Public Speaking: Terrifying, Necessary, Attainable: My Reflections on Speed Mooting's Public Speaking Course

After a long day at work, I rushed home, grabbed a Redbull and logged on to Speed Mooting's Public Speaking Course. As an aspiring barrister, I know that advocacy lies at the heart of the profession, and I was eager to learn practical skills that would strengthen my public speaking abilities.

If I am honest, public speaking terrifies me. The thought of standing in front of an audience is so daunting, and I am sure I am not alone in wondering what on earth to do with my hands whilst speaking. Rather than continue to shy away from it, I decided to confront my fear head-on and develop the skills that would help me become a more confident speaker.

The session, led by John, was both practical and engaging. One of the takeaways was that confidence often begins with posture. Sitting upright not only projects confidence but also improves airflow, allowing your voice to carry more effectively. It sounds simple, but small adjustments can have a significant impact.

Another lesson that resonated with me was the importance of pace. We were encouraged to slow down to around 100 to 120 words per minute. Speaking more slowly allows an audience to follow your argument and conveys authority. Speaking quickly can suggest a desire to get through the speech as quickly as possible, whereas measured speech signals confidence and persuasion. This lesson hit home for me because in my first moot, I was less aspiring barrister and more human auctioneer. I must have been speaking at 600 words per minute. The moot judge looked at me with an expression that suggested he had not caught a single word but was too polite to say so. Judicial intervention? I answered at lightning speed and returned to my notes before he could even react.

My favourite technique was ‘the pause’. John explained that after making an important point, a brief two-second pause allows it to sink in. It gives weight to your words and signals to the audience that something significant has just been said. I had never considered silence as a speaking tool before, but it may well be one of the most powerful.

I particularly appreciated that participants were encouraged to submit questions and John's willingness to answer every question and share his own experiences made the session feel authentic and grounded in reality rather than abstract theory.

What stood out most was the reminder that effective advocacy is not about sounding like the cleverest person in the room. It is about communicating clearly, structuring your argument with a clear introduction, body, conclusion and connecting with your audience. These are skills that can be learned and refined with practice.

For any student considering developing their advocacy skills, I cannot recommend opportunities like this highly enough. The course reminded me that confidence is not an innate quality possessed by a select few, it is a skill that can be practised, refined, and developed. Sometimes growth begins the moment we choose to do the things that scare us most.