A Speaker’s Most Sought-After Trait

Last Updated on Thursday, 30 July 2015 12:53 Written by Pam Chambers Monday, 2 January 2012 09:14

Each January, I encourage those in my circle to select a Word for the Year. This word should provide guidance and clarity as we make important decisions and choose courses of action. What if we went one step farther and chose a Word for the Year that would help us become better speakers?

Recently, at the first session of a Level I Presentation Course, I asked each participant to write one word that identified a trait they most wanted to develop. There were ten people in the class. Seven chose the word “Confident.” (The other words were “Commanding,” “Credible,” and “Approachable.”)

With sincere confidence I said, “If you come to each class and use the tools you’ll learn here, I can promise that you’ll get what you just asked for.”

And so it was.

If you have confidence as a speaker, you need never fret over such questions as: What if someone knows more than I do? What if someone walks out on me? What if I run out of time?

When you have the right tools and know how to use them, you will be a confident speaker.

As a speaker, what’s your Word for the Year?