| The most important thing a speaker can do to | | | | winning edge over others. |
| enhance a career is to become an authority in their | | | | When you stand in front of an audience to deliver a |
| specific subject area. You want to reach a point | | | | speech there is a lot of presumption present. The |
| where people automatically think of you when they | | | | audience presumes that you know what you are |
| are looking for information on your topic or are | | | | talking about and have something meaningful and |
| looking for a speaker for their event. | | | | beneficial to give them. |
| To do this you must read extensively in your field. I | | | | On your part you must presume that you are an |
| believe that speakers are leaders and leaders are | | | | authority on the topic and that you have expertise |
| readers. | | | | and knowledge far beyond that of your audience. |
| If you don't read then listen to tapes or lectures. You | | | | The only way you can be confident in this |
| have to learn all you can and more about your | | | | presumption is by reading and studying your subject |
| subject. | | | | thoroughly. |
| When you read extensively you give yourself a | | | | I suggest that you set aside at least one half hour of |
| distinct advantage over those who don't. And there | | | | study per day. One hour is better but you might just |
| are huge numbers of people who don't read. | | | | want to begin with a half an hour until the habit is |
| Statistics show that the average person reads less | | | | formed. Make it something sacred and don't neglect it |
| than one book a year after graduating highschool. | | | | for anything but the most serious of reasons. You will |
| * 58 percent never finish the book they begin. * 90 | | | | soon reach a point where you know a great deal |
| percent of book buyers never read beyond chapter | | | | more than you need to know when giving a speech. |
| one of the book they begin. * 20 percent of the | | | | This increases your self confidence and really helps |
| population purchase 80 percent of all books | | | | you when someone from the audience asks you a |
| purchased. | | | | question that you have to answer extemporaneously. |
| Many people who do read do so to be able to | | | | Your comfort with answering questions will impress |
| function adequately at work. Few read to excel in a | | | | and leave people believing that the presumption they |
| specific area of knowledge and huge numbers don't | | | | had about you being an expert was correct. Your |
| read at all. Looking at these statistics you can see | | | | reputation as an knowledgeable speaker begins to |
| that if you are a voracious reader you have a | | | | grow and so does your career. |