1. Public Speaking &
Presentation Skills
Maria Shibaeva (Canada) & Matthew Littlejohn (Australia)
Rotaract Preconvention 2012

2. Welcome!
Rtr. Maria Shibaeva – International
Service Director, Rotaract Club of
Toronto, Canada, RID 7070
Rtr. Matthew Littlejohn – International
Service Director, Rotaract Club of
Southport, Australia, RID 9640.

3. Why
Public Speaking?

4. Know Your Material
Pick a topic you are interested in. Know
more about it than you include in your
speech.
Use humor, personal stories and
conversational language – that way
you won’t easily forget what to say.

5. Practice, Practice, Practice
Rehearse out loud with all equipment
you plan on using. Revise as necessary.
Work to control filler words; Practice,
pause and breathe.
Practice with a timer and allow time for
the unexpected & any questions.

6. Know the Audience
Greet some of the audience members
as they arrive.
It’s easier to speak to a group of friends
than to strangers.
Think about what the audience is there
to hear – make sure your speech is
relevant.

7. Know the Room
Arrive early, walk around the speaking
area and practice using the
microphone and any visual aids.
Find out ahead of time what
equipment and technology will be
available.

8. Relax
Begin by addressing the audience. It
buys you time and calms your nerves.
Pause, smile and count to three before
saying anything. ("One one-thousand,
two one-thousand, three one-
thousand. Pause. Begin.)
Transform nervous energy into
enthusiasm.

9. Visualize yourself giving the
Speech
Imagine yourself speaking, your voice
loud, clear and confident.
Visualize the audience clapping – it will
boost your confidence.

10. Realize that people want
you to succeed
Audiences want you to be interesting,
stimulating, informative and
entertaining. They’re on your side.

11. Don’t apologize
If you make a mistake, just keep going
– the audience probably won’t even
notice it.
Use pauses to gather your thoughts.

12. Focus on the message, not
the medium
Focus your attention away from your
own anxieties.
Concentrate on your message and
your audience.
Use a logical structure to keep the
message on track and flowing.

13. Gain experience
Mainly, your speech should represent
you — as an authority and as a person.
Experience builds confidence, which is
the key to effective speaking.
Take every opportunity to gain
experience: your Rotaract/Rotary club,
universities, birthdays, weddings,
anywhere!

14. Final Thoughts
Public Speaking is a learned skill that
can be practiced and improved.
Use the smaller opportunities to
practice for larger ones – e.g. giving
presentations to your club will help
prepare for giving examples at
Preconvention.
Enjoy!!