Beingaleader means you will do a lot of speaking. Publicly. One on one. With teams. A lot of speaking. And you need to make the most of your time. Your opportunity. To speak your message. Your values. Your direction.
So, how do you prepare to speak? First, you actually need to prepare. Depending on the circumstances, you should know what and how you plan to speak. Whether it’s a one on one with a superior or subordinate, or a large gathering with you the main speaker, you need to be prepared. Map out the goals or objectives of the time together. Don’t wing it very often. Know the purpose.
But I’m an introvert, you say. Doesn’t really matter. Being a social butterfly doesn’t make you a better speaker. Whether you are an extrovert or introvert, you will need to speak. You will need to advocate. To make your point clear. To empathize with someone on a call. To help someone understand. You will need to learn to speak.
You should always know the goal of your speaking. What are you trying to convey? What are you trying to get out of this conversation? Is there a better way to convey it? You can often say the same thing and get a totally different response based upon how you say something. It’s a leadership skill. And you can learn it. Read about it. Practice it. A lot.
Beingaleader means you will do a lot of speaking. It’s your job to get better each time.
