College of Public Speaking

Happy Christmas wherever you are in the world. Toxic Goal #5 - I want to be the expert/guru - nobody cares how smart you are, the audience is thinking - what's in it for me? Find out their 'why' and give them some options to work with.

Toxic Goal #4 - I want to please or appeal to everybody. You may be a great speaker. You may be an expert in your field. You might have dedicated your life to a wonderful project. Not everybody is listening. Don't take it personally.

Toxic Goal #3 - I want to speak like Obama. On the surface, this looks like a good idea, but dig down a little and perhaps you're not quite bringing your authentic gifts to the world.

Toxic Goal #2 - I want to impress

Day 1 - I want to be perfect - not a great idea if you're of an anxious disposition. Not a great idea if you're experienced and trying to impress. You're setting yourself up for failure.

Tomorrow starts a fun and instructive 12 Days of Christmas with a public speaking theme of what I describe as toxic goals. Effectively it's a collection of public speaking no-nos. Watch this first video for what to expect.

Here's a short video on why posture is so important in public speaking. Most of the time in a small meeting room or classroom, you'll be a static speaker. Your posture is vital for your breathing and vocal delivery. Learn what's required to give yourself an outstanding opportunity to succeed. Standby for more how-to videos on public speaking.

Michael Ronayne explains why effective training makes a huge difference to the individual and the company. It's never too late to change for the better. We can all improve with expert practice.