Last week I had the privilege of speaking to a group of bright, enthusiastic students attending the 2011 speech and debate camp run by Training Minds Ministry. 

At the end of my presentation the founder of this group, Chris Jeub, asked this question, “If there is limited time to teach children the essentials of Math, Science, History, Literature etc, then why invest time and money to teach children the skill of speech and debate?”

My answer was emphatic. 

The feedback from hundreds of our students over the years confirms that speaking with focus and purpose transforms their effectiveness as a communicator. According to Steven Covey, the second habit of highly effective people is “Begin with the end in mind.” As we begin our Dynamic Communicators Workshop in Glorieta NM this week we will be re-enforcing that truth over and over. Many speakers never consider the “end,” the ultimate purpose for which they are giving their talk. Instead they agonize over a list of “things” they want to say and how to organize that list.

Here is a short list for preparing your next speech. Following these procedures will give your speech more focus and power.