Public Speaking Laws of Success: For Everyone and Every Occasion (New York, NY: Morgan James) by Richard J. Goossen will be released on September 28, 2021! Prior to the public release and distribution at bookstores, copies are available in bulk directly through ELO. For further information on individual review copies or bulk sales contact: Admin@ELONetwork.org. 

Leading up to the publication of the book, we will be posting a series of blogs related to public speaking laws of success discussed in the book.

Why write a book about public speaking? Like everyone, I have been part of more cringe-inducing presentations than I can count. I have seen weddings thrown off the rails and families embarrassed. I have seen banquets completely derailed due to a self-serving speaker. I have seen the life and oxygen sucked out of a room due to an inappropriate remark from the podium. I have seen memorial services where the dearly departed have not done so in dignity. I have listened to speakers that wasted everyone’s time and made both themselves and the organizers look like buffoons. I have seen business presentations that backfired so badly that the speaker and company would have been better off not appearing at all.

The most aggravating part is that all these mistakes can be prevented. All anyone needs to speak well is a bit of preparation and an understanding of the public speaking laws of success. My passion is to help people be more successful in their public speaking, to help them help themselves, to make the world safe from such cringe-inducing sessions, and, yes, to achieve world peace.

Few public speakers, including the great ones, have received any formal training in public speaking. Those who have still usually have only minimal training, certainly nothing significant compared to the success they have achieved. That’s great news! One of the unique aspects of public speaking is that, while it is a distinct skill set, there is generally no barrier to entry and self-improvement. Of course, this is a two-sided coin. People get opportunities to speak unrelated to their ability to do so. It is their expertise or reputation in a particular field that opens doors for them.

In your case, people may just want to hear you share what you know—regardless of how well you say it. As a result, you need to recognize that, whatever your expertise in a particular area, being a good public speaker is an entirely separate skill set. One does not transfer to another, at least not entirely. Half of success is what you know, and the other half is how you say it. Remember, no one may care if Warren Buffett is an effective public speaker, but if Buffett were an unknown economic analyst from Nebraska, public speaking skills would be essential in getting his ideas heard.

There are too many speakers who assume that because of their expertise, they will be able to speak about their specialty effectively in public. This is demonstrated regularly not to be the case. Perhaps there is an assumption that they will “learn it as they go.” This will only happen by design. Only a very small minority of speakers can simply figure it out as they go along. Plan on the fact that you likely aren’t one of them, and commit yourself to learn the art of public speaking.

Public Speaking Laws of Success is based on decades of practical experience. One particular source of experience that I refer to throughout the book is the Entrepreneurial Leaders Organization, or “ELO”. The goal is for this book to be an original work, as reflected in the Table of Contents, and not based on summarizing other people’s research on the topic.

The bottom line is that you can improve. Public Speaking Laws of Success is a pathway to improvement. In just a few hours, this book will teach you the 50 public speaking laws of success so that you can be better than 90% of all the public speakers you’ll ever hear.