The art of effective speech

WHAT is the biggest no-no when giving a speech? Talking down to your listeners. “Never patronise your audience. To be condescending is unforgivable,'' says public speaking expert Amy Lai Tan. 

One might think this is simple advice. In the heat of the moment, however, many speakers tend to become emotional, especially those who are more used to the confrontational, parliamentary-style debates practised in schools.