Mastering public speaking can, and will, impact your life in a significantly positive way. Here are ten reasons to master public speaking:
1) Confidence
Overcoming the #1 fear most people refuse to face increases your confidence and self-esteem.
Public surveys reveal that most people choose death over speaking in public. When you conquer that fear (not nervousness), you develop a belief in yourself and your abilities. That builds confidence.
When you stand and speak with clarity and poise, others hold you in a different light. They may treat you with more respect. When others have confidence in you, that cannot help but boost your own sense of confidence. When you boost your confidence, you show up differently in the world. And the world responds differently to you, in a good way. That helps your confidence grow, too.
As a more confident person, more opportunities come your way. You are willing to take on more significant challenges. Both of which boost your confidence even further.
Who I am, and consequently my life, transformed from learning to speak comfortably in public. I’ve seen the same for countless others. Simply put, mastering the fear of public speaking and expressing yourself with clarity will boost your confidence, and it will change your life.
2) Knowledge
The best way to know something is to teach it. Training is an integral aspect of public speaking.
While you master public speaking, you will learn the importance of knowledge; that is, talking about what you know. You will also learn the elements of an engaging talk. Facts, analogies, illustrations, examples, and stories. More often than not, you will want to research your topic so that you have the information to flesh out those elements of a good speech. Resources include the Internet, newspapers, magazines, newsletters, and perhaps even interviews. That will increase your knowledge. By the time you prepare and deliver your talk, you’ll be surprised how you raised your understanding of that topic.
Public speaking and internet marketing guru Tom Antion recommends that you purposely omit material that you know will evoke certain questions. When the questions come, give a preplanned answer that appears spontaneous. They’ll think you are a genius.
To increase your knowledge on a topic and speak about it using the elements of a good speech.
3) Employment
The ability to communicate effectively gives you a significant advantage over other applicants. Most employers make a note of any mention of “Toastmasters” in resumes.
Applicants with speaking and communication skills have a decided edge over applicants who do not. Many surveys show that the ability to communicate is a serious criterion for employment.
Three times when I applied for jobs, my resume indicated I’m a Toastmaster. When interviewers find that out, they are impressed. They recognize I likely have good listening, leadership, and speaking skills. In all three cases, I got the job. Proof that mastering public speaking makes you more marketable to those with whom you seek employment.
4) Promotion
Possessing the skills to prepare and deliver talks, reports, or presentations will most likely get you noticed and promoted.
Learning public speaking and delivering effective presentations or training will impact your relationship with your peers and superiors. That impact often results in consideration for promotions.
5) Authorship
The written versions of your speeches can become chapters in a book. That is how I wrote and published two books.
The content of a good speech can make for good writing. Once your speech is written (or transcribed from an audio or video), you’ve got content for a chapter. Each speech is fodder for another chapter.
I found this works best with non-fiction material. The speeches I gave about hearing loss and overcoming adversity were the foundation for my first two books. Hearing Loss CPR and Thirty Tips to Get Out of the Pits.
It is also a substantial feather in your cap when you can proudly claim that you are a speaker and an author. Being an author adds credibility to you as a speaker. You can sell your books where you are invited to speak. I’ve done that numerous times. It is so much fun to autograph books!
I believe the easiest way to publish a book is through Amazon’s CreateSpace. It is also possible to become an Amazon Best Selling Author. Imagine that! I am! It is a big bonus, let me tell you! It’s all about knowing how to manage the numbers.
Of course, you want to make sure your text has been professionally copy-edited, grammar-checked, and formatted. The last thing you want is a bad review because your book is hard to read or littered with spelling and grammatical errors.
The ability to become an author is another addition to all the other benefits of mastering public speaking.
6) Relationships
Personal relationships are impacted by your increased self-esteem and your ability to articulate what you are trying to say.
When you learn how to gather the ingredients for an effective speech, that skill often spills over into your interpersonal communication. After all, speaking in public means talking to a single person or a group of 1,000.
I love what one of my mentors said about public speaking and relationships. “If you are trying to get your family to agree to the vacation you want, that is persuasive speaking.”
Suppose you learn public speaking through a Toastmaster program. In that case, you will also acquire the ability to listen better and provide supportive feedback. Those are two vitally important elements of effection connection with others.
In a work environment, mastering public speaking can impact your relationship with your peers and your superiors – often resulting in more respect and consideration for promotions.
That is how public speaking can positively impact your personal and professional relationships.
7. Money
The money begins to flow variously when you are an effective communicator. Such as:
A Job
Get a job? Yes! Applicants with speaking and communication skills have a decided edge over applicants who do not. Many surveys show that the ability to communicate is a serious criterion for employment. Not only that, but you are also more likely to ace an interview with good communication skills. Employers hire those with effective communication skills.
Promotions
As stated earlier, in a work environment, learning public speaking and delivering effective presentations or training will impact your relationship with your peers and superiors. That impact often results in consideration for promotions and higher salary!
Increase sales
Mastering Public speaking will improve your ability to deliver persuasive sales pitches – more sales – more money.
Authorship
You can use transcriptions of your talks as the basis for chapters in a book. Self-publish the book to sell online or when you speak at corporate or non-profit events – more money
8. Status
The ability to prepare and deliver effective speeches changes how the community and peers perceive you is one of the big reasons to master public speaking.
Surveys reveal that most people would rather die than speak in public. When YOU possess the skills to talk comfortably in public, your status elevates in most people’s eyes. If you use your speeches as a basis to write a book, your status climbs even higher.
And what happens with higher status? More opportunities come your way—opportunities that can result in increased income and even HIGHER status.
9. Service
Endless non-profits need your good communication skills to promote their cause. For me, it was delivering a TEDx talk about hearing loss.
I believe most people want to be of value, of service. Volunteering to be a speaker is one way to achieve that. You serve through speaking. Non-profit organizations need volunteers to talk to groups on their behalf. Are you an advocate for something? Mastering public speaking gives you the ability to serve by speaking for them.
Below is a list of some of the topics people I know speak about – at no cost- to organizations. Toastmasters has given them the confidence and skills to reach out to educate and inform. Many organizations, such as the Arthritis Foundation, have presentations prepared; all you need to do is have the skills to stand and deliver.
· arthritis
· foster care and adoption
· adolescents
· autism
· hearing loss
· environmental awareness
· disability awareness
· earthquake awareness
· diabetes
· combating prejudice and homophobia
Do you want to serve a cause? Master public speaking and help through speaking.
The compilation of reasons to master public speaking:
10. Fun
Knowing how to capture, entertain, educate and influence people rewarding, fulfilling, and fun.
FUN encompasses all the ten reasons to master public speaking in 2020. Here how:
· It is fun to feel confidence
· It is fun to increase knowledge on a topic of interest
· It is fun to be employed
· It is fun to be promoted
· It is fun to have good relationships because you know how to communicate effectively
· It is fun to be a published author
· It is fun to have extra money
· It is fun to have an esteemed status and people looking up to you
· It is fun to be able to serve
