An engaging and thought-provoking speech is one that will inspire you to go out there and get things done. However, writing a great speech requires a tremendous amount of research and understanding of the topic to be convincingly delivered. More importantly, one will need to choose a topic that is not only informative for the audience but also something that you can speak about without your angsty brain getting clouded with confusion and distress.
But, how do we choose a topic that we are comfortable with? Let’s take a look…
Most times, you will be called to deliver a speech on a topic that you are familiar with or are related to. It is necessary to have an idea about the type of audience you will be interacting with. This will help you to decide if the speech should be technically sound with a lot of details (formal) or if it should be general, light, and informal. But if you are asked to deliver a speech as part of examinations or competitive activities, it is better to choose a topic that you are passionate about. This could be anything – as long as you have interesting content that you are excited to talk about! It is important to remember that most audience members may not share the same interests as you do, so selecting a general topic that could strike a chord with the audience is the way to go.
It is important to understand who or what your speech might affect. Being politically correct is very vital and care must be taken to avoid the use of offensive language or terms. The motive behind the speech must also be carefully scrutinized. This can help you to present facts in a more structured and engaging manner. In case you choose to present facts, make sure that your sources are reliable and that you possess updated information about the things you want to talk about!
You must try not to include too many cliches in your speech. It is sometimes easy to forget that most audience members may have listened to a number of speeches before and the use of cliches might simply lure their attention away from the crux of what you are trying to share. Cliches can also occur in the form of speech topics as well! Steer clear from topics such as global warming, abortion laws, or even “the earth is not flat for the last time”. Most people might have their own opinions about these topics and it might just end with you getting a negative or a neutral response from the audience.
Another important rule to remember is that you must know both sides of the same coin! That is, if your speech is against a particular item, you must also understand the opposition’s viewpoint in order to make the speech more persuasive and engaging. Try to gauge if you would receive opposing views from the audience, which could mean that your speech will hit the nail right on the head.
To give you an idea of what a good speech topic would be like, we have curated a list of interesting subjects to speak on.
- Do you really get happiness from earning a lot of money?
- How can you become a successful data scientist?
- What are the ethical concerns regarding gene editing?
- How can you improve digital marketing and change approaches to increase customer engagement?
- What courses do you think should be part of the curriculum at schools?
- How do you think nuclear energy will change the way our world functions?
- How will the world change by 2030?
- What is the effect of e-commerce on small businesses?
- Work from home: To Be Continued?
- The need to teach about mental well-being at schools
- What can be done to improve governance in a democratic nation?
- Should minors be allowed to buy birth control without the consent of their parents or guardians?
- Are self-driving cars just a fad or here to stay?
- Should transgender athletes have a separate category?
- The effect of pop culture on Gen Z and how they view the world through cinema.
No matter what the topic, it is upto the speaker to draw in audiences. By interacting with them and enabling them to be imaginative, a speaker can turn a modest topic into an unforgettable speech.
