Invest in Good Public Speaking Skills for Life

Just about everyone wishes they had confidence in front of a crowd. It is beneficial to everyone at some point or another, but it is also extremely relevant for some more than others – especially those who occupy leadership roles.

So whether you are keen to increase your social confidence, advance your career or get ready to make a toast at your best friend’s wedding, the advantages of public speaking skills are for everyone.

If you want to improve how to speak confidently in public, then keep reading because this article is

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Speak Confidently in Public

So what are public speaking skills? Essentially, public speaking is having the confidence to deliver a message in front of a crowd. By improving your public speaking skills you allow yourself a certain number of benefits.

If you’re wondering why public speaking skills are important, here is why:

Personal Growth

First, by becoming comfortable with standing up and speaking in front of others, you will grow your confidence and self-esteem. Many adults who are chronically introverted have found that drama classes and or developing good public speaking skills are helpful in learning how to be around others.

Focusing on a weak area could do wonders for your current relationships, and help you to feel more comfortable with strangers too.

Demonstrate Your Knowledge

Public speaking skills are especially useful if you are a subject matter expert with knowledge to share. Much knowledge goes under the radar because of a lack of experts who are able to speak confidently in public.

Learn

If you are looking for advantages of public speaking skills, one important one is that you will gather and learn more information every time you prepare. In addition, as the brain rehearses information it gets stored away for a time in the future when you may need it.

Life

If none of these reasons pertains to you and you are still wondering why public speaking skills are important, then just know that the need will crop up in everyday life! Whether you need to present at a meeting, toast at a wedding or say a prayer at a funeral, when you can speak confidently in public you are at an advantage.

You just cannot avoid it – whether professionally or personally, public speaking will often be necessary to move forward in many situations,

Advantages of Public Speaking Skills for Your Career

Being able to speak confidently in public has numerous benefits for those who want to advance in their careers. If you are in a leadership role, or have your eye on one, there are many reasons why public speaking skills are important. Some of these include:

Ensures You Will Stand Out   

Many people shy away from the limelight, but if you are bold enough to get your message across in a group setting, it can be very impressive. It will make you memorable and also able to stand out against your colleagues.

It Makes People Listen

If you have a message, then you need a time and place to make sure that it is delivered so that people listen.

Trying to get your message across by email is not always successful, and neither is delivering it to one person at a time. Often, it is beneficial to get everyone in one place where each person can have their say at one time.

The voice can be much more powerful than a written argument and this is why public speaking skills are important.

It Has the Power to Make Sales and Seal Deals

The importance of public speaking skills can literally make or break a deal and affect a business’s bottom line.

Having the confidence to deliver a sales pitch or close a deal is one of those lesser-known advantages of public speaking skills which can make a huge difference.

Words are powerful and when delivered well, they can change the course of history.

You Can be More Outspoken

Good public speaking skills can help you to further a cause and make changes to public opinion.

If you are championing some kind of change, one way to ensure that you are heard is to speak!

When it comes to social justice issues, the advantages of public speaking skills will be integral to your success.

Why Public Speaking Skills Are Important for Managers

If you have ambitions to reach senior management, then by now, you probably know the importance of public speaking skills to get you there.

Communication and Motivation

The student site Prospects lists some of the key skills that every person needs for a successful career in management, one of which being: "Effective leaders must master all forms of communication including written, verbal and listening skills. As a team manager you're the line of communication between frontline staff and senior management, so you'll need to be able to communicate with a variety of people from entry-level employees to heads of departments and CEOs in a number of different ways such as via email and social media, over the phone and in presentations, meetings and one-to-ones.

As a leader you'll need to establish a trusting relationship with your employees so they feel comfortable sharing information with you and vice versa. To ensure that lines of communication remain open you'll need to make yourself readily available and accessible to your employees to discuss any issues or concerns that arise. Putting in place an open door policy or weekly or monthly team meetings should facilitate this. When communicating let your staff know that they matter by keeping eye contact, smiling and listening attentively.

Projecting an open, positive attitude at work goes a long way to creating a happy and healthy work environment. Don't shut yourself off or put yourself on a pedestal. Simple things such as active encouragement, recognising achievements and taking an interest in the lives of your employees boosts morale and ensures that staff feel valued by the company. If people are a product of their environment, a positive workplace creates happy, motivated employees."

This summary makes it very clear what kind of skills a manager needs to have. It states that to lead and maintain good relationships, the ability to communicate and have good public speaking skills is paramount.

Leaders Who Overcame Their Fear of Public Speaking

Is it possible for introverts to become leaders and have success?

The answer is yes.

In case you need encouragement here are some world-famous names who had stage fright at one stage in their lives.

Mahatma Gandhi

It’s true, would you believe it if you heard that you can run a country or movement and still suffer from stage fright? The proof is below along with encouraging facts that you can overcome anything with the right attitude.

The story goes that Mahatma Ghandi suffered from regular panic attacks. He had a particularly traumatic experience during a speech where he was asked to give a speech to a vegetarian community in London. After reading only one line, he could not speak and had to ask someone else to read the balance of the script on his behalf.

In retelling the story, he said that his vision became blurred and that he trembled.

For years, the pressure of public speaking became such a painful burden that he even avoided social gatherings and dinner parties.

Sometime later in life, even though his fear of public speaking was still a reality, he found a deep desire that fuelled him to address the masses. Could it be that his passion for his subject matter made his anxiety disappear?

His advice was to be tenacious.

Be stubborn ... because you have considered the maximum number of people who will benefit and wish to serve them by solidly banging the drum for what you know to be true. Mahatma Ghandi

Abraham Lincoln

Another surprising personality who struggled with public speaking was the famous and loved American president, Abraham Lincoln. He loathed large crowds and often let his anxiety get the better of him.

Sadly, even though he was such an inspirational speaker, his fears forced him to decline many speaking engagements. In spite of this, he went on to become the President of the United States and an influential leader who affected history.

If you suffer from nervousness or anxiety at the thought of public speaking, make sure you find a good personal development coach. You can also find many useful online tools to help you progress your public speaking skills.