What our peers are focusing on in 2021
Top focus for professional development this year - public speaking
Every job advertised discusses the hard skills required to perform the job. However, we all know that there are other soft skills required to be successful at your job. They may be implicit or explicit in the job ad.
Photo by Jonas Jacobsson on Unsplash
We put out a poll to see which soft skills are people focusing on this year as part of their professional development. The top voted item was public speaking. Public speaking and good storytelling skills have always been very important. Regardless of role.
In product development, there are many situations that need good public speaking skills such as town Halls, external events, workshops, product reviews, critiques, kickoffs, offsites. Public speaking is a skill which can always be improved or honed.
Note: This poll isn’t statistically significant so technically there shouldn’t be a percentage.
This article will focus on resources to help develop public speaking skills. . We will be sharing resources of experts at public speaking.
Before we link resources, keeping Product Development context in mind is important.
Understand the ins and outs of your position. Run a mock presentation with a team. Encourage them to ask critical questions and surface gaps in your presentation to have you prepared.
Have compelling data on hand
Be clear with your goal
Start with a summary or a key point and recap or re-emphasize that at the end.
Books:
The Quick and Easy Way to Effective Speaking
Videos:
What the Pros Know About Public Speaking
The Master Communicator's Toolbox
Some great tips from these resources:
Have a goal - what do you want people to think, feel and do
Watch your body temperature. It will rise as you feel nervous
Do something physical beforehand. With the pandemic, you may not have the opportunity to take a walk or shake hands. Remove yourself from your situation somehow and stretch or do light movement.
Start a presentation with a hook that gets people attached
Practice - it's a skill that gets better over time with practice. It can always be improved.
Good speakers to take inspiration from:
Sir Ken Robinson: Do schools kill creativity?
Simon Sinek: How great leaders inspire action
Brené Brown: The power of vulnerability
Bill Gates: The next outbreak? We're not ready
How to speak so that people want to listen
Looks aren't everything. Believe me, I'm a model.
Have a think about what makes them a good speaker. What makes you want to sit up and pay attention or remember what they have to say?
What has helped your public speaking?
Courses on public speaking:
Introduction to Public Speaking
Rhetoric: The Art of Persuasive Writing and Public Speaking
The DaleCarnegie Public Speaking Course | Dale Carnegie
Training on public speaking:
Speech And Public Speaking Coach, Speech Writing Services And More
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