July seems to signify freedom. July 1st is Canadian Independence Day, on July 4th the U.S. celebrates its birth as a nation, and on July 14th, the French celebrate Bastille Day. I started thinking about the freedoms we enjoy-freedom of the press, freedom of religion, freedom of speech.
We have this great gift of expression, the freedom to speak our minds. Yet some public speakers are anything but free. They approach the podium as if they're walking their last mile. Their bodies stiffen, their faces freeze,and their words trip over their tongues. These speakers are imprisoned by their own negative beliefs and shrink before an imagined enemy-the audience. Well, it's time for all public speakers to assert their rights.
Public Speaking Bill of Rights
- I have the right to be my authentic self.
- I have the right to be relaxed and in control.
- I have the right to smile and enjoy myself.
- I have the right to engage the audience.
- I have the right to not know all the answers.
- I have the right to make mistakes and recover with grace.
- I have the right to walk in like I own the room.
- I have the right to reference the slide without reading it.
- I have the right to own my power and not give it all to the audience.
- I have the right to establish eye contact and not get flustered if they don't smile.
- I have the right to speak with conviction.
- I have the right to enjoy my standing ovation!