Speaker to Leader: Improve your communication in 3 steps

Apr 28, 2023

There’s nothing quite like the feeling just before a big presentation.

American rapper, Eminem acutely personifies this sensation:

His palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy…
He’s nervous, but on the surface he looks calm and ready
To drop bombs, but he keeps on forgetting
What he wrote down…

Despite the overwhelming sensations that accompany public speaking, it is a skill that can be mastered with practice and preparation.

Great speakers still experience nerves; their reaction to these nerves is what makes them great leaders.

I've observed some of the most successful and influential leaders of our time and found a few key techniques they use to command attention and respect.

Here are 3 strategies to make you sound (and feel) more confident:

1. Use lists
Great leaders are masters of clear communication. They understand that people appreciate straightforwardness and don't want to feel confused.

❌ Avoid: "I have a few things I want us to discuss..."
✅ Try: "There are 3 things we are going to cover today..."

2. Speak directly
Great leaders have opinions and communicate them concisely. They remove uncertainty and give direction when speaking.

❌ Avoid: "I think we should do a couple of things this quarter."
✅ Try: "There are a couple of things that need to get accomplished this quarter."

3. Speak with conviction
Great leaders get to the point. Disclaimers can muddy your message and confuse your audience.

❌ Don't: "Listen, I looked at some of the data, and I'm not sure if it's all the right data, but based on what I can see so far..."
✅ Do: "My gut says we have to do X..."

From the initial nerves to the triumphant finish, public speaking can be a rollercoaster of emotions. Great leaders channel their communication towards confidence using lists and facts, sans disclaimers.