Recently I was listening to a doctor explain her area of expertise on an NPR program. Her topic was within my echo chamber so I should have been highly attuned to listen to her evidence and for her to make her point. However, as an academic she didn’t have great presentation skills. I found her unlistenable. Folks, that makes me sad.
She simply was not able to present her facts without fillers. Fillers in speech include the sounds um and uh, and words ‘like’ and ‘so’. If only she had the benefit of speech class.
I believe people use fillers because in our society most listeners are preparing to chime in with their opinion. We have learned that we have to speak continuously otherwise we will be interrupted. We say “umm” to hold off the interruption.
Becoming an excellent public speaker, and I argue an excellent speaker interpersonally will help you grow by leaps and bounds.
The World Wide Web provides the following unscientific information regarding the benefits for excellence in public speaking-
Career advancement
Confidence boost
Critical thinking
Improved confidence
Personal development
Social connections
Personal satisfaction
Expansion of social and/or professional network
Persuasion
Leadership
Story telling skills
Enhanced vocabulary
Enhanced debate skills
Become a better listener
Imagine a country leader, a president or prime minister trying to convince their constituents to go to war, or pay higher taxes, or provide additional monetary support for an at risk part of the population. Imagine them arguing the need while saying um, uh every time they take a breath, or beginning each sentence with ‘so’. You may not feel inclined to agree with their position. However, if they are well spoken, succinct, and offer a powerful delivery you may decide to support their position.
In modern times we have seen this play out with our political leaders. Regardless of your affiliation, you know when someone nails it!
We have learned about Cicero and Julius Cesar who were able to persuade the ancient Romans. We recognize their names. Imagine how they would be remembered if they didn’t have the gift of effective public speaking. We would not remember them at all.
Today we can look to Gloria Steinem, Malala Yousafzai, Mel Robbins, and Brene Brown. These great orators are easily recognizable by most and wield tremendous power. One of the most powerful orators of all time, Oprah, can tell women all over America which leggings are her favorite and women all over America will purchase them. If you are producing any product and you want people to buy it, all you need is Oprah to say it’s great. Of course getting Oprah to recommend your product is improbable, but I can assure you if you get the chance, being well spoken will enhance your opportunity.
Do you believe that Oprah would have had such tremendous success if she couldn’t put a sentence together? Of course not.
Becoming successful isn’t the only reason to improve your speaking skills. You’ll find that as you skills improve you will have more confidence. Confidence is attractive. I’m not speaking of attracting a sexual partner, although that could be a component of your effort. Consider this, would you rather hang out with someone who requires constant propping up, or someone who is comfortable taking charge of their situation. I like confident people.
How can you become a better public speaker? My answer is to join Toastmasters. Its highly affordable, will provide you with the opportunity to become a better public speaker, and you’ll meet very interesting people who have amazing stories.
Not ready to commit to the challenge of Toastmasters? Try the following-
Listen to any talk radio; I suggest programs on NPR, primarily because they have less interrupting versus news programming.
Notice how often you hear people using fillers (Uh, Um, So, Like, AND).
Practice avoiding using fillers by taking a breath. You’d be surprised how impactful a thoughtful pause can be.
Practice making definitive statements. It’s okay to have an opinion and its okay to be right. If you have a tendency to phrase statements as questions in order to soften your message, stop it!
If you know you will have to speak in front of a group of people, prepare the best you can and take time to practice. I like to use a mirror and go over my topic several times so I know my material well.
You can also find local story telling groups or meet ups. That is a really fun way to spend time, and you’ll meet interesting people.
Take time to read, this will increase your vocabulary. Play crossword puzzles or other word games to improve your lexicon. Selecting the best word when you are communicating complex concepts will ensure your language is precise. This will reduce the chances of misunderstandings.
Make friends with people who you admire that are good communicators. I find just being around people who are smarter than me is the best way to learn anything.
Are you gregarious? I suggest joining an improve group. I haven’t done this but I know from my friends that this is a fantastic way to be purposeful in the way you communicate. Being able to think on your feet and present your ideas on the fly is a fantastic skill. The challenge is to focus on listening when you are listening, then quickly articulate a response that is concise and in context. If you can learn this skill, people will seek you out because they like to be respected and listening shows respect, they also like thoughtful responses that are communicated well.
Much of what I have mentioned is time consuming and will require connecting with others. If you’re not ready for that, check out TedTalks. Not only will you learn a lot of interesting things you may never have considered, you will also be exposed top to speaking talent.
Did you know I have a podcast? You can find it on Spotify.
My latest book “Never Worry About Money Again: Gain Financial Freedom by Becoming Better at Managing the Money You Have” is on sale now and my next book is in the works, keep following my blog to get updates when new works are available.
Comments
Post a Comment