By now, you’re probably sick of me
being in the press.
Not only are you subjected to this
weekly column but recently I haven’t been able to stay off radio and television
as I’ve been game for countless interviews related to my company’s re-opening
after the coronavirus shutdown.
Being able to do that wasn’t always
so easy.
When I was a high school student 30
years ago, I, like most teenagers, dreaded public speaking. The butterflies
would kick up in my stomach and I couldn’t wait for the ordeal to be over.
Fortunately, at least from my
standpoint at the time, such activities were rare – we might have made one or
two presentations a year and I could always lean on the equally-uncomfortable
fellow speakers as we almost always spoke as groups, never singularly.
Luckily, I had Scouting to dramatically
change my view of public speaking in the closing years of my school life. Being
put into positions of leadership and working at summer camp as a counselor made
me develop public speaking skills first out of necessity then out of enjoyment.
Because of the shot in the arm that
the Boy Scouts gave me I have a critical skill available in my arsenal. The 45-year-old
version of myself is not like the 15 year-old Bob Confer: I look forward to
speaking to groups and talking about things I enjoy, be it work, Scouting,
nature or public policy (well, I don’t really enjoy public policy but you get
my drift).
Public speaking is a regular part of
my life. Not only do I deliver multiple weekly shift meetings at the plant to
dozens of my coworkers at a time, but looking back at my 2019 calendar there
were another 20 occasions when I had to speak to groups of more than 10 people
at a time. They could have been tours or speaking engagements, or participating
on panels -- I didn’t even count running board or business meetings.
As I write this, I’m kind of taken
aback by how often I find myself in speaking roles.
Maybe I was unaware of how often it
happens because I see it not as one of life’s woes, but rather as one of life’s
duties as a businessman or citizen. It’s a normal part of being.
That’s a way of thinking we need to
share with students today. They, their parents and guidance counselors are
always looking to help them develop demonstrable – and marketable -- skill sets
that can be used to further their academic and, ultimately, work careers.
Public speaking should be one of
them.
As a kid, you don’t see a payoff in
the stress as you learn the art, but as an adult you see the limitless potential:
you could use it at work in the private sector as a manager, sales person,
project leader or newsman; in the public sector you would find it as an asset
as a teacher or town councilperson; in volunteerism you would see its value in
running a little league team, fire department, fundraiser, or church. You truly
never know when you will need it – but you should be ready.
But, how do we prepare teens for
that?
For the most part, school courses
lack public speaking training exercises. The frequency of such activities is no
different in 2020 than it was back in 1990 and it might even be less today due
to the countless mandates state and federal governments put on education.
So, the focus needs to be on the
extra-curricular – as mine was.
The classroom is just one part of
your child’s foundation – get him or her into a program that would complement
and supplement it. You can always recognize the young adults who did a little
more at school (they were in drama club, student government or Future Farmers
of America) or they were in an out-of-school organization that gave them
confidence and abilities (Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, 4-H).
But, what about those for whom it
might be too late – the moms and dads of those kids?
It’s never too late!
Some adults don’t find their comfort
level in public speaking until well into their 30s, after work and volunteerism
forced it upon them. Most adults never do – no doubt you’ve heard many a time
that the average person fears speaking to the masses more than death.
But, you can overcome those
insecurities no matter your age. If you missed out in high school or college,
there’s always Toastmasters, a wonderful program that fosters communication
skills in a warm, guiding group setting in which speakers help you and you help
them. There are such clubs that meet regularly in Western New York, even in this
era of social distancing -- many are holding Zoom get-togethers, which further helps
the newbies to get rid of their anxieties.
Public speaking should never be
feared. It should be savored and developed. If someone can master it – to be
confident, fluid, knowledgeable and engaging in front of groups – they will
set-up themselves and their organizations for success.
From the 25 May 2020 Greater Niagara Newspapers and Batavia
Daily News
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