Lesson

​ps1-2. Remember why you are there

​Who allowed you to speak in front of this group? Did you offer, or did a work supervisor volunteer you?

Suppose you volunteered yourself. Congratulations. That is more than most people can do. And if that supervisor chose you, congratulations again. You have at least one fan who is confident you have something of value to share with others.

In both situations, this course will help you rise to the occasion. Speaking, especially in front of a group, implies leadership. And believe it or not, you will be addressing the audience for a few minutes. You are their leader. 

Make no excuses. Stand tall. Be confident. Fake it if you must. Get ready to wow! Them with the benefits you bring.

Remember, your audience is not likely a mob with pitchforks. They are most likely just a bunch of individuals trying to get by. And everyone has a wide range of concerns more significant than judging you.

Consider yourself lucky they showed up ready to hear you speak. Try that on a room full of teenagers after lunch on a Friday afternoon waiting for the last bell.

Don't be concerned with how well you are doing. Focus on how well you connect with your audience and bring them something of value.
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ps1-2a. Who holds the power?

​Maybe you've been in this situation Saturday night.

You're going out to a club. You got all dressed up. You think you look great. You look in the mirror. You look terrific.

You went to a hair salon. You are ready.

You get to the club. And there's a long line and you wait and you wait and you slowly.

Move up to the front and when you get to the front, there is one person there, right and he's standing there like this, with his arms folded across his chest.

He lets others go in but makes you wait.

"I'm next," you say. "What about me?" 

"Just one moment," he says to you. 

And he makes you wait. Have you ever had that experience? He is called the bouncer. 

At a nightclub, the bouncer is the one who decides who goes in and who does not.

During the day he is just a regular nobody. But at night in that club in that small space he is the king. You don't go in unless he says so.

Sometimes in clubs famous people come and he says, "Who are you?"

They answer, "Don't you know me?"

"No, please wait."

The bouncer has complete power. Right here the same thing in public speaking. The speaker has the power.

Everybody in public speaking starts off really scared and you think the whole group is looking at you.

And that makes you feel small and because you think the group is big.

You have this fantasy that the power of the group is stronger than you and you become afraid. 

"Oh, I can't do this. I can't go in front of the group because they're too strong and I feel too weak."

So think of the bouncer. Thousands of people have to get past one person and if he says no you don't go in.

When it's your turn to speak, you have all the power. 

Look everybody is looking at me, the speaker. They are not looking at you, sitting in the audience.

The speaker runs the show.
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Practice

ps1-2p. Remember why you are here

Usually, the person standing in front of the group is the leader, the one in charge, the one with the power.

That one person in front usually has backup., meaning somebody appointed the leader to lead. In public speaking, when you are the one in front of the group, somebody in charge of the entire event believes in you.

And that audience understand is ready to give you the benefit of the doubt. So make the most of it.

Take one minute to explain who will or might have confidence in you to put you in charge of the audience. And explain why.

Explain how others will benefit from what you have to say.

If you have never spoken, then imagine who in the future would want you to lead their group. For a few minutes at least. The Chamber of Commerce? A religious or social group? Maybe a group related to a hobby, school, or neighborhood.
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