Making A Connection

When I first hear the phrase "public speaking" it immediately takes me back to my high school graduation that took place a few weeks ago. We had many administrators at the ceremony who spoke for various lengths of time. Some rambled on and on and some were so short that they barely constituted a speech. The only memorable speech on that day was the speech given by my high school principal. I actually found myself listening to what she was saying rather than tuning her out in my haste to graduate. I hadn't thought much of it at the time, but looking back I realize what about her speech captivated my attention. She paused before she spoke and took the time to look upon all of our faces. Then with a warm smile she began in a clear, steady voice to tell us a tale of a man who came upon a boy the was returning stranded starfish to the sea. The man asked why the boy would even bother because he could not possibly save all of the creatures, so what he was doing didn't matter. The boy answered in a sure voice, "It matters to them." My principal proceeded to explain that one person truly can make a difference in this world and that we all matter. The inclusion of the story really made me remember her words because she made a connection with her audience rather than just lecturing the class. She held eye contact, spoke at an appropriate volume, and took the time to let her words sink in instead of rushing through like so many speakers before her had done. Her delivery and personal connection to the audience are, I think, what made the speech so effective.