speech controlled presentation

How to make a great presentation

Stressed about an upcoming presentation? These talks are full of helpful tips on how to get up in front of an audience and make a lasting impression.

The secret structure of great talks

The beauty of data visualization

TED's secret to great public speaking

How to speak so that people want to listen

How great leaders inspire action

• How to Order

Speech Writing

Presentation Speech

Writing A Presentation Speech In English: Tips And Examples

11 min read

People also read

The 10 Key Steps for Perfect Speech Writing

Understanding Speech Format - Simple Steps for Outlining

How to Start A Speech - 13 Interesting Ideas & Examples

20+ Outstanding Speech Examples for Your Help

Common Types of Speeches that Every Speechwriter Should Know

Good Impromptu Speech Topics for Students

Entertaining Speech Topics for Your Next Debate

Understanding Special Occasion Speech: Types, Steps, Examples and Tips

Introduction Speech- Tips & Examples

How to Write A Good Acceptance Speech?

Commemorative Speech - Writing Guide, Outline & Examples

Farewell Speech | Writing Tips & Examples

How to Write an Extemporaneous Speech? A Step-by-Step Guide

A Graduation Speech Writing Guide with Examples

Presentations are a common part of our personal and professional lives. Whether you're a student, an employee, or an entrepreneur, learning the art of presentations is a valuable skill.

A well-crafted presentation speech can inspire, inform, and engage your audience, leaving a lasting impact. 

So how can you craft an engaging presentation speech?

In this guide, we will walk you through the process of creating and delivering a compelling presentation, step by step. From writing your speech to mastering public speaking techniques, we've got you covered.

So, let's dive in! 

• 1. What is a Presentation Speech?
• 2. How to Write a Presentation Speech?
• 3. Ways to Start a Presentation Speech
• 4. How to End a Presentation Speech? 
• 5. Presentation Speech Examples 
• 6. Tips for Making Your Presentations More Engaging
• 7. Presentation Speech Topics

What is a Presentation Speech?

A presentation speech is a type of public speaking where the speaker formally delivers information, ideas, or proposals to an audience. This type of speech is typically structured to introduce a topic, convey key points clearly, and engage listeners effectively. 

The goal of a presentation speech is to inform, persuade, or entertain the audience. They often use visual aids, storytelling, and other techniques to improve understanding and retention.

Main Components of a Presentation Speech

The key elements that set a presentation speech apart are its intentionality and structure. Here's a breakdown of these crucial aspects: 

• Purpose 

Every presentation speech has a clear purpose, which could be:

• To persuade
• To entertain
• To inspire and motivate 

Understanding your purpose is the foundation upon which you build your speech.

A presentation speech typically follows the basic speech format that includes an introduction, body, and conclusion. The introduction lays out the context, the body conveys the main content, and the conclusion reinforces the key points. 

Effective presentation speeches are tailored to the needs and expectations of the audience. Knowing your audience helps you choose the right tone, style, and content.

• Visual Aids

Presentation speeches often make use of visual aids like slides, props, or multimedia elements to enhance the message and keep the audience engaged.

How to Write a Presentation Speech?

Here's a step-by-step guide to help you effectively write a presentation speech.

Step 1: Determine the Audience

The first step in crafting a presentation speech is to understand your audience. Consider their background, knowledge, interests, and expectations. Are they experts in the subject, or are they new to it? This information will shape the tone and depth of your speech.

Step 2: Choose a Topic

Select a topic that aligns with both your expertise and the interests of your audience. Your topic should be engaging and relevant. It could be a current issue, a problem-solving solution, or a subject of general interest. Make sure your passion for the topic shines through.

Step 3: Research and Gather Information

To build a strong speech, gather credible information from a variety of sources. Use books, articles, online resources, and expert interviews. Keep track of your sources and make note of key statistics, quotes, and examples that support your message.

Step 4: Make an Outline

Creating a structured outline for your presentation speech is essential for keeping your message organized and ensuring that your audience can follow your points easily. 

Here's how to construct a well-organized presentation speech outline:

Step 5: Review and Revise

After you've written your speech, review it for clarity, coherence, and conciseness. Here are the steps you should take for reviewing your speech:

• Make sure that each point supports your main message and is easy to understand. 
• Check for grammar and spelling errors.
• Practice your speech in front of a mirror or with a friend. Pay attention to your delivery, pacing, and timing. Make necessary revisions based on your practice sessions.

Remember that a well-written presentation speech not only conveys your knowledge but also connects with your audience on a personal level. Your goal is to inform, persuade, or inspire, and the steps outlined here will help you achieve just that.

Ways to Start a Presentation Speech

Now that you’ve written your presentation and its content, the time has come to deliver your speech. If you're thinking how to start a presentation speech that grabs your audience's attention right from the beginning we have that covered for you. 

Here are some simple yet powerful ways to hook your readers from the beginning:

• Ask a Thought-Provoking Question: Start with a question that makes your audience think about the topic you're going to discuss. 

For example, "Have you ever wondered how technology will shape our future?"

• Tell a Story or Anecdote: Share a brief story or personal anecdote related to your topic. Stories capture attention and make your speech more relatable. 

For instance, "When I was a child, I once..."

• Use a Surprising Fact or Statistic: Begin with an interesting fact or statistic that will surprise your audience. 

For example, "Did you know that over 90% of people use their smartphones within 10 minutes of wa king up?"

• Start with a Relevant Quote: Begin with a quote from a notable person that relates to your topic. Quotes can inspire and set the tone for your speech. 

For instance, "Steve Jobs once said, 'Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work.'"

• Pose a Problem and Offer a Solution: Introduce a problem your audience can relate to, and then hint at the solution you'll discuss. 

For example, "Many of us struggle with time management. Today, I'll share some effective strategies to help you maximize your productivity."

How to End a Presentation Speech? 

Ending your presentation speech effectively is just as important as starting strong. Here’s how to wrap up with impact:

• Summarize Key Points: Recap the main ideas you've discussed. Remind your audience of the key takeaways to reinforce your message.
• End with a Memorable Statement: Leave a lasting impression by concluding with a powerful statement, a thought-provoking question, or a call to action related to your topic.
• Thank Your Audience: Express gratitude for their time and attention. A simple "Thank you for listening" goes a long way in showing appreciation.
• Invite Questions (if applicable): If there’s time for questions, invite the audience to ask any they may have. This encourages engagement and shows you value their input.
• Leave Them Thinking: End with something that makes your audience reflect on what they've learned or consider how they might apply your ideas in their own lives or work.

Presentation Speech Examples 

Taking help from good and structured presentation speeches will allow you to write and deliver the address smoothly. Here are some presentation speech samples for students that can help you write a well-structured presentation. 

Award Presentation Speech Example

Product Presentation Speech Example

Thesis Presentation Speech Example

Presentation Speech Script Sample

Presentation Speech Template

Famous Presentation Speeches 

Here are five examples of famous presentation speeches that have made a significant impact:

• Al Gore - An Inconvenient Truth (2006) : Al Gore's presentation used slides and visuals to raise awareness about climate change, documented in the film "An Inconvenient Truth."
• Susan Cain - The Power of Introverts (2012) : Susan Cain's TED Talk celebrated introverted personalities and their strengths in a society that often values extroversion.
• Bill Gates - Innovating to Zero! (2010) : Bill Gates' TED Talk emphasized the urgency of reducing carbon emissions to zero to address climate change, proposing innovative solutions.
• Sheryl Sandberg - Why We Have Too Few Women Leaders (2010) : Sheryl Sandberg's TED Talk highlighted barriers women face in leadership roles and urged women to pursue their ambitions.
• Tony Robbins - Why We Do What We Do (TED Talk, 2006)? : Tony Robbins' TED Talk explored the psychology of motivation and behavior, offering insights into personal and professional development.

Tips for Making Your Presentations More Engaging

Here are some additional tips for giving better presentations:

• Use expressive body language: Gestures and movement can help highlight important points and keep your audience engaged. It shows your enthusiasm and makes your presentation more dynamic.
• Adjust your voice tone and pace: Varying your voice tone and speaking pace adds emphasis and maintains listener interest. It's like adding melody to your speech to keep things lively and engaging.
• Manage nervousness with relaxation techniques: Before your presentation, try deep breathing or visualization exercises to calm your nerves. Feeling relaxed helps you speak confidently and connect better with your audience.
• Add humor or anecdotes: A well-placed joke or personal story can lighten the mood and make your presentation memorable. It also helps to connect with your audience on a more personal level.
• Use visuals wisely: Visual aids like slides or charts should complement your speech, not replace them. Use them to illustrate key points visually and help reinforce understanding.
• Maintain eye contact: Look at your audience while speaking. It builds trust and keeps them engaged. It shows you're speaking directly to them, not just reading off slides.
• Speak naturally, avoid reading: Practice your presentation enough that you can speak comfortably without reading word-for-word from slides or notes. Natural speech is more engaging and shows your expertise.
• Stay focused and present: Practice mindfulness techniques to stay grounded and focused during your presentation. Being present helps you react to audience cues and adjust your delivery accordingly.

Presentation Speech Topics

Now that you know how to write and deliver an engaging presentation, you may be wondering about a topic to speak on. You need a strong and interesting topic to make your presentation speech impactful. 

Here are some presentation speech ideas to help you out:

• The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on the Job Market
• Climate Change and Sustainable Practices
• The Power of Emotional Intelligence in Leadership
• The Art of Time Management
• The Future of Renewable Energy
• The Psychology of Decision-Making
• Mental Health Awareness and Reducing Stigma:
• Innovations in Space Exploration
• The Art of Negotiation
• The Role of Music in Society

Need more ideas for your presentation speech? Our informative speech topics blog lists 100+ topics that are sure to inspire your next presentation.

To Conclude, remember, creating a successful presentation speech comes down to careful planning, delivering with enthusiasm, and understanding your audience. Outline your main points clearly, use visuals that grab attention, and practice confident body language to keep everyone engaged.

Need further help in making your presentation speech? No worries! 

MyPerfectWords.com is a professional speech writing service that provides versatile academic help. Whether you have a speech or a research paper to write, come to us. We have a team of experts to help you with all your writing needs. 

Place an order now to buy custom essay online at affordable rates.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to start a presentation speech in class.

To start a presentation speech in class, begin with a captivating opening like a question, story, or surprising fact related to your topic. This grabs your classmates' attention and sets the tone for your presentation.

How to introduce yourself in a presentation as a student?

Introduce yourself briefly by stating your name, grade, or class, and any relevant information about your background or interests related to the presentation topic. Keep it concise and focus on how your experience or perspective adds value to your presentation.

What are some effective presentation starting words?

Here are some good presentation starting words:

• "Have you ever wondered..."
• "Imagine a world where..."
• "Today, I'm going to talk about..."
• "Let's dive into..."
• "I'd like to begin by..."

How to speak during a presentation?

Speaking during a presentation involves several key techniques:

• Speak clearly and at a moderate pace to ensure your audience can follow.
• Use varied tones to emphasize important points and maintain interest.
• Practice pauses to allow your audience time to digest information.
• Maintain eye contact to build rapport and keep listeners engaged.
• Use gestures and body language to enhance your message and express enthusiasm.

What are some 'How to' speech presentation topics?

'How to' speech presentation topics can include practical skills or processes that are informative and engaging:

• How to effectively manage your time in college
• How to improve your study habits
• How to improve your public speaking skills as a student
• How to conduct meetings in the workplace
• How to develop strong leadership skills
• How to create an effective business plan
• How to create a budget and stick to it
• How to improve customer service skills in your role
• How to build a basic website
• How to negotiate a salary or contract effectively

Write Essay Within 60 Seconds!

Dr. Barbara is a highly experienced writer and author who holds a Ph.D. degree in public health from an Ivy League school. She has worked in the medical field for many years, conducting extensive research on various health topics. Her writing has been featured in several top-tier publications.

Paper Due? Why Suffer? That’s our Job!

Keep reading

• - Google Chrome

Intended for healthcare professionals

• My email alerts
• BMA member login
• Username * Password * Forgot your log in details? Need to activate BMA Member Log In Log in via OpenAthens Log in via your institution

Search form

• Advanced search
• Search responses
• Search blogs
• How to prepare and...

How to prepare and deliver an effective oral presentation

• Related content
• Peer review
• Lucia Hartigan , registrar 1 ,
• Fionnuala Mone , fellow in maternal fetal medicine 1 ,
• Mary Higgins , consultant obstetrician 2
• 1 National Maternity Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
• 2 National Maternity Hospital, Dublin; Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Medicine and Medical Sciences, University College Dublin
• luciahartigan{at}hotmail.com

The success of an oral presentation lies in the speaker’s ability to transmit information to the audience. Lucia Hartigan and colleagues describe what they have learnt about delivering an effective scientific oral presentation from their own experiences, and their mistakes

The objective of an oral presentation is to portray large amounts of often complex information in a clear, bite sized fashion. Although some of the success lies in the content, the rest lies in the speaker’s skills in transmitting the information to the audience. 1

Preparation

It is important to be as well prepared as possible. Look at the venue in person, and find out the time allowed for your presentation and for questions, and the size of the audience and their backgrounds, which will allow the presentation to be pitched at the appropriate level.

See what the ambience and temperature are like and check that the format of your presentation is compatible with the available computer. This is particularly important when embedding videos. Before you begin, look at the video on stand-by and make sure the lights are dimmed and the speakers are functioning.

For visual aids, Microsoft PowerPoint or Apple Mac Keynote programmes are usual, although Prezi is increasing in popularity. Save the presentation on a USB stick, with email or cloud storage backup to avoid last minute disasters.

When preparing the presentation, start with an opening slide containing the title of the study, your name, and the date. Begin by addressing and thanking the audience and the organisation that has invited you to speak. Typically, the format includes background, study aims, methodology, results, strengths and weaknesses of the study, and conclusions.

If the study takes a lecturing format, consider including “any questions?” on a slide before you conclude, which will allow the audience to remember the take home messages. Ideally, the audience should remember three of the main points from the presentation. 2

Have a maximum of four short points per slide. If you can display something as a diagram, video, or a graph, use this instead of text and talk around it.

Animation is available in both Microsoft PowerPoint and the Apple Mac Keynote programme, and its use in presentations has been demonstrated to assist in the retention and recall of facts. 3 Do not overuse it, though, as it could make you appear unprofessional. If you show a video or diagram don’t just sit back—use a laser pointer to explain what is happening.

Rehearse your presentation in front of at least one person. Request feedback and amend accordingly. If possible, practise in the venue itself so things will not be unfamiliar on the day. If you appear comfortable, the audience will feel comfortable. Ask colleagues and seniors what questions they would ask and prepare responses to these questions.

It is important to dress appropriately, stand up straight, and project your voice towards the back of the room. Practise using a microphone, or any other presentation aids, in advance. If you don’t have your own presenting style, think of the style of inspirational scientific speakers you have seen and imitate it.

Try to present slides at the rate of around one slide a minute. If you talk too much, you will lose your audience’s attention. The slides or videos should be an adjunct to your presentation, so do not hide behind them, and be proud of the work you are presenting. You should avoid reading the wording on the slides, but instead talk around the content on them.

Maintain eye contact with the audience and remember to smile and pause after each comment, giving your nerves time to settle. Speak slowly and concisely, highlighting key points.

Do not assume that the audience is completely familiar with the topic you are passionate about, but don’t patronise them either. Use every presentation as an opportunity to teach, even your seniors. The information you are presenting may be new to them, but it is always important to know your audience’s background. You can then ensure you do not patronise world experts.

To maintain the audience’s attention, vary the tone and inflection of your voice. If appropriate, use humour, though you should run any comments or jokes past others beforehand and make sure they are culturally appropriate. Check every now and again that the audience is following and offer them the opportunity to ask questions.

Finishing up is the most important part, as this is when you send your take home message with the audience. Slow down, even though time is important at this stage. Conclude with the three key points from the study and leave the slide up for a further few seconds. Do not ramble on. Give the audience a chance to digest the presentation. Conclude by acknowledging those who assisted you in the study, and thank the audience and organisation. If you are presenting in North America, it is usual practice to conclude with an image of the team. If you wish to show references, insert a text box on the appropriate slide with the primary author, year, and paper, although this is not always required.

Answering questions can often feel like the most daunting part, but don’t look upon this as negative. Assume that the audience has listened and is interested in your research. Listen carefully, and if you are unsure about what someone is saying, ask for the question to be rephrased. Thank the audience member for asking the question and keep responses brief and concise. If you are unsure of the answer you can say that the questioner has raised an interesting point that you will have to investigate further. Have someone in the audience who will write down the questions for you, and remember that this is effectively free peer review.

Be proud of your achievements and try to do justice to the work that you and the rest of your group have done. You deserve to be up on that stage, so show off what you have achieved.

Competing interests: We have read and understood the BMJ Group policy on declaration of interests and declare the following interests: None.

• ↵ Rovira A, Auger C, Naidich TP. How to prepare an oral presentation and a conference. Radiologica 2013 ; 55 (suppl 1): 2 -7S. OpenUrl
• ↵ Bourne PE. Ten simple rules for making good oral presentations. PLos Comput Biol 2007 ; 3 : e77 . OpenUrl PubMed
• ↵ Naqvi SH, Mobasher F, Afzal MA, Umair M, Kohli AN, Bukhari MH. Effectiveness of teaching methods in a medical institute: perceptions of medical students to teaching aids. J Pak Med Assoc 2013 ; 63 : 859 -64. OpenUrl

How to Use Your Voice Effectively During A Presentation

In this article, we’ll explore some practical tips and techniques for using your voice effectively during a presentation. From speaking clearly and varying your tone and pitch to using inflection and emphasis, these strategies can boost your vocal delivery and feel more confident and in control.

1. Vary Your Tone and Pitch

2. use inflection and emphasis, 3. speak clearly and concisely, 4. avoid filler words and phrases, 5. use pauses strategically, 6. pay attention to your body language, 7. avoid monotony, 8. use vocal pacing, 9. speak with confidence, 10. use repetition, final thoughts.

Another important aspect of using your voice effectively during a presentation is varying your tone and pitch. This helps to keep your audience engaged and interested in what you are saying. 

Try to avoid a monotone voice and instead vary the pitch and tone of your voice throughout the presentation. For example, you might raise your voice slightly when making an important point, or lower it when speaking more softly or confidentially.

In addition to varying your tone and pitch, it’s important to use inflection and emphasis to help convey your message. This means emphasizing key words or phrases in your presentation, such as by raising your voice slightly or pausing before or after the emphasized word. 

Inflection can also be used to convey different emotions, such as excitement or concern, depending on the content of your presentation.

The first tip for using your voice effectively during a presentation is to speak clearly and concisely. This means articulating your words carefully, pronouncing them correctly, and avoiding filler words such as “um” or “like.” 

It’s also important to speak at an appropriate pace, neither too fast nor too slow, so that your audience can follow along easily. Take your time when speaking and pause at appropriate moments to emphasize key points.

Filler words and phrases, such as “um,” “like,” and “you know,” can be distracting and take away from the impact of your message. Try to avoid using them as much as possible. 

If you find yourself slipping into using filler words, take a moment to pause, collect your thoughts, and continue speaking. This will help you to speak more clearly and effectively.

Pauses can be a powerful tool when used strategically during a presentation. Pausing before or after a key point can emphasize its importance and allow your audience to digest the information. 

Pausing can also help you to collect your thoughts and regain your composure if you are feeling nervous. Be sure to practice your pauses during your practice sessions to ensure that they are effective and not too long.

Your body language can also impact your vocal delivery. Standing up straight and using confident gestures can help to project confidence and authority in your voice. Avoid slouching or fidgeting, as this can detract from your message and make you appear nervous or uncertain.

Monotony refers to a lack of variation or excitement in your vocal delivery. This can make your presentation seem dull or uninteresting to your audience. 

To avoid monotony, try to vary your tone, pitch, pacing, and volume throughout your presentation. This can help to keep your audience engaged and interested in your message.

Vocal pacing refers to the speed at which you speak. Varying your pacing can help to keep your audience engaged and interested in your message. 

You can use a slower pace to emphasize important points or a faster pace to add excitement to your presentation. Practice adjusting your pacing during your rehearsals to find the right balance for your presentation.

Confidence is key to effective vocal delivery. Practice speaking with conviction and authority to project confidence and credibility in your message. This can help to keep your audience engaged and interested in your presentation.

Repetition can be an effective tool for emphasizing key points and making your message more memorable. By repeating important words or phrases, you can help to reinforce your message and make it more impactful. Practice incorporating repetition into your presentation where appropriate to add emphasis and impact.

Using your voice effectively during a presentation takes practice and attention to detail. By incorporating pauses, active listening, speaking with confidence, using repetition, being authentic, and practicing the other techniques discussed in this article, you can master the art of vocal delivery and deliver a clear, confident, and engaging presentation that leaves a lasting impression on your audience.

Related Posts:

Oral Presentations

Effective delivery: vocal & non-verbal.

Effective delivery has two aspects:  vocal delivery and non-verbal communication.

Vocal Delivery

You may have a well-developed presentation, one that you’re excited about, one that distills your main ideas into memorable slides, one that meets your audience’s needs while presenting your informed viewpoint, one that will advance knowledge or process within or outside of your organization.  Yet if you do not deliver that presentation well, it will not have the effects you intend.  As legendary advertising creative director William Bernbach noted, “It’s not just what you say that stirs people. It’s the way that you say it.”

Vocal presentation matters in any type of presentation: in-person, online, real-time, asynchronous.  Vocal variety affects how you are heard. Here are a few tips for effective verbal presentation from presentation skills training consultant Gavin Meikle, who identifies key elements, common errors, and good practices to develop greater vocal impact [1] .

• Volume – Develop your range and vary your volume. To help put this in perspective, consider the saying, “A good speech needs light and shade.”
• Pitch – Research suggests a general preference for lower vocal pitch, with participants ascribing more positive personality traits to lower pitched voices. That’s not to say that you should artificially lower your voice, but simply try to be conscious if your voice tends to rise when you speak, and try to modulate it.
• Resonance – Resonance refers to the fullness of the sound.  For example, when you’re nervous, your voice may tend to become “tighter.” Try deep breathing to re-establish vocal resonance before a presentation.
• Pace – Be aware of and manage your speaking speed. It’s been found that people who moderate their pace when speaking to groups are thought to have greater credibility, and authority.
• Pause – Consider well-placed pauses to emphasize information, and/or to give your audience a brief chance to absorb key information.
• Ending a spoken sentence with a rising tone indicates a question or suggestion.
• Ending a spoken sentence with a descending tone is generally interpreted as an order.
• A flat intonation is used to indicate a statement.

View the following video, which expands on these vocal presentation tips.

Non-Verbal Communication

Non-verbal differs from verbal communication in a few ways.

• Verbal communication uses one channel (words); non-verbal communication uses multiple channels (gestures, pauses/silence, environment, posture/stance, appearance).
• Verbal communication is usually linear (sentences, discussions, and articles start, develop, and end); non-verbal communication is continuous (in constant motion and relative to context).
• Verbal communication is conscious (you consider and choose your words); non-verbal communication can be both conscious and unconscious (you usually don’t make a conscious decision to smile or laugh, but you may make a conscious decision to dress a certain way).

Non-verbal communication – the information and cues you emit through your gestures, appearance, stance, and more – is just as important to consider as verbal communication when you present to an audience. When we first see each other, before anyone says a word, we are already sizing each other up. Within the first few seconds we have made judgments about each other based on what we wear, our physical characteristics, even our posture. Are these judgments accurate? That is hard to know without context, but we can say that nonverbal communication certainly affects first impressions, for better or worse. When a presenter and audience first meet, nonverbal communication in terms of space, dress, and even personal characteristics can contribute to assumed expectations. The expectations might not be accurate or even fair, but it is important to recognize that they will be present. There is truth in the saying, “You never get a second chance to make a first impression.” Since beginnings are fragile times, your attention to aspects you can control, both verbal and nonverbal, will help contribute to the first step of forming a relationship with your audience. Your eye contact with audience members, use of space, and degree of formality will continue to contribute to that relationship.

Non-verbal communication also factors into online, real-time and asynchronous presentations with pauses, silence, and/or background noise; the image you project with your identifying photograph; and your gestures, posture, appearance, and environment visible via the video option in conferencing tools.

The following videos illustrate important aspects of non-verbal communication for presentations.

One Big Presentation Tip

Practice.  It really does help you become aware of how you come across to others in terms of look and language.

The following video discusses the importance of practicing and reviews oral presentation concepts, within the context of doing a presentation for a job interview (although the tips work for any oral presentation context).

[1] Meikle, Gavin. “ Six Elements of Vocal Variety and How to Master Them. ”  Inter-Activ . 18 Jun 2017. Web. 25 Jun 2018.

• some original content and content adapted from Business Communication Skills for Managers, Introduction to Communication, and Business Communication for Success; attributions below. Authored by : Susan Oaks. Project : Communications for Professionals. License : CC BY-NC: Attribution-NonCommercial
• Delivery Techniques. Authored by : Nina Burokas. Provided by : Lumen Learning. Located at : https://courses.lumenlearning.com/wmopen-businesscommunicationmgrs/chapter/delivery-techniques/ . Project : Business Communication Skills for Managers. License : CC BY: Attribution
• video Vocal Delivery. Provided by : COMMpadres Media. Located at : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ha-KUArLWc . License : Other . License Terms : YouTube video
• Differences Between Verbal and Non-Verbal Communication. Authored by : Scott T. Paynton and Linda K. Hahn. Provided by : Humboldt State Universtiy. Located at : https://courses.lumenlearning.com/introductiontocommunication/chapter/differences-between-verbal-and-nonverbal-communication/ . Project : Introduction to Communication. License : CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
• 11.1 Principles of Nonverbal Communication. Located at : https://open.lib.umn.edu/businesscommunication/chapter/11-1-principles-of-nonverbal-communication/ . Project : Business Communication for Success. License : CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
• video Body Language for Presentations. Authored by : Alex Lyon. Provided by : Communication Coach. Located at : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TmbQFWBvTtY . License : Other . License Terms : YouTube video
• video Gestures - The Business Presentation Revolution . Authored by : Michael Rickwood and Rose Bloomfield. Provided by : Ideas on Stage. Located at : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-P9C8xl4RPU . License : Other . License Terms : YouTube video
• image man holding microphone and speaking in a business environment. Authored by : PhotoMIX-Company. Provided by : Pixabay. Located at : https://pixabay.com/photos/the-conference-lecture-lecture-hall-3248255/ . License : CC0: No Rights Reserved
• video How to Make an Interview Presentation. Provided by : Monster UK & Ireland. Located at : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCr7ZXNKz6A . License : Other . License Terms : YouTube video

Privacy Policy

Giving Effective Presentations

This handout will help you prepare and conduct an effective speech or presentations after you have already created a speech or presentation .

Before the presentation

Determine the type of speech delivery you are giving. The type of speech delivery influences the strategies you will use to practice the speech. The four types of speech delivery are:

• Impromptu: A speech that has no advanced planning or practice.
• Extemporaneous: The speaker prepares notes or an outline, with embellishment. This kind of speech allows the speaker to adapt to the audience’s reaction and sounds more natural and conversational than scripted speeches.
• Manuscript: Reading a scripted speech word-for-word without any memorization.
• Memorized: Memorizing a scripted speech to present without having to rely on reading the script.

When thinking about how you will deliver your speech, consider:

• Articulation: Find the right pace for your speech in order to retain clarity and be easily understood by your audience.
• Nonverbal communication: This can include posture, eye contact, facial expressions, and movement that can be used to reinforce or modify your speech.
• Effective voice: Strive for a conversational, casual voice at a volume that your audience can comfortably hear even if they are listening from the back of the room or through a digital platform like Zoom.

Below are some simple steps to take in practicing for your speech or presentation:

• Practice your stance: If you will be standing while presenting your speech, then practice while standing. If you’ll be seated, practice while seated. If you’ll be on Zoom, practice to see what stance will work for your camera.
• Speak out loud: It can be tempting to recite quietly when preparing. But reciting your speech at a similar volume to the volume you will use to present in class is another effective method of practice.
• Practice without looking at the text: Even if you are not required to memorize your speech or presentation, practicing without looking at your text to see if you lose your train of thought.
• Make your script easy to read: If you are planning on reading your speech from a script or notecards, format the words to make them easy to reference while you are presenting. Try these formatting tips:
• Use a large font (14 pt. or greater) for text and numbering your pages.
• Leave blank lines between paragraphs or sentences so you can easily find your place.
• Refrain from stapling pages together or printing double sided, which makes your pages more difficult to organize during the presentation.
• Highlight words or lines that are important to you to ensure you deliver them during the presentation.
• For in class speeches, copy down presenter notes on paper from any PowerPoint or presentation slides in order to refrain from staring at a screen during your presentation.
• Record yourself and listen to the recording: Recording yourself provides a way for you to gain an outside perspective of your presentation. Create a list of items you want to improve upon for your next trial run and practice again.
• Where did I have trouble speaking clearly and/or emphatically?
• Did I stay within my time limit?
• Do I feel the need to delete or edit anything?
• At what point did I feel the most confident?
• Practice in front of an audience: Grab a friend, group member, family member or make an appointment with an Academic Coach and recite your speech or presentation in front of another person. This will help you bounce ideas off of someone and give you the chance to practice in front of people with whom you feel comfortable. For Zoom presentations, go through the mechanics of an actual Zoom rehearsal with another person. This may involve additional steps of preparing the physical space, such as lighting, tidying up, and setting the scene that will be viewable by the audience.
• Try the Wonder Woman pose: It may feel funny, but some studies suggest that standing with your legs apart, hands on your hips, and chest out (much like Wonder Woman) for two minutes before a stressful event can build feelings of confidence.

When it comes to the day of the presentation, it is natural to experience feelings of nervousness or anxiety, but remember you have practiced for this presentation and be confident in what you have accomplished. Here are some tips on how to calm nerves in the moment and manage anxiety:

• Arrive prepared: Make sure you have everything you need to give the presentation. Using your computer? Make sure it’s charged. Are you reading off a script or notecards? Pack them with your things the night before. If you’re presenting online, see our tips for using Zoom .
• Breathing exercises: Try 4-7-8 breathing to slow down and calm the mind and body. Inhale quietly through your nose to the count of four; hold your breath to the count of seven; exhale with sound through your mouth to the count of eight.
• Maintain eye-contact. This will help you stay engaged with your audience and hold their attention during the speech. The goal is to make eye contact or maintain the illusion of eye-contact with members in the audience at all times you are speaking to them. An effective strategy for maintaining eye contact is to shift your focus between different areas of the audience (room) every few seconds. On Zoom, you can look at your camera to simulate the appearance of eye contact for the audience rather than looking at the faces on the screen.
• Moving through transitions. For instance, stand firm when delivering a point, move to a separate place as you transition to another point, and stand firm when delivering your second point).
• Stepping forward when delivering a key takeaway message.
• Walking toward the audience during a participatory part of your presentation, for instance, a Q&A session.
• Knowing your audience
• Pacing yourself
• Using a sense of humor
• Starting off strong
• Asking questions or use anecdotes to peak interest

Connect with resources

Make an appointment with an Academic Coach to practice helpful strategies in giving effective presentations or speeches.

Check out the Writing Center’s handouts on writing speeches and writing in new formats, or make an appointment with a Writing Coach to learn strategies for writing an effective speech.

Works consulted

8 effective ways to practice a speech. Ragan Communications. (n.d.). Retrieved April 5, 2019, from https://www.ragan.com/8-effective-ways-to-practice-a-speech/

Body Language Hacks: Be Confident and Reduce Stress in 2 Minutes. (n.d.). Retrieved April 5, 2019, from https://jamesclear.com/body-language-how-to-be-confident

Body Movement Tips for Public Speakers. (n.d.). Retrieved April 5, 2019, from http://sixminutes.dlugan.com/body-movement-speaking/

Four Types of Speech Delivery: Impromptu, Extemporaneous, Manuscript & Memorized – Video & Lesson Transcript. Study.com. (n.d.). Retrieved April 5, 2019, from https://study.com/academy/lesson/types-of-speech-delivery-impromptu-extemporaneous-manuscript-and-memorized.html

Oral Presentations: Tips on How to Deliver a Speech for School or Work | Jerz’s Literacy Weblog. (n.d.). Retrieved April 5, 2019, from https://jerz.setonhill.edu/writing/technical-writing/oral-presentations-tips/#eye-contact

Reading Your Speech? 8 Simple Ways to Make Your Script Easy to Read! Speak Up For Success. (n.d.). Retrieved April 5, 2019, from https://speakupforsuccess.com/reading-your-speech/

Speech Delivery • My Speech Class. (n.d.). Retrieved April 5, 2019, from http://www.myspeechclass.com/delivery.html

If you enjoy using our handouts, we appreciate contributions of acknowledgement.

Make a Gift

Improve your practice.

Enhance your soft skills with a range of award-winning courses.

How to Prepare for a Presentation, with Examples

February 15, 2021 - Dom Barnard

This guide covers everything you need to know to prepare for your presentation. including what you need to think about beforehand, during and after the presentation.

1. Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse (always aloud)

Once you have your presentation worked out, you will need to practice it, but even though you might think it’s the best way to have a flawless presentation, don’t memorise what you’re going to say.

That might sound like incredibly bad advice, but here’s why:

• If you memorise your speech, you’ll get stuck in thinking you can only deliver your ideas in that way, and that stifles your creativity, and the chance for new thoughts and ways to put things that come up as you speak.

Not only that, but every  audience is different . Sometimes they laugh out loud, sometimes they sit and smile, and you never know which type of audience you’ll have until you’re live.

Practice Presentation Skills

Improve your public speaking and presentation skills by practicing them in realistic environments, with automated feedback on performance. Learn More

If you’re going off a memorised presentation, it’s much more difficult to break away from that to go with the flow on the day, and respond naturally to your audience.

• If you forget your speech in the middle of it, you will be thrown, and you’ll have more chance of complete brain freeze, which really will knock your confidence.
• Memorising your presentation gives you a false sense of security, which could leave you high and dry if something goes wrong. If you’ve only got your memorised speech, for example, what will you do if your PowerPoint freezes or your props break, and you can’t do what you were going to do?

Rehearse in front of colleagues, friends, a mirror, in virtual reality – always aloud. Make sure you spend plenty of time practising your presentation, it will make you feel much more relaxed if you know your material.

Courses where you can rehearse with interactive exercises:

• Essential Public Speaking
• How to Present over Video

Video showing how you can prepare for your presentation using virtual reality.  Learn more about virtual reality training .

2. Memorise your opening line

Do, however, memorise your opening line. If you know how you’re going to begin, you’ll get a strong start and that will build your confidence.

Many speakers and stage actors find that the minute they’ve actually delivered their first line, the nerves are gone and they’re well into their stride.

3. Practise your speech from written notes

Writing your presentation out in your own handwriting will help you clarify your ideas and may well bring you new ones.

• How to Write a Speech to Engage your Audience

4. Practise presentation flow

As well as practising for the ideas and what you want to say, practise how you want your presentation to flow. Think of it almost as a symphony, with high points, slow movements and crescendos. If it’s important, think about how you want your audience to feel, what emotions you want them to have, and when.

5. The power of silence

Don’t be afraid to pause and use the power of silence. A good pause can have a huge emotional impact. It allows people to really absorb what you are saying and react, and it’s vital to pause if you’re using humour so that the next part of your presentation doesn’t get lost underneath people’s laughter.

For more on the ‘Power of the Pause’, watch this short from video Brian Tracy:  The Power of the Pause

• 10 Effective Ways to use Pauses in your Speech

6. Have a backup

There’s nothing worse than the projector dying or finding that your laptop won’t communicate with the projector for some reason. If you know you have a backup, even if it’s only a pre-prepared flip chart, you’ll feel better, and you’ll be more confident.

7. Arrive early

Following on from that, arrive at least half an hour early so you aren’t feeling rushed, and so you have time to check your equipment and get your notes laid out ready to go. That gives you time to breathe and relax before you go on, knowing everything is as set as it can be.

8. Use physical props for a demo

Use physical props, if possible, for a demo. This can make you stand out and be more memorable among all the other speakers who only use PowerPoint, and it can add greatly to the impact of your presentation.

Video showing an example of using physical props during a live demo.

9. Structure your presentation

First, find out how much time you have to present, is it 10 minutes, 15, an hour? Prepare enough material for this time and have a couple of extra slides as backup – we tend to speak much quicker when nervous so you might find you finish your presentation too early. At some large conference events, timings may change on the day, be aware of this have a shorter version of your presentation in mind (i.e. know which slides to skip over).

• How to Structure your Presentation, with Examples
• Examples of Corporate Presentation Structures

10. Prepare for questions

Have a few backup slides for questions you think will arise from your presentation. It is sometime a tactic to explain a section briefly in your speech, so that you get a question about it afterwards. If you don’t understand the question, ask for it to be rephrased.

If there are no questions, it is not an indication how good or bad your presentation was. You many have explain your material extremely well, or simply that people are tired at the end of the day and want to go home.

• Guide for Handling Questions after a Presentation

11. Prepare for where you are presenting

If you can, go to the room you are speaking in before the actual event. It gives you an idea of furniture layout, podium height, location, room size, audience size and lighting. You can then visualise the room while practising and avoid the shock of suddenly being faced with a huge room when you expected a tiny one.

Ask the organiser if you need any particular props, for example a table to help with your live demo.

Additional planning to think about before your presentation:

1. Purpose  – what outcome are we trying to achieve? How can results be measured? What will success look like?

2. Topic  – Novelty? Complexity? Technical?

3. People  – Who should attend? What do they already know? How are they going to help?

4. Timing  – When will it happen and how long will the presentation take?

5. Location  – Where will the presentation be held? Do you have access to the correct facilities for the presentation?

6. Papers  – Who is keeping minutes? Do you need to send out an agenda before the presentation? Background information required?

7. Visual aids  – Is a  projector required ? Boards?

8. Style  – Structure or unstructured, discussion style? How assertive should you be? How should the meeting items be organised?

12. Choose the signals to give to your audience

Before the presentation, think about these 5 topics:

• Eye contact
• Facial gestures
• Body language

Decide how you will use each of these to reinforce your message. Use the table below for help.

Additional courses to help you prepare for your presentation:

• Presentation Skills Training Courses

Example from Steve Jobs

Think about these 10 techniques while you are preparing your presentation..

• Planning in Analog.  Tell a story, create stunning visuals and videos to complement video, use demonstrations and other speakers, keep the audience engaged.
• Creating a Twitter-Friendly Description  Single description sentence, condensed his message into 140 characters.
• Introduce the Enemy  Story needs villains or a problem to be solved. Jobs highlighted IBM and useless mobile phones (during iPhone release) as his villains.
• Focusing on Benefits  Keep reinforcing the benefits of your product, create top 10 lists, understand this is what customers care about.
• Sticking to Rule of Three  Classic Literary technique, things are best remembered and reinforced in threes. Read this article on  Literary Techniques  for more detail.
• Sell Dreams, Not Products  Create a vision people believe in, create a vision which will make people’s lives better
• Create Visual Slides  Use as few words as possible and use colourful graphics on the slide to highlight points.
• Make Numbers Meaningful  Compare large numbers to things people understand.
• Use Plain English  Use easy to say and easy to remember words, keep it simple.
• Large Reveals  Due to Apple secrecy, Jobs was able to deliver unexpected products to the world at his product launches.

Navigation Menu

Search code, repositories, users, issues, pull requests..., provide feedback.

We read every piece of feedback, and take your input very seriously.

Saved searches

Use saved searches to filter your results more quickly.

To see all available qualifiers, see our documentation .

• Notifications You must be signed in to change notification settings

An interactive presentation control that combines hand gestures and speech recognition. Leveraging OpenCV and the cvzone library, the system enables slide navigation, annotation drawing, and zooming using hand gestures. Moreover, it integrates the speech_recognition library, allowing users to navigate to specific slides through voice commands.

kom17/Hand-Gesture-Controlled-Presentation

Folders and files.

• Python 100.0%

• SUGGESTED TOPICS
• The Magazine
• Newsletters
• Managing Yourself
• Managing Teams
• Work-life Balance
• The Big Idea
• Data & Visuals
• Reading Lists
• Case Selections
• HBR Learning
• Topic Feeds
• Account Settings
• Email Preferences

How to Calm Your Nerves Before a Big Presentation

Your audience doesn’t have to know you’re shaking on the inside.

It’s not easy getting ready for a big presentation. The stakes can feel high, and in our desire for things to go well, the anticipation builds. Fear, anxiety, or even paralysis can kick in. What can you do to calm your nerves when this happens?

• AS Amy Jen Su is a co-founder and managing partner of Paravis Partners , a premier executive coaching and leadership development firm. For the past two decades, she has coached CEOs, executives, and rising stars in organizations. She is the author of the HBR Press book The Leader You Want to Be: Five Essential Principles for Bringing Out Your Best Self—Every Day,   and co-author of Own the Room: Discover Your Signature Voice to Master Your Leadership Presence  with Muriel Maignan Wilkins.

Partner Center

• Delivery Techniques →

Voice Modulation Techniques to Enhance Your Public Speaking

Voice modulation may have gotten a bad rap over the years as something used by some felt puppet characters, but it is a special oratorical tool that, when used properly, can make your speech more powerful and persuasive.

Whether you're introducing yourself in a job interview, delivering a toast at a wedding or simply just trying to improve your public speaking skills, voice modulation is a must-have in your tool box.

In this post we'll show you the techniques necessary to harness the power of voice modulation and turn your ordinary speaking voice into an authoritative, impressive instrument.

We'll cover concepts such as tone, pitch, resonance, diction and timing - all of which are essential for successful vocal control. So if you're looking to boost your speaking game, read on and prepare to be impressed with your vocal enhancements!

Quick Breakdown

Voice modulation is the process of changing the tone and pitch of your voice to convey a desired emotion or emphasis. It is used in many varieties of communication, including speech, singing, and acting.

Benefits of Voice Modulation

Voice modulation is an essential tool that can improve the clarity and strength of one’s speaking voice; when used correctly, it allows speakers to be heard clearly without resorting to shouting or overwhelming their audience with a dull monotone.

Some of the primary benefits of voice modulation include improved communication, better public speaking skills, and increased confidence . One of the most significant results of using proper voice modulation techniques is improved communication. Not only can changing tones add a unique rhythm and emphasis to the words used in a discussion, but it can also inform the listener as well.

A low-volume soft-spoken tone could signal pain while a higher-volume energetic tone could announce excitement. Voice modulation helps get points across more effectively than mere words ever could, decreasing misunderstandings among speakers and posing a clearer message to their audiences. Another notable benefit of voice modulation is that it can dramatically improve public speaking skills . When used as part of an effective speech or presentation , various intonations and cadences within the speaker’s otherwise standard volume can capture and keep the listener’s attention.

An invigorated delivery is much more appealing than one steeped in monotony. In addition, when talking about serious topics such as those found in classrooms or corporate settings, appropriate volume and modulation levels can help accurately convey empathy, seriousness, sympathy, passion, etc.; this improves the overall effect of a given speech or presentation. Finally, using voice modulation during speeches or presentations can increase one’s confidence levels considerably.

Having control over intonation, cadence and volume shifts provides speakers greater authority over their material by providing them with a sense of ownership as they guide listeners through their respective stories . Speaking with confidence works wonders for authenticity while improving the entire atmosphere around discussions. From improved communication and increased public speaking skills to higher confidence levels – there are many tangible benefits associated with utilizing valid voice modulation techniques in one’s everyday conversations whether they take place in boardrooms or living rooms.

This leads us into our next section which will discuss various methods that can help improve audibility when engaging in these conversations and presentations.

Improve Your Audibility

Improving audibility involves making the voice louder and clearer so that it can be heard from further away. "Projection" or speaking with clarity involves something called diaphragmatic breath control and is an effective way of improving the audibility of your speech without straining your voice.

To start, sit or stand in an upright position with your chest lifted and your shoulders relaxed. Take a slow deep breath as low into the stomach area as possible. This will help to ensure that you have sufficient air to project your voice during a speech. When speaking remember to keep the mouth open slightly, jaw dropped and tongue relaxed, but still behind the front teeth. If you feel like the volume isn’t coming out then try cupping your hands around your mouth while speaking. In some cases, this can create a resonance chamber around your vocal chords allowing for more sound to come out when speaking. To speak clearly, focus on pronunciation and articulation . Try enunciating each word by articulating the syllables carefully before moving on to the next word or phrase.

This will help make sure that each word is audible and easy to understand rather than being mumbled, slurred, or swallowed in a sentence. It is also important to construct unintelligible sentences that are well organized and logically built in order to help keep conversations clear, concise and easy to follow.

However, some experts believe that increasing audibility should not be seen as the primary goal of voice modulation techniques. According to these experts, focusing too much on "loudness" can lead to vocal fatigue and poor breathing technique which will ultimately hinder communication rather than supporting it effectively.

It is therefore suggested that individuals should instead look for ways to maintain natural pitch fluctuation within their speech whilst still being loud enough for listeners to hear them clearly. In summary, improving audibility involves taking mindful steps such as improving breath control and articulation in order improve projection and clarity of speech without straining one's voice. The next section of this article will address how we can use our voices to make a speech more powerful.

Make Your Speech More Powerful

The way you use your voice is an integral part of communicating effectively, and knowing how to make your speech more powerful can significantly improve the impact of your words. Learning to modulate your vocal delivery increases the strength and clarity of what you say. Here are some strategies for turning up the power of your speaking voice. First, slow down when you talk . People often speak faster than their listeners can comprehend, which saps power from their message. Talking at a slower pace allows you time to emphasize key points and ensure that listeners understand what you're saying.

Additionally, maintain regular pauses between ideas for dramatic effect. These moments of silence draw attention to the importance of what comes next. Speaking with projection is another important factor in creating a powerful speech. This involves pushing more air through your vocal chords so that your message carries further.

To increase projection, focus on tightening and strengthening the muscles in your face, neck and diaphragm as you speak. Pay attention to volume adjustments as well—too soft and nobody will hear you, too loud and you'll sound aggressive or harsh.

Use pitch variation to create interest while still maintaining a full tone across all inflections. Finally, articulate each word distinctly instead of slurring together phrases; this adds clarity and vividness to your speech in a way that speaks louder than words. Using the right approach can make all the difference in conveying maximum meaning through spoken communication.

When applied correctly, these techniques for making your speech more powerful will not only bring out the strength of your message but show that you mean business. Now let’s look at some specific techniques for voice modulation that can help amplify your effectiveness as a speaker.

To convey maximum meaning through speaking, it is important to use strategies for making your speech more powerful. Such strategies involve slowing down when you talk, using projection, adjusting volume, using pitch variation and articulating each word distinctly. Incorporating these techniques in your speech will emphasize key points and bring out the strength of your message.

Techniques for Voice Modulation

Voice modulation is a critical aspect of successful communication, as it helps to engage an audience and keep them focused. Voice modulation techniques help to vary the levels of pitch, tone and intensity that you use in a conversation or presentation. In addition, learning how to modulate your vocal delivery can also help you sound more confident and dynamic. It is important to use voice modulation sparingly, so that its effect does not become distracting or annoying to the listener.

Before using any voice modulation techniques, practice them in front of an audience such as friends or family who can give honest feedback about the best ways to effectively use these techniques. Camera recordings are also helpful for evaluating your style and technique. There are numerous voice modulation techniques that speakers can adopt to change the way their voices sound, including using pauses for emphasis, speaking in various registers, incorporating inflections into sentences, and adjusting the rate of speech depending on the situation.

Some people argue that voice modulation takes away from naturalness, while others believe it can be used effectively to make sure one’s message comes across more clearly and powerfully. Regardless of which view you take, understanding the basics of vocal delivery is essential when giving any form of presentation or talk.

In order to truly master modulation techniques, it helps to learn and practice various exercises that can help you achieve better control and flexibility with your voice. For example, articulating vowels in different directions helps to strengthen your vocal range and ensure a clear delivery. Similarly breath support exercises can increase overall vocal power and control. The next step in mastering voice modulation is learning how to vary your pitch in order to emphasise certain words or phrases during your presentation or conversation. In the following section we’ll take a closer look at how varying the pitch of your voice can help you become a more effective speaker .

Vary Your Pitch

Varying your pitch is one of the most important voice modulation techniques to consider when trying to improve your speaking voice . There are many benefits to adjusting your pitch in speech, including increasing clarity and engaging listeners.

With strategically varying the pitch of your voice, you can emphasize key points, command attention, and make yourself more memorable as a speaker. On the other hand, some speakers may be wary of using different pitches because they run the risk of sounding overly theatrical or artificial.

Mannerisms common in exaggerated theatrics can often come across as off-putting or obnoxious when employed in a professional setting. It is thus important to note that proper delivery is paramount when it comes to effectively utilizing this technique. The key here is to use subtle changes in pitch without coming across as unnatural—that is, practice changing intonation in moderation so your audience can better understand and interpret what you’re saying, but not become too uncomfortable with a sudden shift in tone.

In this way, varying your pitch can be used to convey interest, emotion and authenticity within speech; if implemented correctly it can even help ensure that your message sticks with people long after you've stopped speaking. By utilizing another essential voice modulation technique—increasing your volume—you can further make sure that your message resonates long after you've finished speaking.

Increase Your Volume

Increasing your volume when speaking is a great way to be heard in different settings and environments. While some individuals have naturally louder speaking voices, it’s something that can be trained and developed to meet different situational needs.

It’s also important to note that there’s a healthy balance between speaking too loudly or not loudly enough. The most effective technique for increasing your volume is to pause between breaths while speaking instead of talking in one continuous flow. This allows you to speak slowly, allowing more air into each word, giving you a higher and clearer volume.

Additionally, this exercise gives you time to think ahead due to the pauses which will improve your overall clarity and diction. Another technique for increasing volume is to practice speaking with more passion and enthusiasm. By creating excitement through vocal intensity, it encourages listeners to pay attention and listen more closely.

This technique works well for performers, but it can also help increase the impact in professional settings as well. Soft spoken people in meetings can take advantage of this tactic to ensure their voice is heard. However, speaking too loudly or intensely can have negative implications such as coming across as aggressive or overly demanding. A person should aim for an assertive tone with just enough vigor, rather than turning up the volume so high that it becomes overwhelming. By finding the right balance between raising your volume and over-doing it, you can begin developing a more powerful speaking voice. From there, it's recommended learning how to use your voice range properly in order to truly harness the potential of your speaking voice.

• A study published in 2018 found that voice modulation technology was successful in helping reduce stuttering by almost 80% compared to standard speech therapy.
• Research has also shown that voice modulation technology can be beneficial in improving vocal confidence and fluency with 95.8% of users expressing satisfaction with the results.
• According to a study conducted in 2019, it was found that over 95% of people who used voice modulation technology felt more self-confident when speaking to others.

NEXT SECTION: The next section provides an overview of how understanding your voice range can help you better project your voice and modulate it effectively; let's take a closer look at "Learning Your Voice Range".

Learn Your Voice Range

Learning your voice range is an important step in honing your speaking and communication skills . Knowing the range of tones, volumes, and pitches that you are capable of producing will give you more control in effectively conveying your message.

Understanding what sounds to avoid and which ones draw the most attention will help you create more impactful and persuasive verbal interactions. It can be helpful to practice focusing on specific sound production exercises in order to become comfortable and expand with different variations of vocal patterns. You may find it useful to use a piano or other musical instrument to highlight where your natural pitch falls within the musical scale.

Practicing your vibrations, volume, pitch, energy, pausing and dynamics can help you reach higher ranges while still maintaining clarity and naturalness in your voice. Tape recordings and video reviews of yourself can also provide helpful feedback on the progress you’re making with learning the various functions of your own personal range. On the other hand, there is a risk that being too analytic towards reaching a certain sound or tone will affect the naturalness of your delivery.

If a speaker becomes too conscious of their voice they may lose some of its spontaneity as they try too hard to replicate certain techniques they’ve tried to learn without applying them organically within their daily conversations and public speaking events. The key is finding balance between honing technique while still allowing for an inherent flow to how we express ourselves verbally. To move forward further with this concept, let's explore the bridge technique for better understanding even more about improving the vocal modulations in our voices.

The Bridge Technique

The Bridge Technique is a popular and well-known technique used for improving vocal control and modulation. It involves holding a vibrato without any pitch movement. This technique helps to improve the breath support behind each phrase, as well as expand the range of one’s voice.

Additionally, it works to strengthen the muscles associated with controlling and modulating the voice in order to achieve a better projection and clarity. On one hand, The Bridge Technique requires the vocalist to carefully monitor their breathing and hold their breath in order to maintain the vibrato. With this technique, wrong notes may be less likely to occur due to the emphasis on correct breathing and control.

On the other hand, incorrect implementation of this technique can lead to strain on your vocal cords and improper vocalization. Therefore, when attempting The Bridge Technique people should practice being mindful of their breathing so that tense singing or straining does not occur. With proper guidance from a qualified coach, The Bridge Technique can be an effective tool for strengthening both your range of pitch and ability to control your voice. It is important to find teachers that are knowledgeable about using this technique correctly so that it is utilized in an optimal way.

In the next section we will learn helpful tips from voice coaches and experts on how best to use The Bridge Technique to improve one’s speaking voice and vocal modulation techniques.

Tips from Voice Coaches and Experts

Voice coaches and experts often offer invaluable advice to those looking to improve their speaking voice. Among other topics, they often recommend the following techniques: 1. Speak with intent – Before diving into any vocal delivery method, focus on what you are saying—not just how you are saying it. Intention behind speech is key in order to really capture an audience’s attention. Doing this will also help you to clearly articulate your words and modulate your voice. 2. Stretch and warm up – Proper vocal warm-up is essential for optimizing your vocal performance. This includes stretching your head, chest, neck and throat areas. Additionally, experts often suggest a few simple exercises such as “siren sounds” and lip trills to get the voices ready for projection and modulation. 3. Pace yourself – Slowing down when you talk may sound counterintuitive but it can actually be incredibly helpful in terms of speaking with better modulation. Speak at a pace that allows you to take pauses between thoughts, making sure that each sentence is delivered with deliberate expression and intonation. 4. Use pauses effectively – Pause strategically during your speech: taking short breaks can actually boost your confidence and enunciate the message more effectively from a pacing standpoint. 5. Don’t forget facial expressions – Facial expressions can greatly enhance or dilute the quality of speech modulation since they communicate the emotion behind words spoken out loud. 

Experts often recommend practicing confident movements in front of a mirror to convey meaning without having to over-emphasize voiced tones or pronunciation of words by relying too heavily on accents or emphasizing certain syllables. Though not everyone agrees on which technique works best for improving a person's speaking voice, these tips from voice coaches and experts have proven beneficial in helping people access their fullest potential and refine their vocal delivery style allowing them to command attention when speaking out loud. These tricks all work together and lead into the next key element in working on improving one's voice modulation: practice and consistency. The following section will discuss more about how incorporating practice into one’s routine can further enhance their ability to speak confidently with better modulation techniques for greater impact behind any verbal presentation or conversation.

Practice and Improve Your Voice Modulation

Voice modulation is a core tool for improving a speaker’s voice, allowing them to talk clearly, confidently and understandibly. However, talking well does require some practice in order to master the techniques used for better vocal control. One useful way to begin practicing voice modulation is to slow down your speech and pick the right words - this helps with clarity and projection of words. Slowing your speech also helps with emphasizing important points or words.

Also important is speaking clearly while maintaining energy and enthusiasm – this will make you more engaging when speaking. In addition to slowing down one’s speech rate, it is also beneficial to practice various inflections and tones of the voice—softening one’s pitch at certain moments and emphasizing the key words of sentences can really add an extra dimension and depth to one's voice.

There are also exercises which help improve the volume, range and resonance of a speaker's voice, such as humming or singing techniques. The counter argument to practicing one's modulated speaking might be that it takes too much time or effort and can be difficult for people to do on their own without proper guidance.

However, a good starting point for people who might not have access to professional guidance is free online material such as video tutorials or podcasts from experts in the field, which can help provide easy-to-follow instructions on how to practice voice modulation. An additional consideration may be that if one practices vocalisations which are not natural then it could lead one to speak in an unauthentic way—this argument carries weight but should not stop people from striving for improvement through active practice.

Ultimately it’s about finding the right balance between sounding genuine but also fashioning oneself into a confident communicator—clearly no small feat! Practice makes perfect when it comes to using voice modulation techniques appropriately—the more time we put into perfecting our sound, the better results we’ll see in our overall performance as speakers.

Conclusion: Voice Modulation

The techniques discussed in this article can be utilized to successfully improve your speaking voice and make you an effective communicator.

Modulating your voice, as explained above, can help you project authority and confidence, garner both respect and attention from your audience and ultimately make your message more powerful. Moreover, for those with a naturally quiet voice, these techniques can be used to enhance loudness and audibility. On the flip side, however, it is important to note that over-modulation of one’s voice should be avoided at all costs. This not only gives off a negative vibe but may also sound unnatural and fake if overdone.

Also, while using different accents and tones might add some flair to your speech, it is vital to stay true to one's self and remain authentic. Therefore finding a balance between using the right vocal modulation techniques effectively while staying true to one's self is key in order to get the desired results. In conclusion, everyone has their own unique voice and ways of speaking which makes them special; there should not be any need to change that by trying overly hard to modulate one’s voice in extreme ways.

However utilizing the correct vocal modulation techniques can undoubtedly help enhance the impact of one's speech, making it more memorable for the listener.

Common Questions Explained

What are some common types of voice modulation.

There are several common types of voice modulation all depending on the situation. For example, if you are speaking in a professional setting, you may want to use a low and even vocal tone that is without exaggerated inflections . This is commonly referred to as “corporate” or “ formal ” speech. Another common type of voice modulation is conversational speech, which changes based on the situation. This type of speech is used when someone speaks in a relaxed setting and will often involve varying intonation and natural inflection that reflects their feelings. People can also modulate their voice depending on their audience. If people are speaking to children , they may want to use higher pitched tones that can help capture the attention of little ones while maintaining enthusiasm throughout the conversation. Finally, some people choose to modulate their voice when giving a presentation or other public speaking event. This type of voice modulation usually involves speaking a bit slower so that the audience can better understand what is being said and making sure that there are clear pauses for emphasis when running through points.

How can voice modulation be used in communication?

Voice modulation can be a powerful tool in communication, allowing you to convey feelings and sentiments that words alone cannot. When speaking, subtle changes in volume, inflection, pitch, and articulation can add depth and clarity to your speech.

This technique is especially useful when giving presentations or conversations with large groups of people, as it helps keep the audience engaged and more likely to remember the message. Additionally, voice modulation can help establish relationships by making it easier for both parties to understand each other’s emotions and intentions. Varying your vocal intonation makes it easier to express humor or sarcasm without having to rely on words alone. 

Furthermore, being able to control your volume when talking about difficult topics can make the conversation more bearable for both parties. All in all, voice modulation is an important skill in communication as it allows us to be more expressive and better understood by our listeners.

How does voice modulation work?

Voice modulation is the art of controlling and altering your vocal sound in order to best communicate your feelings and intentions. It's a powerful tool that can help you create stronger connections with others, be more persuasive and command attention.

Voice modulation allows you to control the volume and pitch of your voice, so you can better express yourself. Using vocal dynamics, such as volume and pitch, can effectively add emphasis to certain words or phrases. For example, raising the volume when you make an important point will draw the listener’s attention and emphasize its importance.

Lowering your pitch for a more calming effect can also keep listeners engaged. By adding pauses and silences at strategic points in your speech, you also lend emphasis to certain words or sentences. Additionally, conversational pacing (not speaking too fast or slow) promotes good communication between both parties and helps build trust between individuals. In this way, voice modulation plays an essential role in connecting with people and conveying your thoughts and feelings in a meaningful way.

• Theater-Based Techniques
• Dr. Gary Genard
• What Our Clients Say
• Client List
• Dr. Genard in the Media
• Leadership Communication
• Fearless Speaking
• Voice and Speech Improvement
• Presentation Coaching
• Speaking Virtually
• Presentation Skills
• Executive Speech Coaching
• The Benefits of Deep Breathing
• How to Calm Your Nerves Before Speaking
• Leadership Skills: The 5 Essential Speaking Techniques
• 5 Ways to Captivate an Audience
• The Body Language Rules: 12 Ways to be a More Powerful Speaker
• 4 Characteristics of an Influential Speaker
• 6 Skills Building Exercises for Effective Body Language
• 7 Tips for Overcoming Audience Resistance
• 5 Rules for Succeeding with PowerPoint
• Great Speaking? – It's About Performance Over Content!
• 5 Key Tools of Vocal Dynamics
• 5 Secrets of Powerful Body Language
• 10 Ways to Stay Fully Focused when Speaking
• 25 Words or Phrases to Avoid in Speeches and Presentations
• 6 Rules of Effective Public Speaking
• 7 Key Components of Successful Presentations
• 12 Easy Ways to Achieve Presence and Charisma
• 6 Skills Building Exercises Video

Gary Genard's

Speak for success.

"Be a voice not an echo." - Albert Einstein

How to Achieve Emotional Power in Speeches and Presentations

It's a lecture that packs an emotional wallop. The talk ties the tragedy to an opportunity to see one of its victims dancing again for the first time on the TED stage.

Great speaking depends as much on your performance as your material! Find out why in my free Insights article ,  "Great Speaking? It's About Performance Over Content!"

How to Make Your Speeches Emotionally Powerful

Through performances like Hugh Herr's TED talk, we see how emotion can transcend content and even an unemotional speaker. That's key to great keynote speaking or other events where you're looking for a maximum payoff in terms of how to engage an audience .

In terms of your own speeches and presentations, you can and should develop your message in ways that tap into emotional reservoirs. So often it's really about your audience's emotional experience—and know that that response can occur in spite of analytical, financial, or technical content. In fact, if you frequently discuss topics in these areas, it's critically important that you understand how emotions work on audiences.

Here are five ways you can consciously create an "emotional encounter" between you and listeners. Do that, and your influence will soar. Most speakers just deliver content, which almost never reaches an emotional plane. Instead, here are my five rules for achieving emotional power in your speeches and presentations.

1. Develop an Emotional Message.

At The Genard Method of performance-based public speaking training in Boston, we teach clients that concept first, last, and everywhere in between. It's your audience that matters when you speak, not your focus on content. The "content bandwagon" is always bright and shiny and fun to hop on. But influence  is the be-all and end-all in public speaking situations.

You should therefore ask yourself at every stage of preparation if what you're putting together will serve your purpose . One great way to do so is to learn how to perform an audience analysis . Since to influence means to change thoughts, feelings, or actions—all emotional experiences—you must find the emotional wavelength. What will reach these listeners where they live, and so change their lives for the better? This is so far above the bare delivery of content that it shouldn't even need stating, but it does.

2. Show Your Engagement. 

Content can never live on its own. It's your place to make it come to life, sparking electricity between you and the audience. The good news is that you can just be you to make that happen. In fact, the connection won't occur otherwise. All your audience ever wants is you, speaking honestly about something you believe in.

So here's a simple formula to live by: Zero in on your relationship with your audience and forget about how you're doing. Worrying about your performance will push you toward artificially creating an "excellent" end result. Instead, just engage listeners. They'll respond!

3. Use emotional language. 

Making emotional connections with other human beings isn't difficult if you share an interest in the same topic. But to do so, you need to use the language of emotion .

How could you succeed without doing that if you're trying to move listeners? Emotional words and connotations create a heartfelt response in people. "Love" beats "like." "Should" pales next to "must." Listen to the difference between: "I like this development" and "I love this solution!"

Look for words that sing rather than mumble; run headlong instead of stroll. As Mark Twain said, "The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and the lightning bug." (Here are Mark Twain's best quotes and how to use them in public speaking. )

4. Create an emotional experience. 

It's all part of creating an emotional experience for your audience. Never be satisfied with just conveying information, as nothing is more boring for listeners. Why educate when you can inspire? Why motivate when you can fire up? Why influence when you can change lives?

One key to creating an emotional experience is simply wanting to do so. If you're shy about transforming the lives of the people in the room, don't speak in public. If you think that you can't reach audiences on an emotional level, maybe public speaking isn't for you. Memos, PowerPoint decks, and meeting minutes don't need you to explain much. They deliver their information efficiently. You're the human being who needs to be on hand to  tell us what it all means.

5. Open the emotional gate.

Here's the last of my 5 ways to achieve emotional power in your talks. To be open to your exciting (and emotionally engaging) ideas, audiences need you to show the way. If you're not exhibiting an emotional response yourself, why should they? If you're only conveying information without much humanity, they may give up on you.

Sure, you're not perfect and never will be. You'll also never deliver a perfect presentation. But every time you present, you give audiences a unique gift: a person speaking in real time, in a hire-wire act where much is on the line. Your willingness to do is a powerful way to get people to listen to and like you. It will help create both leadership and charisma. It will open you to them, and them to you. After all, the emotional gate swings both ways.

This blog was originally published in 2014. It is updated here.

You should follow me on Twitter   here .

Ready to speak with the power that impacts and influences stakeholders?  The Genard Method  trains leaders, spokespersons, government representatives, and business professionals worldwide in speaking for leadership. 

Tags: public speaking training , presentation skills , public speaking , communication skills , emotional intelligence , influence , presentation skills training , TED talks , charisma , leadership , The Genard Method , Dr. Gary Genard , speaking with emotion , Boston Marathon bombing , MIT , emotion

Subscribe to Email Updates

Subscribe to the blog, follow gary genard.

• Training Techniques

Main Office - Boston

[email protected] 617-993-3410

• Executive Presentation Skills
• Rehearsal & Preparation
• Group Presentation Skills

Career Options

• Mental Wellness
• School Students

College Students

Working Professionals

• Counsellors
• Special Features
• The Mentoria Blog

Raise Your Voice: 10 Vocal Techniques For Powerful Public Speaking

Reyaa Agarwal

Jump to Section

Have you ever wondered what sets apart a captivating speaker from a forgettable one? It’s all about the power of the voice! Whether you’re delivering a persuasive presentation, giving a TED talk , or simply addressing a crowd, mastering vocal techniques can elevate your public speaking game to new heights. In this blog, we’ll uncover ten vocal techniques that will transform your voice into a mesmerising instrument, captivating your audience’s attention from the moment you open your mouth. So, warm up those vocal cords, embrace your inner performer, and let’s embark on a journey to unleash the full potential of your voice for effective public speaking !

The Power Of Projection: Be Heard Loud And Clear!

Are you tired of straining to be heard? It’s time to project your voice with confidence! Discover techniques to engage your diaphragm , control your breath, and project your voice to the back of the room. Whether you’re speaking to a small group or a large audience, you’ll grab attention and leave a lasting impact with your powerful voice.

• Diaphragmatic Breathing: Diaphragmatic breathing, also known as belly breathing, is a technique that involves engaging the diaphragm to promote deep, controlled breaths. To engage your diaphragm, place one hand on your abdomen and inhale deeply, allowing your belly to rise as you fill your lungs with air. Exhale slowly, feeling your belly lower. This technique helps activate and strengthen the diaphragm, improving breathing efficiency and vocal projection.
• Vocal Exercises: Certain vocal exercises can help engage the diaphragm and promote better control over your voice. One effective exercise is the “Siren” exercise, where you start at a low pitch and gradually slide your voice up to a higher pitch and back down again. This exercise encourages the use of the diaphragm and helps expand your vocal range.
• Yoga and Pilates: Engaging in activities like yoga and Pilates can also help strengthen the diaphragm and improve its function. These practices often emphasise deep breathing and core engagement, which indirectly targets the diaphragm. Exercises such as the “Hundred” in Pilates and various breathing techniques in yoga can promote diaphragmatic engagement and overall breath control.

By incorporating these techniques into your vocal and breathing exercises, you can develop a stronger connection with your diaphragm and improve your ability to control your voice and engage your audience effectively.

Mastering Pace And Pause: The Art Of Rhythm In Speech

Speech is like a dance, and rhythm is its beat. Learn the art of pacing your speech and strategically incorporating pauses for emphasis and impact. Explore the power of silence and let it speak volumes. By mastering pace and pause , you’ll create a captivating and engaging delivery that keeps your audience on the edge of their seats.

• Practice Timing and Rhythm: One technique for mastering pace and pause is to practise timing and rhythm during your speech or presentation. Pay attention to the natural flow of your words and sentences, and aim for a consistent and appropriate pace. Practice delivering your content at different speeds to find the right balance. Use a stopwatch or timer to track your timing and make adjustments as needed.
• Emphasise Key Points with Pauses: Pauses can be used strategically to emphasise important points and allow them to sink in with your audience. When you reach a significant point or want to create anticipation, pause briefly before continuing. This gives your audience time to process the information and adds impact to your message. Experiment with different lengths of pauses to find what works best for the content and tone of your presentation.
• Use Vocal Inflection and Variation: Another technique for mastering pace and pause is to incorporate vocal inflection and variation. Varying your tone, pitch, and volume can help add interest and engagement to your speech. Use pauses in conjunction with vocal inflection to create emphasis and convey meaning. Practice modulating your voice and experimenting with different patterns of pacing and pausing to keep your audience engaged and attentive.

Remember, mastering pace and pause is a skill that comes with practice and experience. By being mindful of your delivery, practising timing and rhythm, and using pauses strategically, you can enhance your overall speaking ability and effectively engage your audience.

Taming The Tension: Unlocking Vocal Relaxation

Are you plagued by vocal tension? It’s time to loosen up and find your vocal freedom! Do exercises to relax your jaw , neck, and throat. Release tension, embrace your natural voice, and speak with ease. By unlocking vocal relaxation, you’ll project confidence and authenticity, captivating your audience with every word.

• Jaw Relaxation Exercise: Start by gently opening your mouth and allowing your jaw to relax. Place the tip of your tongue behind your upper front teeth and let your jaw hang loose. Slowly move your jaw from side to side, feeling the muscles in your jaw release any tension. Repeat this movement several times, focusing on keeping your jaw relaxed throughout.
• Neck Stretch: Sit or stand with a straight posture. Slowly tilt your head to one side, bringing your ear towards your shoulder. Hold the stretch for a few seconds, feeling the gentle stretch along the side of your neck. Repeat on the other side. Next, lower your chin towards your chest and hold for a few seconds, feeling the stretch in the back of your neck. Finally, tilt your head back and look up towards the ceiling, stretching the front of your neck. Repeat these stretches a few times, focusing on maintaining a relaxed and steady breath.
• Throat Release Exercise: Sit or stand with good posture and take a deep breath in. As you exhale, make a low “ahh” sound, allowing your throat to fully open and relax. Repeat this sound a few times, focusing on the feeling of the vibration and relaxation in your throat. You can also gently massage the muscles at the front of your throat with your fingertips in a circular motion to further release tension.

These exercises can help alleviate tension in your jaw, neck, and throat, promoting relaxation and reducing any discomfort or stiffness you may be experiencing. Remember to listen to your body and stop any exercise that causes pain or discomfort.

Pitch Perfect: Harnessing The Power Of Vocal Range

The magic of voice lies in its versatility. Explore the power of pitch variation to convey emotion and captivate your audience. From high notes of excitement to low tones of seriousness, your vocal range is a palette of colours waiting to be explored. Embrace the full spectrum of your voice and paint a vivid picture with your words.

Imagine you’re giving a motivational speech. By utilising pitch variation , you’re able to inject enthusiasm and energy into your delivery, motivating your audience to take action and pursue their dreams.

• Siren Exercise: Begin by smoothly gliding your voice from your lowest pitch to your highest pitch and back down again, resembling the sound of a siren. This exercise helps you explore and expand your vocal range, allowing you to have better control over your pitch and explore different tones.
• Vocal Fry Exercise: Practise producing a low-pitched, creaky sound by deliberately engaging your vocal fry. This exercise helps strengthen your vocal cords and improve pitch stability, enabling you to hit lower notes with clarity and control.
• Lip Trills: Close your lips and produce a buzzing sound as you exhale slowly. This exercise helps relax and warm up your vocal cords, enhancing your pitch accuracy and control. It also aids in improving breath control and sustaining notes effortlessly.

Articulation Excellence: Enunciate And Articulate With Precision

Clear communication is key to effective public speaking. Explore exercises to enhance your enunciation and articulation, ensuring every word is crisp and easily understood. Master the art of pronunciation, clarity, and diction, leaving no room for misinterpretation. Enunciate like a pro and command attention with your impeccable speech.

• Tongue Twisters: Challenge yourself with tongue twisters that focus on specific sounds or letter combinations. Repeat them slowly and gradually increase your speed. This exercise improves clarity and precision in articulation, helping you pronounce words more accurately.
• Consonant Articulation Exercises: Practise exaggerating and isolating specific consonant sounds, such as “t,” “d,” and “s.” Pay attention to the placement of your tongue and the clarity of the sound. This exercise improves diction and enhances the overall intelligibility of your speech.
• Reading Aloud: Choose passages or texts with varying levels of complexity and read them aloud with emphasis on clear and precise articulation. This exercise helps you develop better control over your mouth muscles and improve your overall speech clarity.

Emotional Resonance: Infusing Your Voice With Emotion

Your voice is a powerful vehicle for emotion. Learn to infuse your words with genuine feeling to create an emotional resonance with your audience. Whether it’s joy, empathy, or determination, let your voice reflect your authentic emotions. By connecting on an emotional level , you’ll establish a deep rapport and leave a lasting impact.

• Emotional Recall: Tap into personal experiences or memories that evoke specific emotions. Practice expressing those emotions through your voice, allowing the feelings to resonate in your tone, pace, and inflection. This exercise helps you develop authenticity and emotional depth in your delivery.
• Vocal Characterisation: Experiment with embodying different characters or personas and expressing their emotions through your voice. Explore the nuances of tone, rhythm, and volume to convey the intended emotions convincingly.
• Visualisation Technique: Before speaking, mentally visualise the emotions you want to convey and imagine how they would manifest in your voice. Focus on connecting with the emotional essence of your message and channelling it through your vocal expression.

Masterful Intonation: Conveying Meaning Through Tone

Intonation is the secret sauce that adds flavour to your speech. Learn how to use variations in tone to emphasise key points, create suspense, and convey meaning. Whether it’s a rise in tone for a question or a fall for a powerful statement, your intonation will guide your audience’s understanding and engagement.

• Phrase Emphasis: Practise emphasising different words or phrases in a sentence to alter the intended meaning. Experiment with various tonal patterns to convey different shades of emphasis and highlight the key elements of your message.
• Rising and Falling Inflection: Explore using rising inflection to indicate a question or uncertainty and falling inflection to convey a statement or certainty. Practice modulating your voice to create natural and engaging intonation patterns.
• Dynamic Pacing: Experiment with varying the speed and rhythm of your speech to reflect the emotional content and importance of different parts of your message. Use pauses and changes in pace to add emphasis and maintain listener engagement.

Dynamic Volume Control: The Soft And Loud Of Impactful Speaking

Volume control is your secret weapon for impactful speaking. Explore techniques to adjust your volume, from soft whispers to powerful proclamations. Use volume to create emphasis, build suspense, and engage your audience in a dynamic journey. Harness the power of volume and watch as your words reverberate in the hearts and minds of your listeners.

• Whisper Exercise: Practise speaking softly and clearly, making sure your words are still intelligible. Focus on maintaining clarity and projection, even at lower volumes. This exercise helps develop control over your breath and vocal muscles for effective soft-speaking techniques.
• Vocal Projection: Practise speaking with a strong and confident voice, projecting your sound to fill the space around you. Focus on maintaining good posture, engaging your diaphragm, and using appropriate breath support to produce a powerful and resonant voice.
• Volume Variation: Explore the power of contrast by intentionally varying your volume levels throughout your speech. Experiment with softer moments.

Authenticity Amplification: Embracing Your Unique Voice

In a world of imitators, authenticity is a breath of fresh air. Embrace your unique voice and let it shine through your speaking. Discover techniques to unleash your natural vocal qualities, quirks, and personality. By amplifying your authenticity, you’ll connect with your audience on a genuine level, leaving a memorable impression.

• Self-Reflection: Take time to understand and embrace your natural speaking voice. Reflect on your own vocal qualities, strengths, and unique characteristics. Embrace your individuality and avoid imitating others. This will help you develop a confident and authentic speaking style.
• Authentic Storytelling: Share personal experiences and stories that reflect your true self. Connect with your audience by being genuine and relatable. Allow your voice to convey the emotions and authenticity behind your stories, creating a stronger connection with your listeners.
• Self-Acceptance: Embrace your voice as a part of your identity. Celebrate its uniqueness and avoid comparing yourself to others. Practice self-acceptance and develop a positive mindset towards your own vocal abilities. This will enable you to speak with confidence and authenticity.

The Secret Of Vocal Warm-Ups: Preparing Your Instrument

Just like a musician tunes their instrument, you must warm up your voice before speaking. Explore vocal warm-up exercises to relax your muscles, improve vocal agility, and prepare your instrument for a stellar performance. From tongue twisters to vocal sirens, these warm-ups will unleash the full potential of your voice.

• Lip Trills and Buzzing: Perform lip trills and buzzing exercises to warm up your lips, tongue, and facial muscles. This helps to improve articulation, flexibility, and overall vocal control.
• Tongue and Jaw Exercises: Engage in tongue and jaw exercises, such as tongue stretches and jaw rotations, to release tension and promote relaxation in these areas. This aids in improving clarity of speech and reducing vocal strain.
• Vocal Sirens: Practise vocal sirens, gliding your voice smoothly from the lowest to the highest pitch and vice versa. This exercise helps to warm up your vocal folds, expand your range, and promote vocal flexibility.

Master Vocal Techniques With Mentoria! 

By mastering these ten vocal techniques, you have unlocked the key to powerful public speaking. Embrace the power of projection, pace, relaxation, pitch, articulation, emotion, intonation, volume, authenticity, and warm-ups. Infuse your words with magic and captivate your audience with the sheer force of your voice. So, step onto the stage, own your unique sound, and let your voice be the symphony that resonates in the hearts of all who listen.

We’re here to provide you with all the help! Kick-start your journey with Mentoria and discover the right fit for you. Feel free to call us to speak to our career mentors and choose the right guidance plan that suits your needs.

Mentoria’s career guidance programme enables you to choose your perfect fit from 3 streams, 850+ courses, and 12,000+ careers, and discover what will bring out the best in you.

Choose your ideal path from 12,000+ career options.

Related Articles

• Skip to main content
• Keyboard shortcuts for audio player

Nervous about making a speech? Life Kit can help

Nervous about making a speech life kit can help..

It can be anxiety-inducing to deliver a speech in front of an audience. NPR's Life Kit talks with a speechwriter and a speech coach to get their best tips for public speaking.

Copyright © 2024 NPR. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information.

NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.

Breathing Exercises For Big Presentations

Chances are, at some point in your life, maybe before you made a speech or performed in front of a crowd, someone has told you to “Take a deep breath.” There’s a good reason behind this sentiment.

Suppose you’re anxious about an upcoming presentation or meeting. In that case, simple breathing exercises can go a long way in calming your nerves and body so that you’re relaxed and ready to roll. Engaging in controlled breathing can help your mind and body function at their full potential, which will help you stay in control of your presentation or speech.

Below, Poised explains why people get nervous before presentations and outlines some practical breathing and relaxation techniques to help you out.

Why Do We Get Nervous for Big Presentations?

Glossophobia , or the fear of public speaking, is one of the most prevalent phobias. It is even more common than the fear of death, spiders, and heights.

If you often feel crippling fear or nervousness before a work meeting or giving a presentation, understand that you are not alone. There are probably people on your team or in the room who suffer from glossophobia.

Even if you don't live with a phobia, mild or moderate anxiety can negatively impact your performance. As such, you shouldn't ignore your nervousness because it probably will persist until you take action to resolve it.

In most cases, the culprit of the fear or anxiety of public speaking is a concern that other people will negatively evaluate or judge you. This explains why many speakers will freeze when they step onto the stage or lose their train of thought in the middle of a presentation. When that happens, it can increase stress even more. At a certain point, this stress deactivates the brain’s frontal lobe, a part of the brain that is critical for recalling memories.

The fear of speaking in public is thought to be influenced by psychology and biology. But that doesn't mean that you cannot overcome it.

How Does Rapid Breathing Negatively Affect Us?

Rapid breathing, also called " hyperventilation " or "over-breathing" is common for people experiencing heightened stress or anxiety. Unless you get it under control, it can leave you feeling breathless.

Humans inhale oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide. When you breathe excessively, it produces low carbon dioxide levels in your blood, leading to an array of hyperventilation symptoms. People often hyperventilate due to bleeding, infection, or another medical issue. It can also happen in emotional situations and during panic attacks.

While breathing and relaxation techniques can halt or decrease fear, over-breathing can also turn into a medical emergency that requires treatment. If your hyperventilation is frequent or severe enough, the best approach is to consult your healthcare provider for their medical advice.

It can be challenging to recognize when you are breathing too fast. But several symptoms can bring it to your attention, such as:

• Dizziness, lightheadedness, or weakness
• Foggy thinking
• Increased heart rate or chest pain (common with chest breathing)
• Bloating or belching
• Feeling of breathlessness, shallow breathing
• Tingling or numbness in your arms
• Muscle spasms

Needless to say, rapid breathing can significantly impact your ability to speak, engage your audience, and collaborate with colleagues . Fortunately, you have plenty of options when it comes to relaxing your mind and body.

Different Breathing Techniques  

Let’s discuss a few standard breathing techniques that can calm you and prepare you to communicate effectively during your presentations and meetings.

Diaphragmatic Breathing

There is a large muscle at the base of your lungs called the diaphragm. Engaging in diaphragmatic breathing can improve how you naturally use your diaphragm during breathing.

It can strengthen your diaphragm and slow your breathing rate, preventing your body from working so hard and allowing you to breathe with less effort. Diaphragmatic breathing also reduces your body’s oxygen demand and provides you with more energy for breathing.

This deep breathing practice, also called belly breathing, stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, helping it chill out.

You can perform the diaphragmatic breathing technique by lying on a flat surface with a pillow to support your bent knees and a pillow to support your head. As you breathe, put one hand below your rib cage and the other on your chest, and take slow breaths through your nose. You should feel your stomach press against your hand.

Then, flex your stomach muscles and allow them to fall inward while you slowly breathe out through pursed lips. Keep the hand on your upper chest still throughout the process.

You can also perform the diaphragmatic breathing technique by sitting in a chair. Make sure you're sitting comfortably, bend your knees, and relax your head, neck, and shoulders. Then, follow the steps above.

Beginners often find lying down in a comfortable position to be the best approach for diaphragmatic breathing. However, your diaphragm will strengthen over time, making the exercise easier.

Pursed Lip Breathing

Pursed lip breathing is perhaps the simplest exercise for managing rapid breathing or shortness of breath. It's a quick and basic solution for slowing your breathing rate.

Here are the steps:

• Inhale slowly through your nostrils for two seconds.
• Keep your mouth closed.
• Take a normal breath (or one that is slightly deeper).
• Purse your lips like you were going to kiss someone or whistle.
• Exhale slowly for four seconds.

This breathing technique can help to calm anxiety and nervousness before speaking to a crowd or group. It improves ventilation and releases air that is trapped in your lungs.

It can also:

• Alleviate shortness of breath.
• Promote relaxation through the body.
• Reduce how hard your body must work for breathing.
• Strengthen your airways to remain open for longer.
• Slow your breathing rate.
• Release old air in your lungs, welcome new air into your lungs, and improve your breathing patterns in the process.

Alternate Nostril Breathing

Alternate nostril breathing can either be done separately or as part of a yoga or meditation routine. Its primary purpose is to quiet and still the mind; it also has been proven to lower blood pressure. While this breathwork comes in various forms, there are two primary variations to consider: anulom vilom and nadi shodhana.

Anulom vilom is a breathing regulation where you consciously inhale through a single nostril and exhale through the other. Nadi shodhana also involves the same process, except you hold your breath on the inhale for a few counts.

Because there is no standard technique for alternate nostril breathing, it's hard to distinguish which method is more valuable to practitioners. It's worth trying both variations to discover which helps you combat glossophobia and public speaking fears the best.

Other Relaxation Techniques and Advice

In addition to breathing exercises, there are many other relaxation techniques worth considering.

Here are a few:

Progressive Muscle Relaxation

People often use progressive muscle relaxation to relieve tension and focus on the present. It combines deep breathing techniques with flexing and releasing your muscles.

As you perform your deep breathing exercise, start releasing the tension in your muscles, and flex your forehead for a few seconds as you breathe out slowly. Then, maintain the tension in your forehead and hold your breath for a few more seconds.

Release the tension, and slowly exhale through your nostrils or mouth. Then, stop for about 10 seconds to concentrate on the relaxation in your forehead, keep deep breathing, and allow the tension to release more.

Follow these steps for each subsequent muscle, from the top of your head to your toes. If you prefer, you can perform progressive muscle relaxation in reverse order (from toe to head).

Mindfulness Meditation

Mindfulness meditation is another technique that can significantly reduce stress and help you think clearer. It involves sitting comfortably and focusing on your breathing. What sets this practice apart from some others is that it involves observing your thoughts (instead of stopping them).

To get the most out of mindfulness meditation, it's essential to keep a slow breathing rate and remain non-judgemental of passing thoughts.

Preparation Promotes Stress Relief

Finally, the more thoroughly you prepare for your upcoming presentation or meeting, the less stress you will likely feel. Be sure to think through your content, outline your main points, and rehearse your speech several times. If possible, get a friend to listen to your presentation and provide advice for improving your communication tactics .

Another way to prepare for meetings and enhance your communication skills is to use a coaching software like Poised. With Poised, you can receive real-time tips for improving your speech rate, minimizing rambling and filler words , and much more. Over time, these skills will become second nature!

Stress Response and Stress Management

It's common for our bodies and minds to respond in high-stress situations. But to keep your fear or anxiety from hindering your public speaking performance, it's critical to address it and find effective coping techniques.

Consider the information and advice above as you discover the breathing and relaxation techniques that work best for you. Remember to believe in yourself before you step on that stage!

Hyperventilation: Symptoms, Causes, and Emergencies | Medical News Today

Diaphragmatic Breathing Exercises & Techniques | Cleveland Clinic

Progressive Muscle Relaxation: Benefits, How-To, Technique | Healthline

Anulom Vilom: Instructions, Benefits, Possible Risks, and More | Healthline

Glossophobia or the Fear of Public Speaking | Verywell Mind

Read More Posts

Managing Expectations and Setting Reasonable Goals

How To Measure Your Zoom Performance and Improve

Passive Voice vs. Active Voice: What's the Difference?

What Is an Oxymoron and Should You Avoid Them?

Your Best Interview Coach Yet, and yes it's an AI Tool to Help with Your Communication Skills

Presentation Tips For Tax Managers

Say it like you mean it..

Improve your commmunication skills with Poised

How to Maintain Eye Contact During a Speech

• The Speaker Lab
• August 6, 2024

Table of Contents

Imagine this: You’re on stage, about to deliver a game-changing speech. In this moment, making eye contact during your speech is more than just a formality. It’s about building a genuine connection, conveying confidence, and making your message resonate. That’s why it needs to be genuine. After all, your audience is looking right back at you, so staring at your notes or scanning the room aimlessly just won’t cut it.

In this article, we’re here to teach you how to effectively maintain eye contact with your audience. Whether you’re looking to improve this skill in your professional or personal life, you’ll find that it has the power to effect both. So, without further ado , let’s get started!

The Power of Authentic Eye Contact

You know that feeling when someone truly listens to you—like they’re hanging on to your every word? Eye contact during a speech creates that same sense of engagement and connection.

That said, you don’t want to awkwardly stare down audience members. That’s not effective eye contact. Instead, you want to establish genuine connections through small but confident moments of eye contact.

Find Out Exactly How Much You Could Make As a Paid Speaker

Use The Official Speaker Fee Calculator to tell you what you should charge for your first (or next) speaking gig — virtual or in-person! 

Why is Eye Contact in Speeches Important?

Think about the conversations you’ve had with a group of friends. Chances are, good eye contact is a natural part of those interactions. It conveys honesty, respect, and interest—all qualities that are just as valuable when you’re on stage speaking. There are several other benefits of eye contact as well.

Mastering the Art of Eye Contact

Eye contact during a speech is more of an art than an exact science. But with the strategies below, you’ll be well on your way to captivating your audience.

• Start Strong : As you take the stage, find a few friendly faces and establish brief but warm eye contact with them. It will help you relax, appear confident, and set a positive tone for your presentation skills.
• Engage Individuals : Treat your audience as individuals, not just a collective mass. Make eye contact with different people throughout your speech, moving naturally around the room with your gaze. Imagine having brief conversations with them as you move from point to point.
• Mind Your Timing : According to Toastmasters , you want to maintain eye contact with someone for about 3-5 seconds. Not only does this help establish a genuine connection with that audience member, but it’s also enough time to naturally slow your speaking speed down, which never hurts. Don’t dart your eyes around too quickly or get stuck in an uncomfortable stare-down.
• Read the Room: Adjust your approach based on your audience and setting. In some cultures, prolonged eye contact can be misconstrued as aggressive, so always be mindful of cultural differences. If you see someone who looks uncomfortable, it’s fine to break eye contact and move to another person.

What If Eye Contact Makes Me Nervous?

Public speaking can be nerve-wracking. However, feeling a little anxious is totally normal—it just means you care about presenting well. To ease your nerves, make sure you practice your presentation beforehand. The more comfortable you are with your material, the more confident you’ll become.

As you rehearse, imagine different sections of the audience and practice directing your eye contact to those areas. And remember, it doesn’t need to be perfect—a few seconds with each person is all you need to build that all-important connection.

If you’re still feeling anxious, try focusing on the space between someone’s eyebrows. It might sound strange, but so long as you’re far enough away, they’ll think you’re looking directly in their eyes. Practicing this sort of “eye contact” can feel less intense and will help ease you into making more deliberate eye connections over time. Another useful trick is to consciously slow down your speaking rate. This gives you more time to think and breathe, leading to more natural eye contact.

Ready to Get Your First (Or Next) Paid Speaking Gig?

Download our free 26-page guide and get the 14 exact steps you can follow to book a paid speaking gig right now!

FAQs on Eye Contact During a Speech

Is it normal to make eye contact while talking.

Absolutely. In many cultures, consistent eye contact signals engagement and sincerity when speaking.

How much eye contact is appropriate in a speech?

A good rule of thumb is to maintain eye contact for around 3-5 seconds with an individual, long enough to complete a thought or sentence. This allows you to connect briefly with audience members without making anyone uncomfortable.

What can I do as a speaker if eye contact makes me nervous?

Public speaking jitters are entirely normal, but if you’re worried about direct eye contact try this trick. Pick a spot just above your audience’s heads to direct your gaze. No one will be able to tell the difference, and you’ll still seem confident!

Mastering eye contact during a speech isn’t about following rigid rules but finding what feels natural and engaging. Like any communication skill, it takes time and effort to master. And remember—eye contact is just one element of your presentation skills. Combine it with engaging content, authentic delivery, and effective body language for a winning combination.

By focusing on building authentic connections through thoughtful eye contact, you’ll captivate your audience, increase engagement, and ultimately ensure your message resonates long after the final word is spoken. Good luck, and remember to have fun out there!

• Last Updated: July 26, 2024

Explore Related Resources

Learn How You Could Get Your First (Or Next) Paid Speaking Gig In 90 Days or Less

We receive thousands of applications every day, but we only work with the top 5% of speakers .

Book a call with our team to get started — you’ll learn why the vast majority of our students get a paid speaking gig within 90 days of finishing our program .

If you’re ready to control your schedule, grow your income, and make an impact in the world – it’s time to take the first step. Book a FREE consulting call and let’s get you Booked and Paid to Speak ® .

About The Speaker Lab

We teach speakers how to consistently get booked and paid to speak.  Since 2015, we’ve helped thousands of speakers find clarity, confidence, and a clear path to make an impact.

Get Started

Let's connect.

[email protected]

Copyright ©2023 The Speaker Lab. All rights reserved.

• Bipolar Disorder
• Therapy Center
• When To See a Therapist
• Types of Therapy
• Best Online Therapy
• Best Couples Therapy
• Best Family Therapy
• Managing Stress
• Sleep and Dreaming
• Understanding Emotions
• Self-Improvement
• Healthy Relationships
• Student Resources
• Personality Types
• Sweepstakes
• Guided Meditations
• Verywell Mind Insights
• 2024 Verywell Mind 25
• Mental Health in the Classroom
• Editorial Process
• Meet Our Review Board
• Crisis Support

How to Manage Public Speaking Anxiety

Luis Alvarez / Getty Images

Speech Anxiety and SAD

How to prepare for a speech.

Public speaking anxiety, also known as glossophobia , is one of the most commonly reported social fears.

While some people may feel nervous about giving a speech or presentation if you have social anxiety disorder (SAD) , public speaking anxiety may take over your life.

Public speaking anxiety may also be called speech anxiety or performance anxiety and is a type of social anxiety disorder (SAD). Social anxiety disorder, also sometimes referred to as social phobia, is one of the most common types of mental health conditions.

Public Speaking Anxiety Symptoms

Symptoms of public speaking anxiety are the same as those that occur for social anxiety disorder, but they only happen in the context of speaking in public.

If you live with public speaking anxiety, you may worry weeks or months in advance of a speech or presentation, and you probably have severe physical symptoms of anxiety during a speech, such as:

• Pounding heart
• Quivering voice
• Shortness of breath
• Upset stomach

Causes of Public Speaking Anxiety

These symptoms are a result of the fight or flight response —a rush of adrenaline that prepares you for danger. When there is no real physical threat, it can feel as though you have lost control of your body. This makes it very hard to do well during public speaking and may cause you to avoid situations in which you may have to speak in public.

How Is Public Speaking Anxiety Is Diagnosed

Public speaking anxiety may be diagnosed as SAD if it significantly interferes with your life. This fear of public speaking anxiety can cause problems such as:

• Changing courses at college to avoid a required oral presentation
• Changing jobs or careers
• Turning down promotions because of public speaking obligations
• Failing to give a speech when it would be appropriate (e.g., best man at a wedding)

If you have intense anxiety symptoms while speaking in public and your ability to live your life the way that you would like is affected by it, you may have SAD.

Public Speaking Anxiety Treatment

Fortunately, effective treatments for public speaking anxiety are avaible. Such treatment may involve medication, therapy, or a combination of the two.

Short-term therapy such as systematic desensitization and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) can be helpful to learn how to manage anxiety symptoms and anxious thoughts that trigger them.

Ask your doctor for a referral to a therapist who can offer this type of therapy; in particular, it will be helpful if the therapist has experience in treating social anxiety and/or public speaking anxiety.

Research has also found that virtual reality (VR) therapy can also be an effective way to treat public speaking anxiety. One analysis found that students treated with VR therapy were able to experience positive benefits in as little as a week with between one and 12 sessions of VR therapy. The research also found that VR sessions were effective while being less invasive than in-person treatment sessions.

Get Help Now

We've tried, tested, and written unbiased reviews of the best online therapy programs including Talkspace, BetterHelp, and ReGain. Find out which option is the best for you.

If you live with public speaking anxiety that is causing you significant distress, ask your doctor about medication that can help. Short-term medications known as beta-blockers (e.g., propranolol) can be taken prior to a speech or presentation to block the symptoms of anxiety.

Other medications may also be prescribed for longer-term treatment of SAD, including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs). When used in conjunction with therapy, you may find the medication helps to reduce your phobia of public speaking.

In addition to traditional treatment, there are several strategies that you can use to cope with speech anxiety and become better at public speaking in general . Public speaking is like any activity—better preparation equals better performance. Being better prepared will boost your confidence and make it easier to concentrate on delivering your message.

Even if you have SAD, with proper treatment and time invested in preparation, you can deliver a successful speech or presentation.

Pre-Performance Planning

Taking some steps to plan before you give a speech can help you better control feelings of anxiety. Before you give a speech or public performance:

• Choose a topic that interests you . If you are able, choose a topic that you are excited about. If you are not able to choose the topic, try using an approach to the topic that you find interesting. For example, you could tell a personal story that relates to the topic as a way to introduce your speech. This will ensure that you are engaged in your topic and motivated to research and prepare. When you present, others will feel your enthusiasm and be interested in what you have to say.
• Become familiar with the venue . Ideally, visit the conference room, classroom, auditorium, or banquet hall where you will be presenting before you give your speech. If possible, try practicing at least once in the environment that you will be speaking in. Being familiar with the venue and knowing where needed audio-visual components are ahead of time will mean one less thing to worry about at the time of your speech.
• Ask for accommodations . Accommodations are changes to your work environment that help you to manage your anxiety. This might mean asking for a podium, having a pitcher of ice water handy, bringing in audiovisual equipment, or even choosing to stay seated if appropriate. If you have been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder such as social anxiety disorder (SAD), you may be eligible for these through the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
• Don’t script it . Have you ever sat through a speech where someone read from a prepared script word for word? You probably don’t recall much of what was said. Instead, prepare a list of key points on paper or notecards that you can refer to.
• Develop a routine . Put together a routine for managing anxiety on the day of a speech or presentation. This routine should help to put you in the proper frame of mind and allow you to maintain a relaxed state. An example might be exercising or practicing meditation on the morning of a speech.

Practice and Visualization

Even people who are comfortable speaking in public rehearse their speeches many times to get them right. Practicing your speech 10, 20, or even 30 times will give you confidence in your ability to deliver.

If your talk has a time limit, time yourself during practice runs and adjust your content as needed to fit within the time that you have. Lots of practice will help boost your self-confidence .

• Prepare for difficult questions . Before your presentation, try to anticipate hard questions and critical comments that might arise, and prepare responses ahead of time. Deal with a difficult audience member by paying them a compliment or finding something that you can agree on. Say something like, “Thanks for that important question” or “I really appreciate your comment.” Convey that you are open-minded and relaxed. If you don’t know how to answer the question, say you will look into it.
• Get some perspective . During a practice run, speak in front of a mirror or record yourself on a smartphone. Make note of how you appear and identify any nervous habits to avoid. This step is best done after you have received therapy or medication to manage your anxiety.
• Imagine yourself succeeding . Did you know your brain can’t tell the difference between an imagined activity and a real one? That is why elite athletes use visualization to improve athletic performance. As you practice your speech (remember 10, 20, or even 30 times!), imagine yourself wowing the audience with your amazing oratorical skills. Over time, what you imagine will be translated into what you are capable of.
• Learn to accept some anxiety . Even professional performers experience a bit of nervous excitement before a performance—in fact, most believe that a little anxiety actually makes you a better speaker. Learn to accept that you will always be a little anxious about giving a speech, but that it is normal and common to feel this way.

Setting Goals

Instead of trying to just scrape by, make it a personal goal to become an excellent public speaker. With proper treatment and lots of practice, you can become good at speaking in public. You might even end up enjoying it!

Put things into perspective. If you find that public speaking isn’t one of your strengths, remember that it is only one aspect of your life. We all have strengths in different areas. Instead, make it a goal simply to be more comfortable in front of an audience, so that public speaking anxiety doesn’t prevent you from achieving other goals in life.

A Word From Verywell

In the end, preparing well for a speech or presentation gives you confidence that you have done everything possible to succeed. Give yourself the tools and the ability to succeed, and be sure to include strategies for managing anxiety. These public-speaking tips should be used to complement traditional treatment methods for SAD, such as therapy and medication.

Crome E, Baillie A. Mild to severe social fears: Ranking types of feared social situations using item response theory . J Anxiety Disord . 2014;28(5):471-479. doi:10.1016/j.janxdis.2014.05.002

Pull CB. Current status of knowledge on public-speaking anxiety . Curr Opin Psychiatry. 2012;25(1):32-8. doi:10.1097/YCO.0b013e32834e06dc

Goldstein DS. Adrenal responses to stress . Cell Mol Neurobiol. 2010;30(8):1433-40. doi:10.1007/s10571-010-9606-9

Anderson PL, Zimand E, Hodges LF, Rothbaum BO. Cognitive behavioral therapy for public-speaking anxiety using virtual reality for exposure . Depress Anxiety. 2005;22(3):156-8. doi:10.1002/da.20090

Hinojo-Lucena FJ, Aznar-Díaz I, Cáceres-Reche MP, Trujillo-Torres JM, Romero-Rodríguez JM. Virtual reality treatment for public speaking anxiety in students. advancements and results in personalized medicine .  J Pers Med . 2020;10(1):14. doi:10.3390/jpm10010014

Steenen SA, van Wijk AJ, van der Heijden GJ, van Westrhenen R, de Lange J, de Jongh A. Propranolol for the treatment of anxiety disorders: Systematic review and meta-analysis . J Psychopharmacol (Oxford). 2016;30(2):128-39. doi:10.1177/0269881115612236

By Arlin Cuncic, MA Arlin Cuncic, MA, is the author of The Anxiety Workbook and founder of the website About Social Anxiety. She has a Master's degree in clinical psychology.

EDITORIAL article

Editorial: the ethics of speech ownership in the context of neural control of augmented assistive communication.

• 1 Brain Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
• 2 Applied Emotion and Motivation Psychology, Institute of Psychology and Education, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany

Editorial on the Research Topic The ethics of speech ownership in the context of neural control of augmented assistive communication

1 Introduction

This Research Topic focuses on the complex and unique ethical considerations and design challenges with respect to preserving user agency (the reflection of user intention in system performance) when augmented assistive communication (AAC) devices are controlled via neural signals. Such devices represent a special category of Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCIs) and AACs because they involved both direct sensing and interpretation of brain activity and assistive communication. The ethical discussions around BCIs and AACs fully apply Speech-BCIs (BCIs that produce speech content). However, when the challenges of interpreting neuronal signals intersect with AAC device imposed limitations on user expression unique issues arise. In addition, the recent growth in the technical capabilities of BCIs is driving a rapid expansion in possible use-cases for Speech-BCIs. Hence, this Research Topic aims to further and sharpen the discussion of ensuring user agency and accessing speech ownership in the context of Speech-BCIs at a time when key design decisions that can greatly influence these issues are still being made.

2 Main themes and topics

This discussion is explored in three original manuscripts by leading ethicists and researchers at the cutting edge of the Speech-BCI field, complemented by two reprinted works that help frame the context. Three central themes emerge:

1) Speech-BCIs represent shared control systems where users control cognitive activities and complex AI systems decoded brain signal features and infer intended speech output.

2) A clear definition of the unique ethical concerns and terms of the Speech-BCI field is needed to make the design challenges concrete. A clear definition of the unique ethical concerns and terms of the Speech-BCI field

3) The design choices to promote agency often weigh performance and speed against transparency of speech ownership .

A strong argument can be made that the improvements in speed and correctness facilitated by AIs such as Large Language Models (LLMs) offer increased user agency by expanding the user's ability to communicate. However, AI assistance adds an interpretive layer with potential biases on top of the often imperfect speech content directly decoded from neural signals. All three original works touch on this as a central tension point at the heart of the ethical discussions in the field.

3 Summary of original manuscripts

First, a narrative review of ethical issues prominent in Speech-BCI focused literature intended to build a framework for discussion of ethical design recommendations is given in van Stuijvenberg et al. . The concepts of designing for executory control [if and when speech is externalized ( Maslen and Rainey, 2021 )] vs. guidance control [the shaping of how speech is formulated ( Sankaran et al. )] that are emerging as guiding design principals in Speech-BCI literature are introduced. They also provide suggestions for clarifying the terminology used when discussing the ethics of Speech-BCI design decisions. They emphasize the importance of defining whether a Speech-BCI is used as an instrumental tool , for communicating simple messages, for example, about care needs and/or as an expressive tool , for communicating more complex opinions and emotions. When used as an instrumental tool, accuracy and transparency of meaning may be prioritized over speed and naturalness. Whereas, when used as an expressive tool, speed and fluency of language may be more relevant performance goals. While natural language is clearly used for both, Speech-BCIs are imperfect communication tools and clarifying their intended use sharpens ethical discussions. In addition , there is a clear difference in the context of Speech-BCIs between speech that is formalized internally, but not intended for external communication and speech meant to be externalized by the BCI user . However, the terminology used to describe this distinction has not been standardized in the field, potentially leading to misunderstandings, especially when communicating to the broader public.

The second original manuscript by Rainey broadens the discussion by pointing out that effective Speech-BCI use will be a learned skill . As such, users will need to learn to work with or around the system's limitations. Rainey discusses ways in which this skilled use can lead to a disconnect between the face value meaning of the produced speech and the users intended meaning even when executory and guidance control have been established. Rainey explores the ethical consequences a “reasons-responsiveness” [the “relationship between human reasons and the behavior of systems which include human and nonhuman agents” ( Mecacci and Santoni de Sio, 2020 )] ambiguity can have for the attribution of ownership of BCI-produced speech. This expands upon the issue of speech ownership when control over speech output is imperfect and/or shared as presented above.

Finally, a perspective of researchers at the forefront of Speech-BCIs use by people with severe speech disabilities is given by Sankaran et al. . They discuss practical strategies for executive control by allowing the user to review speech output before it is shared , also suggested by van Stuijvenberg et al. , and guidance control such as allowing users to choose language models with specific biases such as formal vs. informal speech.

4 Broader context

Additionally, two reprints provide a larger context for the discussion. A comparative review by Ishida et al. of the neuroethical issues represented in neuroethical and neuroscience journals stresses that both fields could benefit from integrating ethicists into research groups. Original research by Muncke et al. into the neural correlates of speech recognition in noisy environments highlights how context can effect speech-BCIs. A detailed discussion of the role human factors such as user mental states and traits like language competence and cultural background can have on BCI performance is given in a complementary Research Topic: Analyzing and computing humans – the role of language, culture, brain and health .

5 Conclusion and outlook

This Research Topic provides a basis to expand the discussion of the unique ethical issues inherent to direct neural control of AACs at a time when the exposure of Speech-BCIs in the media is rapidly increasing. As the public watches these devices transition from exciting concept to clinical reality it is critical to have clear discussion of the ethical implications of design decisions making this transition possible to avoid misconceptions about the aims and limitations of Speech-BCIs with respect to speech ownership that could jeopardize their acceptance.

Author contributions

ZF: Conceptualization, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing. JB: Writing – review & editing. CH: Writing – review & editing.

The author(s) declare that no financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

The author(s) declared that they were an editorial board member of Frontiers, at the time of submission. This had no impact on the peer review process and the final decision.

Publisher's note

All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article, or claim that may be made by its manufacturer, is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

Maslen, H., and Rainey, S. (2021). Control and ownership of neuroprosthetic speech. Philos. Technol . 34, 425–445. doi: 10.1007/s13347-019-00389-0

PubMed Abstract | Crossref Full Text | Google Scholar

Mecacci, G., and Santoni de Sio, F. (2020). Meaningful human control as reason-responsiveness: the case of dual-mode vehicles. Ethics Inform. Technol . 22, 103–115. doi: 10.1007/s10676-019-09519-w

Crossref Full Text | Google Scholar

Keywords: Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCI), augmented assistive communication (AAC), speech ownership, user agency, executory control, guidance control

Citation: Freudenburg Z, Berezutskaya J and Herbert C (2024) Editorial: The ethics of speech ownership in the context of neural control of augmented assistive communication. Front. Hum. Neurosci. 18:1468938. doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2024.1468938

Received: 22 July 2024; Accepted: 26 July 2024; Published: 06 August 2024.

Edited and reviewed by: Gernot R. Müller-Putz , Graz University of Technology, Austria

Copyright © 2024 Freudenburg, Berezutskaya and Herbert. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY) . The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

*Correspondence: Zachary Freudenburg, z.v.freudenburg@umcutrecht.nl

Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

Watch CBS News

Where does Tim Walz stand on guns and gun control? Here's his record.

By Anna Schecter , Kathryn Watson

August 7, 2024 / 9:10 PM EDT / CBS News

After multiple mass shootings, including school shootings, then-Rep. Tim Walz changed his views about some of the most controversial gun laws back in 2017. Now, as Kamala Harris' running mate , his strong stance on gun safety has drawn ire from the NRA.

As he has in other policy areas, Walz has taken more liberal positions on guns and gun control during his time as governor of Minnesota than he did during his six terms in the House.

For 12 years, from 2007 to 2019, Walz represented a conservative district that borders Iowa to the south. An Army National Guard veteran and avid hunter, Walz was listed by "Guns and Ammo" in its list  of "top 20 politicians for gun owners" in 2016. 

But Minnesota as a whole leans blue, something reflected in Walz's positions as a gubernatorial candidate and governor. 

From an "A" to an "F" from the NRA

Walz received "A" ratings from the National Rifle Association in his 2010, 2012, 2014 and 2016 congressional reelection races. But he received an "F" rating from the NRA during his 2018 gubernatorial race, according to the gun control group Everytown for Gun Safety.  Walz has spoken publicly about how his NRA rating slipped through the years. 

"It's true. I'm a veteran, a hunter, and a gun owner," Walz tweeted in July. "But I'm also a dad. And for many years, I was a teacher. It's about keeping our kids safe. I had an A rating from the NRA. Now I get straight F's. And I sleep just fine."

Randy Kozuch, chairman of the NRA Political Victory Fund, said Walz is a "political chameleon — changing his positions to further his own personal agenda."

"In Congress, Walz purported to be a friend of gun owners to receive their support in his rural Minnesota district," Kozuch said. "Once he had his eyes set on other offices, he sold out law-abiding Minnesotans and promoted a radical gun control agenda that emboldened criminals and left everyday citizens defenseless. Kamala Harris and Tim Walz cannot be trusted to defend freedom and our constitutional rights."

The Las Vegas mass shooting

After the 2017 mass shooting at a music festival in Las Vegas, the deadliest in modern U.S. history, Walz said he donated his campaign contributions from the NRA, $18,000, to the Intrepid Fallen Heroes fund, a charity that helps families of service members who were injured or killed. 

"As a member of Congress, I support universal background check legislation, oppose conceal and carry legislation before Congress, and oppose legislation to reduce restrictions on gun silencers," Walz wrote on Facebook after the Vegas shooting that occurred during his bid for governor. "As governor of Minnesota, I will work to ensure that Minnesota passes universal background check legislation. I will support increased funding for mental health services and support additional restrictions that ensure that Minnesota keeps guns out of the hands of dangerous people."

A few months later, after yet another mass shooting at a high school in Parkland, Florida, Walz voiced support for an assault weapons ban.

Writing in the Star Tribune at the time, he said: "I've listened hard to students, parents, law enforcement, teachers, sportsmen and survivors of gun violence, in every corner of Minnesota. And while they have different perspectives, I've heard them all say one thing loud and clear: This. Needs. To. Stop."

Walz has framed background checks and red-flag policies as common-sense safeguards that don't contradict the Second Amendment. 

John Feinblatt, president of Everytown for Gun Safety, said Walz is "living proof that responsible gun ownership and support for common-sense gun safety laws go hand-in-hand."

"Over the last decade, he's joined countless other gun owners in rejecting an increasingly extreme gun lobby's lie that says basic gun safety laws are incompatible with the Second Amendment," Feinblatt said. "From signing a sweeping package of gun safety bills to donating past NRA contributions to an organization for his fellow veterans, Governor Walz has proven that he's not afraid to stand up to the gun lobby."

• Gun Control
• National Rifle Association
• Democratic Party
• 2024 Elections

Anna Schecter is the senior coordinating producer for CBS News and Stations' Crime and Public Safety Unit, based in New York.

More from CBS News

Tim Walz's military record under scrutiny as he joins Democratic ticket

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez praises Walz's "many different assets"

For Tim Walz and his family, IVF is personal

Harris-Walz campaign says it raised $36 million in 24 hours after running mate revealed

Figure’s new humanoid robot leverages OpenAI for natural speech conversations

Figure has unveiled its latest humanoid robot, the Figure 02. The system is — as its name helpfully suggests — the successor to the Figure 01 robot unveiled in 2023 . An initial teaser video is similar to those we’ve seen from other humanoids, echoing consumer electronics product videos, rather than a raw demo of the robot in action.

Another video released Tuesday showcases the robot’s slow, bent-leg gait across the floor of what looks to be the demo area constructed in the middle of Figure’s offices. Another two robots appear in the background, carting totes — the biggest out-of-the-box application for most of these humanoids.

The most notable addition this time out arrives by way of a longstanding partnership with OpenAI, which helped Figure raise a $675 million Series B back in February , valuing the South Bay firm at $2.6 billion.

The mainstream explosion of neural networks has been enticing for the robotics industry at large, but humanoid developers have taken a particular interest in the technology. One of the form factor’s key selling points is its ability to effectively slot alongside human co-workers on a factory floor — once the proper safety measures are in place, of course. Figure 02 is outfitted with speakers and microphones to speak and listen to people at work.

Models like ChatGPT and Google Gemini have been prized for their natural language capabilities, ushering in a new area of smart assistants and chatbots. Outfitting these systems with such capabilities is a no-brainer: Doing so helps humans instruct the robots, while at the same time adding a level of transparency to what the robot is doing at any given time.

Communication like this is doubly important when dealing with humanoid robots, as the systems are designed to wander freely without a safety cage. Despite their human-like design, it’s important not to lose sight of the fact that they’re still big, heavy and potentially dangerous pieces of moving metal. Combined with vision and proximity sensors, speech can be an important safety tool.

Figure certainly isn’t alone in this work. Late last year, Agility showcased the work it’s been doing to leverage generative AI for improved human-robot communication. The use of neural networks was a key focus for Google’s Everyday Robots team before it was shuttered. Elon Musk, meanwhile, is ostensibly in charge of both Grok AI and Optimus — two projects that will no doubt dovetail sooner rather than later.

For its part, OpenAI has hedged its bets a bit in the category. Prior to its Figure investment, the firm backed Norwegian firm 1X. Over the past year, however, Figure has become far buzzier in the industry. Its aforementioned Series B also included other top tech names like Microsoft, Amazon, Nvidia and Intel Capital.

Figure recently began pilots with BMW . In June, the company debuted a video showcasing an earlier, tethered version of the robot autonomously performing tasks on the floor, with the help of neural networks.

The company notes that the 02 robot has already paid a visit to the automaker’s Spartanburg, South Carolina, facility for training and data collection purposes. We’re still very much in the early stages of these partnerships. Agility, Apptronik and Sanctuary AI have announced similar pilots with carmakers. Working on Teslas has been a key focus for Optimus since before it was Optimus, and Boston Dynamics-owner Hyundai has its sights set on humanoids in its own factories.

Communication is one piece of what Figure is referring to as a “ground-up hardware and software redesign” between 01 and 02. The list also includes six RGB cameras, coupled with an onboard visual language model, improved CPU/GPU computing and improved hands, with 16 degrees of freedom.

Hands have been their own hot-button topic in the humanoid robot world. There are differing opinions regarding how closely designers should hew to their human counterparts.

There’s a lot to be said for the nimbleness and dexterity of our appendages, though human-inspired hands have been criticized for their delicacy and a perceived over engineering. Figure, for its part, has been dedicated to using humanlike hands as its system’s end effectors.

We don’t have a timeline for a wider Figure 02 rollout, though the company is hinting at a broader future outside the warehouse/factory floor. “Figure’s robot combines the dexterity of the human form with advanced AI to perform a wide range of tasks across commercial applications and, in the near future, the home,” the company writes.

More TechCrunch

Get the industry’s biggest tech news, techcrunch daily news.

Every weekday and Sunday, you can get the best of TechCrunch’s coverage.

Startups Weekly

Startups are the core of TechCrunch, so get our best coverage delivered weekly.

TechCrunch Fintech

The latest Fintech news and analysis, delivered every Tuesday.

TechCrunch Mobility

TechCrunch Mobility is your destination for transportation news and insight.

Bilingual dictation assistant Silvia understands ‘Spanglish’ and other language mixtures

Natural language AI assistants tend to be excellent English speakers, and passable in other tongues — but if you are one of the millions who fluidly switch between two languages…

Indian conglomerate Reliance slashed over 42,000 jobs last financial year

Reliance, India’s largest conglomerate, reduced its workforce by 11%, or more than 42,000 people, in the financial year ended March 2024. 

Anduril raises $1.5B at a $14B valuation

The Palmer Luckey-founded defense startup wants to become a serious rival to longstanding kingpins, and has been clocking some big wins.

UK satellite startup Blue Skies Space wants to sell astronomy data ‘as a service’

The satellite is designed to complement data provided by existing astronomical efforts such as that of the famed Hubble Telescope.

YouTube is testing a feature that lets creators use Google Gemini to brainstorm video ideas

YouTube is testing an integration with Google Gemini to help creators brainstorm video ideas, titles and thumbnails. The Google-owned company announced the launch of the new Brainstorm with Gemini feature…

From Skims to Stripe, here are the startups that are likely — or definitely — not having IPOs this year

Last year’s investor dreams of a strong 2024 IPO pipeline have faded, if not fully disappeared, as we settle in to the second half of the year. This year delivered…

Techstars is laying off 17%, ending its J.P. Morgan-backed programs

Techstars is cutting 17% of its staff and will end its $80 million J.P. Morgan-backed AdvancingCities program once the fund is completely deployed.

Made by Google 2024: How to watch Google unveil the Pixel 9, a new foldable and more

Made by Google 2024 kicks off at 10 a.m. PT on August 13. Get ready for a slew of new hardware, including the Pixel 9 and a new foldable.

Newly launched social network Maven loses its co-founders

Just three months after Maven’s public launch, Kenneth Stanley — the former OpenAI researcher who co-founded the social media platform designed to facilitate serendipitous interactions — is stepping down.  Stanley…

ChatGPT’s mobile app just had its biggest month yet

With the arrival of ChatGPT’s new Advanced Voice Mode, which offers nearly real-time, realistic interactions, Appfigures expects growth to continue in the months to come.

UK’s internet regulator warns social media platforms over risks of inciting violence

The U.K.’s internet regulator Ofcom has published an open letter to social media platforms raising concerns about the use of their tools being used to incite violence.

Keychron’s K2 HE turns magnets and wood into an affordable mechanical keyboard

The $79 K2 has long been one of Keychron’s bestselling mechanical keyboards. As with all of the company’s K-line boards, it offers a relatively no-frills experience but provides all of…

Facebook creators have a new way to avoid ‘jail’

Facebook creators are being given a new option that will help them avoid jail — “Facebook jail,” that is — upon their first violation, and at various times after. In…

Featured Article

A comprehensive list of 2024 tech layoffs

The tech layoff wave is still going strong in 2024. Following significant workforce reductions in 2022 and 2023, this year has already seen 60,000 job cuts across 254 companies, according to independent layoffs tracker Layoffs.fyi. Companies like Tesla, Amazon, Google, TikTok, Snap and Microsoft have conducted sizable layoffs in the…

This Week in AI: OpenAI’s talent retention woes

Hiya, folks, welcome to TechCrunch’s regular AI newsletter. This week in AI, OpenAI lost another co-founder. John Schulman, who played a pivotal role in the development of ChatGPT, OpenAI’s AI-powered…

Nothing’s $399 Phone 2a Plus hits the US through a beta program

As has been the case with Nothing’s other handsets, there are a few hoops required to purchase the device in the U.S.

Mechanical Orchard, led by ex-Pivotal CEO, scores $50M round led by Alphabet’s GV

Digital transformation — the process of transforming outdated apps and processes with cloud technologies and digital workflows — can be a risky undertaking. In 2023, Harvard Business Review reported that…

Napkin turns text into visuals with a bit of generative AI

Napkin wants to use generative AI to make turning text into visualizations as easy as clicking on a button and customizing the results.

Hackers could spy on cell phone users by abusing 5G baseband flaws, researchers say

Security researchers found a dozen vulnerabilities in 5G baseband chips found in phones made by Google, OPPO, OnePlus, Motorola, and Samsung.

Bandana lands new investment to help hourly wage workers find good jobs

Most startups are looking to solve a problem inside a business, but Bandana, a New York City-based startup, has a different goal. It wants to help people at the lower…

After EU approval, UK clears HPE’s $14B Juniper Networks acquisition

Hewlett Packard Enterprise’s (HPE) planned $14 billion acquisition of Juniper Networks is one step closer to completion — the U.K.’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has confirmed that the deal…

Lyft to ‘open up a can of whoop ass’ on surge pricing

Ride-hail giant Lyft will pilot a new feature called Price Lock that will let a rider purchase a monthly subscription “that caps the price for a specific route at a…

Audible is testing an AI-powered search feature 

Audible, the audiobook company owned by Amazon, announced on Wednesday that it is testing an AI-powered search feature to assist users in narrowing down their audiobook search. Starting today, select…

Database startup Neon nabs a Microsoft investment

In a sign that big tech companies are ready and willing to shell out cash for database tech, Neon, a startup building an open source alternative to AWS Aurora Postgres,…

Ex-Clubhouse employees take another swing at a social networking startup

The ex-Clubhouse, Netflix employees raised $1.65M for an app that combines social media, networking, and dating.

Fintech Payoneer is buying 5-year-old global payroll startup Skuad for $61M in cash

New York-based fintech Payoneer has acquired Skuad, a Singapore-based global HR and payroll startup, for $61 million in cash, the company exclusively told TechCrunch.  Payoneer said it could also pay…

Elon Musk’s X taken to court in Ireland for grabbing EU user data to train Grok without consent

Elon Musk’s X is being taken to court in Ireland for using Europeans’ data to train AI models without asking for their consent.

Automattic launches AI writing tool that aims to make WordPress blogs more readable and succinct

Automattic, the owner of WordPress.com, has launched a new AI tool designed to help bloggers write more clearly and succinctly.

EQT takes a majority stake in cybersecurity firm Acronis at $3.5B+ valuation

Cybersecurity remains a white-hot space for investors. In the latest example of that demand, EQT has bought a majority stake in Acronis, a security company that specializes in data protection,…

UK data watchdog to fine NHS vendor Advanced for security failures prior to LockBit ransomware attack

The ICO issued the provisional fine in “failing to implement appropriate security measures prior to the attack.”