I was at an event full of speeches recently. And it struck me forcefully, yet again, that Indian speakers, with some exceptions, don't know how to construct a speech for a given audience. Professors are no exception. I have seen many drone on through their allotted time and beyond, when audiences have lost interest, at conferences galore.
Maybe this is a subject for communication experts to explain to such speakers/wannabe speakers, but here is my two bits- I'll keep it short, thank you.
Know your audience, and what makes them tick. Or at least, might interest them.
Have a loose structure, at least. A PPT (Power point), for all the criticism it gets, does force you to write down a structured presentation. You can always deviate a bit from a structure, but it gives you a frame. And an approximate timer.
Keep it short. Use some visuals if you have a presentation.
Use anecdotes if appropriate, and personal experiences. Shows you have been there, done that.
Humour also can make it easy on the audience, if used intelligently.
That's it..as promised.
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