Tips for coaches: 5 ways to improve your public speaking skills

EXPERTISE SHARED BY SPORTSESSION’S YOGA INSTRUCTOR LENKA PEREXTOVA

We all have to speak in public from time to time. Whether it is an interview, team meeting, or speaking in front of an audience. Public speaking skills are important in many areas of our life. For many of us, public speaking is scary, uncomfortable, and stepping out of our comfort zone. But only out of the control zone do we push our boundaries, make a change and grow. Here are a few tips to get better at public speaking.

TIP #1: BE AUTHENTIC, BE YOURSELF

Present who you are. Do not pretend to be someone who you are not. Some people are funny, some are introverts, some are extroverts. If there is a rule for a perfect speaker, it is to be authentic. And you can turn your weakness into strength. Once you share your weakness it can ease the atmosphere and connect more with the audience. No one is perfect and the audience appreciates honesty and authenticity because through this you will be part of the group.

TIP #2: YOU CANNOT PLEASE EVERYONE

Just accept it. There will always be someone who will disagree or just do not like you or what you share. And it is completely fine. You also do not like everyone. It will ease tension to please everyone. You do not need to be perfect to share what you need to share. And mantra which helps me personally is "Don’t judge if you don’t want to be judged."

Read more: 5 ways to keep your clients motivated

TIP #3: EYE CONTACT OR CLOSED EYES

I use this tip to teach future yoga teachers, but it can also be applied to other situations. If you are too nervous, let your audience close their eyes for a while. It can help everyone settle down in the present moment and prepare them for what you will share. It can give you time to calm down and start talking when no one is watching. Once the audience opens their eyes, focus on a few with friendly eyes. If you find someone who has not welcomed eyes, just skip this person. Do not focus on trying to get through and doubt yourself.

TIP #4: PREPARE YOURSELF

Prepare not only your speech but yourself as a speaker. It starts with clothes which should be something comfortable and something you got used to. Feeling physically uncomfortable does not help you much. Calm your nervous system with some meditation or breathing exercises that you know can help you. Do not try something new just before the speech. Too many unknown aspects do not help. Sometimes it helps to check the place where speech will be taken ahead of and get familiar with it. You are not sharing only what you say and who you are but also how you feel.

TIP #5: YOU ARE READY

You always have something to share. Even if it resonates with just one person it is more than enough. Do not fall for: "I am not ready yet." "I need to study more…" "I need more time for preparation…" "I am not enough…" You are enough. You have everything that you need right now. Behind all this is often the fear. But fear is not here to stop. It is your companion. Accept fear as part of you and grab your fear for hand and jump anyway. You have nothing to lose, only get. At least get experience and through it, we only grow.

Some people are natural in public speaking, some people need to learn it and master it. Where there is willpower there is the reward. And practice makes perfect. Be aware of your body language and tone of your voice. And sometimes just slow down. Slow down your breath, thoughts and put on a smile on your face, and be yourself.

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