Thirty-five years ago, The Buckley School launched its flagship program and our founder Reid Buckley published his first book on public speaking. To mark our anniversary, here's one of our favorite excerpts from that book—"Speaking in Public: Buckley's Techniques for Winning Arguments and Getting Your Point Across."
"They should rehearse their speeches with books on their heads. That sounds so silly I hesitate to mention it. But it works."
– Reid Buckley, with another suggestion for enhancing your posture
From Chapter 10: Into the Tank My Bullies! A Grab Bag of Useful Tips
Getting a Good Start
It clangs. One is summoned as to one's doom, to rise from wherever one is seated and walk on stage, there to face three or four hundred people in the maw of a darkened theater. What first impression will those people conceive?
Spring up those three steps to the stage; do not drag yourself to the speaker's stand. Once situated behind the lectern, facing the audience, remember:
Posture and presentation
The American slouch has no place on the platform.
If one's body slumps, so will the audience. An attitude of fatigue will cause the folk out there to feel tired before one has opened one's mouth.
Anatomy of a speaker
Everybody sooner or later evolves his characteristic carriage, which conforms with his personality but in the beginning, one should try to stand classically at ease behind the lectern.
That is:
- spine erect, but not military-stiff
- feet comfortably apart, one foot a little in advance of the other, toes pointing slightly out; the weight of the body favoring the balls of the feet
- knees limber, not locked
- shoulders and arms loose and easy, the arms hanging naturally by the sides, elbows brushing the ribcage
Nevertheless bear in mind: nothing I say relating to posture should be taken as a recommendation to alter in anyone that manner of holding his body attractively peculiar to his or her type.
