I was searching the internet archive today and stumbled across a manual for public speaking written in 1922! So I decided to give it a read. I’m so glad I did. Wow what a resource!
The introduction –oratory still the supreme art–applies today just as much today as it did then. It starts “the demand for good public speaking is as great as it ever was.
If you don’t already think I’m a geek…then this post will surely convince you of that.
Today, I was listening to NPR’s Studio 360. The host, Kurt Andersen, was doing a segment with Gary Hustwit, the director of the recently released documentary “Helvetica.” (It’s a feature-length film about typography, graphic design and global visual culture.
The day after Thanksgiving, my husband and I decided to go out on an “date” — our first evening out past 9:00 pm since the birth of our 3 1/2 year old identical twins. (Yep, I know, it’s a sad statement about our social life, but unfortunately it’s true.) We chose to visit our local Comedy Cabaret to decompress–to get away from work.
I was searching the internet archive today and stumbled across a manual for public speaking written in 1922! So I decided to give it a read. I’m so glad I did. Wow what a resource!
The introduction –oratory still the supreme art–applies today just as much today as it did then. It starts “the demand for good public speaking is as great as it ever was.
Want to see something cool?
Here’s a video from Harvard that is an animation of life within a cell.
(Show your kids too. My three year old twins were mesmerized. )
P.S. If you know of a text description for this video, I would love to see it.
As part of my final preparation for a presentation at Thomas Jefferson University (Philadelphia, PA), I found this great little article titled “How to Read a Scientific Paper” written by John W. Little and Roy Parker at University of Arizona. (Especially for young scientists this is a “must read”).
What I found really interesting was the section “Difficulties in Reading a Paper”.
Why do we need to gain attention with our first words?
1.Quite simply, if you deliver your main message and you audience is doing something else–they have missed the main organizing structure they need to understand your materials.
The right word may be effective, but no word was ever as effective as a rightly timed pause — Samuel Clemens
Tip: Use pauses for attention, emphasis, and mental digestion. This is an important technique that can be useful in a variety of situations.
Allow me to explain…
Pause for attention
When you want to gain the attention of your audience, simply pause.
After many years of working one-on-one with private coaching clients, I have noticed that some mistakes are very common. I would have say the number one top delivery mistake is not enough direct eye contact.
Many studies indicate that making eye contact is the most powerful mode of establishing a communicative link between humans.
Do you dread the Q&A? Most people receive little or no training in for the Q&A portion of your talk. You ability for quick thinking is judged and for some this can be the toughest part of a presentation: answering tough questions from your audience.
