Practice makes perfect. Singers often practice for months before their first public performance, and are constantly practising between performances. Actors, politicians, preachers, poets, presenters and others whose livelihoods or reputations rely on their public performances constantly practice in private.

Those of us who infrequently take these roles often attempt to perform with little or no practice. “I’ve been able to speak since I was a child,” is part of one justification. “I know what I want to say, all I have to do is say it.”

And if all speech was of roughly equal value this approach would work well. However, as most of those who think directly about this issue realise, some words work better than others. And the way some words are delivered works better than others too. And sometimes, the best thing to say involves no words at all.

Practice helps. Enough practice makes perfect, though the process can be dramatically sped up with teaching. People who have practised, practised, practised anything will learn something about it. People with such learning can pass on much of that knowledge to save people the effort of discovering it themselves. But no matter how much listening or reading you do, there are some things that can only be learnt through… practice.

Rostrum provides both good teaching and plenty of opportunity and motivation to practice. If you’re someone who likes a set plan with exercises, deadlines and feedback, then your club training officer can help. The training officer can tailor a plan to your personal needs.

If you’re someone who’d prefer a more laid-back, “jump in when I feel like it” sort of approach, then you can join the many current members who take that path. Listen and speak when you like. You’ll improve more slowly, but the entertainment and fellowship of our meetings may prove of more value to you than the self-improvement. So maybe you've got:

• a wedding coming up that you have to speak at
• a job you're going to be interviewed for
• a presentation you have to do at work
• a speaking role at your church - perhaps reading, worship leading, preaching.
• a committee role at a club
• a role in teaching people
• dispute mediation
• studies where you make presentations
• a dream to enter politics or perform poetry or plays in public?

There's bound to be at least one compulsory event or attractive opportunity on your horizon that you're worried about. Don't worry, don't throw away these opportunities, come and prepare for your performance with Rostrum.