I think everyone, even the most polished and practiced of public speakers, gets a little nervous before stepping up to speak in front of a group of people.
Overcoming the fear and trepidation that is associated with public speaking can be hard work. But I’ve recently come across a goldmine of wisdom and helpful direction that can bolster the skills of anyone needing to speak in front of a crowd.
Purpose-Centered Public Speaking is a treasure trove of insight and practical guidance. Written by Dr. Gary Rodriguez (LeaderMetrix), this book is part inspiration, part game plan. A good public speaker will have a couple of things working in his or her favor: great content and strong presentation skills. This book tackles both of those areas head on.
I speak all of the time and I was amazed at how much this book increased my confidence. Dr. Rodriguez walks the reader step-by-step from the strong emotions one feels to the strong ending one desires. This book is full of great examples and is well-illustrated from Dr. Rodriguez’ own experiences. He doesn’t offer a cookie-cutter process, but encourages the reader to work from his or her strengths. His process is more like a compass than a detailed map. With the temptation to try and “be” like other great speakers I know, I felt like this book gave me a better handle on being myself as I step up to the podium.
Purpose-Centered Public Speaking reminded me that every presentation is important and will need some key elements to be effective. Things like…
-Capturing the audience’s attention
-Identifying and surfacing a need in the listener
-Being crystal-clear on your subject matter
-Pointing the listener to the desired outcome
The book is laid out in an orderly way. This will make it easier to refer back to specific tips and techniques. If I were to summarize this book in a sentence, I’d say,
“Purpose-centered Public Speaking is a primer that gives the speaker a solid plan.”
I am grateful to Dr. Rodriguez for allowing me to read and review this great resource. I encourage you to take a look. If you are required to do any type of speaking, this book will strengthen your confidence and help you know what you need to work on to take your presentations to the next level. You can purchase Purpose-Centered Public Speaking on Amazon.
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