Short video/transcript of TJ Walker criticizing the idea of rehearsing speeches in front of dogs. Walker argues practicing for human audiences matters: record yourself on video, get human feedback, and focus practice on achieving audience understanding, recall, and action. He offers trainings and workshops for those serious about improving public speaking.
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Feeling nervous about giving speeches or presentations? Well then why not rehearse your speech in front of dogs? Really folks, I'm serious. That's what some people are suggesting. Every six months I see this story floating around on the Internet and some well intentioned university professor graduate student has set up a test where people come in and they practice their speeches in front of dogs. Folks, I gotta tell you, that is one of the stupidest ideas I've ever heard. And I've heard a lot of stupid ideas. For some reason, public speaking tends to attract bad ideas, dumb ideas and stupid ideas. Whether it's tapping on your face or doing a Wonder Woman power pose. Here's the problem with practicing in front of a dog. You are guaranteed to fail. Let me point out to you, when you give a speech, your goal is not to simply feel comfortable. Your goal is to get your audience to understand your message, remember it, and take the actions you want. So unless the whole point of your speech is fetch or sit or rollover, you're guaranteed to fail when it comes to speaking to a dog. Now folks, I'm all in favor of doing anything that helps people get more comfortable. But there has to be something connected to a higher purpose. I could say, well, I'm more comfortable in my bathrobe, but if I came here and spoke to you today in my bathrobe, it would be kind of distracting. You kind of wonder, what's with dj? Is he homeless? This seems kind of weird. So I am not wearing a bathrobe, I'm wearing clothes. Folks, if you want to get better at speaking, you need to practice on video. You need to look at it. You need to get other actual human beings to look at. Unless you never plan on speaking to anyone other than a room full of dogs. If dogs are always going to be your final audience, then by all means practice in front of dogs. But if you want to practice, if you want to get ready to speak to human beings, you need to have your speech looked at by human beings. For starters, record on your own video, your own cell phone, then get other people to look at it and get to the point where you look comfortable, people can understand you, remember your messages, and take the actions you want. That's ultimately the goal. It's kind of like if I created a virtual reality golf assistant and no matter how you swung your club, you got a hole in one. Well, that might make you feel good, might make you more relaxed about golfing, but then when you actually go out on a real golf course, you're going to do what I do on a golf course, hack, slice in the pond, in the woods, and I'm shooting 180. So me feeling good, seeing a little hole in one. It's kind of like that dog looking up, giving you that positive approval. It's ultimately meaningless. I'm TJ Walker. I help people speak their best because how you present your ideas is the number one factor in your success. If you are serious about becoming a better speaker, don't waste time on dogs. I've got some solutions for you. I've got online training programs, public workshops every month in New York City, and private trainings that are available to you anywhere you are in the world. Give me a call or go to the website. Thanks.
