Key Points

Dale Carnegie’s How to Develop-Self Confidence & Influence People by Public Speaking is an evergreen work.  The main takeaway from this book is that improving public speaking and improving self-confidence are a function of preparation, education, determination and practice.  There is no short cut to a better you - rather a long path of self-improvement.

Summary

Chapter 1 - Developing Courage and Self-Confidence

• People are primarily nervous about public speaking and lack confidence
• It is easy to learn to become a good speaker
• Speaking in front of a group can be a stimulus
• Desire to give a great speech, confidence and preparation can go along way.

Chapter 2 -  Self-Confidence through Preparation

• A well prepared speech is 9/10 delivered
• Arrange your thoughts and nurture your convictions prior to giving a speech
• Speeches take a great deal of time to prepare
• Gather material and research to the point of the extreme. Know your topic.

Chapter 3 - How Famous Speakers Prepared Their Addresses

• Like war, speeches must be well prepared for.  According to Napoleon, “The art of war is a science in which nothing succeeds which has not been calculated and thought out.”
• Cover a point and then be done with it.
• Think out and be prepared to demonstrate your conclusion
• Dictate and listen to your speech if possible
• Also try practicing your prepared remarks quietly.

Chapter 4  - The Improvement of Memory

• The keys to memory are: repitition, impression & association.
• Hook your points together in your speech so that transitions naturally flow into the next logical point.

Chapter 5 - Essential Elements in Successful Speaking

• Improvement is a straight linear thing - don’t get discouraged when you plateau.
• Persistence and dogged determination, like the tide, can lift all ships. Stick with it.

Chapter 6 - The Secret of a Good Delivery

• It’s not what you say but how you say it
• Good delivery is conversational
• Some give and take is required
• Pause behind, before, between the main ideas
• Stress important words not meaningless ones

Chapter 7  - Platform, Presence & Personality

• Don’t eat too much before giving your speech
• Be magnetic and energetic
• Dress well.
• Smile often.
• Keep things intimate, informal
• Use a smaller room for your speech, cluster people together

Chapter 8 -  How to Open a Talk

• Your opening is vitally important
• Never start with a joke or make an apology
• Make your presentation feel free, casual and inevitable.

Chapter 9 - How to Close a Talk

• At the end of your speech, don’t leave anything to chance or end on a ragged tone.  Plan your closing word for word right until the end.  This is the most strategic element of your speech.
• Some tips for closing:  appeal for action, restate key points, build up a major climax

Chapter 10 - How to Make Your Meaning Clear

• Put your ideas into plain language
• If you repeat key ideas, rephrase them so the audience isn’t aware of the repition

Chapter 11 - How to Interest Your Audience

• We are all extremely interested in extraordinary facts about ordinary things
• Balanced sentences and contrasting ideas
• Stories of people, gossip all hold audience attention for a long time

Chapter 12 - Improve Your Diction

• Reading the greats will help make your diction perfect
• Look up words that are unfamiliar to you when you read
• Avoid trite & silly words & comparisons

Recommended Resources

For a more in-depth, comprehensive summary of Five Dysfunctions of a Team, check out GetAbstract.com