Читать книгу Powerful Presentations - Jacques Waisvisz - Страница 11

It is fortunate that the philosophy of learning has changed for the better. Teachers who ridicule students in front of their peers are no longer tolerated. Teachers still make students get up in front of the class to give individual presentations or to participate in group presentations, but today they encourage students rather than ridicule them. Only in this way will the learning process of speaking in front of a group of people become a positive rather than a negative experience.

I sincerely hope that “Powerful Presentations” will help many students to enjoy the process of learning how to make effective presentations and that teachers will continue the new trend of providing positive feedback and encouragement to their students. The result will be that those students, once they become adults, will have positive attitudes towards standing up and speaking in front of an audience. This will certainly change our society, as the silent majority becomes smaller. The fate of the nation will no longer be decided by a small vocal minority. People all over will speak up and help decide our future!

You, too, can make a difference, but no one knows yet! You are still part of the silent majority! Decide today to follow through with your idea of making this one presentation.

Start with a short 3 minute speech at an informal gathering or make a short business presentation. (See EXERCISES in the APPENDIX)

Then, do another one, and then another! Pretty soon you will have overcome your fear of public speaking and instead, you and your audience will both participate in ‘the joy of public speaking’.

You now have the mental and emotional knowledge to overcome your fears...you know that you can do it...start applying that knowledge today! In the chapters that follow, you will learn the physical skills of communication.