Organization
I virtually attended a public speaking event on the most famous public speaking platform, TED. The video’s title is “How to speak so that people want to listen,” and it was delivered by the famous Julian Treasure. Its organization can be divided into an introduction, a middle, and a conclusion. The speaker starts with an attention-grabbing introduction that acquaints the audience with the topic and explains the importance of effective communication. The middle contains various things people can do to ensure their speech is powerful enough to change the world. Finally, the speaker concludes by addressing the impact of effective communication on the world. I would not organize the speech differently because it is easy to follow, has clear transitions between sections, and has a strong conclusion that leaves the audience with steps necessary to improve their communication skills.
The speech is well structured, in four parts: introduction, the impact of what you say, vocal warmup exercises, and a conclusion. After introducing the topic, Julian Treasure discusses the seven deadly sins of speaking (the things people should avoid): gossiping, judging, negativity, complaining, excuses, lying, and dogmatism. He then suggests four elements that create a foundation for a powerful speech and goes ahead to explain four tools that audiences can use to improve their speech. After explaining how each tool can be used effectively, the speaker asks the audience to stand up, and they practice vocal warmup exercises that he does before going to the stage to deliver a public speech.
Moreover, the speaker used visual aids, which were very effective in grabbing the audience’s attention. Julian Treasure used an overhead projection showing very clear images that everyone could easily see. He also used a remote control to advance to the next picture or description, which helped audiences retain more information and focus better.
Delivery
The delivery was not perfect, but it was 95 percent good. First, the volume was right but a bit low at the start. Some people were still applauding the speaker when he gave his opening statement, and they might have missed what he said. The speaker could have been a bit louder or could have said something that would grasp their attention first. The rate changed severally throughout the speech, and his poise showed that he was composed and confident about his delivery. He maintained eye contact with the audience and made hand gestures that flowed naturally. It seemed like he had memorized the entire presentation because he barely looked at the projection or his computer, but he explained everything he projected perfectly. In addition, he interacted with his audiences by telling them jokes and through an exercise that involved warming up their breath, lips, and tongue.
Speaker Improvement
I must acknowledge that the speech was very educative and provided ideas worth spreading to the world. The author did so well opening with something that all audiences know, “the human voice.” Also, his timing and rhythm were good, and the speech was relatively short (9:58 minutes), hence could hardly bore the audience. Furthermore, the speaker did not use filler words but used transitions to combine various sections of his speech and show how they are related. However, although Julian Treasure is one of the top-rated international speakers on sound and communication skills, there is always room for improvement. First, some people probably did not hear the speaker’s opening statement. The crowd was still applauding when he said, “The human voice.” In my stance, the speaker would have said something like “Thank you” or wait for people to stop clapping. He could also have said it with a higher volume to ensure everyone heard clearly. Second, he could have given his audiences a chance to answer one or two of his several rhetorical questions. Nevertheless, I have learned a lot about how to speak to people effectively, and I am confident that the 36.9 million people who have viewed the video have also gained significantly.
Work Cited
Treasure, Julian. “How to speak so that people want to listen.” TED, 27 June 2014, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIho2S0ZahI.
write