Confessions of a Public Speaker
15 Jan 2010
A large and increasing part of what I do is public speaking.
Whether teaching in worship services, classes at seminaries, speaking at conferences, or training in small groups, I’m regulalry having to put stuff together and share it with other people, for varied reasons.
So I’m always on the lookout for resources that will help me in preparing, and presenting. And a cracker of a book just came into my life the other day.
I reckon this book, by Scott Berkun, ‘Confessions of a Public Speaker‘ has to be the most refreshing and inspiring book for public speaking that I have come across in a long time. I’ve found myself looking forward to reading it not only to become a better communicator, but just for the shear entertainment it provides.
Some books are about making your slides all zen and apple like (that leave me wishing I had the time and skills of a full time designer). Some are technical on the nature and dynamics of communication skills, and some are about the process of researching and distilling materials for presentation content.
Confessions of a Public Speaker is something different, with the inside and personal story of a great public speaker, that is entertaining, inspiring and stuffed full of tips of the nature of public speaking and what makes a great public speaker.
An inside view of what great public speaking look, feels and smells like, and anyone speaking in public should read it.
Any other resources you have found useful?
Tagged: Books, public speaking
8 comments
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Comment by Gary Dickenson
4.50 pm on 17 Jan 2010
Thanks for the heads up , will definitely be buying this as I’ve recently started speaking in public with the aid of presentations and whilst I’m a confident speaker I know there is plenty of room for improvement. I was on the radio last week and when I listened to myself later I couldn’t believe how many umms and errrs there were!
By way of resources I’ve found very insightful and useful and it’s sort of connected; Less Clutter. Less Noise.: Beyond Bulletins, Brochures and Bake Sales by Kem Meyer. An easy to the point and well presented read about communication in life and in the church.
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Comment by Jason Clark
4.48 pm on 18 Jan 2010
I’ll look that up, thanks!
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Comment by David M
9.48 am on 18 Jan 2010
The Homiletical Plot by Eugene Lowry: http://biblicalpreaching.net/2008/02/08/review-the-homiletical-plot-by-eugene-lowry/ is one I found helpful because of Lowry’s relatively simple ideas and methods for creating a stronger narrative in a talk.
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Comment by Jason Clark
4.49 pm on 18 Jan 2010
I’ve got that and will dust it off, thanks
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Comment by Simon Raybould
2.34 pm on 18 Jan 2010
Hi Jason – like you, I liked Confessions (there’s a full review of it here: http://www.curved-vision.co.uk/presentation-skills-blog/2009/12/07/book-review-confessions-of-a-public-speaker/
Unlike you though, I had a couple of reservations – mainly small ones to do with the print quality rather than the content of the book.
You’re right that it’s not at all a technical book – more like a magazine read, if you see what I mean – but non the less interesting for that.
Having said that, I wasn’t taken by the ‘confessions’ chapter itself – did you notice that pretty well all the confessions ended up showing the confessor in a good light? Call me cynical, but….
Maybe it’s because it’s my job (I’m a public speaking trainer) but they just didn’t seem right to me. The REAL mistakes don’t get bragged about! 
Simon
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Comment by Jason Clark
4.50 pm on 18 Jan 2010
Hi simon,
I took away his sharing of some mistakes and how he lived with them and grew with them
Maybe some links to big mistakes would have been even better 
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Comment by James Prescott
6.01 pm on 19 Jan 2010
I had just bought this book and will read it alongside the training I will hopefully be doing in the Spring. This is a journey I am just beginning on, and I look forward to reading this.
I read a quote from Churchill on public speaking, and spoke of it more as a gift that is ‘not wholly bestowed, but cultivated’. An interesting view from someone who was a great public speaker himself.
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Comment by Simon Raybould
6.54 pm on 19 Jan 2010
Hi James – interesting that you should cite Churchill as he’s often held up as one of the best. If you’ve got the time and the inclination listen to some recordings of him (and watch them if you can, even better): I’m not so sure he *was* as good as everyone pretends/believes/thinks.
Obviously it’s hard to tell, as we none of us were there and half the magic of public speaking is lost in the recording but I wonder if we gave his material to someone else if they’d not do a better job of it. Heresy, I know!
That said, the *content* is wonderful (although often mis-reported).
Simon
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