As a professional speaker and speech coach, I am frequently asked, “Were you always this confident?” The answer is, “No.”
Confidence in public speaking doesn’t come naturally to everyone. It’s built over time through a commitment to learn, improve, get coached, review your presentations, and continuously stive to hone your skills. Even those with natural talent must know the proven principles and timeless techniques.
One of the most transformative benefits of developing good public speaking skills is the boost it gives to your confidence.
Boost Your Confidence and Credibility
Consider Will, a Staff Performance Engineer at a large technology company in Silicon Valley. Will’s story perfectly illustrates how mastering presentation skills can transform one’s confidence. Like many brilliant technical experts, Will invested years developing his skills and then found himself thrust into the spotlight, needing to present to colleagues and superiors.
I felt like a proud parent when Will wrote, “Four months ago, I attended your presentation skills Masterclass. It was eye-opening. I just wanted to let you know how beneficial that class has been. I’ve been a very anxious public speaker for as long as I can remember. After your class, my anxiety magically melted away. Recently, I delivered an hour-long talk to my twenty-five-person team. The audience included management, a director, and our Technical Director.
There is no way to tell you how wonderful it was to receive so many kudos, including from the Technical Director, who wrote, ‘Congratulations. Great stories and analysis. You really must speak more often.’ Thank you very much for the class. It was an amazing experience!”
Will’s story is a testament to the power of mastering presentation skills. Suppose you are an ambitious professional like Will. In that case, even if you have never attended a public speaking course, the number one way to get ahead in your career is to communicate in a way that impresses your senior management. Here’s how you can build your confidence as a public speaker:
- Learn and Practice Fundamental Techniques
Begin by understanding the basics of public speaking. Learn how to structure your presentations, use visual aids effectively, and engage your audience. Practice these techniques regularly.
- Seek Coaching and Feedback
Invest in professional coaching. A skilled coach can provide personalized feedback and help you refine your delivery. Don’t hesitate to seek feedback from peers and mentors as well. Learn from other people’s experiences and shorten your learning curve.
- Review and Reflect
After each presentation, take the time to review and reflect on what went well and what could be improved. Record your presentations and watch them as if you were looking at ‘that speaker.’ Pretend you are a high-priced speech coach who advises clients. What did they do well? What advice would you give them to improve? What areas could be improved?
- Build on Your Successes
Every successful presentation, no matter how small, builds confidence. Celebrate your successes and use them as motivation to tackle larger, more challenging speaking opportunities.
- Develop a Positive Mindset
Improve by yourself or with Fripp.
Cultivate a positive mindset towards public speaking. Visualize your success, focus on your strengths, and remember that everyone, even the most confident speakers, started somewhere.
- Embrace Continuous Improvement
Consider your public speaking confidence an ongoing process, not a training day. You will soon transform anxiety into confidence and become a compelling and credible speaker. Let us have a conversation if you want to speed up the process!
“As a speech coach, Patricia Fripp is a miracle worker.” Larraine Segil, Chairman and CEO, Exceptional Women Awardees Foundation
“Without your guidance, I would not have been able to accept invitations to Cambridge University and speak to 10,000 on the platform with President Obama.” Angela Cearns, Chief eCommerce Officer, Yum
