Why is it so important to practice public speaking?
“They are waiting”. These are the words from a dear friend, a mentor, and the reviewer of this article Tom Ware.
What does the phrase “They are waiting” mean? It means people are waiting for you to stand up and speak. The world is waiting for you to take charge, inspire, and make an impact.
To be able to speak is a gift but to be able to make an impact with your words is an art. Words have the potential of changing lives. Why not use them?
My first exposure to public speaking was in my school days. Friends and classmates were competing in an elocution contest. I wanted to compete as well. The problem was a combination of low self-esteem and a confusing curriculum.
Years went by and so did the fascination with public speaking. The only form of public speaking was in the form of meetings and workshops.
In comes Les Brown and Toastmasters
In comes 2014, and I heard Les Brown on YouTube. The result: a double dose of adrenaline and serotonin. I would listen to him for hours. Sometimes, I would listen to the same speech for weeks, even months.
Listening to Les Brown was exciting but the motivational effect was temporary. Later, I started listening to TED talks. These, too, were addictive. A typical day would be filled with talks from Les Brown, T.D Jakes, Eric Thomas, Tony Robbins, Zig Ziglar, Sandeep Maheshwari, Naveen Gulia, and many more.
After 2–3 years of listening to these speeches, I decided to practice public speaking by joining a Toastmasters International club. The reason was simple. I had a passion for public speaking but the skills to do well was missing.
I could visualize myself speaking in front of a crowd and that was enough to try my hands at public speaking. I knew: “They are waiting. Waiting for me”.
A tool to become self-aware
The idea to practice public speaking in a Toastmasters International club resulted in an adventurous route to self-awareness.
Every speech I wrote, book review I did, my thought process improved. I started observing my audience keenly. It was pure fun. A small change in my presentation technique would reflect on my audience. As a matter of fact, I was experimenting with my audiences.
Not everything was smooth and fun. Some days were a little rocky. My best jokes would go unnoticed. Ironically, the worst speeches were appreciated, and what I considered my best were not. One amazingly good speech would be followed by an absolute disaster. I will be hailed as a pro in one meeting and a ‘work in progress’ in the other.
Then there was a breakthrough. Silence! I understood the value of timed pauses in my speeches. Something so basic but extremely powerful.
With every speech that followed there were similar breakthroughs. The power of a strong, confident but empathic body language, voice modulation, and use of hand gestures was realized. All these learnings were proving priceless in daily conversations with friends, family, and relatives.
A tool to overcome or work around social anxiety
Around 18.1% of Americans deal with some form of Social Anxiety. Social Anxiety does not allow us to express ourselves completely. It makes us feel like a caged warrior wanting to break out and live a life without limits.
Public speaking and Social anxiety are opposite sides of the same spectrum. It might seem impossible for a person dealing with social anxiety to successfully speak in public. Don’t worry though. There is hope after all.
Speaking clubs and meetups like Toastmasters provide safe havens. Easier said than done, Isn’t it? Let’s talk through the process.
There are no entry criteria to visit any Toastmasters International club. You would be under no obligation to participate. For the first few meetings, one can visit the club as a guest and simply observe. People will be kind-hearted and respectful towards your reservations in opening up. They have experienced what you are feeling themselves.
Once you are comfortable with a club, you can join them. Membership is affordable and great value for money. There are various ‘Pathways’ (options for specialization) available for selection. Moreover, a mentor is assigned to all members. There is no rush to complete a particular pathway. Each club comes up with innovative ways of celebrating small accomplishments.
One moment that I will never forget was a Humorous speech contest. I had a great topic and my previous attempts in this category have been rewarding. I started my speech on a high but after the first few sentences, I choked — and I choked badly.
I could not recollect a word and decided to walk off. There were guests and executives invited from different clubs. The whole scenario was embarrassing and overwhelming.
The contest chair politely asked me to read everything from the paper. What a relief? There was support from the audience as well. It was an amazing experience. After the meeting, people congratulated me on being able to complete my speech. Experienced members came to me and shared similar experiences and learnings.
Impactful conversation
Public speaking isn’t all about delivering speeches in front of a crowd. It's about making an impact during a conversation. It's a difficult job, yet extremely satisfying when you master it.
Delivering a speech in front of an audience makes you extremely sensitive to cues from your audience. In daily life, we are so anxious to talk that we often miss these valuable cues in a conversation. Watching these cues could turn an ordinary conversation into a beautiful experience.
Summary
There are multiple ways to practice public speaking. The easiest way is in your professional life. Think of ideas that can have an impact. Take cues from your audience. Search on an exciting topic and see if it inspires your team
I joined a Toastmasters club to practice public speaking because criticism within my professional circle was demeaning at times. My speeches were rightly branded as being childish. I wanted to gain some confidence and Toastmasters was a great platform to learn.
Criticism — referred to as ‘Evaluation’ within a Toastmasters club — is constructive and healthy. The whole idea of a Toastmasters international club is to bring like-minded people together and learn. In a Toastmasters club, the stakes are not high and you learn without the fear of being judged.
Every meeting has a variety of activities. It provides a lot of opportunities to practice public speaking skills. Most clubs meet twice or thrice a month, and there are no restrictions on the number of clubs you visit or join.
Hopefully, I have been able to convey the importance and benefits of public speaking in this article. In case of any questions, please leave a comment.
Happy Speaking.
P.S — Medium is an excellent platform to read, write and learn from fellow authors. If you want to join me in this journey, Join medium today.
Thanks
Tarun
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