Introduction
As a business, Public Speaking appeared in the middle of the last century and
since that time it has attracted attention of various people who wanted to
join this business.
Hi
I’m George Rusky and I’ve been a Public Speaker for more than two decades
and have spoken before people of different countries, various age groups and
walks of life.
Now, as I think about the business, I come up with some interesting
observations.
Suppose you want to become a teacher, a lawyer, a doctor, an
engineer, etc. you can study this craft at various educational establishments
of all ranks and standards.
With Public Speaking the picture was different.
There are no establishments where the subject of public speaking
occupies an equal position with other school subjects. The craft and
profession of speaking publicly was started and developed by a small group
of American enthusiasts lead by Mr Bill Gove who considered as the Father of
Professional Speaking, the first president of the National Speakers
Association, one of the most out standing professional speakers of the 20th
century, the founder of so called Workshop for training professional
speakers.(1947)
It was him who gave this art and business life and determined
development of it for the next decades for those volunteers who wanted to
become public speakers.
Twenty years later, I stepped on the path of public speaking activity
that was kind of a part-time job I enjoyed doing both for money and free and
had never thought of sharing my experience of speaking on public with
anyone who might be interested in this business.
So, this short report is my first attempt to write about some of my
observations about this magnificent business of Public Speaking and how you
can possibly join us.
Enjoy!
George Rusky
Chapter One.
A Public Listener versus Public Speaker.
How to become a public speaker?
First you have to become a public LISTENER.???
Let me explain why I am saying that.
I will start from the idea that a Public Speaker is not only a person who
speaks in front of audiences on press-conferences but anyone who at least
once has spoken to a group of people trying to achieve one of the following
basic goals:
Apart from these best known human gatherings where one group is
listening, and an individual/group of individuals is speaking, we may think of
all possible kinds of social events where the above mentioned goals will take
place in various imaginable combinations: debates, forums, educational
meetings, celebrations, weddings, funerals and so on and so forth.
As you can see now, a public speaking is a huge sociable phenomenon of
human society that penetrates all spheres of everyday life and very often a
speaker address to the audience after she had made a few essential
preparations, has done her ‘home work’
In the majority of cases an orator collects information, does the research and
listens to others on the subject of her talk, just not to repeat what has been
said and to say something new.
In short, before someone acts as a public speaker she has to become a
public listener, she has to know what the public wants to hear from her, what
might be worth listening.
It may also happen, and it does indeed, that the speaker says what she
believes is interesting for her and what she is patient about but the group of
people she talks to, needs something absolutely different.
James Malinchak advices to ask and listen to what a potential client will
agree to accept as a subject of the talk for her audience, rather than
persuade her to accept the speaker’s topic.
If you want to earn money, do what the client wants: the CLIENT is always
right!I still insist on becoming a Public Listener first!
Not convinced yet?
OK, read on! The following almost true life stories will help you to get to the
point.
Situation One.
At the Doctor’s.
Imagine: you enter the doctor’s office and from the moment he sees you he
starts his speech:
“Mr Smith, isn’t it?
Before you open your mouth to reply, he goes on:
“As I can see, you have a serious problem with your stomach, headaches
every morning, you don’t sleep well and what is even worse, you have…”
You are still hoping to say something, but the Doc is unmerciful…
“No, no no, please, don’t say a word! I can see that you have a high blood
pressure and so on and so forth…”
Situation Two.
At a shoe store.
You are buying a pair of shoes. No sooner than you are entering the store,
you are literally attacked by a shop assistant who is giving his speech
“Good morning sir/madam and welcome to our store.
My name is John Smith and I am a senior shop assistant.
Let me tell you what you are looking for and help you with all you need.
I guarantee that you will be pleased with our services and will buy minimum
three pairs of magnificent shoes.
First, let me guess your size and favorite color. Then we will go on with the
model that suit you and finally you will try our products on and buy.
While this dazzling sales presentation, you feel that you have no chances but
shut up and wait what is going to happen next because to your complete
amazement while the senior shop assistant is talking, a junior one is carrying
the shining boxes with footwear, leaving you no chances but to sit and try
the shoes-candidates on, or to try to run away.
Situation Three.
A Dating agency.
A usual thing: He is looking for her. She is looking for him.
An agent is looking for money from him and her and that is why he doesn’t
care whether he may like her, or she may like him. The agent knows
everything even before the candidate crosses the door of his office and starts
explaining what kind of the only one he is hoping to find, the agent has predestined the newcomer’s life: he knows exactly who is the real candidate
for the poor soldier of life mis-adventures.
I can go on showing you the importance of listening before
speaking, but you get the point: the doctor, as well as the shop assistant and
surely the dating agent must first listen to their clients, ask dozens of
questions and only after that give the best options for their clients.
“No one cares how much you know, unless they know how much
you care”
Do you think the situation is very much different in the craft of a
public speaker?
Don’t you believe that before one even think of becoming a public speaker
has to become a public listener?
Or, perhaps, listener to the public.
Chapter Two.
How to Become a Good Listener. One.
Before you begin a good listener, you should become a good Reader!
Another paradox? Come on George!
I feel you are getting angry with me and, the way the report is made makes
you nervous.
But, listen to this!
Trust me, I am serious.
In order to listen to a person worth listening, you have to READ as much as
you can about this person!
Agree?
Listening is also the process of investing your precious time and surely
you must know that you invest your time wisely and effectively. So, go to the
website and read all you can about the one who offers you to listen to him.
Being a good listener does not mean only having ears and mind open
toward the information, but know exactly that what you are looking for and
forward you will read in testimonials of other customers.
Actually, I have built my list of who I listen to regularly.
If you want to know the giants of Public Speaking industry, send me a
message and I will send you my list, it’s not that long.
By the way, how often do you hear these questions?“How can you listen to this rubbish?”
“I don’t want to hear this BS”
“All I have heard was a complete waste of time…”
And here goes the resume: Collect information about who you want to
listen to if you really want to be a good listener. A good listener listens to
wise people and valuable information.
NB: don’t listen to your closest who recommends you to listen to someone.
Try to read about the candidate and make your own opinion about this
concrete person.
How to Become a Good Listener. Two.
Now let’s define concrete steps of getting a better speaker thru
listening to what others wish to hear from you.
Rule number One. Don’t expect anyone to tell you what they want to
hear from you.
I have noticed in some situations people don’t really know what they want!
Help them: ask questions. Be the master of asking questions.
And never say you are asking because you are curious as the majority of my
conversationalists do.
Ask questions because you want to find out what your potential client wishes
to hear.
Develop your art of asking good, well formed questions that will lead
you in the direction you want and at the same time, help people to express
themselves.
The best questions are the ones I call ‘wh’ questions: what, why, when,
where, who…”
In short the questions that need more than just:’ yes-no’ answers.
So, become a master of asking questions.
Rule number Two. ‘Don’t interrupt’
How often we hear this:” Don’t interrupt, let me finish…”
It’s impolite in everyday, casual talks, it’s a ‘must not’ in business talks.
Do not interrupt a potential client, let her dominate the talk!
Go on with the conversationalist with nodding, showing your interest in any
ways you can think of trying occasionally direct smoothly the talk to the
destination you plan.
Rule number Three. Define the key points of the story you hear.While listening, define what the biggest concern of your conversationalist and
re-ask her what she has said, but say that in your own words. It’s a very
powerful tool of listening that shows better than anything else that you are
interested in what you hear.
Use the following short questions:
1. ” If I understood you correctly, you…?”
2. “Let me check whether I understood well what you have said…?”
3. “Do you mean to say that…?”
4. Or, the favorite question of Brian Tracy: “How do you mean it?”
When you repeat the information correctly, the other person will be pleased
with her ability to explain and your skill of understanding all in the way that
it had been said.
Rule number Four. Hold on!
Whenever you feel like adding something or trying to encourage your fellow
speakers, resist the temptation to do so. I have noticed that very often
instead of helping them to move on in the direction we want, they ‘jump’ into
another topic or just endlessly try to explain their point differently and fail to
find the right words and examples for it.
Be careful with providing this kind of support.
Rule number Five. Practice the three above described rules.
Yes, exactly so: “Take action!”
It’s never enough to be familiar with what should be done and how it must
be done. The crucial element of any activity is DOING.
Armed with the best possible knowledge of any existing subject, a man will
never become wealthy if he only enjoys his profound knowledge.
He must sell his knowledge, exchange his knowledge for another product.
So, take action!
Chapter Three. Becoming a Public Speaker. Dos and Don’ts.
As soon as you understand what is the interest of your potential client,
time to start preparation for your speech.
There are scores of good advice how to manage the time for the preparation
of your talk, what to do first and so on.
Let’s divide the whole process on several stages.
I. Identifying the main goal of the talk. What am I supposed to bring into my
audience? Remember: the goal/goals of the talk must be based on the
opinion of the one who orders the talk. II. Find out all you can about the audience. It’s a well-known rule: know
your audience. You should become one of your future listeners knowing their
worries, their likes and priorities. All monsters of public business recommend
working with one or two targeted groups of people: you become an expert in
serving these specific audiences.
III. Write the text of the talk in as many details as you can imagine. It is
said not to read the text of the talk and I won’t say any different with just
one remark: you need to know the contents really well to speak on memory.
It doesn’t work at the beginning of the career of a public speaker.
IV. Do not show your manuscript to a native speaker of English. Even if you
lucky and your ‘judge’ or helper is good at speaking and writing she may
completely change your text in accordance with what she things she could
have said in this sentence or paragraph. On this stage is important to start
and be the best you can. The rest will come later.
V. Prepare all supportive materials for the talk. Think of anything that could
make your performance more important for the audience.
VI. Practice as long as you can afford. If you want to become a top speaker,
a Michael Jordan in public speaking, you must practice 2-3-4-5-6-7- and
more hours a day. It’s just tough. You decide where you want to be, it’s on
you.
VII. The last and very important. The English language.
Try to make it perfect. Check my materials in the section English Training.
You will find there all you need to develop your language skills.
Don’t be discouraged: practice makes miracles. Find a coach. Don’t hire just
a teacher of English, native or non-native. You need a trainer, the person
who will be your sparring partner for becoming an excellent speaker, your
Professor Higgins, if you will.
Chapter Four. Where to Start. The First Steps of a Future
Champion.
Now, as you have learned that much about how to prepare a speech, it
is the right time to think of the listeners, your audience. You cannot just give
speeches to people in the streets.
But even before finding a place, I still strongly recommend you do something
else which might sound a bit unserious or unnecessary, yet has proved to
make wonders for lots of people. I’m now talking of a very simple exercise.
Look into the mirror and ask you a simple question:
“Do I really want to become a Public Speaker?” Then listen to your answer and be sure that the one in you who is
answering is not lying.
Without that step, the rest of your efforts make no sense. Wait for a few
days and ask the same question again and again unless you precisely know
that it is what you are thinking about most of your time.
A word of warning here: don’t ask anyone’s opinion! It’s your personal
business. Others have their own problems and they may have their own
understanding of business of talking on public.
As soon as you are absolutely sure that it is what you want to start
doing, go to a place where public speaking is taught, learned and practiced.
There is only one place I can think of: a Toastmasters club in your locality.
Start your trip into the business from this organization. Whenever you join a
club, the rest is there: the mentoring, the manuals, the support of fellow
toast masters and your personal growth.
For a symbolic amount of money you will check whether speaking on public is
what you have come into this world for should continue with this or do
something else.
Chapter Five. ‘Tell Them What You Have Told Them.’ Conclusion
Well, time to revise briefly what we have learned so far. I think it could
have been possible to load you with more materials about the craft but let’s
leave it for the next report or an e-book. One of the best ways to boost your
knowledge of the subject is to
subscribe to my Newsletter and receive all you may need for
developing your business right into your e-mail box.
OK, what has been said and learned about the main point of becoming a
public speaker.
The only one question out of the six ‘wh’ questions was left.
It’s ‘when’ question.
When do I start this business?
If I you asked me to answer this question I would have most probably
said: “Now!”
Public speaking industry is still in its age of infancy, so many ways and
chances for the years to come. The sooner you arrive at the trade, the
better. And, don’t forget: as any serious business, it needs time to get to the
top, unless you want to stay in the bottom.
But, I hope, you want to join the champions of the stage, right?
So, do it now!
The best of luck and success to you,
George Rusky
As a business, Public Speaking appeared in the middle of the last century and
since that time it has attracted attention of various people who wanted to
join this business.
Hi
I’m George Rusky and I’ve been a Public Speaker for more than two decades
and have spoken before people of different countries, various age groups and
walks of life.
Now, as I think about the business, I come up with some interesting
observations.
Suppose you want to become a teacher, a lawyer, a doctor, an
engineer, etc. you can study this craft at various educational establishments
of all ranks and standards.
With Public Speaking the picture was different.
There are no establishments where the subject of public speaking
occupies an equal position with other school subjects. The craft and
profession of speaking publicly was started and developed by a small group
of American enthusiasts lead by Mr Bill Gove who considered as the Father of
Professional Speaking, the first president of the National Speakers
Association, one of the most out standing professional speakers of the 20th
century, the founder of so called Workshop for training professional
speakers.(1947)
It was him who gave this art and business life and determined
development of it for the next decades for those volunteers who wanted to
become public speakers.
Twenty years later, I stepped on the path of public speaking activity
that was kind of a part-time job I enjoyed doing both for money and free and
had never thought of sharing my experience of speaking on public with
anyone who might be interested in this business.
So, this short report is my first attempt to write about some of my
observations about this magnificent business of Public Speaking and how you
can possibly join us.
Enjoy!
George Rusky
Chapter One.
A Public Listener versus Public Speaker.
How to become a public speaker?
First you have to become a public LISTENER.???
Let me explain why I am saying that.
I will start from the idea that a Public Speaker is not only a person who
speaks in front of audiences on press-conferences but anyone who at least
once has spoken to a group of people trying to achieve one of the following
basic goals:
- Giving information (any kind of meetings);
- Persuading listeners to make a decision (sales presentations);
- Inspiring the audiences ( sermons);
- Motivating people ( joining organizations);
- Entertaining the public (shows);
Apart from these best known human gatherings where one group is
listening, and an individual/group of individuals is speaking, we may think of
all possible kinds of social events where the above mentioned goals will take
place in various imaginable combinations: debates, forums, educational
meetings, celebrations, weddings, funerals and so on and so forth.
As you can see now, a public speaking is a huge sociable phenomenon of
human society that penetrates all spheres of everyday life and very often a
speaker address to the audience after she had made a few essential
preparations, has done her ‘home work’
In the majority of cases an orator collects information, does the research and
listens to others on the subject of her talk, just not to repeat what has been
said and to say something new.
In short, before someone acts as a public speaker she has to become a
public listener, she has to know what the public wants to hear from her, what
might be worth listening.
It may also happen, and it does indeed, that the speaker says what she
believes is interesting for her and what she is patient about but the group of
people she talks to, needs something absolutely different.
James Malinchak advices to ask and listen to what a potential client will
agree to accept as a subject of the talk for her audience, rather than
persuade her to accept the speaker’s topic.
If you want to earn money, do what the client wants: the CLIENT is always
right!I still insist on becoming a Public Listener first!
Not convinced yet?
OK, read on! The following almost true life stories will help you to get to the
point.
Situation One.
At the Doctor’s.
Imagine: you enter the doctor’s office and from the moment he sees you he
starts his speech:
“Mr Smith, isn’t it?
Before you open your mouth to reply, he goes on:
“As I can see, you have a serious problem with your stomach, headaches
every morning, you don’t sleep well and what is even worse, you have…”
You are still hoping to say something, but the Doc is unmerciful…
“No, no no, please, don’t say a word! I can see that you have a high blood
pressure and so on and so forth…”
Situation Two.
At a shoe store.
You are buying a pair of shoes. No sooner than you are entering the store,
you are literally attacked by a shop assistant who is giving his speech
“Good morning sir/madam and welcome to our store.
My name is John Smith and I am a senior shop assistant.
Let me tell you what you are looking for and help you with all you need.
I guarantee that you will be pleased with our services and will buy minimum
three pairs of magnificent shoes.
First, let me guess your size and favorite color. Then we will go on with the
model that suit you and finally you will try our products on and buy.
While this dazzling sales presentation, you feel that you have no chances but
shut up and wait what is going to happen next because to your complete
amazement while the senior shop assistant is talking, a junior one is carrying
the shining boxes with footwear, leaving you no chances but to sit and try
the shoes-candidates on, or to try to run away.
Situation Three.
A Dating agency.
A usual thing: He is looking for her. She is looking for him.
An agent is looking for money from him and her and that is why he doesn’t
care whether he may like her, or she may like him. The agent knows
everything even before the candidate crosses the door of his office and starts
explaining what kind of the only one he is hoping to find, the agent has predestined the newcomer’s life: he knows exactly who is the real candidate
for the poor soldier of life mis-adventures.
I can go on showing you the importance of listening before
speaking, but you get the point: the doctor, as well as the shop assistant and
surely the dating agent must first listen to their clients, ask dozens of
questions and only after that give the best options for their clients.
“No one cares how much you know, unless they know how much
you care”
Do you think the situation is very much different in the craft of a
public speaker?
Don’t you believe that before one even think of becoming a public speaker
has to become a public listener?
Or, perhaps, listener to the public.
Chapter Two.
How to Become a Good Listener. One.
Before you begin a good listener, you should become a good Reader!
Another paradox? Come on George!
I feel you are getting angry with me and, the way the report is made makes
you nervous.
But, listen to this!
Trust me, I am serious.
In order to listen to a person worth listening, you have to READ as much as
you can about this person!
Agree?
Listening is also the process of investing your precious time and surely
you must know that you invest your time wisely and effectively. So, go to the
website and read all you can about the one who offers you to listen to him.
Being a good listener does not mean only having ears and mind open
toward the information, but know exactly that what you are looking for and
forward you will read in testimonials of other customers.
Actually, I have built my list of who I listen to regularly.
If you want to know the giants of Public Speaking industry, send me a
message and I will send you my list, it’s not that long.
By the way, how often do you hear these questions?“How can you listen to this rubbish?”
“I don’t want to hear this BS”
“All I have heard was a complete waste of time…”
And here goes the resume: Collect information about who you want to
listen to if you really want to be a good listener. A good listener listens to
wise people and valuable information.
NB: don’t listen to your closest who recommends you to listen to someone.
Try to read about the candidate and make your own opinion about this
concrete person.
How to Become a Good Listener. Two.
Now let’s define concrete steps of getting a better speaker thru
listening to what others wish to hear from you.
Rule number One. Don’t expect anyone to tell you what they want to
hear from you.
I have noticed in some situations people don’t really know what they want!
Help them: ask questions. Be the master of asking questions.
And never say you are asking because you are curious as the majority of my
conversationalists do.
Ask questions because you want to find out what your potential client wishes
to hear.
Develop your art of asking good, well formed questions that will lead
you in the direction you want and at the same time, help people to express
themselves.
The best questions are the ones I call ‘wh’ questions: what, why, when,
where, who…”
In short the questions that need more than just:’ yes-no’ answers.
So, become a master of asking questions.
Rule number Two. ‘Don’t interrupt’
How often we hear this:” Don’t interrupt, let me finish…”
It’s impolite in everyday, casual talks, it’s a ‘must not’ in business talks.
Do not interrupt a potential client, let her dominate the talk!
Go on with the conversationalist with nodding, showing your interest in any
ways you can think of trying occasionally direct smoothly the talk to the
destination you plan.
Rule number Three. Define the key points of the story you hear.While listening, define what the biggest concern of your conversationalist and
re-ask her what she has said, but say that in your own words. It’s a very
powerful tool of listening that shows better than anything else that you are
interested in what you hear.
Use the following short questions:
1. ” If I understood you correctly, you…?”
2. “Let me check whether I understood well what you have said…?”
3. “Do you mean to say that…?”
4. Or, the favorite question of Brian Tracy: “How do you mean it?”
When you repeat the information correctly, the other person will be pleased
with her ability to explain and your skill of understanding all in the way that
it had been said.
Rule number Four. Hold on!
Whenever you feel like adding something or trying to encourage your fellow
speakers, resist the temptation to do so. I have noticed that very often
instead of helping them to move on in the direction we want, they ‘jump’ into
another topic or just endlessly try to explain their point differently and fail to
find the right words and examples for it.
Be careful with providing this kind of support.
Rule number Five. Practice the three above described rules.
Yes, exactly so: “Take action!”
It’s never enough to be familiar with what should be done and how it must
be done. The crucial element of any activity is DOING.
Armed with the best possible knowledge of any existing subject, a man will
never become wealthy if he only enjoys his profound knowledge.
He must sell his knowledge, exchange his knowledge for another product.
So, take action!
Chapter Three. Becoming a Public Speaker. Dos and Don’ts.
As soon as you understand what is the interest of your potential client,
time to start preparation for your speech.
There are scores of good advice how to manage the time for the preparation
of your talk, what to do first and so on.
Let’s divide the whole process on several stages.
I. Identifying the main goal of the talk. What am I supposed to bring into my
audience? Remember: the goal/goals of the talk must be based on the
opinion of the one who orders the talk. II. Find out all you can about the audience. It’s a well-known rule: know
your audience. You should become one of your future listeners knowing their
worries, their likes and priorities. All monsters of public business recommend
working with one or two targeted groups of people: you become an expert in
serving these specific audiences.
III. Write the text of the talk in as many details as you can imagine. It is
said not to read the text of the talk and I won’t say any different with just
one remark: you need to know the contents really well to speak on memory.
It doesn’t work at the beginning of the career of a public speaker.
IV. Do not show your manuscript to a native speaker of English. Even if you
lucky and your ‘judge’ or helper is good at speaking and writing she may
completely change your text in accordance with what she things she could
have said in this sentence or paragraph. On this stage is important to start
and be the best you can. The rest will come later.
V. Prepare all supportive materials for the talk. Think of anything that could
make your performance more important for the audience.
VI. Practice as long as you can afford. If you want to become a top speaker,
a Michael Jordan in public speaking, you must practice 2-3-4-5-6-7- and
more hours a day. It’s just tough. You decide where you want to be, it’s on
you.
VII. The last and very important. The English language.
Try to make it perfect. Check my materials in the section English Training.
You will find there all you need to develop your language skills.
Don’t be discouraged: practice makes miracles. Find a coach. Don’t hire just
a teacher of English, native or non-native. You need a trainer, the person
who will be your sparring partner for becoming an excellent speaker, your
Professor Higgins, if you will.
Chapter Four. Where to Start. The First Steps of a Future
Champion.
Now, as you have learned that much about how to prepare a speech, it
is the right time to think of the listeners, your audience. You cannot just give
speeches to people in the streets.
But even before finding a place, I still strongly recommend you do something
else which might sound a bit unserious or unnecessary, yet has proved to
make wonders for lots of people. I’m now talking of a very simple exercise.
Look into the mirror and ask you a simple question:
“Do I really want to become a Public Speaker?” Then listen to your answer and be sure that the one in you who is
answering is not lying.
Without that step, the rest of your efforts make no sense. Wait for a few
days and ask the same question again and again unless you precisely know
that it is what you are thinking about most of your time.
A word of warning here: don’t ask anyone’s opinion! It’s your personal
business. Others have their own problems and they may have their own
understanding of business of talking on public.
As soon as you are absolutely sure that it is what you want to start
doing, go to a place where public speaking is taught, learned and practiced.
There is only one place I can think of: a Toastmasters club in your locality.
Start your trip into the business from this organization. Whenever you join a
club, the rest is there: the mentoring, the manuals, the support of fellow
toast masters and your personal growth.
For a symbolic amount of money you will check whether speaking on public is
what you have come into this world for should continue with this or do
something else.
Chapter Five. ‘Tell Them What You Have Told Them.’ Conclusion
Well, time to revise briefly what we have learned so far. I think it could
have been possible to load you with more materials about the craft but let’s
leave it for the next report or an e-book. One of the best ways to boost your
knowledge of the subject is to
subscribe to my Newsletter and receive all you may need for
developing your business right into your e-mail box.
OK, what has been said and learned about the main point of becoming a
public speaker.
- We have answered several basic questions:
- What is public speaking business?
- Why do I want to start this business myself?
- Where can I find listeners to start my career?
- How can I begin my public speaking business?
- Who can help me with my first steps in the business?
The only one question out of the six ‘wh’ questions was left.
It’s ‘when’ question.
When do I start this business?
If I you asked me to answer this question I would have most probably
said: “Now!”
Public speaking industry is still in its age of infancy, so many ways and
chances for the years to come. The sooner you arrive at the trade, the
better. And, don’t forget: as any serious business, it needs time to get to the
top, unless you want to stay in the bottom.
But, I hope, you want to join the champions of the stage, right?
So, do it now!
The best of luck and success to you,
George Rusky
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