Learn 5 essential life skills from one activity

When it comes to developing skills, some activities are more effective than others. According to Aaron Hanway of Toastmasters International there is one activity that is proven to help you develop the essential skills – public speaking. 

 1. Confidence.

Speech craft will help you develop confidence.  For some people, public speaking fills them with anxiety and nerves but just standing up to say a few words is all that’s needed to get you started. Do it again and you’ll be a little more comfortable than before, and with that your confidence will grow.

2. Objectivity

In order to be an effective problem solver and thinker you have to be objective.  Speech craft can help you develop objectivity. 

The purpose of a speech is to convey a message to someone else, to do this you have to view your thoughts from the perspective of others, which forces you to think about your material from a variety of angles.  

3. Communication

Only a small percentage of a message is conveyed by the actual words used, others mostly pick up the message from the speech giver’s body language and tone.

Delivering speeches will teach you these subtleties of communication.  When you are up in front of a group of people you immediately become self-aware, and over time you will learn how to move with purpose, and to change the tone and volume of your voice to suit the audience. 

4. Educating yourself

If you don’t continually educate yourself you will get left behind, especially in today’s quick moving markets.

To give an effective speech you need to know your source material. You will have to draw knowledge from multiple sources  in order to check your facts and research your topic thoroughly. 

This will help you develop the ability to educate yourself, and when you can educate yourself there is nothing you can’t learn.

5. Empathy

To be in business, or be an effective leader in any career, empathy is one of the most important traits you need.

A great speech speaks to the head and the heart. You have to understand your audience, not just intellectually but emotionally as well.  As you develop this skill it will help you become a more effective communicator and better leader.

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