Speak the Truth…
I was reading a news letter from speaker Randy Gage. He just keynoted at the National Speaker Convention. He had a speaking experience that you may have had or may have with your audience. The majority of the audience loved him; about 10 percent were deeply offended by him.
Here is a truth: When you speak about anything, you have the potential for disagreement from your audience. And when you share information that goes against the status quo, when you make recommendations that that requires a paradigm shift in thinking, you really are putting yourself out there.
But don’t make the mistake of hesitating to speak with conviction on a controversial issue or make strong recommendations about things that matter.
I recall reading about the high ranking officials and experts that knew about the real risk of imminent flooding in New Orleans before Katrina, but when you read the transcripts of their speeches to the power that be about their research finding and recommendation they tip toed around making a strong stand. They let fear keep them for speaking the truth.
As a speaker you have a responsibility to speak the truth. On a personal level I know there is times a professional speaker on body language and interpersonal communication that I say things that make my audience members uncomfortable, because they know that if they believe what I am saying they have to change.
It’s wonderful to make audiences laugh; it is an even greater gift to help audiences think in ways that can produce positive concrete changes in their lives.
