LISTEN: Speaking his way into the Hall of Fame
WELTEVREDEN PARK – Douglas Kruger is only one of eight South Africans inducted into the hall of fame.
Being able to get up in front of many people and speak, is a skill that many people lack, but being inducted into the Speakers Hall of Fame is taking public speaking into a whole different level.
Resident of Weltevreden Park, Douglas Kruger has been a professional speaker for over 13 years. Kruger said that he was actually a very shy child. “I went to Allen Glen High School. One day Toasmasters, public speaking club came to our school and this is where it started,” said Kruger. His love for this trade grew so fast, that he is the five time winner of the South African Championship for public speaking.
In 2004 Kruger placed second in the World Championships for public speaking. It is the highest ranking a South African has ever achieved in this competition. Kruger explained that he does public speaking full time. “You get 60 minutes on stage to convince people of an idea,” said Kruger.
Kruger proudly said that he was awarded with the very special public speaking Hall of Fame accolade a few weeks back. It is awarded by the Professional Speakers Association of Southern Africa (PSASA). “I didn’t expect it at all. I went to an event and they urged me to stay until the end of the event so that I could receive award,” said Kruger.
Apart from being a public speaker, Kruger is also an author of five business books already. The next two books will soon be published. “My wife is my biggest support as well as our house full of cats and dogs,” said Kruger. He laughed when explaining that they have three cats and three dogs. “They just end up at my doorstep and then I rescue them,” said Kruger.
“Having a good voice is obviously part of the package. I like actors like Jeremy Irons and Benedict Cumberpatch’s voices,” he said.
Kruger advised young people to provide businesses with a great idea while doing public speaking as businesses will pay for an idea.
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