Public Speaking

There are few things that make many of us more weak in the knees than the prospect of standing in front of a room full of people and speaking. Most of us do not like it, do all we can to avoid it, and would rather face a firing squad than have to do it. Why is this? What is the big deal? Truth be told, public speaking is a big deal and the reason for almost universal reluctance of people of all ages to do it no mystery. None of us want to embarrass ourselves. Standing in front of a bunch of people and trying to be articulate, look comfortable, and appear in total control of our subject is far from easy. Further, making that effort in front of others puts the speaker in a  very vulnerable position. No one wants that.

Yet people do it every day. Politicians, as we all know, seem to hop up from their chairs and speak before others with little provocation. School teachers, of course, spend the bulk of their work days doing it. Performers, including comedians and actors, do it with aplomb. What do they have the rest of us don't? How come they seem so much better at it and comfortable with it than most any of us? It is not because they are smarter or necessarily better than the rest of the population. Rather, the secret to their success is summed up in two words: preparation and repetition. What they do they do often. When it comes to speaking publically, most of us cannot make that claim or come any where close to it.

In terms of those on the receiving end of public speakers, something I have suspected for a good while is that I do not believe audiences expect their speakers to be perfect. Mainly, they want them to be sincere, honest of intent, and engaged in what they are talking about. Speakers who lose their train of thought, struggle with what word to use or take a moment to refer to their notes are all ok to audiences. Instead, what they hone in on is whether the speaker seems to know what they are talking about. If they do not, then it does now matter how smooth or polished the speaker is, they have no credibility and the audience has tuned them out.