The Art of Public Speaking

QHB's 10 Points of Focus and Summaries

The Art of Public Speaking 10 Points:

1. Confidence and Preparation: Confidence stems from thorough preparation and genuine interest in the subject. Believing in your success is crucial for effective public speaking.

2. Avoid Monotony: Vary your speech using different tools and techniques to keep the audience engaged. Monotony can lose their interest quickly.

3. Emphasis and Subordination: Highlight important words with emphasis and downplay less critical ones to convey your message clearly and effectively.

4. Change of Pitch and Pace: Regularly changing pitch and tempo can make your speech more dynamic and engaging, helping maintain the audience's attention.

5. Power of Pausing: Strategic pauses can emphasize important points, build suspense, and give the audience time to absorb the message.

6. Inflection and Naturalness: Use inflection to convey meaning and emotion. Aim for natural delivery to avoid sounding artificial or rehearsed.

7. Concentration and Present Focus: Stay focused on your current sentence rather than anticipating the next, ensuring the audience remains engaged and attentive.

8. Force and Enthusiasm: Genuine conviction and enthusiasm are essential to convey your message powerfully and persuasively.

9. Preparation for Fluency: Fluency in speech is a result of thorough knowledge and practice. Speaking confidently with friends can help prepare for larger audiences.

10. Effective Delivery: Different methods of delivery, such as speaking from notes or extemporaneously, should be adapted to suit the occasion and personal style. Avoid over-reliance on reading from a manuscript.

QHB's Selected Book Quotes and Summaries

*** DC = Dale Carnegie (The Author)

=== A FOREWORD ===

# “Experience, then, is not only the best teacher, but the first and the last.” - J. Berg Esenwein

=== CHAPTER 1: ACQUIRING CONFIDENCE BEFORE AN AUDIENCE ===

# “A doctor may prescribe, but you must take the medicine.” - DC

# “It is not enough to be absorbed by your subject - to acquire self confidence you must have something in which to be confident.” - DC

# “If you believe you will fail, there is no hope for you. You will. Rid yourself of this I-am-poor-worm-in-the-dust idea. … All things are ready if the mind be so.” - DC

# “Do not make haste to begin - haste shows lack of control.” - DC

=== CHAPTER 2: THE SIN OF MONOTONY ===

# “If you wish to teach or influence men, you must please them, first or last.” - DC

# “We avoid monotony in speech by multiplying our powers of speech. We multiply our power of speech by increasing our tools.” - DC

# “the most important law of public speech is the necessity for truth, force, feeling, and life. Forget else, but not this.” - DC

=== CHAPTER 3: EFFICIENCY THROUGH EMPHASIS AND SUBORDINATION ===

# “Destiny is not a matter of chance. It is a matter of choice. …. “DESTINY is NOT a matter of CHANCE. It is a matter of CHOICE.” Now read this over , striking the words in capitals with a great deal of force.” - DC

# “We are considering only one form of emphasis: that of applying force to the important word and subordinating the unimportant words. Do not forget: this is one of the main methods that you must continually employ in getting your effects.” - DC

# “There is only one excuse for a speaker’s asking attention of his audience: He must have either truth or entertainment for them.” - DC

=== CHAPTER 4: EFFICIENCY THROUGH CHANGE OF PITCH ===

# “Continual Change of Pitch is Nature’s Highest Method.” - DC

# “The necessity for changing pitch is so self-evident that it should be grasped and applied immediately.” - DC

=== CHAPTER 5: EFFICIENCY THROUGH CHANGE OF PACE ===

# “It is the word Tempo, and means rate of movement, as measured by the time consumed in executing that movement.” - DC

# “Naturalness, or at least seeming naturalness, …. Is greatly to be desired, and a continual change of tempo will go a long way towards establishing it.” - DC

# “Others may hesitate, others may procrastinate, others may plead for further diplomatic negotiation, which mean delay; but for me, I am ready to act now, and for my action I am ready to answer my conscience, my country and my goal.” - DC

=== CHAPTER 6: PAUSE AND POWER ===

# “One of the most important means of developing power in public speaking is to pause either before or after, or both before and after an important word or phrase.” - DC

# “Concentration, then, is the big word here - no pause without it can perfectly hit the mark. “ - DC

# “Efficient pausing accomplishes one or all of four results: Pause enables the mind of the speaker to gather his forces before delivering the final volley. Pause prepares the mind of the author to receive your message. Pause created effective suspense. Pausing after an important idea gives it time to penetrate.” - DC

# “Make ‘em laugh, make ‘em weep, make ‘em wait.” - Wilkie Collins

# “A serious word of caution must be uttered: do not overwork the pause.” - DC

=== CHAPTER 7: EFFICIENCY THROUGH INFLECTION ===

# “It is the power of inflection to change the meaning of words that gave birth to the old saying: “It is not so much what you say, as how you say it.”” - DC

# “Be careful not to over-inflect. Too much modulating produces an unpleasant effect of artificiality, like a mature matron trying to be kittenish. “ - DC

=== CHAPTER 8: CONCENTRATION IN DELIVARY ===

# “Concentrate all of your mental energies on the present sentence. Remember that the mind of your audience follow yours very closely, and if you withdraw your attention from what you are saying to what you are going to say, your audience will also withdraw theirs.” - DC

# “It is fatal to either the actor or the speaker cross his bridges too soon.” - DC

# “While speaking one sentence do not think of the sentence to follow. … SPEAK - DONT ANTICIPATE.” - DC

# “Do you ask how to concentrate? … To concentrate is simply to attend to one thing, and attend nothing else.”’- DC

=== CHAPTER 9: FORCE ===

# “Mere roaring never made a good speech, yet there are moments - moments mind you, not minutes - when big voice power may be used with tremendous effect. Nor is violent motion force - yet force may result on violent motion.” - DC

# “First of all, forces arises from conviction. You must be convinced of the truth, of the importance, or the meaning, of what you are about to say before you can give it forceful delivery.” - DC

# “Four Factors of force are measurably within your control, and in that far may be acquired: ideas, feeling about the subject, wording and delivery.” - DC

=== CHAPTER 10: FEELING AND ENTHUSIASM ===

# “The speaker who would speak efficiently must develop the power to arouse feeling.” - DC

# “Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.” - Emerson

# “Every great movements in the annals of history has been the triumph of enthusiasm.” - Carlyle

# “There is only one way to get feeling into your speaking … : You must actually ENTER INTO the character you impersonate.” - DC

# “It is of no use to try pretend to sympathy or feelings. It cannot be done successfully.” - DC

=== CHAPTER 11: FLUENCY THROUGH PREPARATION ===

# “Your fluency will be in direct ratio to two important conditions: your knowledge of what you are going to say, and your being accustomed to telling what you know to an audience.” - DC

# “Do not expect to speak fluently on a subject that you know little or nothing about.” - DC

# “The speaker who would speak fluently before an audience should learn to speak fluently and entertainingly with a friend.” - DC

=== CHAPTER 12: THE VOICE ===

# “Ninety men in every hundred in the crowded professions will probably never rise above mediocrity because the training of the voice is entirely neglected and considered of no importance.” - Gladstone

# “There are three fundamental requisites for a good voice: Ease, Openness & Forwardness.” - DC

# “The secret of good voice is relaxation; and this is true, for relaxation is the basis of ease.” - DC

=== CHAPTER 13: VOICE CHARM ===

# “The Voice with the Smile Wins.” - Place card at a Telephone Booth Company

# “Remember that when you practice these classics you are to give sole attention to two things: a joyous attitude of heart and body, and bright tones of voice.”’- DC

=== CHAPTER 14: DISTINCTNESS AND PRECISION OF UTTERANCE ===

# “Distinct and precise utterance is one of the most important considerations of public speech.” - DC

# “We see that when the sounds of a word are properly articulated, the right syllables accented, and full value given to each sound in its enunciation, we have correct pronunciation.” - DC

=== CHAPTER 15: THE TRUTH ABOUT GESTURE ===

# “The best actors and public speakers rarely know in advance what gestures they are going to make. … It is a matter of impulse and intelligent feeling with them.” - DC

# “Any movement that is not significant, Weakens. Do not forget that. Restlessness is not expression. A great many useless movements will only take the attention of an audience from what you are saying.” - DC

# “We have advised you to allow your gestures and postures to be spontaneous and not woodenly prepared beforehand, but do not go to the extreme of ignoring the importance of acquiring mastery of your physical movements.” - DC

# “ So attention to strength, poise, flexibility and grace of body are the foundations of good gesture.” - DC

# “Every man that I meet is my superior in some way. In that I learn of him.” - Emerson

=== CHAPTER 16: METHODS OF DELIVERY ===

# “There are just four motives that can move a man to read his address or sermon: 1. Laziness is the commonest. … 2. A memory so defective that he really cannot speak without reading. … 3. A genuine lack of time to do more than write the speech. … 4. A conviction that the speech is too important to risk forsaking the manuscript.” - DC

# “These speakers (Patrick Henry, Peter the Hermit, Napoleon, Jesus) were so full of their subjects, their general preparation had been so richly adequate, that there were no necessity for a manuscript.” - DC

# “ Good speeches, like plays, are not written, they are rewritten.” - DC

# “ Commit without writing the speech, making practically all the preparations mentally, without putting pen to paper - a laborious but effective way of cultivating both mind and memory.” - DC

# “Speaking from notes is not ideal delivery, but we learn to swim in shallow water before going out beyond the ropes. … They may be necessary for the time being, but do not fail to look upon them as a necessary evil; and even when you lay them before you, refer to them only when compelled to do so.” - DC

# “Some speakers read from manuscript the most important parts of their speeches and utter the rest extemporaneously. Thus, what we have called “joint methods of delivery” are open to much personal variation.” - DC

=== CHAPTER 17: THOUGHT AND RESERVE POWER ===

# “It is as reckless for a speaker to risk going before an audience without having something in reserve as it is for the motorist to essay a long journey in the wilds without enough gasoline in sight.” - DC

# “The true university of these days is a collection of books.” - Sage of Chelsea

# “Knowing more about it than the other man will be your only hope for making the other men listen to you.” - DC

=== CHAPTER 18: SUBJECT AND PREPARATION ===

# “Blessed is the man that maketh short speeches, for he shall be invited to speak again.” - DC

# “Laziness is an own-brother to Over-confidence, and both are your inveterate enemies, though they pretend to be friends.” - DC

# “Whatever motive is to be chosen, let the title be fresh, short, suited to the subject, and likely to excite interest.” - DC

=== CHAPTER 19: INFLUENCING BY EXPOSITION ===

# “To master the process of exposition is to become a clear thinker. I know, when you do not ask me.” - Gentlemen that was requested to define a highly complex idea.

# “To explain too little will leave your audience in doubt as to what you mean … On the other side of the path lies the abyss of tediously explaining too much.” - DC

# “This is the very heart of exposition - to amplify and clarify all the terms by which a matter is defined.” - DC

=== CHAPTER 20: INFLUENCING BY DESCRIPTION ===

# “Here we must consider the picturing mind, the mind that forms the double habit of seeing things clearly.” - DC

# “Description is primarily emotional in its appeal; nothing can be more deadly dull than a cold, unemotional outline, while nothing leaves a warmer impression than a glowing, spirited description.” - DC

=== CHAPTER 21: INFLUENCING BY NARRATION ===

# “Public speaking has much to do with personalities; naturally, therefore, the narration of a series of biographical details.” - DC

=== CHAPTER 22: INFLUENCING BY SUGGESTION ===

# “Three Fundamental conditions makes us all susceptive to suggestion: we naturally respect authority. … Our feelings, thoughts and wills tend to follow the line of least resistance. … We are all influenced by our environment. “ - DC

# “Every idea that enters the mind will result in action unless a contradictory thought arises to prohibit it.”- DC

# “How the speaker can make suggestion effective? … It is all a matter of their confidence in him. Confidence is the mother of conviction.” - DC

# “To secure confidence, be confident.” - DC

# “Authority is a Factor of suggestion. ..: Advertising will help to establish your reputation - it is “up to you” to maintain it.” - DC

# “Example if a powerful means of suggestion. … You can reinforce the power of your message by showing that it has been widely accepted.” - DC

# “A speech should be built on sound logical foundations, and no man should dare to speak on behalf of a fallacy.” - DC

=== CHAPTER 23: INFLUENCING BY ARGUMENT ===

# “Common sense is the common sense of mankind. It is the product of observation and experience. … It is known by clearness and singleness of purpose.” - George Jacob Holyoake

=== CHAPTER 24: INFLUENCING BY PERSUASION ===

# “When she will play with reason and discourse, And well she can persuade.” - William Shakespeare

# “High minded speakers often seek to move their hearers to action by an appeal to their highest motives.” - DC

# “Appeal to the things that man holds dear is another potent form of persuasion.” - DC

# “It will be seen that the particular way in which the speakers appealed to their hearers was by coming close home to their interests, and by themselves showing emotion - two very important principle which you must keep constantly in mind.” - DC

# “The larger your audience the more sure you are to find a universal basis of appeal.” - DC

# “Mankind are still selfish, are interested in what will serve them.” - DC

=== CHAPTER 25: INFLUENCING THE CROWD ===

# “The crowd is a distinct entity. Individuals restrain and subdue many of their impulses at the dictates of reason. The crowd never reasons. It only feels.” - DC

# “The crowd is exceedingly suggestible and will act upon the wildest and most extreme ideas.” - DC

# “To unify single, auditors into a crowd, express their common needs, aspirations, dangers and emotions, deliver your message so that the interest of one shall appear to be the interest of all.” - DC

=== CHAPTER 26: RIDING THE WINGED HORSE ===

# “The human race is governed by its imagination.” - Napoleon

=== CHAPTER 27: GROWING A VOCABULARY ===

# “To possess a word involves three things: To know its special and broader meanings, to know its relation to other words , and to be able to use it.” - DC

=== CHAPTER 28: MEMORY TRAINING ===

# “Your power as a speaker will depend to a large extent upon your ability to retain impressions and call them forth when occasion demands, and that sort of memory is like muscle - it responded to training.” - DC

# “Health is the basis of the best mental action and the operation of memory is no exception.” - DC

# “Repetition is a powerful aid to memory.” - DC

=== CHAPTER 29: RIGHT THINKING AND PERSONALITY ===

# “Character has always been regarded as one of the chief factors of the speaker’s power.” - DC

# “The success or failure as a speaker will be determined very largely by your thoughts and your mental attitude.” - DC

# “The law is universal. Desire greatly, and you shall achieve; sacrifice much, and you shall obtain.” - DC

=== CHAPTER 30: AFTER-DINNER AND OTHER OCCASIONAL SPEAKING ===

# “The first essential of good occasional speaking is to study the occasion. … Suitability is the big thing in an occasional speech.” - DC

# “Finally, remember the beatitude: Blessed is the man that maketh short speeches, for he shall be invited to speak again.” - DC

=== CHAPTER 31: MAKING CONVERSATION EFFECTIVE ===

# “the ability to converse effectively is efficient public speaking, for our conversation is often heard by many, and occasionally decisions of great moments hinge upon the tone and quality of what we say in private.” - DC

# “Most of the world moving speeches are made in the course or conversation.” - DC

# “Choose some subjects that will prove of general interest to the whole group. Do not explain the mechanism of a gas engine at an afternoon or the culture of hollyocks at a stag party.” - DC

# “The public demands plays and stories that end happily. All the world is seeking happiness. They cannot be interested in your ills and troubles.” - DC

# “Always leave them laughing when you say goodbye.” - George Cohan

=== END OF BOOK ===