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Description

Public Speaking: Voice Control, Audience Engagement and Handling the Unexpected

Move from a competent presentation to a delivery that genuinely holds the room's attention

  • 3 days — 21 h
  • In-person or virtual
  • Intermediate
  • Up to 6 participants

Many experienced speakers deliver well below their potential: the content is solid, yet the voice stays flat, the eyes retreat to the slides and the audience disengages after ten minutes. The unexpected remains a source of anxiety: a hostile question, a session cut short, an audience far larger than announced.

Three days of intensive practice to work on voice, body and eye contact, to build presentations that stand up without slides, to establish genuine contact with the room and to respond to situations you did not plan for. Each participant speaks in front of the group several times, with recording and detailed analysis.

Learning objectives

  • Use breathing and voice placement to project without strain
  • Adjust posture, gestures and eye contact to the layout of the room
  • Structure a memorable presentation without relying on projected slides
  • Establish and sustain contact with the audience throughout the session
  • Respond to a hostile or off-topic question without losing the thread
  • Adapt the presentation to a change of duration or audience

What makes this programme different

A minimum of six filmed speaking slots per participant over the three days
Voice work carried out standing and in movement rather than seated around a table
A full sequence devoted to real-world room and scheduling disruptions

Programme

1Voice and Breathing

Projecting Without Strain

  • Abdominal breathing and breath support
  • Voice placement and projection
  • Pace, pauses and variations in intensity
  • Articulation and sentence endings
  • Vocal warm-up before speaking

2Body and Eye Contact

Occupying the Space

  • Grounded posture and stance
  • Gestures aligned with the message
  • Scanning the room and individual eye contact
  • Movement and relationship to the room
  • Managing distracting mannerisms

3Building a Presentation That Holds

A Thread the Audience Can Follow

  • An opening that captures attention in thirty seconds
  • Core message and supporting points
  • Illustrations, images and concrete examples
  • Audible transitions
  • Conclusion and call to action

4Holding the Audience

Contact Before Content

  • Reading signs of disengagement
  • Re-engaging and involving the room
  • Managing attention levels over time
  • Measured use of visual aids
  • Interacting with a remote audience

5Handling the Unexpected

When Nothing Goes to Plan

  • Hostile or off-topic questions
  • Public contradiction from a participant
  • Sudden reduction in speaking time
  • Technical failure or loss of materials
  • Recovering after a memory lapse

Who is it for

Professionals who already speak in public and wish to gain in presence and confidence in front of an audience.

Prerequisites

Prior experience of speaking in front of a group in a professional setting.

Dates & locations

36 scheduled dates between November 2026 and December 2027. Seats are confirmed in the order enquiries are received.

November 2026

December 2026

January 2027

February 2027

March 2027

April 2027

May 2027

June 2027

September 2027

October 2027

November 2027

December 2027

None of these dates suit you? We open additional sessions on request, and any programme can be run privately for your team.

Practical details

Before the programme
Online positioning questionnaire. Your development objectives are shared with the trainer, who tailors the practical case studies to your context.
Teaching methods
Theoretical input, workshops and practical case studies. Digital course materials and method sheets provided.
Assessment
Multiple-choice tests and role-play exercises. Assessment of learning at the start and end of the programme, with immediate and 60-day follow-up evaluations.
After the programme
One year of access to the e-learning platform. Self-assessment of the skills acquired and a 30-day follow-up session with your trainer.
How to register
Registration online or on the basis of a quotation.
Lead time
11 working days after confirmation of registration.
Accessibility
Accessible to people of determination. Contact our accessibility coordinator to design a suitable solution: contact@mpf-academy.ae
Start dates
Rolling intake: in addition to the scheduled sessions, this programme can start on request.