Overcoming Stuttering: Lessons from The King's Speech

"At the end of The King's Speech, King George VI delivers his speech effectively due to a combination of personal growth the support of his speech therapist Lionel Logue and the strategies they developed together. Here are the key factors that contributed to his success:

Overcoming Personal Challenges

Throughout the film, King George VI struggles with a severe stammer which causes him great anxiety. By the end of the film, he has worked hard to confront these challenges, gaining confidence in his ability to speak.

Therapeutic Techniques

Lionel Logue employs various techniques to help the King manage his speech difficulties. These include breathing exercises, vocal warm-ups, and the use of music and rhythm which help the King find his voice.

Emotional Connection

The King's emotional investment in his role and the significance of the speech—addressing the nation at the onset of World War II—motivates him to push through his fears and perform well.

Support System

The relationship between the King and Logue evolves from one of patient and therapist to a partnership built on trust and friendship. This support system is crucial for the King's confidence.

Focus on Content

By concentrating on the message he needs to deliver rather than on his fear of stammering, the King shifts his mindset, allowing him to communicate more effectively.

As someone with a lifelong stutter, who has made many speeches, including to NATO conferences of 400 people including 5-star generals, I found a lot to relate to in the film. There was one major difference between his speech and that particular one of mine: I ended with a question and answer session which would have made pre-recording impossible. He, of course, did not.

Wider Insights on Public Speaking

The stress is there. You have known for weeks or months this is happening and you have probably fretted forever over one or two key areas: a phrase or word that you cannot 'get right', and every failed attempt just makes it worse. For me at least, quiet and calming settings are irrelevant: it is all the text. Rephrasing the 'dangerous' parts can be highly beneficial.

QA sessions are the hardest because of the need to come up with an answer immediately. The size of the group of listeners is important. Of all the things listed, I think getting the mental state of speaking it to one good friend would have helped me most. I find the worst size group to speak is about 15. Less than this, and you can treat it mostly as a one-to-one discussion. Get to say 50, and people avoid asking questions themselves to a large extent. Draw 15 people from an organisation, and there is a good chance there are two arch rivals in there, determined to beat each other. If one asks a question, you can be fairly confident the other will attack your answer to get at their real foe.

Almost every stutterer has a problem saying their own name because it is almost the first question anyone asks you, so it accumulates all the stresses of every encounter. I imagine saying 'I' can be particularly challenging.

Conclusion

If you struggle with stuttering and want to improve your public speaking, there are several things you can learn from The King's Speech, including the power of personal growth, therapeutic techniques, emotional investment, and the importance of a support system. Additionally, understanding the impact of stress and the size of the audience can also help in preparing for your next speech.