According to Psychology Today, surveys show that we humans fear public speaking more than anything else, even death.
Toastmasters was a good first step for me in gaining a comfort level with public speaking.
Some years ago, I decided to join Toastmasters. (Visit the Toastmaster’s site to find out more about the organization.) At the time, I lived in San Diego. The group that met closest to my office was made up of attorneys. They were exacting and critical – too critical for me!
I found another group where almost everyone was from one company. They worked together daily, so they gave only praise. (In Toastmasters, this is known as white-washing.)
Now I knew that I needed some criticism, but lots of praise. I searched for yet another club and found one that turned out to be the perfect combination of praise and criticism for me. Once I moved to Kansas City, an excellent trainer for the Mid-America Library Alliance recommended a club. It provided the perfect combination of criticism and praise.
The Club Experience helped me get over my public speaking fears.
At first every speech was memorized and delivered verbatim. After learning to structure a speech, it was possible for me to give a presentation with a few notes. Then, fortunately, I learned to move my body and hands while delivering the speech. Having learned to speak French, it was just about perfect to use the hand movements used by the French.
One year into the group, the president even mentioned that my deliveries changed from catatonic to someone with movement!
Today, public speaking is fun for me.
It’s exhilarating to stand before a crowd and give them information that they need and want.
-
Robert C. Tapella, Public Printer, congratulates Martha Childers, Government Documents Librarian; and Donna Lauffer, County Librarian; as he presents the award.
A highlight was presenting before about 400 librarians from all over the United States in Washington, D.C. when Johnson County Library won Federal Depository Library of the Year.
- Recently, at a presentation for the Greater Kansas City Psychological Association, I gave presentations on mindfulness and “Couples and Money.”
When you need a speaker for your group, ask me. Or, if you’d like to be a better speaker, seek out a Toastmaster’s group that fits your personality.
photo credit: Federal Depository Library Program
Comments are closed.