15th June 2022: I was ready, I knew what I wanted to share – a personal experience – from my trip to India. The power of taking ownership of the words, the expressions, the feelings – it all came together in a well-balanced coordinated way. I received a positive evaluation.
What I discovered about this speech experience, was that if I felt it, I could deliver it, the words flowed, I didn’t have to memorise, everything unfolded on its own. I was connecting with the audience, making them feel the sadness, the acceptance, the joy – the feelings were an important part of the journey. If I didn’t have the expressions that matched the words, the audience would have disconnected. The content was both a personal story and covered big themes in philosophy.. I shared the way I viewed the experience.
Writing a speech is one thing. Delivering is a whole other process. When I write books, I notice that the first step is the creative aspect – putting words on a page, allowing the story to flow using no self-criticism. Writing without judgement. And then, after having written, I would start the editing process. This requires a logical, critical, and careful analysis of the writing, and how to improve. Rewrites follow and the process loops back again, to writing then editing. Write first, edit later.
For a speech, I need to write with some editing in mind. I write with a purpose of ensuring that my audience will understand my key concept quickly and easily. Writing for an audience requires thought and deeper consideration that whatever will be said will not all be absorbed.
When we read, we are able to absorb the content, and we can reread to ensure we get what the author has written.
In a speech, we have to bring not just our words, but all of our physical self to connect with the audience, to show rather than tell.
It is performance art. It is an ability to capture the audience from the first sentence that spills out from me.
As I explore and understand the subtleties of public speaking, I am learning the implicit power of communication.
I have one more speech to go before I complete level 1.
This time, I will take a risk and prepare the speech just two days before the meeting, I’m testing my ability to 1. overcome fear and 2. be able to prepare a speech last minute.
Let’s see how that goes.
Shobha Nihalani: Meanderings 
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