Public speaking offers great career opportunities. First of all, with so many people fearful of the “limelight,” you have an opening to fill a market demand. But also, public speaking provides opportunities for people to get to know you, your business, and your brand. And once you develop your skills and find that you’re effective, you’ll find that you’ll get requests to deliver more speeches and to larger audiences.
This article by Patrick Gray for Tech Republic addresses IT professionals, but the advice works for anyone who doesn’t feel quite comfortable delivering content to a group. In particular, it mentions how presentations tend to suit introverts (yes, you) because they require structure and because they usually afford you the opportunity to prepare in advance. Audiences appreciate well-prepared, thoughtful content that leaves little room for misinterpretation, and you have a chance to deliver that to them. Also, you get to engage with a crowd without having to “work the room.” Bonus!
The article also offers good advice regarding venue and content. For example, start small, maybe at your company or with vendors you know. While working with smaller audiences, work on your delivery, body language, and facial expressions. Also, when it comes to content, avoid jumping right into creating slides, and instead spend a good amount of time figuring out what message you want your audience to take away. The slides will follow naturally once you’re clear on that message.
Finally, Gray’s article serves as a good reminder that, all things being equal, your audience is rooting for you. They want to give you their attention, and they want to like you. So, focus less on yourself and more on how you can return that “good energy” by providing them with something they’ll value.
Guillermo Villar is principal coach with Cambio Coaching. He helps high-achieving individuals and teams communicate with intention to get the business results they want. If you’re interested in working with Guillermo, sign up for a free meeting to explore how he can help.