‘The 7 Principles of Public Speaking’ by Richard Zeoli

By Himanshu dev Sharma on September 19, 2023 • ( 0 )

“Our goal is not to be a perfect public speaker; there is no such thing. Our goal is to be an effective public speaker”.

Richard Zeoli has explored the notion of being an effective public speaker in his bestseller book, ‘The 7 Principles of Public Speaking: Proven Methods from a PR Professional’. An effective public speaker is one who isn’t overwhelmed by anxiety and can connect with an audience.

The book shatters many public speaking myths, like that a speech has to be intellectually stimulating, profound, funny, fiery rhetoric, or passionate appeals for change. Public speaking can be best described as having a comfortable conversation with the audience in the same way as we do with our family and friends.

The author makes a point when he suggests that the audience really doesn’t care about the speaker’s mistakes, and most of the time, they are not even aware of any mistake made by the speaker. The audience is actually praying for you to deliver a speech worthy of their time. The audience’s attention span wanders, and they internalize 80% through their eyes while listening only 20% of the time. The start and end of a speech get maximum attention from the audience.

The key to success in public speaking is to practice it daily with the same level of dedication and commitment as needed in any skill or art. The author advocates using a full-size mirror while practicing. This would help in observing and subsequently improvising our mannerisms, gestures, and body language while delivering a speech.

Citing the example of Michael Jordan, who used to spend a lot of time daily practicing a shot in his mind along with physical training, the author recommends that we visualize ourselves, many times delivering a speech in the same way as we really would like it to happen. Such mental training plays a significant role in making our delivery powerful and effective. When it comes to the last 5 minutes, mental affirmations like ‘I am prepared, I know this topic, most of the audience is going to understand the topic and appreciate my knowledge, and I am ready to serve the audience’, would reduce the anxiety to a great extent.

Richard further points out that one common mistake is to assume that the speaker is the most important person and the audience is the least important in the gathering when in reality it is the exact opposite. Therefore, a speaker should speak to serve the audience. The speech should be long enough to cover all the relevant points, not a second longer than this. It is a speaker’s utmost duty to respect the time and sentiments of the audience.

The book is a treat to read and understand the nitty-gritty of public speaking. It will enthuse you with confidence that, with consistent efforts, you can learn the art of public speaking. There would not be a dull moment while reading this book.

Thanks, Richard Zeoli, for writing such an inspiring book that would lead most readers to become effective speakers.