Presentation Skills Training is for Everyone

Public speaking is about the way that you present your thoughts and feelings in a meaningful and communicative way. And presentation skills training is learning how to do this effectively.

The question is, who will benefit from this type of training? The short answer is everyone!

Most people perceive public speaking to be the act of standing up in front of a large audience and delivering some sort of monologue. After all, some people even make a living from this type of speaking, including motivational speakers, masters of ceremony (MCs), politicians, and many people in the legal field, such as judges, magistrates, attorneys and prosecutors.

But this is certainly not the be-all and end-all of it. Here are some examples of public speaking prospects that may not seem as obvious:

* Children standing up in class to answer questions or give opinions.

* Company directors and managers who have to provide direction to their staff.

* Anybody who is going to participate in any sort of conference or symposium.

* People who need to communicate in social situations (that's most of us).

* A person who is going to be interviewed for a job -- possibly by a committee or by at least two or three people at once.

* Waiters and waitresses who are going to explain to tables of people what is on the menu.

In addition to learning how to speak and present yourself effectively, this type of training has other benefits, such as boosting self confidence and feelings of personal worth. It also has a marked impact on personal relationships, because being able to present thoughts and feelings in a meaningful way involves processing thoughts and values.

Learning presentation skills can be a very exciting process. It involves many aspects, some of which you may not have even considered to be related to public speaking. For example it is not just about choosing good topics and structuring speeches that people will want to listen to. It is just as much about what you look like and how you come across. You may be able to develop an excellent speech, but if you fall to pieces when you come to deliver it, you will not have succeeded in your quest.

Part of the learning process involves learning how to breathe correctly and how to project your voice, as well as learning how to relax both on and off the stage. It also involves learning how to stand and how to move while in front of the audience. It involves identifying the audience you are going to address, so that you know your topic and presentation are suitable, and to be sure that you dress appropriately. It involves learning to use language that is relevant to your audience and will be understood by them, and the importance of pronouncing words correctly.

Lastly, this type of training will enable you to enjoy the companionship of people who have the same interest, which is to expand their own horizons through improving their public speaking skills too.

Tim Ackerman is an author and public speaking enthusiast whose mission is to help people enrich their lives through more skillful communication. Check out his website at http://www.publicspeakinginsider.com for more info on presentation skill training, and a FREE email mini-course on effective public speaking.