Haris Ahmed of Chicago Talks About the Impact of Public Speaking
Whether you are having a casual telephone conversation, teaching a Sunday school class, having a conversation with your boss, or giving a formal presentation, you are involved in public speaking. Haris Ahmed of Chicago knows that the most important skill for the career minded is to develop is his/her public speaking skills. Executives spend millions of dollars every year going to public speaking workshops, hiring public speaking coaches, and buying public speaking books and CD’s. Every public speaking opportunity is an opportunity to grow your leadership, your influence, and your career so don’t get left behind. Here are ways that public speaking can help you advance in your chosen profession.
Impressing the boss.Success in public speaking is a good indicator of valuable professional skills. Composing an effective speech demonstrates creativity and critical thinking. Holding an audience’s attention demonstrates a talent for leadership. Maintaining confidence and poise during a speech and Q&A session demonstrates professionalism under pressure. If you’re trying to impress your boss, public speaking can be a great showcase for your professional abilities.
Self-promotion.You may be doing the best work in your entire organization, but if no one knows about it, it will not help you progress in your career. The solution: speak up! But do it at the right time in the right place in the right way. An organization like Toastmasters teaches you to speak clearly and concisely, in an organized manner and with confidence. So when you have 30 seconds with your boss or another superior in the hallway or elevator, you can briefly describe the great work you are doing on a project in a humble and charming way.
Expanding your network.Public speaking is a great way to connect with people who share your interests and goals. You can get more mileage out of speaking engagements if you initiate conversations with other speakers and audience members. Find out more about their interests, and take those interests into consideration when you write your next speech. In terms of professional networking, public speaking can help you gain an edge over the competition. A speech will show more of your personality than a resume or cover letter. When you have public speaking opportunities in a professional context, take advantage of them! Try to be memorable, make connections, and follow up afterward. If your professional connections know you as a speaker, you will be more than just another faceless resume and cover letter.
Having greater influence in the office.The most important thing to consider when attempting to influence others is to know the audience and their needs. It’s important to act confidently, even if you don’t feel confident. Let your passion show. Be organized, clear and concise. Learn to effectively speak impromptu. Co-workers, and especially your boss, will know if you are unprepared. Influencing is not about you, the speaker. It’s about what you can do to solve a problem for the audience.