Public Speaking
Speaking the Truth, Speaking with Power
On a rain-soaked night on a hill overlooking Lake Temagami in Canada, I got a message: Speak the truth. Because it came while on a Vision Quest—an ancient tradition that includes going off alone to be quiet and listen to what the land and the spirit world have to say—I took it seriously and immediately began to apply it in my work when I returned. That was easy to do because I was teaching public speaking at Penn’s Fels Institute of Government. (See my final speech in Videos for more about the Vision Quest.)
I believe if you want to be heard, you need to speak the truth.
I’m not talking about truth as a philosophical ideal; nor do I mean simply not telling lies. I mean being able to speak in your authentic voice by tapping into your inner truth, the core of who you are and what you are here to do. When you open your heart and expose yourself by telling your story, you encourage others to do the same and that’s when you connect on a deeper level and create a stronger community.
Contents
This section on Public Speaking is broken into three parts: Public Speaking Tips, Videos, and Three Favorite Speakers. In each part, you will find videos, public speaking tips, more detailed notes on particular speeches or types of speeches, and examples of effective speaking techniques, with an abundance of examples and material which you can use to improve your speaking—and your speeches.
Buck Benedict 