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How to Be a Confident Public Speaker

Public speaking is one of the essential skills for any leader, yet it remains a common source of anxiety and self-doubt.

4 minutes of reading

Public speaking is one of the essential skills for any leader, yet it remains a common source of anxiety and self-doubt. Whether you’re addressing your team, presenting to stakeholders, or speaking at industry events, the ability to communicate effectively and confidently can significantly impact your career and leadership effectiveness.

As executive coaches with years of experience helping leaders transform their speaking abilities, we understand the challenges and fears associated with public speaking. In this blog, we’ll explore practical tips and proven strategies to help you become a confident public speaker, capable of delivering compelling messages that resonate with any audience.

Know Your Audience

The most important part of public speaking is knowing your audience and targeting them effectively. Research and reflect on their interests and preferences, tailoring your message to resonate with them. Understanding your audience allows you to adapt your content, tone, and delivery style to effectively connect with them and address their needs. In turn, you’ll see their engagement and that immediate feedback will drive your confidence whilst you’re speaking.

Structure Your Speech

Another important part of your preparation is to structure your speech. Even if speaking off the cuff, make sure you have an outline of a clear and compelling structure for your speech, including an attention-grabbing opening, a well-organised body, and a memorable closing, ideally with one or two simple takeaway actions. A structured speech gives clarity and coherence, making it easier for your audience to follow along and retain key information and, most importantly, remember your message afterwards.

Manage Your Nerves

You also want to be conscious to manage your nerves. Acknowledge and embrace slight anxiety as a natural response to public speaking. Practice relaxation techniques like deep breathing, visualization, and positive self-talk to calm you down. Our top tip is always to try to reframe the nervousness as excitement, thereby transforming anxiety into enthusiasm and confidence.

Use Non-Verbal Cues

Now we get into the speech itself. Use non-verbal cues when speaking: Pay attention to your body language, facial expressions, and gestures. Maintain eye contact with your audience, stand in an open and confident way, and incorporate strategic pauses for emphasis. These physical cues play an important part in conveying confidence, authenticity, and credibility to your audience, as well as, again, making you feel more confident – a virtuous circle.

Be More Dog

Our favourite mantra when working on public speaking is to “Be More Dog”. People meet enthusiasm with enthusiasm, so if you come onto the stage or into the meeting excited to meet the audience and excited about your topic (both verbally and physically) like a happy dog greeting its owner when they come through the door, your audience will respond to that. So, with these 5 simple tips, you can become a public speaking pro and leave a lasting impression on your audience. And if you need more help, don’t hesitate to reach out for personalised coaching sessions.
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