CM 185: John Bowe on Mastering Public Speaking

For many of us, public speaking creates a lot of anxiety. And like all phobias, it comes at a cost. Researchers have linked a fear of public speaking to lower college graduation rates, lower wages, and fewer promotions.

But I think the biggest price we pay is the loss of our voice. It robs us of the ability to share our ideas. And it diminishes an important way for us to have an impact on the world.

I've known this was a topic I wanted to discuss on the podcast, but the challenge has been finding the right author. So I was thrilled when I came across John Bowe's book, I Have Something to Say: Mastering the Art of Public Speaking in an Age of Disconnection. I saw how John was coming at the topic in a completely different way, and it moved me.

First, he shares in a very vulnerable and, I think, courageous way, his own experience of learning public speaking skills.

Second, he delves into the history of public speaking, taking us back to ancient Greece and the important role public speaking played in people's lives.

Third, he describes what it was like for him to learn these skills at Toastmasters, the nonprofit that operates public speaking clubs around the globe.

I'll admit that this final point really sealed the deal. I'm a big fan of Toastmasters. I've been a member and, from the first time I attended one of their meetings, I was not only impressed by how they teach public speaking, but I was wowed by the dedication of the people who join.

John Bowe has contributed to The New Yorker, The New York Times Magazine, GQ, This American Life, McSweeney's, and more. He is the author of Nobodies: Modern American Slave Labor and the Dark Side of the New Global Economy, editor of Us: Americans Talk about Love, and co-editor of Gig: Americans Talk about Their Jobs.

Episode Links

A World on the Wing by Scott Weidensaul

Toastmasters history

A Brief History of Public Speaking

Quiet by Susan Cain

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