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Public speaking

SSG T

HR Legend
Jul 10, 2002
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I was at a training event for my job today. And, well, there are a lot of people who need training and practice at public speaking.

Don't read the slides verbatim. Minimize/eliminate crutch words. Give people time to read or take notes. Speak clearly and loud enough everyone can hear.

It's not hard, but there are things people need to be taught about it and if you aren't going to do it regularly, practicing in front of an audience is so helpful.

Some of the presenters today were REALLY hard to listen to.
 
Don’t love it but don’t hate it. I do it pretty regularly and feel confident
 
I can’t stand it but get decent reviews from peers. Definitely don’t read off of slides, that’s a no-no. It helps when you’re talking about something you actually like vs. some dumb topic a professor wants you to pontificate on.
 
I had to give briefings nearly weekly. Before that I was an instructor, doing about twenty 2-4 week long classes a year. I also had a public speaking course, a bunch of instructor training courses, a course on constructing and giving briefings, plus my 1SG and Support Ops courses which were largely building and doing classes/briefings.

And I still had to run through in front of someone if I hadn't given one in a while. Definitely a perishable skill. And if you aren't used to doing them, get with someone and run through everything with someone that can critique and offer suggestions.
 
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I did it every week for 20 years and some weeks two or three times. It is like any skill in that you have to keep working at it. Go to Dale Carnegie and Toastmasters. Any business that requires their employees to speak should be providing tuition for Dale Carnegie and should sponsor a Toastmasters club that meets at their facility. I know it is a lot to ask for a business to invest in their people but if they want skilled and productive people then it's necessary.
 
CSB.

My old Chief was horrible at public speaking, and I was pretty good. We had to give the same brief to the TRADOC commander then the Army CoS and FORSCOM commander a week later.

He was dead set on doing both, despite my objection. He ran through it in front of my BDE Commander the day before the one for TRADOC CO. He got done and the COL looked at me and said "Do you know this brief good enough to do it?" "Yes sir" He looked at Chief "I'd suggest you let him do them"

He didn't. He did the one for TRADOC. It was so bad I felt REALLY uncomfortable being in the room, let alone associated. The Iowa TAG (MG Orr) was there (I'd known him for a long time) he says "Chief, let Top do the one next week, he's more comfortable with the material"

Pretty sure Chief hated me after that. I did the one the next week and it was fine, but Chief pouted through the entire thing. And yes, the 2 NCOERs he wrote for me after that were largely why I didn't make CSM.

Get comfortable speaking in front of people kids.
 
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TRADOC - Training and Doctrine Command (4 star commander)

FORSCOM - Forces Commander (4 star commander)

Army CoS - Army Chief of Staff (4 star, highest ranking member of the Army)

You don't want to screw up briefings to Generals. He screwed up a briefing to a General.

BTW, Army CoS at the time was GEN Milley, current Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
 
CSB.

My old Chief was horrible at public speaking, and I was pretty good. We had to give the same brief to the TRADOC commander then the Army CoS and FORSCOM commander a week later.

He was dead set on doing both, despite my objection. He ran through it in front of my BDE Commander the day before the one for TRADOC CO. He got done and the COL looked at me and said "Do you know this brief good enough to do it?" "Yes sir" He looked at Chief "I'd suggest you let him do them"

He didn't. He did the one for TRADOC. It was so bad I felt REALLY uncomfortable being in the room, let alone associated. The Iowa TAG (MG Orr) was there (I'd known him for a long time) he says "Chief, let Top do the one next week, he's more comfortable with the material"

Pretty sure Chief hated me after that. I did the one the next week and it was fine, but Chief pouted through the entire thing. And yes, the 2 NCOERs he wrote for me after that were largely why I didn't make CSM.

Get comfortable speaking in front of people kids.
Pro tip about public speaking, don't pepper your audience with gibberish acronyms that your audience doesn't understand. ;)
Also, throw in synergy a few times. People like to hear about synergy, and thinking outside of the box.
 
Pro tip about public speaking, don't pepper your audience with gibberish acronyms that your audience doesn't understand. ;)

I'm not public speaking, I'm posting to a message board. If I were prepping for a brief, I'd double checking to make sure unfamiliar terms are described.

Here, I'm going for brevity.
 
OP, how large of a crowd is considered ”public speaking”? Just curious. For work I frequently speak in front of all the employees which can be around 30 people. I don’t consider that public speaking personally but maybe?
 
TRADOC - Training and Doctrine Command (4 star commander)

FORSCOM - Forces Commander (4 star commander)

Army CoS - Army Chief of Staff (4 star, highest ranking member of the Army)

You don't want to screw up briefings to Generals. He screwed up a briefing to a General.

BTW, Army CoS at the time was GEN Milley, current Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

BDE commander is a Colonel?
 
Pretty sure Chief hated me after that. I did the one the next week and it was fine, but Chief pouted through the entire thing. And yes, the 2 NCOERs he wrote for me after that were largely why I didn't make CSM.

I despise people like this. There are so many of them in the business world.
 
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I despise people like this. There are so many of them in the business world.
Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. So many mental midgets out there that have nothing in life but their job and to make other peoples life as miserable as possible.
 
OP, how large of a crowd is considered ”public speaking”? Just curious. For work I frequently speak in front of all the employees which can be around 30 people. I don’t consider that public speaking personally but maybe?

I would. If it's a small number of people, less than 10 or so, and it's just basic info, maybe not. But even just a few if you're trying to train them or get important info across, say a small staff meeting, then absolutely.

But just a discussion where a bunch of people are bringing ideas together, not really.
 
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I was at a training event for my job today. And, well, there are a lot of people who need training and practice at public speaking.

Don't read the slides verbatim. Minimize/eliminate crutch words. Give people time to read or take notes. Speak clearly and loud enough everyone can hear.

It's not hard, but there are things people need to be taught about it and if you aren't going to do it regularly, practicing in front of an audience is so helpful.

Some of the presenters today were REALLY hard to listen to.

That drives me crazy. Paraphrase your bullet points and show that you can speak to the content vs just reading from the slides you created.
 
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I used to over-rehearse and then invariably omit or add something which screwed up the flow, which unnerved me, which in turn ... minor disaster.

Now my approach is prepare but don't script it. More spontaneous. Way easier and mo betta. Make sense?
 
I used to over-rehearse and then invariably omit or add something which screwed up the flow, which unnerved me, which in turn ... minor disaster.

Now my approach is prepare but don't script it. More spontaneous. Way easier and mo betta. Make sense?
Yeah, same. Know the topic well and try to be as natural as possible. As if you’re speaking privately with a few friends. That’s my strategy anyway.
 
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I would. If it's a small number of people, less than 10 or so, and it's just basic info, maybe not. But even just a few if you're trying to train them or get important info across, say a small staff meeting, then absolutely.

But just a discussion where a bunch of people are bringing ideas together, not really.
Nice(adds public speaking to skill set)😉
 
I am bad at it. It’s a thing.
When I was in grad school my advisor signed me up for an event on campus where I would get present my work to the science dept. I tried to explain to her that I have trouble with public speaking. She just gave me the same old advice everyone gives. So the event comes up…and it’s a disaster. I’m up there with my slides, no idea what to say on any of them, flop sweating, just like a bad sitcom scene.
Anyway I finally shuffle off the stage and she looks at me and she says “oooohh, you have TROUBLE with public speaking!” I tried to tell ya lady. She did not sign me up for any other talks.
 
I am bad at it. It’s a thing.
When I was in grad school my advisor signed me up for an event on campus where I would get present my work to the science dept. I tried to explain to her that I have trouble with public speaking. She just gave me the same old advice everyone gives. So the event comes up…and it’s a disaster. I’m up there with my slides, no idea what to say on any of them, flop sweating, just like a bad sitcom scene.
Anyway I finally shuffle off the stage and she looks at me and she says “oooohh, you have TROUBLE with public speaking!” I tried to tell ya lady. She did not sign me up for any other talks.
So, she misunderstood what you said or she didn’t care or….?
 
I took the public speaking fear speech class thank God. It helped but eff all that shit.
 
Always practiced, took classes, very confident throughout various career stops in presenting and speaking to any crowd.
The transition to the zoom/google meet presentation was difficult. I struggled with where to look and found myself reading slides versus giving a presentation. It has gotten better over the last few years, but give me a live audience any day versus a zoom crowd.
 
I am bad at it. It’s a thing.
When I was in grad school my advisor signed me up for an event on campus where I would get present my work to the science dept. I tried to explain to her that I have trouble with public speaking. She just gave me the same old advice everyone gives. So the event comes up…and it’s a disaster. I’m up there with my slides, no idea what to say on any of them, flop sweating, just like a bad sitcom scene.
Anyway I finally shuffle off the stage and she looks at me and she says “oooohh, you have TROUBLE with public speaking!” I tried to tell ya lady. She did not sign me up for any other talks.
You should have mansplained it to her the first time.
 
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I’m much more comfortable speaking to a couple thousand people (and really good at it) than I am a table of 5-6 strangers.
 
I had to do public speaking as a school board member, Rotary President, Congressional hearing, Court of Appeals,, etc.

The key is not to rely on notes. Speak from your heart.
 
I lead a weekly call and have for several years now. Today is different, I get to talk to a couple 4th grade classes. Should be interesting.
 
I was at a training event for my job today. And, well, there are a lot of people who need training and practice at public speaking.

Don't read the slides verbatim. Minimize/eliminate crutch words. Give people time to read or take notes. Speak clearly and loud enough everyone can hear.

It's not hard, but there are things people need to be taught about it and if you aren't going to do it regularly, practicing in front of an audience is so helpful.

Some of the presenters today were REALLY hard to listen to.
I enjoy it.

I know this will come as a shock to many of you, but I like hearing myself talk. 🙂
 
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Over the years I have spoken in front of 100-2,000 in a business capacity quite often and I think I'm OK at it. But, when I'm in the pulpit at church giving the reading one or twice a year I'm nervous bowl of jelly for some reason.
 
Over the years I have spoken in front of 100-2,000 in a business capacity quite often and I think I'm OK at it. But, when I'm in the pulpit at church giving the reading one or twice a year I'm nervous bowl of jelly for some reason.

You must be a Catholic
 
I am amazed at how bad most people are at public speaking. A story I tell occasionally from my Freshman year at Iowa was passing tests to skip basic English classes. At the time (1975) prior to your first semester you could try to "test out" of first year written and oral English requirements. For the oral part they put about a hundred students in a room with a list of topics on the board. You then had one hour to choose a topic and prepare a persuasive speech. Then they put about ten students into a room with judges, and you took turns giving your speech to the judges.

When we went to the room I was pretty nervous about my chances. Then the first presenter stood up and proceeded to fidget and stutter for five minutes. I thought, "Well, at least I won't give the worse speech." The next presenter got up, and it was the same thing. One after the other almost everyone of them was painful to watch. When the day was over I was 99% confident I had passed, and I was right.
 
Regarding slides, at our company one time a series of managers had to give year end summaries of their department's performance. One of them - a nice guy but comically stupid who seemed to get by in life on good looks and a nice smile - stood in front of a single slide that had a performance matrix of a dozen columns and a dozen rows in each column. He then proceeded to read each box on the matrix. He occasionally threw in some ad-libs, but basically just read. About about fifteen minutes in, about a third of a way through the matrix, he looked out and said "Well, I'm not going to just read the entire slide." then proceeded to go back and read the entire slide.

Torture.
 
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