Competitive Speaking – How to Present with Power in a Challenging Environment? (Both On-stage & Online Competition)
Most of our articles and discussions here cover communication settings in our day-to-day environment. To this, we add one more important communication scenario – a speech competition! Now, most of us will not find ourselves in a competitive speaking scenario or circuit. That does not mean you should not avail yourself to the techniques or preparation tips that go into such a high-stakes communication setting, whether for yourself or for your child!
Competitive speaking is an active circuit, and it usually involves participants being tested with various speech genres such as speech evaluation or even impromptu speaking. One of the core types of speeches used in speech contests is that of an inspirational/entertaining speech. All these require contestants to be competent, versatile and steady in the face of stiff competitions.
Some of our trainers have gone through the competitive route themselves. Today, we have a sharing from Mr Zulhafni, who recently participated in an online international speech competition (organised under the banner of Toastmasters International). He will share some of his thoughts about the experience and the skills involved!
Editor: So, how was the entire competitive experience like?
Zul: I have joined several speech competitions, but this latest contest was conducted online over Zoom. This was the first time I participated in an online contest, and that meant having to adapt existing techniques or even speech delivery style for an online setting. Intuitively, the change in the audience dynamic and having no live audience to react to your speech was definitely a key challenge. For example, it is a different experience sharing a story before a live audience with immediate reactions compared to looking into your webcam during your sharing.
That challenge aside, the learning experience from joining a competition is invaluable. Competitions are not just about winning, they always present a fantastic opportunity to learn from the veteran, creative and accomplished speakers from Singapore and worldwide! As a trainer myself, it remains crucial to keep updated on the communication skills that are moving the world in the modern age. In short, the entire competitive experience thus far has been immensely valuable!
Watch how our contestants felt about their competition experience:
Highlight Reel 2017 National Public Speaking Competition (Secondary):
Highlight Reel 2019 National Public Speaking Competition (Primary):
Editor: What is the most important part of your preparation?
Zul: While I believe in the power and potential of body language, the most essential preparation task for me is the ideation phase. This is a common struggle most communicators are likely to face – coming up with ideas. For me, coming up with an idea is more than just sitting and staring into space until a magical story comes to mind! Instead, there are various methods I use to help jolt my mind in making that first step in the speech crafting process.
First, it is important to start in a constructive physical and mental space. A nice, quiet café may do wonders to your creativity. At the same time, a noisy, bustling coffeehouse may end up being too distracting. Find a space that allows your mind to roam freely and cycle through various ideas. Second, when brainstorming for ideas, I try to avoid judging the idea based on the one or two-sentence thought. This means that I try to dwell in-depth into a collection of ideas before shortlisting the appealing ones. Finally, don’t panic if you find yourself stuck without an idea. When that happens to me, I find it helpful to disengage from the stressful ideation process and walk around to simply observe. Even with the recent COVID-19 measures now, you can replicate this ‘observation’ process online through videos or other speeches!
Editor: What would be your one-line for aspiring competitive speakers out there?
Zul: I would just emphasise three short words – “Make it simple!”. We are often tempted to come up with a marvellous, complex, and philosophical idea but the best messages that work are those that drive straight to your audience’s heart without making them overthink. No matter what story you have in mind or an experience you are sharing, always remind yourself to keep your message simple for the benefit of your audience.
Watch our Grand Finalists share their one-line to fellow public speakers:
Final Thought:
Thrive in the Competitive Communications Environment!
With that, we have come to the end of the sharing by Mr Zulhafni on competitive speaking. We would conclude by emphasising that the competitive experience is a valuable platform to test and hone your or your child’s communication abilities. Our National Public Speaking Competition, for example, pits the best young public speakers against each other both in prepared and impromptu speeches. We hope that this article will motivate you to find a contest new you and challenge yourself!
If you’re keen to take your public speaking & presentation skills (either business/corporate presentation or kids in-class presentation) to the next level so that you may public speak and present with flair and charisma, feel free to check out our offerings below!
For more about our Public Speaking Course for Adults :
https://publicspeakingacademy.com.sg/courses-and-programs/group-classes-for-adults/
For more about our Public Speaking Course for Kids / Children:
https://publicspeakingacademy.com.sg/group-classes-students-age-9-18/