Chapter 52 Desire to acquire public speaking skills

Gaining confidence, courage, and the ability to think calmly and clearly when speaking to the public is not as difficult as most people think—maybe not even a tenth as difficult. At a certain time in human history, public speaking was an extremely delicate art, and to be a good speaker required strict rhetoric and graceful oratorical technique.Today, we see public speaking as a kind of enlarged conversation, and the way of speaking while singing and the loud voice have been lost forever in the long river of history.Whether it is when having dinner with others, worshiping in church, or watching TV at home, people are more willing to hear some straightforward and sincere words, think with each other according to the common sense of the world, and concentrate on discussing issues.

When I began teaching in 1912 at the Young Christians' Association at 125th Street in New York City, I taught in much the same way as I did when I was a college student in Wallenberg, Missouri.But soon I found myself on a "wrong path": I actually taught those business people as if they were freshmen in college.I have found that it is not helpful for students to blindly use famous speakers such as Webster, Burke Pitt, and O'Connell as examples.The students I teach are not those who memorize textbooks by rote, but those who can stand up and give a speech impromptu on any occasion.So, I abandoned all the textbooks, and used some simple concepts to work hard with the students until their speeches could be freely retracted, expressive and deeply rooted in the hearts of the people.The approach worked so well that they wanted to come back and learn more after graduation.

I hope you will have the opportunity to come to my home and see the thank you letters from students from all over the world.These letters range from business leaders whose names are featured in the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal; from governors, congressmen, college presidents, and entertainment stars; Supervisors in training, skilled and unskilled workers, union members, even students like you, working women, etc.Of course, more are from housewives, pastors, teachers, they are all unknown ordinary people.All of these people feel that they need enough self-confidence and the ability to express themselves in public in order to be accepted.Those who have achieved certain things, those who have achieved their goals, are so grateful that they write to me specifically to say thank you.

As I was contemplating this book on eloquence for teenagers, I kept thinking of a man who had been a major influence on me among the thousands of students I have taught.He was Ghent, a successful Philadelphia entrepreneur who invited me to lunch shortly after his training session.At the dinner table, he leaned forward to me and said, "Mr. Carnegie, I've had many opportunities to speak in public, but subconsciously I've always tried to avoid confronting people. But now that I've been elected chairman of the University Board of Trustees, Having to chair meetings on a regular basis. I wonder if I'll ever learn to speak in public in my twilight years?"

There are many people like him in my training class. After a period of training, they completely changed their weakness of not being afraid to speak in public and achieved great results. We met again three years later at lunch at the Entrepreneur Club.In the same restaurant, at the same table, we talked about what we said before.When I asked him if his initial concerns were still there, he smiled and pulled out a small red notebook from his pocket, in which he recorded his scheduled speaking schedule for the next few months. "The ability to give these speeches, the joy I get when I speak, and the service I can provide to the society...these are the happiest and most satisfying things in my life." He said proudly.Mr. Ghent also told me very proudly that his diocese once invited the British Prime Minister to give a speech in Philadelphia, and it was Mr. Ghent who was responsible for introducing this outstanding statesman to the audience.And three years ago he was leaning over this table and asking me if he would one day be able to speak well in public.

Is it extraordinary that his oratorical skills have improved so rapidly?No!There are countless success stories like Mr. Gent's.A few years ago, a doctor in Brooklyn, Dr. Curtis, went on a winter vacation to Florida, not far from the practice facility of the famous baseball team, the Giants.As an enthusiastic fan, he often went to watch them play, and gradually became good friends with the players. One day he was invited to a team dinner, and after the waiter brought coffee and pastries, some famous guests were brought up to speak.Without any psychological preparation in advance, he heard the host of the banquet say: "A friend from the medical field is here tonight, and we welcome Dr. Curtis to come on stage and talk to us about the health of baseball players."

Was he adequately prepared for this question?Of course there is.He's arguably the most prepared person in the world for this problem—he's a health care student and has been practicing medicine for nearly half a century.He can sit in a chair and chat with the people around him, even for an evening.However, if you let him stand up and speak the same question to a group of people, it is a different situation.He would feel his heart racing and be overwhelmed with fear.He tried to calm himself down, but his heart seemed to stop beating.He has never given a public speech in his life. Facing the crowd, all the thoughts in his mind seem to fly away with wings.

How should we face it?Everyone at the banquet was applauding, all staring at him.He shook his head and declined, but it drew even more enthusiastic applause. "Dr. Curtis! Speech! Speech!" the voices of the audience grew louder. Under the dominance of this extremely depressed mood, he knew that if he stood up to speak, he would fail, and he might not even be able to utter five or six complete sentences.He stood up, turned his back on his friend, and walked out silently, sinking deeply into embarrassment and shame. The experience made him determined to change himself, and the first thing he did when he got back to Brooklyn was to sign up for my speech training class—he didn't want to be stuck speechless again.

As a teacher, I would really love to meet a student like him because he has an urgent need to improve his public speaking skills.This desire was so firm that he practiced without complaint and never missed a lesson. With his own unremitting efforts, just after finishing the first stage of the course, his nervousness disappeared and his confidence became stronger and stronger.Two months later, he had become a star speaker in his class and began accepting invitations to speak everywhere.Now, he has become very fond of the feeling of joy and the honor he received during the speech, and he is even more fortunate that he has made more friends during the speech.

A member of the New York City Republican Campaign Committee, after hearing one of Dr. Curtis's speeches, immediately invited him to speak for the Republican Party all over the city.The politician would have been amazed if he had known that just a year earlier the orator had been obliged to leave a dinner party in shame, tongue-tied for fear of facing an audience. Gaining confidence, courage, and the ability to think calmly and clearly when speaking to the public is not as difficult as most people think—maybe not even a tenth as difficult.As with learning to play golf, anyone can develop his or her latent abilities with enough will and perseverance.

Here's another example: The late David Gulliver, chairman of the Gulliver Corporation, came into my office one day and said, "Every time I've ever spoken to a group of people in my life, I've always been terrified. .And as the chairman, I have to preside over the meeting. The directors are familiar with each other. When everyone sits around the table and talks, I can answer fluently without any obstacles. However, once I stand up, I will have an inexplicable sense of panic. A word I can't tell. This situation has been going on for many years, and it is very serious. I am worried whether you can give me some help." "Oh," I said, "why come to me when you doubt whether I can help?" "For one reason," he replied, "I have an accountant who handles private accounts and is a very shy guy. He has to walk past my desk when he comes into his office. For years, he He has always been on tiptoe and cautiously, keeping his eyes on the ground without looking up, and rarely saying a word. However, recently, he has changed his appearance and become more energetic. When he walked into the office, he raised his head and chest, and said good morning to me generously. Ann. I was amazed by the change in him and asked him what made it happen and he told me about attending your training sessions. It was the change in that guy that brought me to you .” I said to Mr. Gu Liqu: "Come to class regularly and strictly follow my requirements. Within a few weeks, you will like to speak in front of the public." "If you could really change me," he replied, "I'd be one of the happiest people in the country." He stuck to his classes and made rapid progress.Three months later, I invited him to a party of three thousand people in the ballroom of the Astor Hotel, and asked him to talk about how he had benefited from the eloquence training course.He apologized for not being able to come because he had an appointment in advance.But the next day, he called me again and said he was coming: "I canceled the appointment. I owe you a speech. I want to tell the audience how the training has helped me, and I will use my own story to motivate me." People get rid of the fear that robs them of their lives." I gave him two minutes to speak, but in front of 3,000 people, he spoke for more than ten minutes. I have witnessed thousands of similar miracles.Many people's lives have been completely changed as a result of this training, some have achieved coveted promotions in the workplace, and others have made huge profits in the business world.Sometimes a speech is all it takes to get things done.Such is the story of Mario Lajo. A few years ago, I received, quite unexpectedly, a telegram from Cuba.The telegram said: "Unless you send a telegram to stop me, I will come to New York immediately to receive speech training." Signed Mario Lajo.I don't know who he is and have never heard of it. When Mr. Lajo came to New York, he told me: "Havana Country Club is celebrating the 50th birthday of the founder, and arranged for me to host the party at the party and present him with a commemorative cup. Although I am a lawyer, I have never made it public. I have given speeches. I am terrified at the thought of being in front of so many people. How embarrassed my wife and I would be if something went wrong in such a grand social occasion! It would greatly affect my performance in front of my friends. Image. For this reason, I came from Cuba to ask you for help. But I can only stay for three weeks." For three weeks, I moved Mario from class to class, delivering three or four speeches a day.On his return to Cuba, he gave a marvelous speech at a grand banquet at the Havana Country Club.In this regard, "Time" magazine made a special report in the foreign news column, praising him as a "silver-tongued commentator".Sounds like a miracle, doesn't it?It was indeed a miracle—the miracle of overcoming fear in the 20th century.