Publish at September 05 2023 Updated September 05 2023
Moral stability, economic stability, emotional stability, etc. are all stabilities that benefit from positive appreciation. By changing the word "stability" to its opposite "instability" in the word groups mentioned, the meaning turns to negative considerations. Yet in many activities, such as public speaking, this dualism intertwines to produce positive results. So how do stability and instability work together in public speaking?
Gestures, or non-verbal communication, are an important element of oral communication, as they can reinforce the meaning, clarity and impact of your message. However, not all gestures are appropriate or effective in all situations. Different gestures can have different meanings or connotations in different cultures or contexts.
Gestures should complement and reinforce what you're saying, not contradict it or distract from it. For example, if you're giving positive feedback, you can use open, innovative gestures such as smiling, nodding or raising your eyebrows. If you're giving negative feedback, you can use closed, affirmative gestures, such as frowning, shaking your head or crossing your arms.
The same applies when you have to manage your space: it's advisable not to move too far away from the lectern or podium, not to shuttle around the stage too much, and so on. Nor should you be static. According to a guide produced by Toast Master International, there are descriptive gestures, rhetorical gestures, evocative gestures and mobilizing gestures. All these gestures are adapted according to the subject and the circumstances. In conclusion, it is not advisable to be static when speaking in public.
The voice is a tool par excellence in oral communication. It enables you to convey your message, capture the audience's attention, arouse emotions and reinforce your credibility and charisma. However, the voice can also be a source of stress, fatigue and difficulties if not properly managed. So it's important to know how to manage your voice to optimize its impact. Specialists recommend modulating your voice to avoid monotony.
Voice modulation is the art of varying the sound characteristics of your voice, such as intonation, volume, flow, rhythm, timbre and pauses. It makes your speech more lively, expressive and persuasive. It also helps to capture the listener's attention, reinforce the message and avoid monotony. Its management depends on breathing. Inhaling and exhaling exercises help you manage your voice.
Having an unstable voice means changing tone, rhythm, timbre, etc. at the right moment. In this context, instability is the key to success.
Silences are very useful when speaking in public. Whether it's a pause to gather ideas, a moment to emphasize a point or an interval to invite audience participation, silences can be powerful tools for enhancing speech. However, silences can also be awkward and uncomfortable, especially if they are unplanned or last too long.
So it's important to plan different pauses and make sure they're similar, let's say stable. In Denzel Washington's film The Great Debaters (2007), during the final debate between Wiley College and Harvard University, the youngest Wiley debater gives his team victory by using a 30-second silence at the start of his second speech to capture the attention of the entire room.
Emotional instability is also a weapon in public speaking. Your emotions, which are transmitted by your feelings, must be felt when you speak in public. They depend on the content of your speech. Sadness, joy, fear, anxiety etc. are all feelings you need to bring out in your public speaking, depending on the message you wish to convey.
In conclusion, when it comes to public speaking, instability is a given. When it comes to gestures, voice, emotions and silences, you need to avoid stability, even if you need to measure changes carefully to ensure consistency. Stability in this case is nothing more than consistency in coherent or well-organized changes.
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