Some rules to be taken into account

There are rules and patterns of behavior that can enhance the eloquence and clarity of the message. Although it is optional to follow these rules, they can increase a speaker's confidence and power when addressing his or her audience.

Awareness and internalization of phrases, gestures and tone of voice can make the road to smooth communication easier. Going forward, we will explore what rules to keep in mind, delving into aspects such as body posture, the phrases we use and the clothing we wear.

Phrases: To predispose someone means to influence their attitude or disposition toward something before it happens. For example, if you tell a person, "You're not going to like what I'm going to tell you," you are predisposing them to have a negative attitude. This happens even if they don't ultimately dislike the topic in question.

As a speaker, it is important to be careful with the words and phrases we use so as not to negatively bias our audience. Phrases such as "I am very nervous", "I feel tired", "we are going to get through this as quickly as possible" or "I don't know much about the topic, but..." can negatively affect the audience's perception of us and our message.

It is important to be careful with the words and phrases we use when speaking in public so as not to convey an image of awkwardness or lack of professionalism. Phrases such as "we'll get out of this situation quickly" can give the impression that being there is not important to you.

Instead of focusing on your weaknesses or fatigue, it is important to show your humanity and commitment. For example, instead of saying 'I'm tired from being here but I'll still tell you my story', you can express 'although I felt a little tired on the way here, it faded as soon as I arrived. Right now I am full of enthusiasm to share my story with you'. By shifting the focus, you can motivate and energize the audience.

Attire: First impressions are basic. It's what people will take away from you, and remember once you've left. It's not just about wearing branded clothing or following the latest fashion trends, but choosing an appropriate outfit for the occasion. For example, if your audience is primarily teenagers, it would not be appropriate to wear a formal suit and hat.

Wear clothes that make you feel confident and secure, that you can wear with ease and that reflect your personality. If you don't feel comfortable wearing tight-fitting or brightly colored clothing, don't do it. People can sense if you don't feel good in your chosen attire.

Personal opinion: It is important to keep in mind that, even if you already know the topic beforehand, you should not overload the audience with too many facts. For example, you can illustrate your point with a graph or scientific data, but you should not spend a whole hour just talking about it.

In a speech, the main objective is to defend an issue and present your opinion and point of view. External data can be useful to support your argument, but it should not be the main focus.

Ten questions: If you assume your audience does not have the necessary knowledge and you only prepare the bare minimum, they may ask you a question at the end that you don't know how to solve. To avoid this, draft 10 questions that you consider essential to understanding your speech and be prepared to address them. Keep up to date and go deeper into the topic, even if it is something you already know well.

If for some reason you don't know how to solve a question, don't worry. Simply say, 'I don't have the information at the moment, but I'll be happy to research and provide you with an answer.' It is better to do this than to make up a false answer.

Set time: Our voice has the power to inspire or discourage our listeners. That is why it is important to define and comply with the length of our speech in order to generate confidence in them.

At the beginning, we should indicate how long our presentation will last and make sure we do not overdo it. If we say we will go into a topic in depth for 45 minutes, we must respect that time and keep our word. If we don't, we contradict ourselves, so the value of what we have said will not have as much impact on those present.

To make sure you do not exceed the time allotted for your speech, you can use a stopwatch and practice several times with your watch at hand. If necessary, you can eliminate or summarize some paragraphs that do not add much to the overall content to fit the time available.

Start by practicing with one minute. At first it may be difficult to estimate how much time has passed, but with practice you will develop an internal sense of time. Don't underestimate the importance of this.