Thursday, June 19, 2008

Public Speaking Skills Prepare You for Future Opportunities!

Barack Obama, presentation skills, public speaking, overcoming fear of public speaking

Recently, during my presentation skills workshops or public speaking coaching session, I was asked the following question:

Mr. Sykes, who do you think is the better public speaker, Barack Obama or John McCain?

First, I always start by saying "Taking the politics out of it (I am asking the same of those who are reading this post), it's Barack Obama."

It's because Senator Obama exhibits the following traits of a great speaker:

  • He is comfortable speaking in front on two or several thousand people.
  • He is in control of the stage all the time.
  • He is a master of vocal variety, inflection, tonality, and also a lost art ... the pause.
  • He makes the audience feel he is personally talking to each member of the crowd.
  • He is able to communicate a vision that others want to buy into.
  • He, from a leadership standpoint, moves people to action with his speaking style.

John McCain is the master of the town hall presentation. He feels comfortable with small, intimate gatherings where he is quite engaging. However, when he is giving a speech, it is summed up by a recent Newsday.com (by way of Politico.com's Jonathan Martin) article:

"Why McCain should be so bad at giving speeches is fairly mystifying since he is actually a very good conversationalist, clearly at ease with reporters and the countless voters he's appeared before at town-hall meetings."
John McCain, public speaking, presentation skills, outstanding presentation skills, overcoming fear of public speaking

I mention the above quote because I hear many times from students, "Speaking one-on-one I'm fine, but when I am in front of an audience, I just freeze or fall apart." Senator McCain is not the only person who finds public speaking a challenge. It is a very common challenge that many people have when it comes to public speaking.

Well, it's important to understand that developing outstanding public speaking skills prepares you for opportunities on a future "big stage." You may never know what these opportunities are today, but they are coming in the future. Why not prepare for them?

If you want to start your journey to overcoming public speaking fear and start your journey to giving outstanding presentations, read this interesting article at Overcome Fear.

Maybe some day you will be able to become President ... of your company, association, business, or even the country.

Posted by Ed Sykes at 8:43 PM
Categories: Advice, Communication, Leadership Techniques, Presentation Skills, Self Help/Self Improvement
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