Highcliffe Evening WI

My second booking on 19 November saw me returning to the Highcliffe Evening Women's Institute in Dorset where I last spoke in June 2005. There were around 45 ladies there and my topic this time was the Power of Humour in Everyday Life.

The talk went very well, helped by the fact that the annoying cough which had interrupted my presentation in Swanage a few hours earlier never came back. I was certainly expecting it to and I made sure that I was well-prepared with sweets and a glass of water - but it didn't happen.

Public Speaking Tip #267: Many of the challenges we might expect while speaking may not actually occur. Be prepared for problems, by all means - but don't spend your allotted time distracted by your expectation that they will appear! Concentrate on your content and delivery and deal with any problems if and when they present themselves.

A friendly WI to speak to and my thanks to their Speaker Secretary's husband Sid for running me back to Somerford.