Tag: giving a talk

Body and conclusion – Part 2

(His talk continues: in the last post, he transitioned from the introduction to the body. The audience has seen the doctrine presented in three different ways, two stories and a quote from an apostle.)

Sometimes people feel like they are going to do what they are going to do and say what they are going to say regardless of the place that they are in. This can be a huge mistake. Especially when it comes to dealing with sacred things.

(Notice how he explained the behavior without telling the audience what to do.)

Three Parts to your Talk

Break your talk into three parts

I.      Introduction

Get their attention and introduce the topic by telling a story or explaining a metaphor.  You can ask questions (rhetorical) that provoke thought.  Then you answer the question or solve the problem in the next section.

II.      Body

  • This is the main part of the talk.
  • You answer any questions from the previous section.
  • You build the case for your topic.
  • Keep the topic very narrow.
  • Solve the problem.
  • Teach them how to ease the pain.
  • Focus on HOW as much as possible.

You’ve been asked to give a Talk

You’ve been asked to speak this Sunday by the Bishop or one of his counselors. After the requisite panic, then anger, and then fear, you finally settle down to study. You may or may not know much about your topic, but sharing your knowledge with 250 other members is not your cup of tea. Some years ago, I wrote down my ideas of how to prepare and give a talk. Here are my ideas broken into five parts.

Next to death, public speaking carries the greatest fear for people.  This should greatly excite you and compel you forward to a state of great preparation or sheer panic.