How to Improve Your Public Speaking Skills at Home ?

All the prominent leaders that ever existed in the world had one thing in common. Be it Julius Caesar of Rome or Nelson Mandela of Africa or Winston Churchill of the United Kingdom or Mahatma Gandhi of India or considering the most recent example of everyone’s favourite, Amarendra Bahubali, from the Bahubali Movie. Public speaking is one quality that has encouraged them to be the leaders. That’s why they are, were, and will always be remembered as the greats in everyone’s memories.

It’s not their ideologies or agendas or the way they worked, but what makes them a group is the way they spoke and their calibre of speaking in public, influencing people through the crystal-clear expression of their thoughts, persuading people to believe in their ideas and gaining their trust and support.

It doesn’t matter what subjects you have studied or are studying, which field you belong to, and what your work is, communication is pertinent for everyone to excel in any field. And public speaking is the greatest form of communication. It allows you to form connections, influence decisions, and motivate change. Therefore, let’s discuss how public speaking skills influence your career and what things you can do to improve your public speaking skills at home.

Let’s get started!

Why are public speaking skills important?

Career Advancement to Boosted Confidence,

Personal Development for Enhanced Communication Skills,

Evolved Persuasion Skills to Improved Leadership Skills,

Vocabulary development to what not-the list goes on and on.

As a student, public speaking will give you a sense of confidence and set you apart from the crowd. You will also be able to state your points clearly and display your knowledge, which many people don’t get to do. Having this skill will prove useful in countless situations, ranging from college presentations to cracking an interview with a renowned organisation. There are incalculable advantages to getting over the fear of public speaking in your life.

So, let’s get to know some key tips for improving your public speaking skills at home while sitting on your couch.

Also Read: HOW TO MAKE A PERFECT RESUME

Tips to Improve Your Public Speaking Skills at Home

Communication is 20% what you know and 80% how you feel about what you know, says Jim Rohn. Therefore, let’s practice these tips to hone your public speaking skills and act confidently in front of your peers.

• Practice JAM
  
  Just a Minute is a simple yet interesting game. It requires you to take out one minute from your busy schedule and speak on any random topic that comes to mind. After that, take a break and read for 5 minutes on that very topic. Now mix both your points; the ones you have read and spoken. Try speaking for another 1 minute, but this time with some interesting points. Make sure to use your phone recorder so that you can listen to your improvements. This will not only improve your speaking skills but also provide you with content on numerous topics.
  
  Super Advice: "Start to count your ‘umms’."
• Take Initiatives
  
  Speak to friends, family, or even customer care to converse in English. Build your vocabulary by first learning new everyday words daily. And practise that word with at least five people. While working on your vocabulary, don’t run after the quantity. Work on the quality and consider that the vocabulary is built, brick by brick. Knowing the right word would boost your confidence. Experiment and take initiatives that require you to speak in English.
  
  Super Advice: "Tell a story that elicits the state of the audience."
• Stream a Wide Range
  
  Everyone likes to watch movies and listen to songs in their native languages. Besides, we suggest you ignore this while focusing on the language you wish to learn. Commemorate that you have a purpose. To achieve that, begin by consuming classified and diversified content. You can try talk shows, TED Talks, listening to pop songs, news, podcasts, famous speeches, etc. Don’t rely on one source for improving your skills and language.
  
  Super Advice: "Watch one TED Talk a day."
• Become A Reader's Warehouse
  
  Research says you need to have a unique perspective to talk about any topic. This could only be possible if you focus on your reading habits. If you turn back the pages and observe the greatest public speakers, you’ll notice that all of them are voracious readers. Therefore, to become one of those, try reading books, magazines, newspapers, novels, comics, social media posts (informative), blogs, e-papers, etc. Don’t limit yourself and become a warehouse of reading.
  
  Super Advice: "To be a fluent speaker, think in English." Translating all the time won’t help you much, especially when time is a constraint.
• Write For A Purpose
  
  Once, Jordan B. Peterson said, "If You Can Think, Speak, and Write, You Are Absolutely Deadly." Considering this, it becomes crystal clear why every intellectual on this earth presses you to write. It doesn’t matter what sort of writing you do. It can vary from one-liners to stories, diary writing to social media posts, WhatsApp status to what you have been thinking of noting down. Just get started with your first draft. At times, it becomes crucial to test your recall power. Rest, who knows what hidden gem you have?
  
  Super Advice: “Answer random questions on open forums to improve your English.”

Bonus Tip: Practice To Perfection

You might have heard that spectacular achievements come from unspectacular preparation. Therefore, make sure you prepare well. If you are going to address a group of people, irrespective of who or how they are, you need to understand that their time is crucial. The least you can do is to come prepared, so that both parties stay away from disappointment. Organise what you are going to talk about and when. Make sure it’s relevant to the audience and impactful. Try practising in the shower, practise varying your tone of voice, practise in the mirror, but practice.

Secrets Revealed!

Now that you know the secret to public speaking, you can easily sharpen your public speaking skills to navigate through uncertainty, improve your relationships, communicate effectively, and create positive change. The first step you need to take to succeed in any case is to do it right away and don’t let the work go to tomorrow. Also, make sure,

• Anxiety is normal.
• Allow yourself to make mistakes.
• Always imagine yourself giving the best speech of your life.
• Look smart because confidence is your best friend, and
• Varying your speaking pace will boost your charm significantly.

Apart from this, if you require any extra help, visit the CENTRE FOR TEACHING LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT (CTLD) department of TMU and get assistance from the industry experts. You can also attend the numerous yet insightful sessions conducted by the IIC and CTLD departments. Till then, remember these points, and All The Best.