There are few skills that will take you further and help you more than developing your speaking skills. Your writing skills are a close second.

It’s time to confront your fear of speaking and make this critical skill a valuable part of who you are as a professional.

Leaders communicate.While listening and asking questions are core to a leader’s communications arsenal, when you talk, people listen.Make it count by being comfortable, confident and concise!

6 Tips for Improving Your Speaking Skills:

1. Practice! Seek out some easy opportunities to practice. Departmental or team updates can be fairly non-threatening.  Alternatives include community events, classroom visits, or school committees.

2. Seek feedback. Ask your boss and peers for specific feedback on your speaking performance and effectiveness.  What should you do more of?  Where do you  need to improve.  Don’t settle for, “that was great!”  No one gets better by being told they were great.

3. Practice some more… in a safe and constructive environment.  Search on “Toastmasters” and find a local chapter and join!

4. Reference a good book. My favorite is: “The Exceptional Presenter” by Timothy Koegel.

5, Find a coach. While the price is often not cheap, the impact is priceless!  Read the book, listen to your coach, practice and video record yourself. You’ll be shocked, but at least you will be seeing and hearing what everyone else is seeing and hearing.

6. Volunteer for other opportunities. Yep, you heard me. After a lifetime of dodging this bullet, you’ll find that embracing it is exhilarating.

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Don’t let a common but irrational fear get in the way of your success.  Conquer this one and the world is yours!