ASCE Online Presents: Public Speaking - Master this Hard Skill

Civil Engineers in both private practice and as public agency officials are regularly called upon to engage in public speaking presentations to community groups and elected officials often addressing controversial topics with sometimes hostile audiences. These skills are not often taught in the usual school curriculum. Civil Engineers have a need to learn high quality and impactful public speaking skills with the ability to navigate controversial issues. These skills can be taught, developed and practiced to mastery. Presentations on community issues and the handling of expressed anger from audiences requires special skills. Public speaking requires the speaker to convey important information and be prepared to face criticism. This session will focus upon the key elements allowing the presenter to be a great public speaking communicator with the special skills needed to address hot topics, to avoid errors in presentations and to overcome the fear of public speaking. The author, based upon decades of personal experience in both the private and public sectors, will train the attendees in the techniques and skills needed to be a confident, persuasive and skilled presenter with great public speaking skills. The Author has made hundreds of presentations and dealt with controversial topics in public settings with great success and when leading groups, when addressing elected officials, when making presentations to Boards and when presenting difficult choices to the public.