Good public speaking is a skill that can be learned! Here are six tips can immediately elevate your credibility as a speaker.
Focus on connecting with your audience, rather than impressing. Eye contact, hand gestures, and relaxed body language can put your audience at ease. And when you focus on them, rather than yourself, it changes the dynamic.
Remove the filler words like "ums" and "ers."
Articulate words. Instead of saying "I'm gonna check into that," say "I'm going to check into that."
Use the pause and slow down Pausing is such an effective tool in almost all communication settings, because it allows hearers to process the information and it adds emphasis to your statement.
Don't repeat yourself. It's tempting to think that the more often you make a point, the more likely it is to be adapted. But it isn't true.
Prepare and practice. Find low-risk situations to practice your skills. Allow yourself to be imperfect while improving. And make sure your content brings value.
You don't have to be a killer presenter to communicate well--just keep practicing and moving forward!