A
success and survival skill for business
By Bob ‘Idea Man’
Hooey, Accredited Speaker
Are
you interested in learning a skill that will make a major difference in
your career success? Are you interested in acquiring a skill that will enhance your
abilities to work with other people and foster a vivid sense of teamwork? Are
you interested in changing or enhancing careers? Want to learn an interviewing
technique to give you an ‘edge’ on your competition? Want to feel more
comfortable speaking in public? Then read on my new friend!
Why
do some people succeed in advancing their careers while others do not? A few
years ago, AT&T commissioned Stanford University to conduct a survey to see
if there were any reliable indicators. Surprisingly, their results revealed that
“the top predictors of success and upward
mobility, professionally, were how much you enjoy public speaking and how
effective you are at it!”
Based
on observation from my management and leadership experience over the past 29
years, this is no surprise. People, who become proficient at
something that most of us fear, are bound to be noticed!
According
to the Book of Lists, the number one fear for most
of us is speaking in public. The old joke, “Most people are so afraid of
giving a speech they’d rather be in the casket than giving the eulogy!”
certainly applies.
Additionally,
their self-confidence filters through to other areas of their professional lives
and actions. I’ve seen this happen time and time again with my students as I
teach this course at various colleges. I’ve
seen it demonstrated even more dramatically, when I coach on a one-to-one basis
or in small group settings. Mastering this skill may
be the pivotal point in your life and career.
My
focus has been to always share basic guidelines that will help you to improve
your presentation skills, and help position you to succeed in your chosen field
of endeavor. It will take work on your part. No skill is
acquired without concentrated effort on the part of the student. But, it can
also be fun! I’ve seen this proven in the lives and improved abilities of
thousands who’ve applied these guidelines and techniques.
Most
of you will not have the dream of being a professional speaker, but we can
certainly learn from those whose practice of these results-oriented skills earns
their livelihood.
Best
selling author, management guru, and successful speaker, Peter Drucker wisely
forecasts, “As soon as you move
one step up from the bottom, your effectiveness depends on your ability to reach
others through the spoken or written word.” I
believe sharing these techniques and use-proven tips will prove invaluable as
you pursue your new career or advance your existing position.
They have certainly worked for me!
I
have long considered effective communications training to be a “Foundation
for Success!” I have
dedicated a significant portion of my time and energy in learning, applying and
teaching these SIMPLE techniques.
I can
assure you that your ability to speak in front of audiences will improve in
direct proportion to the amount of time you dedicate to prepare and practice
your skills. These skills are not
learned from a book; (although there are some great ones available), but from
‘experience’ in front of a ‘live’ audience. That is where Toastmasters
can play an invaluable role.
Whether
your desire is to simply overcome your fear of standing and delivering a
presentation in front of an audience, or stepping onto the stage as a paid
professional speaker; these tips and techniques will form the foundation to see
either desire fulfilled. Speaking can be fun (yes, I said fun!) if you’ve done your homework and keep your focus on the audience. The
hard work is done before you walk on stage.
The
hardest part of my job, as a professional speaker, is the work I do before I
walk on stage. Once I’ve done my homework, I simply get up and share my
stories and messages with my audience.
Knowing my audience, my
topic and myself, allows me to be more confident when I speak. It gets easier as I apply my skills, and refine my focus on making sure
that what I share is of value for my audiences. You can too!
I
would like to thank the thousands of people in my various audiences,
Toastmasters Clubs, and my fellow speakers for their investment in my life and
growth as a speaker. I hope, in passing on some of the secrets we’ve shared,
to partially repay their faith and contribution to my life.
SPEAKING FOR SUCCESS! I wish you a fun filled, life-long adventure in following through on
this major step you’ve just undertaken. It can be a richly rewarding journey,
one that you will pause and reflect upon in years to come. You’ll look back
and see the significant changes you’ve made in your life, career, and your
personal effectiveness.
