Andrew Dlugan at Six Minutes Public Speaking Blog has written a brilliant assessment of Martin Luther King’s “I have a Dream” speech. Check it out for excellent ideas on speech writing. This was the speech that was so persuasive that it has endured for decades.
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Many speakers allow their listeners to ask them questions, but not many ask questions of the audience. Ellen Finklestein of ellenfinklestein.com writes an excellent article about asking questions of your audience. I will let you read her article for yourself. At the end of her article she says it is important to plan your questions carefully. …
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David Portney at Best Public Speaking Training has written an article on how to Prevent Stage Fright. He has a great idea to meet and greet audience members just before your talk. I have advocated this for many years. I hope I have David’s permission to mention his article and to add to his helpful…
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In Jonathan Livingston Seagull, Richard Bach teaches us that perfect speed is being there. That means the exact right pace for any activity is the pace that allows you to be fully present for the event. In speaking to groups, presenting and public speaking, pace is a key to effective communication. If you talk too…
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Thursday evening, I was almost asleep with the TV on when I awoke startled to hear Thomas Friedman speaking to Charli Rose on PBS. Thomas was speaking about the importance of talking to people from a gut level. He mentioned Ronald Reagan, Barack Obama and Bill Clinton as speakers who impart more than information, as speakers…
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People who have stage fright and fear of public speaking will often feel uncomfortable in networking situations and social settings. The issues are really the same – being comfortable with yourself and opening to connect with others. I have written in the past about the importance of opening to receive others for both networking and…
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My public speaking students ask, “What if I speak to an audience that is hostile? How do I deal with that?” This question usually comes up after they have transformed a great deal of stage fright and are feeling very comfortable at the center of attention in their class group. The implication of the question…
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This week, Tuesday night, marks the re-emergence of my acting classes at Self-Expression Center. Acting as an art form, for its own sake, has long since lost its luster and attraction for me. I am after much more important results from acting! I think all the art forms are really for the purpose of healing…
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Right after the final night of American Idol, I posted this comment. It did not seem to show up on my blog, so I am reposting it. I was so taken with the quality of talent this year, but when a real professional singer performed the last night, the difference was palpable. Forgive me if…
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When you add the word “with”, a bond is created. For instance “she’s with me”, “be with child”, “speak with a group.” So much of stage fright and fear of public speaking is about feeling separated or being judged by others. People with stage fright and fear of public speaking are experiencing a…
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