As an active competitor in Toastmaster speech competitions, I found it
hard to find books in the genre that weren't attempting to tell me
what was going on in my head and body that were causing my dread for
public speaking. All I wanted was pragmatic suggestions on how to fix
it. I constantly hear people saying they want to get over their fear
of public speaking, but they don't have time. I agree on not enough
time, but stress that your personal and professional growth may be
contingent on your ability to confidently convey your message. This
book is a quick-hit, action-based reference guide with easily
digestible chapters. My approach is straightforward. I break down the
fundamentals of practical public speaking. Readers will be ahead of
the game if you take nothing more out of this book than the following:
1. Effective public speaking is more about confidence than
communication skills.
2. Public speaking is more than a lectern, podium, or
microphone; it is everywhere.
3. The ability to speak publicly is not as hard as you may
imagine—the hardest part is taking the first action steps.
4. Public speaking is a learned skill that must continually be developed.
5. Your own success, both personal and professional, is
directly related to your ability to communicate effectively.
Summary:
This practical guide will share concise methods to overcome anxiety,
relate to any audience, develop an effective presentation, make your
message count, and stir emotion. The tips and techniques are
bite-sized nuggets that will resonate with speakers of all levels—from
those wanting to survive a speech to professionals needing
reinforcement to hone their craft. Building off the fundamentals of
public speaking and presentation skills, this guide offers a
practicality that will stand the test of time. Readers will see that
effective public speaking has more to do with confidence than
communication skills. Public speaking is everywhere, not just at a
podium, and successful public speaking skills can be developed with
easy-to-follow steps. Readers will find that their own success, both
personal and professional, is directly related to their ability to
communicate effectively. Using personal examples of his triumphs and
lessons learned, Tom shares his journey to get past the emotion of
fear that has gripped everyone at some time in their lives when they
stared into a crowd. The techniques included will build the
confidence to not just survive one moment, but teach you to play to
your own strengths and enjoy a lifetime of effective communication,
strong leadership, and lasting personal relationships. Most people
already have the groundwork to be a great public speaker. "From Fear
to Success" maneuvers past your trepidations into a new world of
self-assurance to build upon this foundation.