One of the most important traits that a leader should have is his or
her ability to communicate effectively. A good communication is often regarded
as the difference between a successful plan and a failed one; an effective leader and
an ineffective one.
The road to become a great public speaker isn’t exactly easy – but it’s not impossible to
reach with enough patience, practice and training. The following are three steps that
you can follow if you want to improve your public speaking skills and
hold your audience’s attention better.
1. Slow down
Pace yourself well when speaking in public, as it’s not about who can finish the fastest.
For people to be able to hear what you have to say, you have to give them the time and
ability to do so. Though a short pause or silence may feel like a lifetime for you,
your audience will regard it as what it is – just a second of silence.
Slow yourself down by taking a breath or a sip of water. This is something that
your audience will appreciate as they have more time to process the message.
2. Smile
When you smile, the whole world will smile with you – or in this case, your audience.
Not only will smiling give a good vibe, but it will also improve your self-confidence and
your body language. Attract the attention of your audience by giving them
a genuine smile. Don’t fake it, because your audience will see right through the insincerity.
Whatever rough morning or day you have had prior to the speaking,
think of something that will put that smile
back on your face. This may seem harder to do than said, but
it can’t be stressed enough how important SMILE is.
3. Keep it short
There’s nothing worse than a public speaker who drones on and on – especially
a bad one that can put the audience to sleep. The point is – keep your speech brief and
simple. If the message can be conveyed in one paragraph, there’s no use making it longer. Remember, less is always more.
These steps will not turn you into a perfect public speaker overnight, but
these are things that can help you become a stronger leader.
Why? Some of the world’s greatest leaders are known for their great public
speaking skills — and at one point in time have delivered a classic speech where
their words have been immortalized. The choice is yours whether you want to
be remembered as the charismatic, strong communicator – or
one that flubs at presentation and public speaking.