- Laying the Foundation: Understanding the Power of Public Speaking. This sets the stage, exploring why public speaking matters in various contexts and building initial confidence.
- Know Your Stuff (and Your Audience!): Topic Selection and Audience Analysis. This covers how to choose a compelling topic and tailor the message to connect with listeners. We’ll emphasize understanding their needs, interests, and prior knowledge.
- Crafting Your Core Message: Defining Your Purpose and Thesis. This focuses on identifying the specific goal of the speech and formulating a clear, concise central idea.
- Structuring for Success: Organizing Your Speech Logically. Here, students learn different organizational patterns (chronological, topical, problem-solution, etc.) to create a coherent and easy-to-follow structure.
- Supporting Your Points: Research and Evidence Gathering. This delves into finding credible sources and effectively incorporating evidence (statistics, examples, anecdotes, testimony) to strengthen arguments.
- Making it Memorable: Developing Engaging Introductions and Conclusions. This section focuses on grabbing the audience’s attention at the start and leaving a lasting impression at the end.
- The Art of Simplicity: Applying the KISS Principle (Keep It Super Simple). We’ll explore how to streamline language, avoid jargon, and present information in a clear and digestible way. Think concise language, focused points, and uncluttered visuals.
- Bringing Your Speech to Life: Mastering Vocal Delivery. This covers crucial elements like volume, pitch variation (intonation), rate, pauses, and articulation to add dynamism and keep the audience engaged.
- Beyond Words: Utilizing Nonverbal Communication Effectively. This explores the impact of eye contact, gestures, posture, and movement in conveying confidence and connecting with the audience.
- Visual Victory: Integrating Technology and Visual Aids. This section focuses on how to strategically use slides, videos, and other technologies to enhance understanding and engagement, while avoiding common pitfalls (like reading directly from slides!).
- Connecting with Your Crowd: Audience Engagement Techniques. This delves into strategies for making the speech interactive, such as asking rhetorical questions, incorporating storytelling, and encouraging participation (if appropriate for the context).
- Handling the Unexpected: Managing Nervousness and Q&A Sessions. This provides practical tips for managing speech anxiety and effectively responding to audience questions.
- Practice Makes Progress: Rehearsing and Refining Your Delivery. This emphasizes the importance of practice and offers techniques for effective rehearsal to build confidence and polish the presentation.
Curriculum
- 1 Section
- 13 Lessons
- 13 Weeks
- Lessons15
- 1.11 – Public Speaking – Laying The Foundation – Understanding The Power Of Public Speaking
- 1.22 – Public Speaking – Know Your Stuff – and Your Audience – Topic Selection and Audience Analysis
- 1.33 – Public Speaking – Crafting Your Core Message – Defining Your Purpose and Thesis
- 1.44 – Public Speaking – Structuring for Success – Organizing Your Speech Logically
- 1.55 – Public Speaking – Supporting Your Points – Research and Evidence Gathering
- 1.66 – Public Speaking – Making it Memorable – Developing Engaging Introductions and Conclusions
- 1.7Public Speaking – Mid Term25 Questions
- 1.87 – Public Speaking – The Art of Simplicity – Applying the KISS Principle – Keep It Super Simple
- 1.98 – Public Speaking – Bringing Your Speech to Life – Mastering Vocal Delivery
- 1.109 – Public Speaking – Beyond Words – Utilizing Nonverbal Communication Effectively
- 1.1110 – Public Speaking – Visual Victory – Integrating Technology and Visual Aids
- 1.1211 – Public Speaking – Connecting with Your Crowd – Audience Engagement Techniques
- 1.1312 – Pubic Speaking – Handling the Unexpected – Managing Nervousness and Q & A Sessions
- 1.1413 – Public Speaking – Practice Makes Progress – Rehearsing and Refining Your Delivery
- 1.15Public Speaking – Final0 Questions
Instructor
Laurie's life journey is a testament to unwavering faith, entrepreneurial spirit, and the transformative power of resilience. Rooted in a lifelong foundation of Christian values, instilled from her upbringing and a pivotal move from Texas to Middle Tennessee in 1986, Laurie embarked on a path marked by both professional achievement and personal devotion.
In 1993, driven by a profound desire to nurture her growing family, Laurie made a courageous decision to transition from a decade-long, successful career as an accountant at a Fortune 500 company. This pivotal moment, coinciding with her husband's aspiration to pursue his calling in law enforcement, became a catalyst for a life dedicated to purpose and service. Through prayerful consideration, they embraced both paths, demonstrating a commitment to faith-led action.
God has uniquely privileged Laurie to serve Him in numerous capacities over the past few decades. Her entrepreneurial journey began with the inception of her web & graphics, branding, marketing, and design company. Recognizing her talents as gifts to be shared, she pledged to utilize her skills for divine purpose. This commitment manifested in the creation of over a thousand websites, marketing materials, training platforms, and courses for pastors, churches, evangelists, missionaries, colleges, and a diverse range of business clients. Her expertise extended to comprehensive rebranding initiatives, empowering organizations to articulate their vision with clarity and impact.
Beyond her business acumen, Laurie is a prolific author, having penned the best-selling books "Keep Those Clients" and "We All Have Choices," and co-founded the transformative "Gratitude Girls - 100 Day Gratitude Journal Challenge." She has also contributed her insights to three additional publications. As a sought-after motivational speaker and corporate sales trainer, Laurie inspires audiences with her authentic voice and empowering message, often called upon for special speaking engagements around the world. Her dedication to education is further evidenced by her five years of teaching at her children's Christian school and her subsequent decision to homeschool them, allowing her to balance her growing speaking career with her commitment to family.
Her mission to empower women to embrace their God-given potential has taken her across the globe, where she shares her wisdom and encouragement with diverse audiences. Laurie's life, however, has not been without profound challenges. In 2013, she experienced the devastating loss of her children's father in a tragic accident, navigating the complexities of grief while raising her four children, then aged 25, 18, 16, and 12.
Believing in God's guidance for her life, Laurie remarried in April 2020 to Kevin Radecki, following their meeting in December 2019. Laurie prayed for exactly what she wanted in a husband and God showed Himself strong in giving her more than she asked in a God-fearing and God-loving husband.
Laurie's unique experiences over the past few decades provide special insight and encouragement for those who take her courses. Her story is a powerful testament to the resilience of the human spirit, the transformative power of faith, and the profound impact of living a life dedicated to purpose and service. Her journey inspires others to embrace their own unique paths, to overcome adversity with grace, and to live with unwavering gratitude and purpose.
