10 ways to be a "good host" when you speak

When you speak, think of it as a party.  You are the host.  Your listeners are the “guests.”  Here are 10 ways to make the “party” an informative experience that is comfortable and enjoyable for your guests.

1. Your guests should know what kind of party it will be when you invite them.  Will a full meal be served?  Will there be a theme?  Likewise, if you are making a presentation or speech, let the title and description clearly convey what the listener can expect.

2. Anticipate the needs of your “guests”  How much do your listeners know about your topic? Do you need to give them background information, using language and terminology they can easily understand? 

3. Don’t underfeed or overfeed your guests.  Try to estimate how much information they need.  Don’t overload them with more detail than they can reasonably absorb.  There is a limit to how much we can eat.  And there is a limit to how much we can learn from listening during one conversation or presentation. 

4. Be cordial to your guests.  Give them friendly invitations or offers.  “Let’s talk about why profits are down this year.”  “Shall we take a look at some of the consequences of these decisions?”  “What exactly did the President mean when he said ‘No more taxes’? 

5. Take your time with each course of the meal…and give your listeners time to digest what you have said. 

6. The food should have a variety of interesting flavors.  And when you speak, you should vary the speaking rate, the pitch of your voice, your rhythm, pauses, and your gestures.  If you use slides, they will be more interesting if they include a variety of illustrations and graphs. 

7. Offer a refill or another beverage when you notice glasses and cups are empty.  If you notice that your listeners look puzzled or perplexed, invite them to ask questions.  Or ask the questions yourself, and provide the answers. 

8. Encourage your guests to interact.  In the same way, encourage your listeners to participate by graciously inviting comments, questions, and discussion. 

9. Compliment your guests:  a smart-looking outfit, a delicious wine that was contributed, a colorful bouquet of flowers.  Likewise, you can praise audience members, either individually or collectively, for contributions that they have made to the topic or discussion.  Who doesn’t enjoy being complimented in public?

10. Be mindful of food allergies.  If your point of view is controversial, don’t provoke a bad reaction by dismissing opposing points of view.  Acknowledge that there is some value in the way other people perceive the facts.