So I just completed my first public speaking session with Christopher Leadership. I guess the first thing I learned was that I`d forgotten how much it scares me.
What proved this to me was our first assignment, where we were asked to introduce ourselves and tell a few things about ourselves. I was situated about half way through the circle. As people started to introduce themselves one by one, my mind started churned like clothes in a tumble dryer. No thought was complete. It was more like incoherent memories.
In the handbook they say part of being an effective communicator is also being an effective listener. Well at that time, I became so completely wrapped up in myself, I barely heard a single word that was spoken. When an effort was made my attention would last only a few seconds.
Fortunately when it came time to speak, things mostly came out clearly. I was able to pick a few items out of the clothes dryer and explain them. In fact with a lot of courage, I went right to the core and explained briefly that I suffer from some of the same deficits as people with Asperger syndrome, and this is in fact, one of the big reasons I signed up.
Fortunately after this initial assignment things began to calm down a little. In the course they called this "expending nervous energy". As proof, the next pegging assignment went by much easier.
So I guess if I have to establish some goals for the course, here are my first three:
1. relax.
2. listen better.
3. increase my attention span.
30 Sep 2011, 8:27 am
