Speakers: Effective vs Ineffective

The most effective speaker I ever heard was a man who supported something called an ESOP. An ESOP stands for Employee Stock Ownership Plan. I was invited to represent my former employer at the National ESOP Convention in Washington D.C. While at the convention is where I heard this man speak. I don't remember his name but I do remember the title of his speech. It was called The Power of One. I was riveted to this man. He was charming, made good eye contact, didn't rush his delivery and was funny. He made me feel like I made the difference. The choices I made each and every day could help my company make more money. I had all the power. He was wonderful and well worth whatever salary he charged.

On the other hand, the most ineffective speakers seem to be those I currently go to school with. The problem here is nerves. If students could just take a breathe and relax, they would be much better at delivering their presentations. They also tend to avoid eye contact, repeat themselves or the same phrases and say "um" a lot. This is not to say, I am perfect, far from it. Perhaps, I have had more practice at giving speeches or doing presentations. I still get nervous but we are all in the same boat, doing the same thing and hoping all goes well. Just remember to breathe, relax and have fun. Good luck to everyone.

Speech Topic: Queen Victoria

I thought long and hard about who I wanted to give a speech on finally deciding on Queen Victoria. I chose her because she is the longest reigning monarch in British history. After watching the film Young Victoria, my interest in her increased by leaps and bounds. 

Victoria, young and unpopular worked hard to become one of Britain's most beloved monarch while increasing the holdings of the Empire. She along with husband Albert ushered Britain into the industrial age and supported the arts and sciences.

 

Group Project Evaluation

For this week, you asked what did I do well during this group project? My response is this brainstorming. I just kept throwing out topics or suggestions for the group name, code of conduct items and the topic for the paper. I checked my email or blackboard for responses to questions and replied as quickly as possible. I also volunteered to help edit stuff. 

As for the things I can work on to improve for future group project, communication can always be improved upon. I also have issues with procrastination and tend to put things off until they need to get done. I could also work on my research skills and then editing the information down to what is really necessary. For now, I strive to do my best in all things knowing that true perfection is unattainable.

Research

As I traveled back in time doing research on our topic I came across this very intriguing web site. The deeper I searched the more useful information I found. I came to realize how little we truly know about this powerful but perhaps brutal group of people. It will be fun to delve into this pool of knowledge and see what treasures will surface. I feel this is credible research because this site is there to provide unbiased information on our topic and is supported through active research on their part along with archeological support. The logo at right is also from the site listed below.

http://hurstwic.org/history/text/history.htm