We all listened to Oprah's acceptance speech for the Cecil B. de Mille Award? Yes? Good. Did you notice how even though she's Oprah, and could probably make us cry by reading a takeaway menu backward, she put a ton of work into her speech? And how through that work, she took a celebration of her accomplishments, respected that premise, but turned it into a rallying cry for the forces of good? Next time you speak in public, would you like to be a little more like Oprah?

I love explaining things to small groups of people and through writing on the web, but when it comes to speaking in front of large groups of people I turn into a bumbling mess. Public speaking is one of those acquired skills that I never quite got, but there's still time. This week Fast Company spoke to a few podcasters who have mastered the skill (and have shows places like NPR and WNYC to prove it) and came up with a list of tips that even people like me can use to improve. Here are a few big takeaways.

The next time you're asked to lead a meeting, teach a class, or give a speech, here's one way to get everyone's attention: Look at individual people instead of letting your gaze settle on the entire group.

Low-level grunt work can feel demoralising, but there's a good reason to do it well anyway. If the people you work with don't think you can handle making coffee, they're probably not going to put you in charge of big projects.

Web: Public speaking is a huge fear for many people. Speaking.io teaches you the basics for free, with simple do's and don'ts to ease your mind and craft an engaging speech.

If you, uh, have a tendency to use filler words like "um" or "like" when you talk, it's not the end of the world. Turns out they can actually be a good thing -- as long as you use them right.

No matter what, a toast is hard to forget. It's either the highlight of an important event, or an awkward mess that people talk about for years after. Whether you're in the wedding party, or just toasting someone's success at a nice dinner, here's how to give a classy toast and look great doing it.

It's hard to deny that Apple is pretty great at presentation. Former Apple speechwriter Jayne Benjulian explains one key that helps the company perfect their speeches: Choosing your audience.

Giving a speech or presentation in front of others is pretty nerve-wracking. If you remind yourself of the "three audience truths" before you go up in front of people, however, you'll give yourself an opportunity to calm down and focus on your message.

Memorising your presentation will help make it go smoothly (and you feel less nervous), right? Probably not, according to Toastmasters International experts on public speaking.

Even if it's not your job to read the evening news, a teleprompter can come in handy. Maybe you're practicing a speech you haven't memorized. Maybe you're shooting an online video. Maybe you just want to time your presentation. TelePromptor turns your laptop, computer, or handheld device into a usable teleprompter.

Ideally you'd spend hours, even days putting together a speech or presentation, but life and work doesn't always afford us the time we need. However, you can approach the problem as a structured, step-by-step process, rather than a frantic race to the finish line.

History is full of evil dictators, and while the had their share of bad qualities, it's undeniable they were efficient at getting things done. Here's what we can learn from them, despite their evil nature.

It's hard work to appear effortless. High production values can often be measured by what you don't see in a show, whether its a live performance or on television, and one diligent, necessary worker behind the scenes is the teleprompter operator.

Part of being an effective public speaker is being able to tell a captivating story. For many of us, that's not as easy as it seems. Use the SOS technique to capture an audience, whether you're speaking in public or just having a conversation with friends.

Whether you're wishing a newlywed couple many years of happiness, or giving a speech at a bar mitzvah, a toast gives you the chance to show how much you care. To give the best toast possible, you need to have the perfect balance of humour and sincerity.