An Engaged Life
How to prepare a
Public Talk
I remember listening to a senior Buddhist monk giving a talk. He spoke for about an hour. His talk lacked focus and appeared disjointed. I gently told him later he could consider preparing his talk by writing notes to establish a theme. He said his tradition did not use notes.
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I asked him: “What is more important – clinging to your tradition or effective communication?”
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Public talks, questions and answers, dialogue and inquiry, offer a primary vehicle for transformation. Clear communications wake people up.
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Your talks, whether for a few minutes or longer, deserve serious reflection and solid preparation.
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A sociological survey showed that public speaking is most people’s biggest fear. The second biggest fear is fear of death. In other words, most people regard public speaking as a fate worse than death. You can use the energy of any nervousness to communicate
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Spend much time reading/listening/watching /viewing public discourses, talks and lectures.
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Explore themes, research and reflect on first-hand experiences.
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Take notes from conversations to develop your subject matter.
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Find 10 or 15 minutes before the talk to for silence and reflection. Be willing to use extensive notes.
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A worthwhile talk inspires, informs and provides themes for reflection. Remember to check after that your talk meets some of these intentions.