Why Public Speaking? It allows us to form connections, influence decisions, and motivate change. Without communication skills, the ability to progress in the working world and in life, itself, would be nearly impossible. Public speaking is one of the most important and most dreaded forms of communication. Here are ten reasons to master public speaking:
Confidence
Overcoming the #1 fear most people refuse to face increases your confidence and self-esteem
2. Knowledge
The best way to know something is to teach it.
3. Employment
The ability to communicate gives you a significant advantage over other applicants.
4. Promotion
Possessing the skills to prepare and deliver talks, reports or presentations will most likely get you noticed and promoted
5. Authorship
The written versions of your speeches can become chapters in a book. This is how I wrote and published two books.
6. Relationships
Personal relationships are impacted by your increased self-esteem, and your ability to articulate what it is you are trying to say.
7. Money
Revenue not only through employment and promotions but as an invited speaker to various conferences, meetings, events, etc.
8. Status
The ability to prepare and deliver effective speeches changes how you are perceived by the community and peers.
9. Service
Endless non-profits need your good communication skills to promote their cause. For me, it was delivering a TEDx talk about hearing loss.
10. Fun
Knowing how to capture, entertain, educate and influence people rewarding, fulfilling and fun.
Here is a recipe for preparing and delivering a presentation that can render you and your message unforgettable. The three ingredients An unforgettable presentation has one or all three of these ingredients: Uncharacteristic of the person or situation Unusual Unexpected … Continue reading
I have a love-hate relationship when it comes to PowerPoint. Not just for myself but for all of us presenters. Designed and used correctly is an excellent embellishment to a talk. More times than not, that isn’t the case. … Continue reading
As speakers, we want to be our best when on stage. Especially if delivering a pitch about our product or service! What can you accomplish in a one-minute pitch? A lot. We want to sparkle not just in what we … Continue reading
Speakers seem to think that any sort of PowerPoint will enhance their presentation. This is so not true! In fact, a PowerPoint show can ruin a talk, lull the audience to sleep, and render a presentation useless. Presenters use too many … Continue reading
In two weeks, two situations arose that safety pins could solve. Microphone Battery Pack The first incident was a popular guest speaker who did not have any means by which we could attach the battery pack so she could wear … Continue reading
My colleague, Circe Denyer, and I started a Toastmaster club, called Stagemasters, in 2017 with a TEDx style speaking focus. TED and TEDx Focus The mantra of TED and TED is “An Idea Worth Spreading.” I learned from my TEDx … Continue reading
Many years ago I was serving as the Toastmaster at a meeting. Dinner was first. Then I got up to do my duty. I joked, smiled, smiled, smiled. Really hammed it up. You know how us Toastmasters can be. This … Continue reading
What you use to power your PowerPoint show matters. The Stuff of Nightmares When I was the Training Coordinator at UCLA, a PowerPoint show kept shutting down and starting up during a class. It was just awful – not only … Continue reading
On January 28th, 2017, I stepped on a TEDx stage and delivered “an idea worth spreading” What are TED and TEDx? I found that many people that I shared my good news with had not heard of TED or TEDx. … Continue reading
I recently participated in a memorial service for a fellow Toastmaster. Remembering Dick Churchill The gentleman who passed on November 18, 2016, is Richard (Dick) Churchill. He was a member of Toastmasters for close to 50 years.* He even met the founder … Continue reading
Scheduling when updates occur will avoid disruptive computer updates while presenting. I have a page on this site devoted to “J” – for “JAMS. “ It explains common things that can occur while doing a presentation and offers suggestions … Continue reading
I was thrilled that a fellow Toastmaster took my suggestions on how to deliver a roast of a person and delivered a delightfully funny roast. What is a Roast? In Toastmasters, we have a custom of praising and poking fun at … Continue reading
Last night I attended an evaluation contest and appreciated the emphasis placed on storytelling for persuasive speaking Toastmasters Evaluations One of the hallmarks of the Toastmasters program is evaluations. Each speaker in a club receives feedback, both written and oral, after delivering a … Continue reading
As a Trainer Coordinator, I helped several shy individuals become confident trainers in a way that was non-threatening. During my 33-year career at UCLA, I served as a Training Coordinator for nearly 13 years. The training was designed to help Research … Continue reading
One of the ways to tarnish a professional appearance is to have bra straps showing or, worse, pulling them up while presenting! In 2015, my church decided to go live stream. Our services include an opening prayer and five-minute talk … Continue reading
