squareSpeaking Tips

Your ability to communicate ideas convincingly, clearly, and engagingly will be central to your success as a SOMA delegate. Here are some tips from Secretariat on how to make the most of your speaking time:

  • Plan what you want to say before you ask to be recognized, and organize your thoughts in a logical manner
  • Be as brief and concise as possible
  • Speak in a loud, clear voice, especially if you are not using a microphone
  • If you have time to do so, incorporate a light-hearted or humorous aside into your remarks; this will make your speech memorable
  • Limit the scope of your remarks to the most urgent and central points you wish to address, and don't waste time picking apart minutiae from other delegates' speeches
  • Keep your tone formal and respectful
  • Avoid the word "um" like the plague!

Points of Information

  • One intelligent, pointed question is worth five mediocre ones; exercise restraint
  • Keep the lead-up to questions as short as possible. Convoluted introductions will confuse your fellow delegates rather than explaining the purpose of the question
  • Pay close attention to the other questions being asked and take care to offer a new or interesting perspective instead of repeating previous speakers' points