Five Ways Public Speaking Shows Leadership

When I have a new public speaking client, the first thing we talk about is leadership. I kick the coaching off by sharing a quote from a renowned and beloved late public speaking coach, Ron Arden–“He or she who speaks, leads.” Right off the bat, I want my clients to understand that when they choose to stand up and utter a syllable in front of a group of people, they’re taking on a leadership role.

Here’s an example. You’re at a town hall meeting. At some point, you feel compelled to say something. You stand up to speak and WOOSH! Every head in the room turns toward you. It’s not just your good looks (and I know you look good). It’s also that you want to express something important. In that moment, you’re the leader of the room.

If you’re thinking that I just added a layer of responsibility to public speaking, I did. That’s because public speaking comes with responsibility.  But, don’t let that rock your world. Embrace this opportunity to lead. From where I sit (or stand), there are five ways public speaking shows leadership.

Photo: Sabree Hill

Showing Vision

Part of leadership is knowing where you want to take your organization, institution, or community. Likewise, public speaking provides an opportunity to express a vision. This is important; because when you get in front of a group of people, either in person or virtually, they’re looking for you to deliver something useful. That can be a call to action, important information, entertainment, or that dose of motivation or inspiration that they may not even realize they need to take them forward.

Including Everyone

It gets really weird in public speaking when you notice that a portion of the audience seems to be wondering what your subject matter even has to do with them. It’s those “What does this have to do with me?” eyes that can really throw you off. What has saved the day for me has been thanking those on the fringes for their attention. I also acknowledge the elephant in the room and find ways to involve these audience members through techniques such as eye contact and friendly gestures while even peppering my talks with brief explanations for their benefit. Similarly, ethical leaders recognize that everyone has a place in the crowd.

Building Trust Through Vulnerability

There’s been a groundswell of thought leaders calling for vulnerability in leadership. This piece by Aquent Talent, for example, notes that leaders who show vulnerability are able to build deep professional relationships, strengthening trust among colleagues for a more productive work environment. Today’s audiences aren’t waiting for Super Speaker with their cape and boots to fly them to greatness. Yes, audiences want to be inspired, informed, motivated, educated and/or entertained. But, in my nearly 25 years of professional speaking, I’ve seen a tremendous shift where folks–especially younger audiences–want speakers who are willing to admit that their flaws have paved the way for success.

Creating Boundaries

While being inclusive is the ethical thing to do and being vulnerable builds trust, you can’t let people run over you. This is where stand-up comedy, one of the best training grounds for public speaking, holds a lesson. Once upon a time, stand-up was my thing. And I hated hecklers. You have to be ruthless to handle hecklers. So, I have a great amount of respect for stand-up comedians who don’t hesitate to take the gloves off to handle the lowest form of life in the room. But seriously, folks, leaders can be vulnerable; they just need to have a don’t-screw-with-me card in their back pocket at all times. 

Empowering Others

People want tools to feel empowered. Great public speakers don’t just tell audiences that tomorrow will be better, they give them an idea of how to make things better. When I was a marketing and communications director, I loved one-on-ones with my team members, because it was an opportunity to help them feel empowered to do their jobs better. When I was able to deliver the tools for them to work more effectively, life was sweet for both of us.

All of this is great, but there’s a critical step. I impress upon my public speaking clients that doing their presentations, talks and speeches well takes practice. The same goes for leadership. Getting better at leading takes practice, meaning that we have to find opportunities. The good news is that it can happen at work, in the community, the family, or wherever a group of people need someone to provide guidance, hope, motivation, direction, inspiration, or empowerment.