:

Information. For the most part, these are reports, lectures, and oral responses.
Protocol and etiquette. Such speeches are used when welcoming important guests, making toasts, a funeral speech, or opening a new establishment.
Entertaining. They are usually used for a good time, they have an entertaining context, but at the same time convey information. As an example, we can cite the performances of Russian pop comedians E. Petrosyan, E. Stepanenko, M. Zadornov and others.
Persuasive speech. Such a report must have indisputable facts and evidence that will win the audience over to your side. Examples include speeches by famous politicians. For example, Abraham Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address in 1863, where he assured citizens that not a single soldier died in vain, and this is a necessary sacrifice on the path to freedom.

Get there in three minutes

In general, the audience's attention lasts only 15-20 minutes, this is due to psychophysiological reasons. Depending on the variety, oral presentations can last from a few minutes to 1-2 hours. However, there are also speeches that need to be delivered in 3 minutes. In most cases, these speeches are wedding toasts or press conferences. In total, the length of the speech should be between 200 and 405 words. Here is an example of a public speech for 3 minutes:

“Today the Dalai Lama gave a unique interview to a Russian blogger for the first time. For his YouTube channel, business blogger Dmitry Portnyagin was the first in the CIS to interview the Dalai Lama. Communication with the famous Buddhist took place in a Delhi hotel, where the monk often stays with his followers. Before communion began, the premises were checked twice: first by the Indian security, led by a Sikh, and then by His Holiness’s personal security.

The interview lasted only an hour. During this time, the conversation participants were able to discuss political problems, including questions of the competence of Gorbachev, Yeltsin and Putin. Predict the future of Russia, talk about material and spiritual values, mutual understanding between people and the secrets of success. Each question received a detailed answer. The Dalai Lama spoke openly and with humor. At the end, he gave some advice for entrepreneurs and talked about personal safety.

Dmitry Portnyagin did not remain indifferent during the conversation. He showed the Dalai Lama a photograph of his grandfather and said that a photograph of the Supreme Head of Tibet always hung in his office, so he also became interested in this topic. Saying goodbye to His Holiness, Dmitry gave the Dalai Lama a hat with earflaps as a souvenir. The monk immediately put on his new clothes and appeared in this form in front of the camera lenses. The full version of the interview can be viewed on the Transformer channel.

Suitable or not?

This sample public speaking text follows all the rules. Such a short speech fully reveals the topic of the video presentation on the YouTube channel. It tells about the participants, the location of the interview, the questions that were raised and the general mood that was present during the conversation.

At the end of the press release, the speaker invites listeners to watch the full version of the video. Although the ending can be supplemented with one more sentence or two, saying that the interview turned out to be successful and informative for everyone.

Alexander I

To be effective, speech must be precise and expressive. And these may not always be large amounts of text. You can get your point across with a few strong sentences and vivid comparisons. For example, Alexander I’s public speech to the French ambassadors even before the start of the war sounded as follows:

“Here is small Europe, and this is big Russia (he shows all this on the map). In case of failure, you can retreat only to Paris, and I can run to the edge of Kamchatka! But at the same time, every meter of this land will be hostile to you, even the women will not stop fighting. Russia may lose some battles, but it will never be defeated.”

To say that the ambassadors left under the impression is an understatement. An example of the text of a public speech by Tsar Alexander I amazes readers today. There is not a drop of arrogance here, just facts served with the right “sauce.”

Steve Jobs

A striking example of modern oratory are the speeches of Steve Jobs. Public speaking was definitely not his strong point - it was just a hobby, but he began every presentation of a new product with his own speech. Examples in its execution look like this:

These are just small fragments of one of his speeches. But how does a person motivate?

Correct solution

You can give a speech on any topic. Examples of public speaking are easy to find in print and other media. Typically, speakers address important social, political and economic issues. Recently, it has become fashionable to give training on ways to make money on the Internet, present various training programs, or draw attention to advertising campaigns. Sometimes speakers conduct psychological trainings, discuss religion or philosophy. But no matter what the speaker talks about, his main goal is to captivate the audience.

A speaker is not a person who professionally manipulates pathetic speeches, but one who is able to conduct a simultaneous dialogue with thousands of listeners. He must speak the language of the people who listen to him, understand their problems, find common ground and skillfully lead them to making the right decision.

Business communication

It may seem that it is varied and has no clear boundaries, this public speech. The examples of speeches presented above give the false impression that the speakers' texts have nothing in common. In fact, they all have the same goal: the listener must agree with the speaker's point of view. And this can be done using completely different methods, including provocation. Although this method is used mainly in court proceedings.

The founder of the Russian legal profession, A.F. Koni, once defended a disabled hunchback. For many years, his neighbor mocked him, and then one day, unable to bear it, the hunchback grabbed a stone and threw it at him, thereby causing serious bodily injury. In his public speech, A.F. Koni was original like no one else. He, as expected, addressed the jury: “Gentlemen of the jury!” Then he paused and repeated this phrase four more times, making minute stops after each address. After the fourth appeal, one of the jurors could not stand it and furiously blurted out: “Are you kidding me?!” A.F. Koni was not taken aback, this is exactly the reaction he expected: “I addressed you politely and only 4 times, and you were already starting to get nervous. My client listened to insults directed at him for many years. How was he supposed to feel?

This speech achieved its goal - the defendant was acquitted.

Who, comrades judges, feeds you?

History knows many cases of such original performances. Even in literature you can find good examples of oratory speeches that can be used to teach this art. Thus, in A. M. Gorky’s novel “Mother,” the convicted Pavel Vlasov spoke at the court hearing. He was convicted under a political article and refused to carry out the escape prepared by his comrades only in order to make a speech in front of the large people who had gathered at the trial.

His speech was full of refrains, where he spoke on behalf of the people, but the main “highlight” of the speech was the climax: “How can you destroy the workers, those who feed you, comrade judges?” It costs a lot to create such a speech.

Prosperity of the country

To conclude this article, I would like to give one more option for public speaking. Example text on the topic “Theft in Japan.”

“The prosperity of a country is influenced by many human and economic factors. Among them there is one, almost insignificant fact, which will seem to us a fantastic absurdity.

They don't steal in Japan. They don't steal at all. They don't steal at all. They never steal. People don't lock their apartments and cars. Stores safely place trays of goods on the streets and happily forget about them. They know: no one will take someone else's.

In this country, you can forget anything, anywhere, and then come back for it a few days later. It will remain untouched. Every Japanese knows: if something is lost, it probably lies where it was lost, which means it will be found. Whether it’s a mobile phone or a wallet, you can still find any item.

Tipping is not accepted in Japan. The seller or waiter will run after you for several blocks to give you your change. Most residents of the capital travel on bicycles, and no one ties them up. Steal a bike?! This is funny!

Here they know: taking someone else’s is a shame. After it, the person will no longer be trusted; he will never get rid of it.

And by the way, about the economy. Officials religiously follow this rule: taking someone else’s property is taboo. Not long ago, a Japanese minister, who was suspected of free handling of finances, hanged himself. Not even theft. Because of this story, the previous prime minister also resigned.

So, what does the prosperity of a country depend on? That’s right, from theft, or more precisely, from the absence of it.”

The speaker is a kind of shooter. He either hits the mark and makes everyone bow their heads before him, or he misses, and then the despondent crowd begins to go about their business, ignoring the words of the speaker. Therefore, before speaking in public, you need to aim at a specific target. Examples of public speaking by leaders will help.

Including rhetoric and the skill of presenting information. Let's figure out what the structure of an oratorical speech should be. Let's look at examples of it.

When did the art of public speaking begin?

The art of eloquence originated in Ancient Greece, where it developed very quickly and reached its peak. However, due to the eternal rivalry between Greece and Rome, they appeared in both states.

Indeed, only in Greece, where the word was an integral part of the life of every citizen, could the art of oratory arise. The first ancient Greek speaker is called Pericles. His oratory is an example of logic, clarity, and orderly presentation of information.

As for Ancient Rome, rhetoric appeared there only after the conquest of Greece. The Roman style of speaking was distinguished by excessive stylistic embellishments, metaphors, parables and was not so comprehensive and philosophical. However, one of the greatest orators - Cicero - belongs to this state.

The fall of Rome marked the decline of the oratory of antiquity, since it can only succeed where free institutions flourish.

How to write a speech

What does it take to make a competent oratorical speech? Examples of your speech topic should be selected according to the following principles:

You must understand the topic better than the audience.
The topic must be relevant.
The audience is interested in what you are going to talk about.

Once you have decided what you will talk about, come up with a title for your speech. It should, on the one hand, accurately reflect the essence of the speech, and on the other, attract attention. Oratorical speech examples of titles have the following: working - “How alcohol and nicotine destroy our body”; for the performance - “Permitted Poisons”.

You also need to determine the purpose of your speech in advance. It may vary depending on the audience. For example: explain, inform, convince, arouse interest, etc.

The chosen goal will determine the type of your speech:

Informational.
Propaganda.
Secret.
Entertaining.

Having decided on the goal, you can begin to formulate the main idea of the speech and topic.

Speech plan

The plan helps to make the speech logical, clear, as concise and informative as possible. It allows you to fully highlight the problem raised in the speech. You need to make a plan from the moment you start work. Gradually, of course, he will change, but this will only benefit him. Let's see what the plan looks like when our goal is informational speaking. Example:

We describe a phenomenon or problem.
The reason why the phenomenon or problem occurred.
We determine the pattern or randomness of the occurrence of a problem or phenomenon.
How the different components of this problem are interconnected and interact.
We determine the prospects for solving a problem or developing a phenomenon.
Conclusion or practical suggestion.

If your task is to prove something, then a common technique is to move by contradiction. That is, first you make a statement, and then you refute it, leading your listeners to the opposite truth. However, we must remember that you should not use compelling arguments to convince you. It is possible to not only inform, but also prove something only by providing sufficiently compelling reasons. You need to select such arguments based on the audience you are speaking to. Only then will your oratory have an effect.

Examples of how to write a speech can be found in specialized literature. But there are two laws of its construction that should not be violated: to convey the main idea, use as few means as possible; The audience must be constantly on edge.

Preparing for the performance

Before your presentation, you should ask yourself just three questions:

Who is my audience?
What does she expect from me?
What is the purpose of my speech?

At the same time, you should have a plan for your speech in your head. To make it easier, you can write down keywords on cards.

Oratorical speech. Example of Steve Jobs

Steve Jobs' speech on June 12, 2005 at Stanford University has already gone down in history and become a shining example of rhetorical art, but why?

Let's start with the title: "Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish." These phrases evoke several emotions at once: interest, surprise, some misunderstanding. But in any case, find out what is hidden behind this topic. The goal has been achieved - the audience is intrigued.

This speech is an example of simplicity and openness. It is replete with figures of speech and simple sentences. - conversational, which brings the speaker closer to the audience - graduates, yesterday's students. Constant pauses allow you to comprehend what has been said, but not get bored.

Cicero wrote: “There are two arts that can place a person at the highest level of honor: one is the art of a commander, the other is the art of a good orator.” His statement is still valid today. Especially in our time, when agreements are preferable to wars.

It is unlikely that anyone does not understand how public speaking differs from any other speech act: of course, speaking to an audience, whatever it may be, is a monologue, an oral monologue, the purpose of which is to influence the public in one way or another. And although there is a classic scheme of oratory, consisting of several stages, a creative solution to such a speech is always very effective.

Kony's example

For example, one of the founders of the Russian legal profession, A.F. Kony, once defended in court a disabled hunchback who caused grievous bodily harm to his neighbor, who, day after day for many years, called him a freak when the disabled person passed by his house. The defendant, who had never responded to an insult, suddenly could not stand it one day, grabbed a stone and threw it at his offender, breaking his head. And at the trial A.F. Kony thought of an original public performance. He stood up and addressed the jury: “Gentlemen of the jury!” - and fell silent. After a pause, he repeated his line and fell silent again. Then again too. The assessors whispered nervously, and after the fourth such appeal they shouted at A.F. Kony: “Are you kidding us?” Then Kony said: “I addressed you politely only 4 times, and you were already nervous. And how should my client feel, listening to insults day after day for many years?” The disabled man was acquitted. Public speech by A.F. Kony achieved its goal.

That is why at the first – pre-communicative – stage of the speech, you need to think through its purpose and clearly understand its topic. A.F. Koni knew what he wanted to achieve, since the next algorithm for his preparation was obvious: assess the character of the audience and the situation, and then proceed to the text itself.

The text, as in the case of Koni, should be concise and bright. This cannot be done without a clear understanding by the speaker of what goal he wants to achieve. Thus, shortly before Napoleon’s invasion, Alexander I hosted French diplomats, already realizing that war could not be avoided. The Emperor clearly understood the purpose of his speech: it was necessary to convey to the French the meaninglessness of Napoleon’s undertaking, its doom. His speech was magnificent in its brevity and brightness of impact: “Here is little Europe,” he said, approaching the map hanging on the wall, “but here is big Russia,” he took a couple of steps so that his hand touched the Far East. - In case of failure, you can retreat only to Paris, but I can retreat even to Kamchatka! And at the same time, every inch of this land will be hostile to you, not a single woman will stop fighting. Russia may lose individual battles, but there will never be a defeated Russia.” Ambassadors and diplomats left shocked.

The more precise and expressive the speech, the more preparation it requires. And the point is not only in its speech design: you need to assess the composition of the audience, be able to put yourself in the place of future listeners. And even if the audience is heterogeneous, you need to think through the speech so that no one gets bored, so that the goal of the speech is achieved in relation to everyone.

Case in London

For example, in 1777 in London, an open trial was heard in the case of a doctor who, contrary to the prohibition of the Catholic Church, performed a Caesarean section on a mother with many children, who could not give birth to her tenth child and was dying. The lawyer set the goal not only to protect his client, but also to draw public attention to the fact that the church should not interfere in such matters. He knew that the audience would be very diverse, so he decided to say something that everyone understands, regardless of class and education - about the right of children to have a mother. “Gentlemen,” he addressed the judges, the jury and the public. – Yes, my client violated the church ban. But would it be better for God and the church if the woman died and nine children remained hungry orphans?” - and sat down, making it clear that he had finished his short speech. And reached the goal!

Pavel Vlasov

A public speech, well structured and carefully prepared, can greatly influence the public worldview and give results that the author-speaker himself did not even imagine. So, for example, in the novel by A.M. Gorky's "Mother" Pavel Vlasov, arrested on political charges, refused to escape, prepared by his comrades, in order to make a speech at the trial! And he thought it through painfully. He didn’t care what sentence they would give him, but there was a goal - to convey his faith to a large number of people. If you analyze his speech, you can use it to teach oratory.

Pavel understood that his speech would be in court, so he began with this opening: “A man of the party, I recognize only the court of my party...”, and with this one phrase he immediately placed himself above the circumstances and above the power that was judging him. It was as if he had grown taller – and the hall froze. His speech is divided into clear parts, each of which begins as if with a refrain: “We are socialists...”, “We are workers...”, “We are revolutionaries...”, and this “refrain” increased the emotional tension so much that “everyone felt a strange , the captivating power of his faith,” writes Gorky.

The novel, undeservedly forgotten, provides an excellent example of the internal dramaturgy of the hero’s speech: Pavel thought through not only the beginning, but also the beginning (“We were arrested as rebels...”), and the climax (“How can you destroy the workers - those who you, comrade judges, feeds?..."), and the denouement: Pavel’s speech ended with the life-affirming “And this will be!” - you can’t add anything, everything is said, everything is clear, everything is exhaustive. Constructing such a speech is worth a lot.

Summary

There are no small details in public speaking. Even the science of proxemics was formed - the science of the temporal and spatial organization of communication. Even the placement of furniture (tables and chairs) plays a big role, because you can stand in such a way that you feel separated from the audience; you can set up a table and seat the listeners at it so that you create, as it were, two confrontational sides; You can use furniture to create a conference atmosphere, etc. This is unacceptable: modern trends in the development of public speaking imply dialogism.

We observe in the media public speeches based on a dispute, including parts of interviews, discussions, polemics... This is quite in the spirit of ancient traditions! Dialogical presentation is very important for lawyers, sales representatives, and middle managers. However, don’t think that this is some kind of know-how!

In Mamin-Sibiryak’s novel “Privalov’s Millions,” the son of a small merchant asked his father for help in opening his own shop. The father said that if his son could convince his friend, a very stingy merchant, to buy from them a harp that no one had needed for a long time, then the son could count on his help. And the son thought through his “performance”, positioning himself with a harp right on the porch of the stingy merchant’s house. He paid a beautiful girl he found who knew how to play the harp, and when the merchant arrived at his house, this public performance was a success: the girl played so tenderly that the “organizer” of the performance did not have to say anything: the effect of surprise worked! — The harp was purchased, and the “sellers” were invited to the merchant’s house. Thus began the young man’s independent journey...

So, organizing a public speech is a matter to which you can devote your life, constantly improving in such a complex and necessary art.