 Do you remember playing with blocks or Legos when you were younger? Successfully creating any structure with building blocks is a process that takes place over time. You can't start with the finishing touches and then go back later and worry about the bones of the building. In truth, much of the same can be said for learning to become an effective speaker. One of the biggest things to keep in mind as a beginning public speaker is that becoming an effective speaker is something that takes place over time, not all at once. This video will briefly discuss that process and walk you through the building blocks of public speaking. Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu said, The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. So too does your journey toward becoming an effective speaker. As you start your journey, remember that it's important to put first things first. Some people jump to the end and worry about how many colors and fonts they should use in their PowerPoint or whether their hand gestures are effective. There are a few other things to think about before you get to that point, though. Putting first things first in public speaking means starting with a good foundation. Simply put, the first step in your journey is to be able to stand in front of an audience without passing out, throwing up, or running away. I'm not being facetious. If you can get up the first couple of times and avoid these major snafus, then you should consider it a success. You will have shown yourself that the world won't end, and speaking in public may not be the worst thing that ever happens in your life. Congratulate yourself on laying a solid foundation for success as a public speaker. Once you've established the foundation, you can begin to focus on the next level items that establish the framework for your speeches. Building an effective framework involves being more intentional and conscientious about things like topic selection, organization, the outline, introductions and conclusions, supporting materials, and source citation. These are essential items that give your speech structure and make it easier for the audience to understand and follow along. Without thoughtful planning and considered structure, your speech will lack the framework that is necessary to hold up the content. With a solid foundation and framework in place, you can begin to consider some ways to dress up your speech with some furnishings. What kinds of language and linguistic devices can you use to enhance your message? What delivery method is best suited for this kind of speech? How might you use presentational aids to improve audience understanding and connection to the topic? Are there delivery elements that are distracting the audience from the message? How can I remove them? What delivery elements can be added to convey credibility and strengthen the speech in general? These are the sort of higher level adjustments that can add a great deal to the effectiveness of your speech. They should only be given consideration, however, once you've mastered the foundation and framework levels. Finally, the pinnacle of the pyramid being built are the finishing touches. Once you have the basics of public speaking in hand, you can begin to give attention to some of the finer points of the craft. One item in this arena would be limiting vocalized pauses, such as um, uh, and like. Another would be owning the stage in general by speaking with increased charisma, confidence, and connection to the audience. As you progress as a speaker and the other things come more naturally to you, then you will find you'll have more time and energy to give to these kinds of finishing touches. The moral of this story is that building these skills takes time. Focus on first things first, to build a firm foundation, and a solid framework. Then give attention to the higher level skills as you master the previous levels. If you take your journey one step at a time, one building block at a time, you'll be at the top of your speaking game before you know it. Check out some of our other videos for more insight into the public speaking process.