Training In Public Speaking

“Training in public speaking is not a matter of externals—primarily; it is not a matter of imitation—fundamentally; it is not a matter of conformity to standards—at all. Public speaking is public utterance, public issuance, of the man himself; therefore the first thing both in time and in importance is that the man should be and think and feel things that are worthy of being given forth. Unless there be something of value within, no tricks of training can ever make of the talker anything more than a machine—albeit a highly perfected machine—for the delivery of other men's goods. So self-development is fundamental.” Dale Carnagey

It is an ancient truism that we learn to do by doing. The first thing for the beginner in public speaking is to speak—not to study voice and gesture and the rest. Once he has spoken he can improve himself by self-observation or according to the criticisms of those who hear. That is why the first speech given in Toastmasters is The Icebreaker – a simple 4-6 minute talk about the individual, who they are, why they have come to Toastmasters, or some aspect of their life that they would like to share.

“Many teachers have begun with the how. Vain effort! No one can learn how to speak who does not first speak as best he can.” Dale Carnagey

During the meetings, participants learn the qualities which go to make up an effective speaker; by what means at least some of these qualities may be acquired; and what wrong habits of speech work against acquiring and using the qualities which he/she finds to be good.

Experience, then, is not only the best teacher, but the first and the last. But experience must be a dual thing—the experience of others must be used to supplement, correct and justify our own experience; in this way we shall become our own best critics only after we have trained ourselves in self-knowledge, the knowledge of what other minds think, and in the ability to judge ourselves by the standards we have come to believe are right.

For more help in public speaking, check out your local Toastmasters club. There are clubs all around the world to help you become a better speaker.

Yours in public speaking

Fran Watson