Public Speaking and Your Career: 3 Tips to Improve Your Skills

Public speaking (or presentation skills) according to one survey is the biggest fear of many adult Americans. Many people are especially concerned about how this fear affects their chances of career growth. Their jobs require them to speak in meetings or other settings, and this is very difficult for them. The best way to overcome this fear is through a public speaking seminar, or other type of training. However, this is not feasible for some people due to time or financial constraints. In other cases, people are too nervous to even consider taking this step. Here are three tips to help overcome this concern. First, it is not possible to be both relaxed and nervous simultaneously. Slow, deep breathing before speaking calms people. (Obviously, do not do this into a telephone, which has a microphone, into a regular microphone, or while driving or using other power equipment.) Simply take a slow deep breath, hold it briefly, and exhale slowly. Do this several times. The extra oxygen taken in helps people to think more clearly, as well as to relax. Second, remember the message counts more than the speaker. Focus on making the message as clear as possible, not on yourself. Third, help listeners remember your message. Techniques such as using relevant examples (especially dramatic ones), alliteration (such as "delicious doughnuts") and emotion all increase memory. As one unknown sage phrased it, "be brief, be brilliant, be seated". In general, shorter is better. Plan your presentation and eliminate redundancies. Business Speech Improvement provides 3 ways to get help with public speaking skills. A one day small group open-enrollment seminar is offered occasionally. Individual coaching is an excellent choice for those who are busy. This is tailored to your level of skill and can be used to practice upcoming presentations. A tip-filled e-book, "Public Speaking:You Can Do It!" is excellent for those who need "help in a hurry©" or who live far away.