An army officer does not only lead the army in the battlefield but through his or her words ignites the fire of patriotism in the men to fight and protect their country. Therefore, comes the necessity of the SSB to test the candidates on the effectiveness and influence of their speech through a lecturette. The candidate is given a maximum of three minutes to prepare and another three minutes to deliver a short speech or lecturette on a topic before an audience in the Group Tasks (GT). The GTO sits behind the speaking candidate and tests for certain required qualities of the candidate like self-confidence, ability to influence the group, command and power in the speaking style, determination to perform under stress, general awareness and courage to speak in front of people, etc. through the candidate’s power of expression and clarity of thoughts in his or her speech. To deliver a lecturette effectively in SSB, therefore, there are certain tips that you should follow :
Tip 1 : Prepare Well
- Friends make good reading and speaking habits. Be updated. Talk to your friends or family members in English. Read newspapers and magazines to increase your general awareness about the most common topics of national and international importance. Prepare on the common topics like Indo Pak relations, drug abuse, global warming, power of press, Indian missile development program, etc. For more such list of topics, follow us on www.ssbcrack.com .
- Practice preparing on any topic for 3 minutes and then speaking on it for 3 minutes. You can prepare chits with topic names written on them and shuffle and choose one for lecturette practice. Take the help of a clock or anyone monitoring your lecturette timing.
- If you feel shy to talk in front of everyone, start speaking to yourself in front of the mirror. When you feel confident enough, try to speak in front of your family members or friends. But make sure, you eventually make a point to practice some public speaking as you need to ultimately do it in SSB.
- Keep a note of your body postures, gestures, body language, expressions, pronunciation, accent, speed of your speech and voice while you practice speaking.
Tip 2 : Focus on Your Key Topic
Consider at least 3 and not more than 5 main points you want the audience to know on completion of the lecturette. Simplicity, both in the content and presentation should be kept in mind. Emphasize on the topic, do not beat around the bush. Take the help of points you jotted down while you were preparing for the topic.
Tip 3 : Connect with Your Audience
Do not just talk away. Involve and connect your audience by asking rhetorical questions like “You’ll ask why?” or providing exclamations like “Wow! This is great!” You can take up personal experiences when you begin and then move on to the general ideas or concepts. Remember not to get too personal while speaking. If appropriate to the context, you can add just a little bit of humour in your lecturette to bring a smile in your audience’s or perhaps the GTO’s lips.
Tip 4 : Keep It Short & Structured
Divide your points of the lecturette in three main phases : the Introduction, the Body & the Conclusion of the topic. Do not say more than 1 to 2 lines for both Introduction & Conclusion. Concentrate mostly on the Body as it will contain the major information about the topic. The 3 ways of delivering a good lecturette is ‘tell them what you’re going to say, say it, tell them what you’ve told them’. The end!
Tip 5 : Gear Up!
- During your speech, maintain eye contact with your audience while you are speaking. Do not stare straight down at a piece of paper while you speak. Engaging your audience visually makes you appear secure and confident. Also do not keep staring at the one person throughout your lecturette. Shift your gaze or the rest of the audience will feel left out and will soon lose interest in you. Never look at the GTO while speaking.
- Use minimal hand gestures while speaking. Do not indulge in wild flaying of your hands. For maximum effectiveness, punctuate your speech with gestures when appropriate. If you are a nervous public speaker, rest your hands against the podium. It will make you feel steadier.
- Before you start to speak, take a breath and then start confidently, enthusiastically and clearly. Do not rush. Do not use too many fillers like “ah”s and “umm”s. Talk as though you expect attention and understanding, and you’ll surely get it.
- Modulate your voice according to the idea or concept. Speak with confidence and determination. Do not shout but make sure your voice is loud and clear for the audience to understand. Show excitement, passion, enthusiasm and fire in you while you speak. Speak with a moderate pace and with maintain a good body posture while you speak. Do not slouch or lean on the podium. Do not look worried, scared or nervous on the podium. Avoid touching your face, hair or head while you speak.
- Take care not to exceed your time or finish too fast while delivering your speech.
Follow these abovementioned tips while practising and delivering your lecturette in SSB Group Task and you will surely perform like a pro and qualify the test with flying colours. Work hard and prepare well. Believe in your dreams and yourself. Moreover, be strong and confident.
Jai Hind!
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