A public speaker is someone who speaks in front of a group of people who have gathered specifically to hear them. Public speakers can appear in a variety of settings, and public speaking has a long history in many cultures. Oratory from public speakers was regarded as a vital part of society in Greece and Rome, for example.
A public speaker’s job or career may require him or her to give speeches. Most politicians are public speakers who deliver speeches throughout their campaigns to inform voters about their platforms and encourage them to vote for them. Public speakers can also work for a variety of businesses, giving speeches to shareholders and the general public about the company’s activities and major achievements.
A number of politicians have become well-known for their oratory skills and public speaking prowess. Public speakers such as Winston Churchill, President John F. Kennedy, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Charles de Gaulle, as well as activists such as Martin Luther King and Malcolm X, were well-known. Memorable public speakers usually have outstanding speechwriting skills or teams, as well as an exceptional ability to deliver a speech in a compelling, engaging, and motivating manner. Public speeches have literally brought empires down, demonstrating the power of a public speaker.
Other public speakers have a more educational goal in mind. Many public outreach organizations hire public speakers to deliver speeches to the general public, ranging from speeches about how to get health care benefits to speeches about how to travel safely in foreign countries. Public speakers can also serve as motivational or leadership speakers, inspiring people to take action, participate in a specific activity, or realize their full potential in their personal and professional lives.
Storytelling can also be done public speakers. While narrating stories for large groups is becoming less common in some parts of the world, the oral tradition is still alive and well in others. The speaker has trained so that she or he can hold the audience’s attention, convey the story convincingly, and keep people coming back for more stories in the future. The storyteller may know the story rote or read it from a text, and the speaker has trained so that she or he can hold the audience’s attention, convey the story convincingly, and keep people coming back for more stories in the future.
Some public speakers are born with the ability to speak in public, but the majority have received public speaking training. Learning about cadence and pacing, as well as enunciation and pronunciation, is essential for a public speaker to be clearly heard and understood the audience.