The Key!

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. 

All of the knowledge you can accumulate is of little value if you can’t communicate it.  The people who are in most demand in this world are people who have the ability to articulate what they know, people who have the skills to debate what they believe.

Whether one is the CEO of a major corporation, pastor of a local church or the parent of a family, a MAJOR part of their ability to do that job with excellence is to know how to communicate well.  The students I saw at this camp are far advanced in speaking skills.  Because of those skills their chances to succeed in any field they choose is multiplied significantly.

So my answer was YES!  Communication skills are the KEY to success, and essential to affective life.

Over the years those attending our Dynamic Communicators Workshops have raved about the difference the training made in

their public speaking,

their writing,

their relationships and

their ability to plan and focus their life.

When we teach people how to aim for an outcome in speaking it ends up affecting their whole life.  Aim at nothing you will hit it every time.  Know where you are going and you can take anyone with you.

Join me and some of the country’s Top Instructors in Vail Colorado  October 17 – 20/21 and learn how to focus, your verbal communication, your writing, and your life.

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

1. Study and research your topic.

Your audience deserves your best preparation.

2. List all the things you want to say

Have fun dreaming of every possible creative technique you might use and all the illustrations and supportive material you might use.

3. Ask yourself WHY you want to say those things.

This is the most important part of the process. Answer the question,”why do you want to say all these things?” So the audience will__________________? Answering that question will lead you very close to the objective of the speech.

4. Eliminate anything that doesn’t lead toward the objective of your speech.

5. Organize what remains into a logical progression that leads the listener to the objective.

6. Practice the speech out loud.

7. Deliver your speech with clarity, dynamics and power.

This process helps you determine the end before you begin. Try it for your next talk. It’s takes some work, but it will make your talk more powerful. Let me know how it worked.