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Old 04-29-2007, 11:03 PM   #5
Bungleau
40th Level Warrior
 

Join Date: October 29, 2001
Location: Western Wilds of Michigan
Posts: 11,752
I'll offer you a simple solution to try out for a while, Felix. Head to Toastmasters and follow the Find A Club link for one in your area.

Why?

Because, based on what you've offered up here, it sounds like you've got a tremendous amount of knowledge and experience that you've been sharing. And your students have been "getting" that. What they haven't been getting, though, is one minor detail, and I think it's the most important thing in any speaking engagement.

You have to truly care, in places where it's uncomfortable to care, that they get what you're saying... and for *THEIR* reasons, not yours.

Toastmasters is about speaking, but it's about speaking with power and effectiveness. Before I'd joined, I had given presentations to up to 1,000 people before. I was used to speaking in front of groups, but looking back, I wasn't effective. I was a geek up there in front of them, hoping they'd understand (and buy [img]smile.gif[/img] ).

Now... I can pretty much speak at any place, any time. And people specifically schedule themselves to attend my sessions.

The difference, for me... I *know* I know my stuff. Much like you do, I suspect. And I know it well enough now that when they bring something up, I can make that part of what I'm presenting. Toastmasters has helped me realize and master that.

I've been doing it for almost ten years now, but I've seen dramatic improvements in as few as three speeches (which typically means about three months).

One more suggestion, based on something I've just started reading. Jeffrey Gitomer is a sales trainer and educator, and his latest book, the Little Green Book of Getting Your Way, focuses on being a more effective communicator. It's very nicely priced on Amazon, and I suspect you'd find it helpful as well.

One final thought... next time around, ask them for ideas about how you can communicate to them more effectively. You might be surprised at what they offer, both in terms of the ideas as well as how easily some can be tried out.

Good luck. And congrats on opening yourself up to seeing how you can do things better. [img]graemlins/thumbsup.gif[/img]
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