It is political season again….as I am sitting here watching C-Span. There is a former U.S. Senator giving a “warm” endorsement of a Presidential candidate. As he speaks “glowingly” about how he worked closely with the candidate for so many years and how great a president this candidate will become, he is saying all the right words. One problem: he is reading from a set of notes. All the right words come spewing out of his mouth but he rarely makes eye contacts with the audience. It is as if someone gave him a prepared statement to read to the crowd. How do you think the crowd will receive such endorsement? Why does a former United States senator have to read from a set of notes about his warm personal working relationship with the candidate he is endorsing? Surely he can’t be nervous about public speaking. He was a senator for many years. Does it seem congruent at all? Is he making the connection with the voters?
Think about this when you make your next presentation. Will your audience feel that you are speaking from your heart? Will they feel that you really mean what you are saying? The way to achieve all of this is to KNOW your subject (not memorize it) and believe in the content. Speak from your heart and you will be fine.
