Okay, so we spent last time laying the groundwork for how to approach getting better at public speaking by identifying the main hurdle to speaking well as fear, and the main antidote for fear as practice, both in the short term (practice this speech so you’re not as nervous delivering it), and in the long term (give lots of speeches, so that your baseline level of nerves is lower). Now let’s actually dig into what to practice: what to say, how to say it, and how to hold yourself as you say it. Crafting a Speech – Clearly Structure Compelling Points The first, and most important, step in giving a…

With this entry, we come to the first thing that comes to mind for most of us when hear the word “rhetoric”: public speaking. Though I’ve stressed throughout that “rhetoric” includes any kind of persuasive communication, it was first and has longest been practiced in this form. Public speaking also acts as a microcosm of the Renaissance Man approach: it is multi-faceted, requires diligent practice, and becomes a deeply personal and individualized endeavor the more you pursue it. With that said, let’s jump in. The Main Hurdle: Fear Many folks struggle with public speaking. They find it hard and unpleasant and don’t know how to do better. It turns out…