Leaders need to be able to speak confidently, clearly, and concisely to others – yet surveys show that at least 10% of the US population fears public speaking more than death. Even if that isn’t true for you, chances are that you might not be as effective or confident as a speaker as you would like to be. In this new series, we’ll look at what you can do as a leader to both speak and present more effectively, and help coach others to do this too.

I started off this episode by talking about how I used to HATE public speaking and feared any speech…for days in advance. My trouble started in third grade and followed me well through college. I describe what I did to overcome these challenges and outlined three steps below that I know will be helpful to you as well.

1) Get in front of people!

• I looked for every opportunity to speak when I went to events
• I volunteered to help out at work in giving recognition to others
• You could also reach out to charities and non-profits – all need speakers!
• I didn’t mention this in the episode, but becoming an instructor for the Red Cross is a great way to start (I did this!)

2) Find someone who will give you positive reinforcement

• Find a friend, colleague, or mentor that will support you regardless of what happens
• Join an organization like Toastmasters that will give you tons of position reinforcement

3) Get good coaching

• Once you’re a bit more comfortable on your feet, get honest coaching for someone you trust
• Attend a Dale Carnegie course – they are the best of the best on teaching people how to speak and present
• Start to do some teaching…either volunteer work, in your job, or teaching a class one night a week at a community college

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