I hate to admit it, but I am a bit shy. I would rather listen than talk. If I do speak, I would rather be smart-alecky and be able to write it off as a bit of a joke.
I'm not so sure that I want to stay as a Smart Alec. I'm not sure that it's truly helpful in conversation. So… Book-nerd that I am, I set myself a course of study to improve myself--à la Benjamin Franklin.
While this sounds tedious, I'm having a blast! One of the first books that I tackled is Nicholas Carr's THE SHALLOWS: WHAT THE INTERNET IS DOING TO OUR BRAINS. This was absolutely delightful, even when it was a bit scary. Yes, I have mentioned this book before--I'm mentioning it again. Who knows, I may even mention it again down the road!
The second book is also rip-snorter: Jay Heinrich's THANK YOU FOR ARGUING: What Aristotle, Lincoln, and Homer Simpson Can Teach Us about the Art of Persuasion. It is funny, well-written, and worth my time. It also is helping me see how easily manipulated I can be.
Don't get me wrong, I'm also learning a little bit about confidence. These books are worth my time, whether I use what I am learning in speaking or not.
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