Communication is Key: The Power of Public Speaking

Public speaking is one of the hardest things to do for many people. Yet, it is such an important skill to learn. In high school and in college, presenting to my class or teacher is something that I have had to do and will have to do often. There are many things that you can do to strengthen your communication skills for any situation.

Speaking in a welcoming and collaborative environment

During my freshman year of high school, I joined an organization called Texas Youth and Government (YAG). The basis of the section of YAG I was in, called State Affairs Forum, was that it was a mock legislature. There, I had to write and present proposals for changes to public policy I wanted to see in Texas. I was very nervous the first time I went up to present. But by joining this organization, I was instantly given a group of people who were willing to collaborate with me to improve my proposal and the presentation of it.

I was able to translate the skills I learned in YAG for presenting changes to legislation to the business field. When I was in a business class in high school, I had to constantly give presentations analyzing other businesses. When it came time to pitch my own business idea in a Shark Tank-like business pitch competition, I was the most nervous to speak than I have ever been before. Largely, my ability to start Natural Power rode on convincing the judges that my idea was sound and winning the competition. To prepare, I sought industry experts who would be willing to listen to me and provide feedback. That gets into our next section about the importance of not only being a good communicator, but also being and finding a good listener.

Be and find a good listener

Before starting Natural Power, I knew very little about the inner workings of the energy drink industry and business as a whole. While I did some research online and started reading books about business, I found that the best way to learn was through listening to those who have, in numerous instances, more experience than the years that I have been alive. Just from listening, I was able to learn about the different manufacturing processes in the energy drink industry and other very relevant information to my venture.

When you’re getting started pitching an idea and speaking publicly, the best way to get more comfortable is to practice presenting to someone who is a good listener. This could be a parent, friend, colleague, teacher, or mentor. Just someone who would be willing to sit down with you, listen, and provide feedback on your presentation. If you want to practice on your own, you can also record yourself presenting and listen back to it. Make sure to check that you have the correct pronunciation of words and are not speaking too fast or too slow.

Public speaking can be difficult, but with some practice, you can vastly strengthen your skills and be able to clearly communicate with others.