Linda D. Swink - Speak with Power and Grace: A Womans Guide to Public Speaking

Copyright 1995, 2000, 2014 by Linda D. Swink

Foreword copyright 2014 by Richard L. Weaver II

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available on file.

ISBN: 978-1-62636-424-0

Printed in the United States of America.

To my husband and my mother for their continuous love and support, and to Toastmasters everywhere for all their help, encouragement, and friendship.

I thank the wonderful women of the Central Ohio Fiction Writers in Columbus, Ohio, for helping me understand what this writing business is all about.

The ability to speak effectivelyto be listened to by those who matteris crucial for success. And with women now occupying close to fifty percent of workplace positions, it is critically important for women to be able to communicate with skill and assurance.

Women deserve a book especially for them, written by someone who knows, who cares, and who has been there. Linda is just such a person. That is why a handy, practical guide like this one is so valuable. To have one written by a female professional speaker is like icing on the cake!

Several factors motivated me to write this foreword. First, I am intimately interested in Lindas topic. Second, in my work of training hundreds of graduate teaching assistants in speech communication and teaching thousands of students, I am always looking for new, exciting ideas to share with others. Third, as a practicing writer and speaker who has had nine speeches included in Vital Speeches of the Day , and who has had more than ninety articles published, I feel I am in a unique position to evaluate Lindas work.

Whether youre a beginner or a veteran, Lindas book satisfies. It quiets the fears of the unknown. It forces you to resist the temptation of procrastination. It quickens the sluggish brain. Also, it keeps you believing you have something worthwhile to say. Through study and practice, time and effort, commitment and dedicationlike anyone who wants to exceleffective speakers must invest in the fundamentals. Dont believe the myth that good speakers are born, not made. Its a lie. Public speaking is an ability that can be learned. Good speakers become good speakers through desire, effort, and practice.

As a student of public speaking who has a library of thousands of related books, I consider this one outstanding because of its relevance, because of its breadth, because of its practical, sensible advice, and because it is written by a woman for women. From the beginning, Linda shares, step by step, how to put a speech together. The emphasis is on women from the opening chapter when she explains ways women can overcome fear of public speaking, questions to ask before beginning a speech, and specific suggestions for writing the speech. Linda traces each part of the process and answers the most often asked questions: How do you make the right moves? What is unique about the female voice, and how do women speakers capitalize on their uniqueness? What platform techniques work best? What is proper etiquette in front of an audience? What are special concerns for women at the lectern? How do you handle distractions? And how can you best adapt to special circumstances? Linda, too, offers useful examples, tips, and personal experiences that, by themselves, make this volume worth its price.

Seldom have I read a book with as much down-to-earth, effective guidance on effective public speaking. Linda presents specific, detailed information. Take time to digest the books content; then put the suggestions to use in your next speech. By applying the principles and using the techniques in this book, you will be more successful at any job that requires clear communication. You will learn to enjoy public speaking more and fear it less.

This is a volume you will read again and again. It will help you become the best public speaker you can be. Yes, it is truly that good!

Dr. Richard L. Weaver II, Professor

Department of Interpersonal Communication

Bowling Green State University, Ohio

During my twenty-some odds years as a professional speaker, I have had the pleasure of training hundreds of women to become more confident at the lectern. Many attended my workshops and seminars uncertain of how to make a speech: some were fearful that they werent up to the task and others were just plain terrorized at the prospect of standing before a group of strangers and talking to them.

Some of the comments I heard were: I could never give a speech. Id be scared to death with all those eyes staring at me.

Me, give a speech? Are you crazy? Id rather die. In fact, Im sure I would.

Ill forget everything I wanted to say and make a fool of myself.

These concerns about public speaking are far too common, and unfortunately are the seeds of failure. But the opposite is true. The public speaking experience is an opportunity that can lead to promotions, career enhancements, and personal growth; in others wordssuccess.

The ability to influence, inspire, and motivate others and to effectively express your ideas and opinions means the difference between climbing that corporate ladder of success or remaining in a go-nowhere job. Yet for many women, the thought of making a speech before a group of strangers sends a paralyzing fear through their bodies that shakes their self-confidence and causes them to avoid stepping on that first rung of that ladder. Because of that fear, they beg off making a speech, leaving their jobs hanging in jeopardy.

There are women who will scribble a few notes on a scrap of paper, run the information quickly through their heads, present the speech, and then wonder why they failed. Thats why we hear so many tedious, boring, ill-prepared speechesthe speaker didnt know how to prepare a speech, hadnt honed her delivery skills, and simply wasnt ready.

Still other women believe that just because they can talk, they can make a speech.

Ben Jonson, English dramatist and poet, said, Talking and eloquence are not the same; to speak, and to speak well are two different things. Talking is like a slow dripping water faucet. Making a speech is akin to a rushing waterfallmore energetic, more interesting, and certainly more powerful.

No one expects to read a book about playing golf, then rush to join a professional golf league. Nor would they show up at Carnegie Hall expecting to play the piano without first investing many years into practicing the scales. Yet some women feel they can deliver a formal presentation without putting time in preparation and practice because they feel they can wing it. Without the speaker knowing the techniques for a powerful delivery and without preparation, planning, and practice, the presentation is doomed to fail.