Theocratic Aid To Kingdom Publishers

Lesson 18

PLATFORM CONDUCT

A speaker is under the magnifying glass of his audience  —at least he thinks so. He thinks they magnify everything he is saying and doing, especially when it is wrong. He is in the spotlight, and there is no way of getting away from it. This fact alone causes the beginning speaker to be self-conscious. This condition of self-consciousness can be mastered by faith, by self-control, and by knowledge of proper platform conduct. By self-control one learns to concentrate on the message which he has to deliver, and thus to forget himself. In this he is greatly aided by a knowledge of proper platform manners.

Even before a speaker opens his mouth, he is often either condemned or approved by a part of his audience. This is not because of one's features, for which he is not responsible. It is because of his facial expression, his dress, his physical bearing, etc., for which he is responsible. A sincere and warm smile on the face of the speaker is winning,

if the occasion is informal and the discussion of a light nature. However, if the occasion is more formal and the matter to be discussed is serious and weighty, the speaker should not get up and grin at his audience. They will think him silly; and rightly so. They will have no confidence in his ability to discuss a serious subject. On such occasions the wise speaker, whose mind will be filled with the weighty matter on which he is to speak, will face his audience with a kindly yet serious, earnest expression. The listeners will settle themselves in a like frame of mind and be ready for the "strong meat" that is to come. Assume at the outset the same state of mind that you want the audience to adopt to be receptive for what you expect to present. Your mental disposition is reflected to the audience; it sets the standard.

After taking the speaker's position on the platform, pause momentarily. Look at the audience. This must be brief, else it will appear melodramatic, affected. But it does serve a good purpose in letting the speaker get settled in his speaker's position and giving the audience time to catch his frame of mind and adapt themselves to it. Also, the speaker by his silence commands the silent attention of his hearers. Such an attitude of surveying your audience with earnestness, sincerity and consideration, or a welcoming smile if that is what the occasion requires, is not easily obtained when one is tired or ill-prepared, lacking in composure and confidence. For this reason go before the audience well prepared and rested as far as possible. A tired speaker is not magnetic, neither is a nervous speaker, and a tired speaker is usually a nervous speaker and lacks geniality.

Do not put off preparation to the last day and then work at a furious pace to make up for the loss of time. One becomes a bundle of nerves. The resulting undue nervousness and brain fatigue will make poise very difficult. Vital force is essential. Hence one should not eat a heavy meal before delivering a lecture. The blood that ought to be up in the brain will be down in the stomach. Sluggishness would re-

sult. Avoid everything also that might lessen vitality, because without it one cannot be an enthusiastic speaker. A shower before talking is very stimulating, when it is warm and followed by a brief cold shower. A clean shave will be felt as an uplift, as well as make a favorable impression.

Dress for the occasion. It has an effect on one which is rather difficult to explain. Being well groomed will give one more confidence and poise. It will remove some of one's self-consciousness, and the speaker's personal appearance also affects the audience. Baggy or unpressed trousers, unpolished shoes, unkempt hair, etc., indicate that one has little self-respect and not much more respect for his audience. How can such a speaker expect the audience to respect him? This does not mean, however, to attract attention by showy, gaudy dress. Just be clean, neat and tastefully attired for the occasion. Don't stand out by being over-dressed in comparison with the audience, and certainly don't be less presentable.

Physical bearing and carriage should be proper. Hold your chest normally high, shoulders back. Do not slump or slouch or stand bent and hunched over. Straighten up. Such a carriage shows confidence and poise. One must never look or sound browbeaten, neither should he ever have a hangdog expression on his face, nor should his posture ever make an apologetic impression.

There are extremes of conversational manner of delivery. These must be shunned. Especially when a speaker becomes well acquainted with the medium of public speaking on the platform, there might be a temptation to show off by his ease. Sometimes such a speaker will sit on the table with arms crossed and thus chat with the audience. On a platform it is bad taste. Be friendly, yes; familiar, no. If the group is smaller than expected, very small, and the auditorium large, then one might leave the platform and come down to them. One then talks to them man to man, on equal footing, so to speak. It is not advisable to talk to a small crowd from a platform, because such is out of

proportion. Come down to them. It is good, when one has a small crowd, to be chummy with them, that is, to use an intimate, conversational tone. But this can be overdone and become affected and smack of insincerity, even condescension. In any event a larger auditorium requires a certain dignity. This is one of the essential qualities of enlarged conversational delivery.

Mannerisms are to be avoided. These are certain words and phrases, gestures and movements, which in themselves may be all right but through overuse have become habits, indulged in unconsciously, for no reason, and which because of their repetitious use distract and irritate listeners. It may be that one overworks a certain word for no purpose, or at intervals runs his hands through his hair, rams them into his pockets, makes again and again the same gesture, etc. Occasionally these things would not be objectionable, but when they become mannerisms they distract. And this brings up one last point regarding platform conduct —water-drinking. There is no real need for a pitcher and glass of water. The speaker can. do without it. It is a nervous habit. He talks much in everyday conversation and does not carry a pitcher of water around with him to keep his throat wet and working.

Proper platform conduct, therefore, consists of natural ease and friendly warmth, free from uneasy awkwardness as well as of all unnatural affectation and detracting showiness. Such platform manner will put your listeners at ease and secure friendliness and good-will to hear and to receive in a good heart the message of truth.