Speak Your Mind!
For most people, the mere thought of speaking before an audience
causes men's hands to go clammy and their hearts to pound like a
kettledrum. Statistics show that people fear public speaking
more than they do their own deaths. It shows that for the
majority, people would rather die in silence than take a chance
to speak their minds in society. Maybe it's conformity and a
fear of saying something irrelevant.
The importance in public speaking lies in the fact that as
social organisms, the ability to get your message across in the
right way will do more good for you than the attempt to do a
better job. Hunkering down faithfully to work is virtually
useless if the boss does not even notice it.
The importance of public speaking is that it is inevitable.
Sooner or later, you will be forced to enter the arena and speak
to a sea of eyes and ears. Before that happens, it would always
be better to meet that challenge on your terms.
Here are some points to ponder:
1. Career. People at work who can communicate better go up the
ladder faster. Employers prefer hiring people with public
speaking and communication skills. This is because speaking with
your colleagues puts them at ease about you, helps you get your
job done faster, and gets what you want done across much more
easier.
2. Mental. You feel better about yourself. Successfully speaking
before a live, listening audience improves your self-confidence,
poise, character and sense of fun. You become less
self-conscious, nervous, and can control higher levels of
stress. This does not mean you won't make mistakes. Expect to
make mistakes the first few times; learn from them, and keep on
going. If you're consistent, that paralyzing fear of speaking to
a large audience will be a thing of the past.
3. Opportunities. Public speaking positively impacts all aspects
of your life. Being able to speak publicly opens up new
opportunities unimagined in your former life. You will find
yourself more eager to participate in causes you sincerely
believe in, interact more with people of the opposite sex. You
will find yourself assertively asking questions to clear up a
problem, take the lead in a cause, or calmly explain a thorny
situation without losing it. The effect of public speaking on
your life is exponential.
Public speaking is an essential addition to the human
repertoire. Technical knowledge is just as vital, but the
ability to speak well takes your abilities and talents beyond
the borders of your own skin and into the hearts and minds of
others.