Learning the Public Speaking Career
Filed under: Become a Speaker, Public Speaking, public speaking jobs
Every man I meet is my superior in some way; in that I learn from him. –Ralph Waldo Emerson
This quotation changed my public speaking life! With these few words, the doors were thrown open. In them, I’ve gained a richer insight into myself, and garnered a practical wisdom that has advanced both my personal and public speaking career
. I consciously strive to live this quote. It’s a statement that guides me in every human contact I’m privileged to make. It’s with me in everything from formal public speeches and carefully crafted keynote presentations at seminars and conventions, to hallway handshakes in hallways after a speech, and to friendly chitchats with cashiers at the local supermarket.
Clearly, Emerson was speaking not just of men, but of mankind; man in the sense of everyman. Every woman I meet is my superior in some way. I learn from every child, from every senior citizen, and from every teenager (including my own). I believe the best way to nurture learning is to conscientiously stay in the hunt. I try hard to stay adaptable and remain open to new ideas. By definition, learning is a proactive enterprise. Initiate conversations. Don’t hesitate to seek instruction, training, or advice, whether or not you choose to use it.
Discover people’s interests, and get interested in people. Take the time to listen to a really good story, and take note of the elements that make it a good story. And write things down! Keep a notebook, or carry a tape recorder with you. I want to emphasize this. Get those things down that create the smallest spark in you, however momentary or faint it may be, because you never know when you’ll hear or see something from someone today that might be your next keynote speech in your public speaking job.
Another thing to keep in mind is that you will learn what to avoid. Occasionally, if you haven’t already, you’ll listen to another public speaker and come out afterwards saying to yourself, “Mental note: Never begin your keynote presentation this way, not even if it would end global warming.” But, hey, you undoubtedly learned something you will use in public speaking career! You may already be a talented public speaker but to become a great public speaker you have to be a great Learner.