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Thinkers360

Purposes For Public Speaking

Feb08



There are many reasons you may need to engage in a public speaking opportunity or event. The
most common purposes for public speaking include informational talks, demonstrations,
persuasive or motivational speaking, and ceremonial or celebratory speeches.


Most public speeches involve informative speaking or sharing your knowledge about a particular
subject or topic with other people. Many times, work presentations are informational, as you
share important knowledge with those in your organization who need to know. Imparting
information is the goal of this type of speaking, and it differs slightly from demonstrations, which are designed to teach someone HOW to do something. Informational and demonstration speeches are frequent in many different fields and disciplines. Whether your audience is your whole company, your team, or just your mentee, sharing information or demonstrating a skill is a prevalent task in most fields today, so understanding how to deliver information to others effectively is an essential skill in today’s workforce.


Persuading other people is also a common purpose for public speaking. Whether you are trying
to persuade someone to take action in your local community, to purchase a particular product,
or to achieve their goals through taking a specific action, convincing others to do something is a
powerful and much-needed skill. While some professions use persuasive speaking more than
others, we all need to understand how to talk to others to get what we want and need in life.
Speaking of ceremonies and special events is another essential purpose for using public speaking
skills. Weddings, award ceremonies, funerals, parties, and other events are all times when you
may be asked to address those who are assembled.

The purpose of these speeches is usually to entertain or communicate a strong feeling, and
while you may not need to do this every day of your life, having this skill when you need it is
important and allows you to feel confident when you are asked to speak in these types of
situations.

By Bev Hepting

Keywords: Entrepreneurship, Leadership, Startups

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