Talking in public

JH

Was it natural for you to speak in public, either from door to door, or making talks at the hall. For some, it was a real scarry thing to speak in front of a group. Was that a big load off your back when you quit going to the meetings?

maxwell

I'm not gonna brag and say I was the greatest speaker, but I usually did pretty well with my little talks though most of it was a load of crock. I joined the School at 7 and started giving talks. Of course, I was more nervous then. And I still got a little nervous at the end. But, I have to say that giving talks was one of the few good things about being a Jehovah's Witness. It taught me how do public speaking. That's a skill that helped me in school and on job interviews and will probably help me in the future. I'm sure there will be other times when I'll have to speak in public. Of course, public speaking can be learned elsewhere like public speaking classes, English class, or Toastmaster's. But the credit for my original public speaking training goes to giving talks there. Stuff like modulation, volume control, keeping yourself within time constraints, staying with your theme and logical coherence are universal and applicable in many areas.

Englishman

JH,

No. To my eternal shame I got off on it.

Englishman.

Matty

I'm sorry too. I really got off on giving talks at the KH. Not these days though, it's torture now.

I remember that episode of Father Ted when he is psyching himself up before giving a big important mass and he shouts "I feel so good right now---I FEEL LIKE I COULD CONVERT GAYS!!!!"

Undecided

I didn't mind speaking, I just hated preparing them.

Ken P.

Cicatrix

Funny you should post that question. I'm surfing here right now trying to avoid working on my speech for communications class. I haven't so much as an outline started, and I have to give my speech Tuesday!

I used to be pretty good giving talks at the hall, so I don't know what happened. Maybe it's because I'm no longer just hand all of the resources to work my talk out with. I actually have to find them myself.AAKK! It's 25 percent of my grade. How nerve wracking.It's not the delivery that scares me, it's compiling the information and coming up with my visuals.

cruzanheart

I'm a big ham. I always enjoy speaking in public and I loved saying something slightly wicked in my talks to make people pause for a minute and then laugh (albeit nervously at times). Playing piano in public gave me the nervous shivers, though - I never did like it and somehow ended up being the Official Piano Player at Circuit Assemblies. I was SOOOOOO glad when they went over to the tapes. Now I satisfy my narcissistic tendencies by doing Southern Living At Home presentations and luxuriate in the knowledge that no one is grading me on anything.

Nina

freedom96

I am glad that I learned how to talk to people, as it helps me with my current businesses. But, I could have learned that elsewhere too, and wouldn't have had the witness stuff behind me.

Skeptic

The Dubs public speaking course is the greatest thing. It has done so much for my life and career. I thank the JWs for that course.

Hell, I used to place the TMS Guidebook with co-workers....I have never seen such a practical how-to public speaking book ever. I think I kept the TMS Guidebook...hope so.

Richard

joannadandy

Actually I think the ministry school did help me. I knew most characteristics of public speaking when I was 12 meanwhile most people don't learn that stuff until later in high school or in college. It didn't help my ministry at all, I always hated that. But I am very at ease in front of a group, which is a good thing since all my professors are keen on giving us presntations and speechs no matter what the class is, and it's all good practice for when I am in front of my own classroom I guess.

The only monkey off my back is field service. Eek that was awful. I never minded giving talks. Yeah I hated to write them, but eventually I got it down to a science and could crank a talk out in 20 minutes.

Talking in public

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