Practice Speaking Practice Eloquence - Public Speaking Eloquence Training Practicalities

Author: Tang Gelong / Country: Mainland China
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-08-01
Features: Conversation Skills: They Multiply with Age. People who are good at conversation can make their lives very interesting. Those who are not as skilled in conversation should know that there are opportunities to practice anytime, anywhere. The more you practice, the more chances you have to improve, and the results of practicing conversation are also very easy to see. There are conversation topics and practice partners everywhere. However, you must first analyze your own conversation skills beforehand. Most people are not considered very good at speaking, but they also can’t say they are completely clueless about it. Most people have some strengths and understand a little about conversation techniques, but they haven’t seriously or scientifically studied them. No matter how many difficulties you encounter, don’t lose heart. Even if you currently can’t speak like a mute, you can still attend specialized schools for training. If you are truly serious about solving the problem of not being able to speak, you must not be lazy. You can use a notebook to write down every question you have, such as recording exactly in front of whom you feel speechless and why. You should think about it yourself first. But that alone is not enough. You must at least spend a week carefully observing your conversations with others. At the end of the week, write in that notebook the first point you should improve. Then, week after week, keep recording while reading and studying your own situation. Compare what is discussed in the book to see if it can solve your problem, and then write down your own experiences in the notebook. If you practice this way and persevere, you can make astonishing progress. Some say that eloquence requires talent, and there is some truth to this, but it shouldn’t be taken entirely as fact. A person’s fluency in speech is due to the training of word choice, tone, attitude, pronunciation, and more. What other reason is there to say eloquence depends on talent? For example, you say: "I went to a hair salon, at the corner of×× Street and×× Street. The address is No. 369.×× Street is under construction. I remember this salon opened eight years ago." You talk for a long time, but others still can’t understand the main point. Perhaps the main point is that you went to a hair salon to get a haircut, and there was a hairdresser who was your high school classmate. Why did he become a hairdresser? But you spoke so much, and others still didn’t know what you were trying to say. Capture the key points and understand where the listener’s interest lies. Use less dialogue and speak more quickly. Elaborate on important points, while briefly summarizing others. People who are good at speaking make others feel as if "an hour with you is better than ten years of reading." Many people have low education levels and average abilities, yet they achieve accomplishments beyond their own expectations, largely due to their speaking skills. Those just starting out in society may fear speaking, giving off an impression of immaturity. But after a few years of experience and understanding human affairs, their abilities improve, specifically reflected in their speaking skills and efficiency. The richer your experience, the better you become at speaking, the more mature your thinking, and the more relationships you build. Without knowledge, there is no foundation for speaking; without experience, there is no substance. I once heard an eighty-year-old man tell the story of Wu Song. He said: "Wu Song was very skilled in martial arts and was particularly loyal. He had a sworn brother named Wu Dalang, who sold pancakes on the street. After work, Wu Song would always go find him for drinks." It was completely improvised—likely due to memory or cognitive issues—and the story was full of holes. Yet what impressed me was how the old man made even a wrong story so engaging! It shows that the older one gets, the more experience they have, the stronger their speaking skills become. As long as one’s mind is normal, speaking ability grows in proportion to age. This is the result of accumulation and cultivation. Many proverbs point to this: "As people grow older, their words multiply; as trees grow older, their roots deepen," or "Don’t listen to the old, or you’ll suffer in the end." Therefore, speaking is a skill that can be improved; speaking is a technique that can be learned and practiced; being able to speak is what keeps life vibrant! P8-9