We have all had an argument, we have all made mistakes, and we
have all been nervous. We all share some common ground, whether
it’s our background, stories, or situations. When you share those
moments, they will resonate instantly with lots of audiences. Many
inexperienced speakers are too cautious in their approach to sharing
their vulnerabilities and mistakes with the crowd. In my early speaking
career, I kept things at a high level; I could have almost been described
as vanilla in my early speeches. They were surface only and didn’t dive
into who I really was. It was only after I started to open my soul and
share personal stories that I began to hold the interest of my audiences.
I have seen speakers who have hung on tight to intimate details
that would most likely hit home with the audience. I know that these
speakers had something poignant to be shared, but it remained bottled
up. If the topic made sense, and it was still appropriate to share in
order to connect with the audience, why wouldn’t they? We are sometimes
too self-conscious to let it all out, but your success with the audience
almost depends on doing so. You may even find a little therapy for
yourself—at least I did. I have obviously included in this book many of
the mistakes I have made as a speaker; what you should also see is the
journey and learning that followed. Lead your own audience through
to your final destination—your takeaway message. An effective way
to get there is with moving, personal, relatable stories that leave you
exposed enough to hit the audience right in their hearts and head.
Thomas B. Dowd III’s books available in softcover, eBook, and audiobook (From Fear to Success only):
- Now What? The Ultimate Graduation Gift for Professional Success
- Time Management Manifesto: Expert Strategies to Create an Effective Work/Life Balance
- Displacement Day: When My Job was Looking for a Job…A Reference Guide to Finding Work
- The Transformation of a Doubting Thomas: Growing from a Cynic to a Professional in the Corporate World
- From Fear to Success: A Practical Public-speaking Guide received the Gold Medal at the 2013 Axiom Business Book Awards in Business Reference
- The Unofficial Guide to Fatherhood
See “Products” for details on www.transformationtom.com. Book , eBook, and audiobook (From Fear to Success only) purchase options are also available on Amazon- Please click the link to be re-directed: Amazon.com