

Do You Have What It Takes to Speak Like a Leader?

Every professional that has ever had to sit through a business meeting or presentation can tell you that all public speakers are not created equal. There are some people who seem to exude a natural confidence and effortlessly command the attention of everyone in the room, while others consistently struggle to maintain the focus of the crowd. Public speaking skills don’t come naturally to most people, but like any other skill, learning to be a dynamic, engaging speaker can be achieved with the right training and practice. 

Here at Corporate Speech Solutions, we have five techniques to help you transform your public speaking skills so you will always be clear, articulate, professional, and confident. Master these tips, and you’ll be able to command a room, whether you’re voicing an idea in a small meeting or giving a presentation to hundreds of potential clients.

  • Finish your words: The first step to speaking like a leader is making sure your audience can understand what it is you’re saying. Be careful not to swallow the ends of your words; pronounce the last letter of each and every word for increased clarity. Don’t make your audience work to understand you.
  • Vocal Power: Power up your voice. In his book, The Exceptional Presenter, Timothy Koegel discusses how people with strong, powerful voices are perceived as having more confidence than people that do not project their voice. Take deep breaths, and project to the very back of the room.
  • Master the Pause: A well-placed pause can often speak louder than words. Find opportune places to use pauses to emphasize key points. Not only will this draw attention to the points you want your audience to remember, but it will naturally decrease your rate of speech and make you easier to understand.
  • Communicate with Eloquence: Avoid using filler words such as ”uh”, “um”, “like”, and “you know.” Even seasoned professionals often use these words more often than then realize. Make an effort to avoid any words, syllables and phrases that detract from your message and make you look unprofessional.
  • Be concise: When people are nervous, they tend to ramble on and on. Put thought into your phrasing so that your communication is clear and concise. Long rambling speeches will make the audience lose focus and take away from your message.

Corporate communication and speech training can help you to hone the skills on this list and many more in order to speak like a leader and use your communication skills to take your career to the next level. Want to learn more? Take a look at the following video by Corporate Speech Solutions founder and President, Jayne Latz , for more tips on how to communicate with power and confidence:

