How can leaders effectively speak out? 5 strategies for success
A great leader is the one who speaks like a leader. A leader must have a great speaking skills and art of leadership communication. Most people will agree that speaking skills is one of the primary skills required for leadership. Whenever we see or hear a leader who is speaking quite well, we believe that they have a natural talent of speaking. But it is not like that. Anyone can enhance their communication skills required for leadership.
Like, in order to become good cricket player or say runner, you need to practice it well. Likewise, it goes for communication. It is a skill which you can acquire easily. All you have to do is to practice it and it transforms your communication skills.
But the question here arises that why there is a need for the business leaders to speak like a leader? This question itself gives answer. Leaders are the one who are followed by general mass. They are the one who can build connections both nationally and internationally. With the effective use of language, leaders can unite people. Leaders have the power to bring change in the society at a mass level. Through the effective use of language, leaders directly connect to the heart and mind off their audience.
In this blog, we will learn several strategies which will help leaders to speak out effectively. Some of these ideas are listed below-
1. You need to understand your audience. Empathise with them and show them that you are acknowledging their interest. For example, if a person is needed to give a presentation on right to education, as a leader you have to make sure that you discuss all the points which cover his topic by narrating it in a curious manner. Be precise regarding your words and try to grab the attention through your work.
Connect to the heart of your audience. They might forget what you have said but they can never forget the way you made them feel. You can do so by telling relevant stories which will bring an idea to life. The use of personal pronouns can be added so that your audience will feel more personal and it will also reflect that you care the personal feelings of your audience.
2. Try to stick to the main subject. If you will be presenting a lot of ideas to your audience, it will not look that much effective. Hence, deliver stronger messages instead of focusing on tons of ideas. It might look vivid with fewer but it will give a stronger representation of your ideas. You can choose the language which conveys emotion. You can talk about the passion, fear, excitement, hope.
3. As the leader, you must have the ability to transform the complex ideas into a simple one. It is quite obvious that assemble idea will give a clearer picture to your audience. You can divide the complex ideas which is of long sentences into short phrases. You can also use simple words which will make you look more confident, capable and intelligent. Take pauses. It will make you look more authoritative.
4. Use powerful language. Pick up those words which are relevant, funny and has the capability to connect with a wider range of audience. You can also use some metaphors, contrast and repetition. Contrast has the capacity to employ balance whereas metaphors and analogies are easier for the brain to grasp a complicated concept into familiar one. Steve Jobs uses a lot of metaphor in the course of his speech. As a leader, you should know that spoken language is not alike to the written language. So, you should not limit yourself in that all only.
5. One of the key aspects of your presentation or speech is the way you start and end. You should initiate your presentation in such a manner that it will sound more like a leader, that is authoritative. Talking about the end of your speech as a leader, it must contain clearer picture of your goal.
What do you want to imply during your entire speech, must reflect in your ending session of your speech. In the very first part of the speech, all you have to do is to engage your audience. In the second part, your audience can be persuaded with the play of words and at the end you have to deliver a powerful thought or idea or call to action.
