Some individuals are born with a gift for public speaking. 16 Do you want to be a good public speaker? Here are some principles you must master. People want to listen to someone who is interesting, relaxed and comfortable. Too often, when you stand up to give a speech, you focus on the "public" at the expense of the "speaking." 17 Focus on the speaking. Talk directly to your audience, be yourself and make a connection. Even the most successful public speaker will make mistakes. Yet, the only one who cares about any mistake is the one who is speaking. People's attention wanders constantly. In fact, most people only absorb about 20 percent of a speaker's message. So, don't stop speaking when you make a mistake unless it's a truly serious one. 18 Your goal is not to be a perfect public speaker. 19 And like everything else in life, that takes practice. Remember, even world champion athletes practice their skills on a consistent basis. 20 It's rare to hear someone say, "I wish that speaker had spoken longer." On the other hand, you probably can't count the times that you've thought, "I'm glad that talk is over. It seemed to go on forever!" So surprise your audience. Always make your presentation just a bit shorter than anticipated. It's better to leave your listeners wishing for more than shifting restlessly in their seats waiting for your speech finally to end. 1. 16 A: Do the opposite. B: You want to be an effective public speaker. C: You don't need to apologize for a minor slip. D: When it comes to public speaking, less is usually more. E: The objective of most speeches is to benefit the audience. F: Take the fear out of public speaking by focusing on your listeners. G: However, the majority of people are effective speakers because they train to be. 2. 17 A: Do the opposite. B: You want to be an effective public speaker. C: You don't need to apologize for a minor slip. D: When it comes to public speaking, less is usually more. E: The objective of most speeches is to benefit the audience. F: Take the fear out of public speaking by focusing on your listeners. G: However, the majority of people are effective speakers because they train to be. 3. 18 A: Do the opposite. B: You want to be an effective public speaker. C: You don't need to apologize for a minor slip. D: When it comes to public speaking, less is usually more. E: The objective of most speeches is to benefit the audience. F: Take the fear out of public speaking by focusing on your listeners. G: However, the majority of people are effective speakers because they train to be. 4. 19 A: Do the opposite. B: You want to be an effective public speaker. C: You don't need to apologize for a minor slip. D: When it comes to public speaking, less is usually more. E: The objective of most speeches is to benefit the audience. F: Take the fear out of public speaking by focusing on your listeners. G: However, the majority of people are effective speakers because they train to be. 5. 20 A: Do the opposite. B: You want to be an effective public speaker. C: You don't need to apologize for a minor slip. D: When it comes to public speaking, less is usually more. E: The objective of most speeches is to benefit the audience. F: Take the fear out of public speaking by focusing on your listeners. G: However, the majority of people are effective speakers because they train to be.