I once heard a colleague talk about people having a unique voice print, similar to us each having a unique fingerprint, and it really struck me as an interesting concept. With the rise of voice recognition in our day-to-day life, there is something about our voices each being distinctively different. And even if our voices physically sound similar, the experiences, nuances, and stories that our voices carry our definitely different.
We each have a voice. Whilst we must acknowledge there are some for whom physically speaking is not
possible, the majority of us have a voice. When we speak there are also unique features that our voice carries. Two people can be reading the same page in a book, for example, yet they will each sound different if it is read aloud, because of differences in understanding, knowledge, confidence, energy and the list goes on.
Our voices and our stories can make a difference to others in so many contexts. And for some, this context will look like public speaking. That phrase ‘public speaking’ alone for some immediately conjures up thoughts of developing a dry mouth, heart racing, butterflies in the stomach, and an inability to string a complete sentence together, despite being an articulate and capable individual. For others, they have fears of or may have actually experienced going completely blank, and when they do find their voice speak with the tiniest voice wishing for either time to speed up or the whole ground to swallow them up.
Public Speaking is natural for some people, as they appear to almost effortlessly present powerfully. Whilst others have trained and honed that skill specifically. For the majority of individuals, however, public speaking is something they struggle with, find very overwhelming, or are blatantly fearful of.
It is important to note that using your voice through public speaking does have many benefits and for individuals on a personal or professional growth plan this skill may be a vital component on that trajectory. Here are three reasons why it might be time to focus on and develop this skill.
Firstly, public speaking, when done well, can position you as an expert. It positions you as someone who has adept knowledge of the subject that they are sharing, and someone others should be listening to. It elevates you to a position where individuals will come to you for advice and guidance, no matter where you are on your own growth journey, you are now seen as a person of influence. There is power in public speaking as it raises your professional position.
The second benefit of Public speaking is that allows you to share your personal story. This is important as your personal story is what makes you stand out, it could be referred to as your ‘unique selling point’ or USP. Whilst there could be many people who decide to become a Therapist, for example, the reason why you chose that as a business venture is truly unique. The experiences and encounters that led to that decisions are yours and yours alone. The way in which you share your story can draw others in, it allows them to connect with you on a personal level as you become more than just another therapist. In business and in life, the need to be relatable is really important, and when you have the opportunity to speak in public and share snippets of your story it provides the perfect opportunity to allow others to relate to you. We will go into this more in-depth in the next chapter.
The third benefit of public speaking is that it allows you to impart value through what you share on a large scale. Rather than speak one to one, public speaking allows you to speak one too many in the same time frame. It is a more efficient method to educate, entertain and impart. One of the key aims of Inspire Her is to bring empowerment, and when we have the opportunity to speak to a large audience we are afforded the privilege of empowering many women all at once. Whilst audiences will always receive something slightly different based on where they are in their journey of life, they will still all receive
something. If you are one of the many people who plan to positively impact and inspire others public speaking will allow you to fulfil this on a greater scale.
The skill, ability, or art of public speaking, and effective public speaking is incredibly important and can open doors of opportunity for personal growth, business growth in addition to career progression. Remember no matter where you are on your speaker journey as you read this continue to grow and develop. You can become a confident and capable public speaker who delivers a compelling and transformational message.
Francesca McDowall, January 2023