Are you a natural-born good speaker?
Unless you just took to the stage like a fish to water, you are more likely to be among the majority of the population that takes to public speaking more like a newborn calf — wobbly at first, but gaining ability through experience.
You don’t need to be born with the gift of eloquence in order to be good at public speaking. Like a lot of skills, public speaking can be learned. And, luckily enough, there are plenty of training opportunities available to you. Here are just a few:
Hire a Coach
A coach is someone who helps you help yourself. A public speaking coach can provide you with objective feedback and give you suggestions for ways to improve. With a good coach behind you, you can truly improve your speaking skills.
Join a Speaking Club
Colleges and universities often have speaking clubs, including those for the “adult education” audience. There is also Toastmasters International, which has groups all over the world. Sometimes, your local parks and recreation department or senior center will host a speech club, as well. Look around, and you’ll be sure to find a group that you can join to hone your skills.
Jump In and Do It
There are plenty of groups in front of whom you can speak. Think Chamber of Commerce, Lyons Club, etc. If you can offer something motivational or informational, there are groups who would love to have speak to them. So jump right in and give it a shot.
You can find links to a variety of public speaking improvement resources in the Links section of this website. Also, many of the featured speakers provide public speaking training and/or mentoring.
