Good communication is often regarded as the difference between a successful plan and a failed one; an effective leader and an ineffective one.
To become a great public speaker isn’t exactly easy but it is possible to reach with enough patience, practice and training. The following are three tips that you can practice if you want to improve your public speaking skills and hold your audience’s attention.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 a 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 or presentation 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 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 immortalised. The choice is yours whether you want to be remembered as a good, strong communicator or one that fails at a presentation or public speaking.