Foreword

Imagine it: standing alone, up on a stage, bright lights in your eyes, a sea (or even a minor lake) of faces turned toward you, waiting for you to speak.

Did that scenario send you into a panic?

Then this book is for you.

Did that scenario hold no particular terror, because you’re completely uninterested in being a public speaker?

Then this book is still for you.

Unless you’re planning on a lifetime of hermitism—and trust me when I say I understand the appeal—you’ll probably have to speak in public. Many times, even: presenting an idea to your team at work, giving a project overview to the top management, or trying to convince a group of colleagues to choose one course of action over another. Those count as public speaking, every bit as much as standing onstage for an hour. And the tips and techniques Lara Hogan shares in this book apply to both situations.

There’s power in understanding this: if you’ve always wanted to be a public speaker, up onstage sharing what you know, but are too terrified to try it, realize that you’ve been speaking in public for years and years. The difference between doing it in a conference room and doing it in an assembly hall is mostly one of audiovisual support. They’re different points on a spectrum, but it’s the same spectrum.

Whether you want to contribute your voice in small groups at work or in front of crowds at a big event, this book can help you speak more clearly and confidently. We all have something to contribute. We all have a unique perspective and insights that are new to other people. By hearing one another’s stories, we all advance.

We’re eagerly waiting to hear yours.

—Eric Meyer