Learning Public Speaking Will Put Your Career into Hyperdrive
They say public speaking is something to be feared. That it is more feared than death.
I say phooey.
Don’t let that kind of talk deter you from using one of the most powerful tools that exists for achieving success in life.
This may seem like hyperbole, but if you’ve ever cracked a history book, you know that it is not. Cue some of the greatest speeches of all time: each of us knows that a well-delivered speech can literally change the course of humankind. So if public speaking is that potent, don’t you think that learning even a tiny fraction of this magical craft could benefit average folks like you and me?
Here’s what Head of TED Chris Anderson has to say:
Presentation literacy isn’t an optional extra for the few. It’s a core skill for the twenty-first century. It’s the most impactful way to share who you are and what you care about. If you can learn to do it, your self-confidence will flourish, and you may be amazed at the beneficial impact it can have on your success in life, however you might choose to define that.
Yeah…it’s that good. And it’s that far-reaching. It can change your life.
But let’s come back down from the clouds a bit. If you’re not aspiring to start a revolution, but merely desiring a promotion at work, public speaking is still your secret friend. Learn to speak clearly, confidently, and charismatically and your audience (including your boss) will be putty in your hand.
Here’s why:
A skillful presentation is persuasive in a way that no other medium is
It’s person-to-person art, visceral, intimate. There is no costume to hide behind; no mask you can wear. You can’t pretend you’re someone else. It is simply you, standing in front of your audience, looking them in the eye and sharing your truth.
A skillful presentation allows you to direct the energy in the room
Public speaking is interactive. It is a collective endeavor. You aren’t just standing there talking at your audience; they are also signaling back to you. If you learn to gauge the energy between you and your audience, then you can learn to adjust your presentation at any given moment like the dial on a radio—speed up here, slow down there, build the wave so that your audience can ride it. It’s a partner dance, and you’re the lead.
A skillful presentation showcases clarity of thought
Clarity is electrifying. Whether you’re presenting on the next quarter’s projections or reviewing the last book you read at book club—cut through all of the noise and say exactly what you mean, and you will see people come to attention.
A skillful presentation requires confidence
And confidence is sexy. Confidence coupled with ease and compassion, that is. Take a good dose of poise and sprinkle it with a little bit of humility, and then you don’t even have to tell your boss that you’re the one that should be leading the next project. It will be obvious.
Notice that I qualified each of these with “a skillful presentation…” because not any ol’ presentation is going to get you there. In fact, a bad presentation can do more harm that good. Public speaking is an art. It’s a bundle of skills that must be cultivated. And it’s a bundle of skills that are absolutely worth learning, even if you have to drive through some fear to get yourself there. So what are you waiting for?
