Beyond the keynote: Gaining the confidence to showcase your skills to others

John Moody-Waters, Director of Presales Engineering at IGEL Technology, wrote in a popular LinkedIn post, “Public speaking is an essential skill for any job. Being able to communicate an idea clearly and understandably is vital if we’re going to progress in the future of work. Work is about communication, whether that’s people or information. Successful organizations and successful people will be those that invest in both.”

Key public speaking statistics from a recent Zipdo Education Report reveal that:

• 82 percent of CEOs have selected candidates based on their ability to communicate
• 68 percent of people agree that effective public speaking influences their career advancement
• 81 percent of professionals believe that strong presentation skills are crucial to their professional growth

Public speaking skills and their link to career growth

Experts and executives agree that public speaking and presentation skills are critical for career success. Excellent presentation skills can increase your overall visibility within and outside an organization and help you develop your personal and professional brand.

Candice Szpruta is the director of operations at a national not-for-profit organization. She asserts that it is essential for everyone to develop public speaking skills, as presentations (no matter the size) “allow you to learn about a topic, summarize high-level information and articulate the information in a way that will resonate with your audience.” She also notes that these skills can help you better connect with and support others in your industry, showcase the value you bring to your role, build your confidence and develop your planning and research skills.

While you may not be standing up in front of an auditorium of people any time soon, developing these skills can help you showcase your expertise and leadership skills and level up your communication. These skills can be helpful during job interviews, team meetings, sales pitches, networking events and staff training, and they are particularly crucial when working to build rapport with customers and key stakeholders. They help you connect and engage with your audience.

Smaller ways to showcase skills in a less public forum

Szpruta says that approaching presentation skills with a growth mindset and starting with smaller audiences can be helpful for those who are intimidated or overwhelmed by the idea of public speaking. She suggests starting out with some of the following ideas to practice presentation and public speaking skills and gradually working up to bigger audiences:

• Engage in regular coffee catch-up meetings with peers or industry contacts and focus on organic conversation and active listening
• Practice informal discussions and network at conferences, events and workshops
• Engage in full-circle learning (with time spent both teaching and learning) during one-on-one meetings with your boss, direct reports or colleagues
• Give a small group presentation on something you have learned, a skill you have mastered, a product or a new idea
• Participate in roundtable discussions to share ideas and best practices with colleagues and industry peers
• Prepare small presentations for team meetings
• Join working groups to participate in discussions around a particular topic of interest
• Begin volunteering to work on engaging with new people
• Participate in mentorship programs to get low-risk, honest feedback on your presentation skills

Preparing for presentations

The idiom “practice makes better” applies when it comes to presentations and public speaking. Some people find it helpful to improve their presentation skills by watching other charismatic speakers. Thanks to resources like TED Talks, this is something that you can easily work into your routine. Make notes of what you like about a particular speaker or presentation and try to practice that during your next presentation or conversation.

Szpruta says that approaching presentation preparation with a goal of supporting and helping others can help you focus. She reminds speakers to be succinct, as people are often short on time. To do this, she suggests:

• Jot down ideas that might be of interest to your audience
• Consider what can be helpful to them in their role
• Highlight and summarize key takeaways, including the who, what, when, why, and where, with the purpose of showcasing how something will help others personally within their roles

Remember to slow down, speak clearly and keep your meeting simple (avoid relying on complicated industry jargon). Be mindful of people’s time, and if some questions or items require more time than you have, suggest a follow-up conversation instead of taking up more time.

Shaking out the nerves

If you are nervous, it may help to remember that 77 percent of the population has some anxiety surrounding public speaking and presentations, so you aren’t alone. Some people find standing in power poses before such meetings helpful to increase their confidence.

It can also help to focus on what you gain from practicing these skills to motivate yourself to get started. Szpruta says, “I enjoy sharing information about what I’ve learned that could be helpful to others, and then I often get to learn something from them in return.”

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