PREPARING YOURSELF

In preparing yourself for the big event, you might want to ask yourself the following questions:

• Who are you speaking to?
  What are their interests, presuppositions and values? What do they share in common with others? How are they unique?

• What do you wish to communicate to your audience?
  The objective that will define your subject, e.g., "to argue for the possibility of a world without poverty."
  

• How can you best convey your message?
  Language, verbal and nonverbal, is important here. Choose your words and your nonverbal cues with your audience in mind. Plan a beginning, middle and end.

• When?
  Timing is important here. Develop a sense of timing, so that your contributions are seen and heard as relevant to the issue or matter at hand. There is a time to speak and a time to be silent.

• Where?
  Where is the venue of your speech? You may want to spend some time to visit the room for example, and rearrange the furniture. In addition, you also need to check on the availability of the PA system.

• Why?
  Your audience need to know why they should listen to you. Identify what disposes them to listen. This means that you yourself must be aware why you are seeking to communicate.