YOU SAY

Your advice to a young man who was recently promoted and is terrified of public speaking struck a chord with me (Dear Coleen, July 27). I faced similar fears at that stage of my career. Then I learnt of Dale Carnegie’s books on public speaking and my employer paid for me to attend evening classes to learn the art using his method. The books date from the 1930s but the methods remain valid today. An internet search would show if there is training in this young man’s area.

The most important tips I learnt were: 1) know your headline and 2) have a good phrase to end on.

Following those rules, you can get through most public speaking situations. I made a success of my career and retired last year as a company director. Tony Cater, via email