- William Hewlett, co-founder Hewlett-Packard
Speaking with clients and colleagues in small groups of 4-5 is one thing but public speaking in large groups is something else. It’s something I don’t do if I can avoid it.
Knowing this, my wife Claudette is surprised that I can walk into a classroom of 20-30 elementary school kids I haven’t met before, execute a lesson plan with only 30 minutes of preparation, and survive the experience without major mental trauma. She has said several times that she just couldn’t do it.
She can, and has on several occasions, got up in front of a couple hundred people in church to deliver a sermon as the quest speaker when our pastor is away.
Now THAT would cause me major trauma. I admire her fortitude and courage to research, write, plan, practice and deliver a “public speech” in church. It isn’t something I would ever voluntarily do.
Between the two of us, we make one pretty good communicator. I just like my audience a bit shorter.
3 comments:
Thanks for the link, Mark. I need to go back and listen to that again. Pass along to Claudette how terrific she is.
Definitely, to each his/her own. I do better when I'm expected to be in front of people as opposed to an unplanned speech. I remember getting so nervous in church on "prayer request" night and having to stand in front of everyone and share a prayer request. Normally I would just keep it to myself.
"...Pass along to Claudette how terrific she is"
Fred,
I will and I do every day.
...Mark
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