Specific Speaking Skills

I have a confession to make... I'm a want-to-be woodworker. That means that I have a few quality tools (like a table saw, a radial arm saw and a biscuit jointer) but the only thing that I'm really good at is making sawdust.

Actually that's an exaggeration. I can make a bit more than just sawdust. I have built some basic structures that do hold together and perform a function. In the end however, they are just functional - there really isn't an artistic element to them. In order to move beyond the basic structure and create some beauty I need to learn some new skills.

An example might be comparing a wooden box that I would make versus a wooden box that a master woodworker would make. Both boxes might be functional. Both boxes might be made of the same materials. Both boxes might be the same dimensions. Both boxes might even be square - but that's where the similarities end.

The edges of my box would be simple butt joints - that is, one piece of wood pressed up against the other. I could use nails, screws, dowels, or biscuits reinforced with glue to hold it together. If I am feeling really ambitious I might attempt a rabbit joint where I cut away part of one board so that I can inset the other.

A master wood worker is more likely to use something like a dovetail joint. A dovetail joint consists of a series of angled slots cut in both boards. When the boards are fit together the slots interlock, creating not only a more aesthetically pleasing look but also a much stronger joint.

A Butt Joint		A Dovetail Joint

Public speaking is a lot like wood working. We often start off with some basic skills and an idea of what we want. We end up creating something that has structure, form and function. It accomplishes what we want. Although the speech may not be particularly elegant it will get the job done and it will complete more than what most people accomplish simply because they never try.

For many, that’s all they need – a simple speech that has structure and function. It communicates the required information and goes on to motivate. But for others, there often comes a point when they want to move on. They may want to take the effectiveness to another level – that is, to go beyond the basic structure of communicating information and move into the realm of inspiring their audience. They want a dovetail.

And just like starting to cut real dovetails in wood, putting them in speeches requires some understanding and knowledge in order to develop the skills. Here are some points of understanding and knowledge that will help you move beyond the basic structure and start skillfully cutting dovetails.