• Communicate with others more clearly. Many mistakes or misinterpretations are a result of not properly communicating your ideas. Good public speaking skills help you articulate ideas well and make them come alive for the listener. This was one of the most critical skills I needed to develop as an engineer, because I often had to speak to audiences that didn’t know the first thing about how to “shore up” a building, for example, but had the authority and the money to fund my next project. If I was ineffective in conveying why they should invest more money, I might have been out of a job.
• Build overall confidence. As you become better at organizing and communicating your ideas effectively, you will start to exhibit more confidence. People with this ability have a “glow” of confidence when they speak in public. (Let’s not confuse this with the red glow of terror on the face of someone who is scared to death.)
Increase your comfort level in social situations. How many of you have ever been invited to a party and are afraid to strike up a conversation? (Don’t be shy, no one can see you.) Social situations are, in fact, the perfect opportunity to practice your public speaking skills. Here’s a little bonus: It is a known fact that people who speak well are perceived as better looking. Thank God, now I know why I worked so hard at it, and it wasn’t just my cute smile that made me popular with the girls
Speak more confidently on the telephone. Whether you call to request information, make a cold call at work, communicate with a client, or just leave a phone message, others can hear your confidence level in the tone of your voice. Did you know that over 86 percent of your telephone message is communicated through the tone of your voice?
Run meetings or present new ideas more effectively. I remember running my son’s Cub Scout pack. Having the ability to conduct a Cub Scout meeting with six to eight screaming, energetic boys definitely challenged my public speaking skills (and required a lot of aspirin). Organizing and running a meeting with adults is more difficult, I think, because you can’t bribe them with candy.
By- Book 10 Days to More Confident Public Speaking /The Princeton Language Institute and Lenny Laskowski
Produced by The Philip Lief Group, Inc.
Photo by Victoria Heath on Unsplash
