You may not want to speak professionally, but if you want to be successful in life or career, you must speak. Developing your confidence and competence and speaking has many benefits and here are three that you should consider:
1. Speakers are perceived to be more credible
The ability to speak about your topic creates a natural bias in your listeners that you are credible. Of course you must know your ‘stuff’, but if you know your stuff and don’t speak up, you may not be considered as knowledgeable. Aristotle wrote that when we speak we show our ‘Ethos’ or character, and a strong ethos will persuade.
Knowledge will give you power, but character respect.
2. Speaking inspires action
When we speak effectively, we inspire action. There is little influence without the spoken word. Studying how to frame your message, will leverage your ability to get things done. Most speakers deliver dry facts, but great speakers inspire emotion – Aristotle called this ‘pathos’. When you develop the ability to tell stories about your topic, you will get an emotional response from your audience.
There is no motivation without emotion
3. Speaking self-motivates
Whilst speaking influences the audience, it also influences the speaker. We are much more self-motivated to carry out what we speak about, and will be more resilient to obstacles.
Back yourself – then others will invest in you
In another article 5 C’s for Leadership in a Global Company, I expand on the competencies required to be able to be effective in a modern and global companies – in short, these are ‘Executive Presence’ – the ability to convey confidence and gravitas under pressure. In my work, I have never come across Executive Presence without the ability to speak in public.
So regardless of your current competency, commit to developing your speaking towards a professional level. And as the current President of Asia Professional Speakers Singapore – I urge you to consider attending one of our Meet Ups.
