Today, I’m going to teach you the fundamental principle you need to adopt to improve at public speaking (and any skill, for that matter).
There is no much noise out there regarding the numerous steps, skills, courses etc that you need to do in order to improve at public speaking, but I’m going to show you that simple and efficient progression comes from only a few key steps.
By continuously seeking out opportunities to improve and acting on the feedback you receive, you will accelerate your growth as a speaker and become a truly great communicator.
The problem is that most guides and resources focus on the specific skills you need to obtain, rather than giving you a framework for continuous improvement.
One skill successfully implemented is better than multiple skills understood but not implemented
This is not a ‘how to guide’ on writing a speech, using body language or improving vocal variety,just a proven framework to help you become a great communicator. Specifically, a great communicator:
- Says yes to speaking opportunities
- Seeks feedback
- Implements the feedback
- Continuously reperforms steps 1 to 3 with a growth mindset
This is your framework for continuous improvement as a speaker. Let’s go!
Step 1: Say yes!
I distinctly remember my first Toastmasters session. In the Table Topics section, where speakers are required to speak for two minutes on the spot after being asked an impromptu question, I was asked to have a go.
My immediate thought was “no thanks! That sounds awful!” but I found myself walking up to the front after saying yes. I was asked a question along the lines of “is peace more likely today than it was 50 years ago?” I thought – wow, what a question. I stumbled my way through a minute of speaking and to my relief, the green light came on meaning I could get off the stage. I sat down, took a breath, and realised, although my answer was likely incoherent, my voice was all over the place and the only eye contact I made was with the floor…I was a better public speaker than I had been two minutes before by simply giving it a go.
I realised in that moment, that, like any skill, the only way to get better at public speaking is by…doing public speaking.
No course, guide, teacher (or article) will provide you with the growth and learning that you can obtain by simply partaking in the act of public speaking.
If you want to improve your public speaking, you must be willing to seek out opportunities and say ‘yes!’ as they arise.
Of course, this can feel a little uneasy at first, you may even be one of those people who have spent their life doing the complete opposite of seeking out (i.e. hiding from!) public speaking opportunities, so it may require a mindset adjustment. If this is you, my advice is to start small and build up.
Some opportunities to start your journey may include:
- Taking a more active speaking role in a regular team meeting at work
- Join a local Toastmasters club and get involved in meeting roles (and Table Topics!)
- Taking up an activity that requires you to use your voice, e.g. acting or singing
You will be surprised how partaking in opportunities to practice public speaking will not only help you develop a great communicators skillset, but also build your confidence, regardless of whether you nail it or simply stumble through.
Step 2: Seek out feedback
Whilst I knew that I’d become a better public speaker simply by getting up on that Table Topics stage, once I’d sat down (and my heart rate had returned to normal), my thought was “okay, how can I make sure next time is a little bit better?”
As a novice public speaker, I was effectively blind to understanding what my limitations were as a public speaker and how I could improve. I needed feedback from those further ahead on their journey than I.
Fortunately, as part of Toastmasters sessions, every speech is evaluated by a different attendee. Therefore, my minute or so of rambling about war and peace was interrogated by a more experienced member, who laid out in clear terms:
- What I did well
- What I could improve on
This being my first time, most of the feedback fell into the second box. Whilst it is off putting to receive what is effectively ‘criticism’, it gave me a clear path of what I had to do to improve my public speaking skills. Further, knowing what actually went well gave me a crystal clear idea on what my strengths were and what I should keep on doing.
I realised in that moment, that in order to improve as a public speaker, feedback was an invaluable tool! Unfortunately, such honest feedback can be hard to come by, we are a polite species and a feedback provider often wants to skirt around ‘honesty’ in order to not offend you. That’s why it’s on you to seek that feedback and ensure that your provider feels safe in offering you the feedback.
Some opportunities to get feedback on your public speaking may be (you can use this template to give to a feedback provider):
- Asking trusted friends or colleagues (noting that the closer they are to you, the less they may be willing to provide ‘honest’ feedback in order to not offend you!)
- Joining a speaking community like Toastmasters (link to Toastmasters eval forms)
- Hiring a dedicated coach
Whilst the act of seeking out and receiving feedback can take a bit of getting used to, feedback is truly a gift and, like any gift, you should seek it out in abundance!
Step 3: Implement
You’ve given your speech, you’ve got your feedback, now what? You implement it of course! Feedback received but not implemented is like not having feedback at all.
If I had to say what the biggest difference was between those I see progress rapidly in their public speaking journey, and those that stagnate, it would be the effective implementation of feedback.
One feedback point I kept getting was around ‘vocal variety’ (the art of bringing variety into the volume, pace, tone and pitch of your voice). I have a naturally monotonic voice, so bringing vocal variety into my speeches was a challenge for me, particular as a nervous and novice speaker, I always defaulted back to my comfortable speaking range.
The consistent theme of feedback I kept getting around this point showed to me that it was something holding me back in my development and I really should do something about it.
I spent some time researching vocal variety and how to implement it, including discussions with my feedback providers and mentors who naturally included vocal variety in their speeches. I learnt that a good way to bring this into speaking was by:
- Acting out characters in their specific tone; and
- Using it as a tool to emphasise parts of the speech.
I then did something magical with this new found knowledge, I implemented it. I ensured that each speech I did had elements of vocal variety, and when practicing it I made sure that I really stepped out of my comfortable range. Slowly but surely, this approach meant that I added vocal variety into my speaking toolkit to the point where I no longer received this feedback!
More often than not, the feedback you receive will have some common themes which allows you to pinpoint the areas you need to work on (like vocal variety for me). If multiple evaluators are saying the same thing there must be truth in it. Once you have isolated what to work on, some tips to implement this effectively:
- Research the particular skill / topic so you fully understand it, what good looks like and what you can do to get there
- Prepare for your next speaking opportunity to include this skill. Really emphasise it to the point you feel uncomfortable. This is a sign you are stepping out of your comfort zone – which is where you learn!
- Ask someone to give you specific feedback about what you are working on. This way you will know if you’ve succeeded in developing that skill or what you need to do to hone it further.
You will be surprised how empowering it is to think you suck at something, only to then nail that thing once you’ve isolated it and implemented a way of improving it! You will get the buzz of knowing that you really can improve any skill if you implement feedback.
Step 4: Repeat (with a growth mindset)!
In steps 1 to 3 we said yes to speaking opportunities, we got feedback on our performance and then we implemented that feedback! Step 4 is simply the act of repeating those previous steps to get better and better!
With this model, there is no way that you can fail, as it ensures that you are continuously improving.
It is worth calling out here the power of the ‘growth mindset’, possessed by “individuals who believe their talents can be developed (through hard work, good strategies, and input from others).”
By fostering a growth mindset, steps 1 to 3 will work magic for you as you know that your talents will be continuously developed through:
- Hard work: putting the time and effort in to take on speaking opportunities and seeking out and implementing feedback does require graft
- Good strategies: this article, I hope!
- Input from others: this speaks to the whole concept of obtaining feedback. Others perspectives and unique insights will be a catalyst to your development if used in the right way.
I would argue that those who do not seek out or implement feedback are stuck in a ‘fixed mindset’ as they do not believe their talents can be developed, or even if they do, they are not putting in the hard work, good strategy or input from others. As a result, their development stagnates. Don’t be that person!
Summary and next steps
Improving at public speaking, or any skill for that matter, can seem like an uphill battle. It can be, there is no doubt that grit, determination and hard work is required. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t make the journey as efficient as possible, with the fundamental principles we have explored, if approached with a growth mindset.
It really is as simple as following the 4 steps outlined above, as long as you do so with a growth mindset.
My challenge to you then, is to ‘say yes’ to that speaking opportunity you’ve been putting off, or know that you should be doing in the back of your head. Once you have done it, get that feedback, implement it and repeat the cycle.
What are you waiting for?
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