Here's how you can apply public speaking skills to other careers.

My over 25 years experience in Toastmasters International has benefitted me tremendously. In several organizations that I have worked, I have been the de facto Master of Ceremonies, I have given innumerable keynote speeches and have trained many persons in several countries over the years. The ability to present my or my organization's views in high level meetings influencing positive outcomes for my stakeholders. Good public speaking skills is a prerequisite for leadership across all industries generating employee engagement as well as a positive public image for the organization.

Public speaking skills are extremely valuable across careers. To be able to communicate well it's important to think clearly and structure your thoughts well so that they are delivered in a way that is easily understood. With clarity of thought and strong delivery public speaking skills can come handy across job roles- like marketing, sales, advertising etc. Right from a conference room where you are making a presentation, to a sales pitch where you need to close a deal, public speaking skills are extremely useful. Even in teaching and training, clarity of thought is used to explain concepts effectively, engage learners, and facilitate understanding across diverse audiences. Bottom-line a clear message delivered well goes a long way.

When you know what you want from your audience, your "objective" and how you are going to get it, "the action", you can stop hoping that you will impact, persuade and influence. You can move into certainty. When you confidently rely on this technique, this mastery allows you to have consistency when you take the stage and the legacy you leave. Objective (your want) could be to buy your book, invest in your program or donate to your cause. The actions you play to get this objective may be, "inspire, educate, motivate". The objective of getting their attention is the most obvious. How do you get what you want? If they are not paying attention and you are using the action "educate", you have to change your action. Try using the action "wait".

Emotional Connection. Your audience is human. Humans feel, show and respond to emotion and tapping into that is key in public speaking. For instance, one time, my colleagues and I were fronting our argument on Climate change in a debate. One of us went on stage and used the story of an elephant. She gave the elephant a name, spoke of how the elephant had been affected by climate change; how she lost her family, how she lost her home, everything while putting into context how these things could translate if it were in a human being. The audience connected to that. They identified with the elephant because my colleague used the elephant to match their emotions. We won! Explore your audience’s emotion. That’s a secret ingredient.

First, one must master their personal narrative; then, they can begin to influence the public across their careers. It is the combination of individual stories and our collective action that shapes the public narrative across sectors. A public narrative is shaped by three elements: 🔆a story of self, 🔆a story of us, and 🔆a story of now. The story of self conveys who I am—my values, my history, and what drives me. The story of us reflects our shared identity—our common values, experiences, and mutual goals. Lastly, the story of now motivates us to take action based on our shared narratives, and this is how we shape the public discourse. So whether you are in Health, Law or Engineering, you can use storytelling as a tool for impact.

Authenticity and being genuine can help you connect better with your audience and it also boost your persuasion power. Avoid cliche and buzz words to the extent possible