The Role of The Listener

a few thoughts on public speaking

Photo by Alphacolor on Unsplash

Friends,

As my fall speaking schedule picks up, I’m thinking about the work of being a speaker, what it means to come and share my stories with everyone in the audience, and equally, what their role is as the listener.

I believe stories are alive, and maybe that’s why we are so drawn to speaking events, to spaces where we can gather and hear someone share and make sense of the world in one way or another.

I come to people with poems, stories, a little bit of laughter and a lot of truth-telling. And over the years I’ve struggled with it now and again—am I too much? Are my words not going to land correctly? Am I saying what they need to hear?

It’s quite a responsibility to carry, but the key for me was letting go and recognizing that when I do my best, the audience should do their best, too.