> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://capitolcommunicator.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Enhance Your Career Through Effective Public Speaking - URL: https://capitolcommunicator.com/enhance-your-career-through-effective-public-speaking/ - Published: 2021-12-28T16:23:25.000Z - Updated: 2021-12-30T21:28:45.000Z - Author: Guest Columnist - Tags: Insights, #wp-bottom-left-sponsored, #Import 2026-10-08 18:51 ![Capitol Communicator ad agencies neglect their people](https://storage.ghost.io/c/50/16/5016dd29-aeff-4565-a68b-cdbb78bc58e6/content/images/2026/10/Ron_Owens_200X217.jpg) **By Ron Owens** *This article is dedicated to those who seek a professional skill* *to get ahead of their contemporaries* **Many marketers – however articulate in private – are less than gifted public speakers.** Giving the opportunity to address a large and potentially hostile group of strangers, they often fall short – no matter how strong their argument. Yet, public speaking is a vital key to corporate survival largely because (1) much selling today is to executive groups, especially when making new business presentations (2) in today’s corporate world, important decisions hinge on presentations to groups and (3) management, facing constant challenges from the competition, special interest groups, must defend company practices, policies and activities. WHY IS it important to take the time and trouble to be effective when speaking to groups? Because of these factors: You will gain recognition and influence from target groups, select audiences and others who will follow your leadership. Public speaking does wonders for your self-image, self-esteem and self-confidence. It also puts you in good stead in business, civic and community activities. It increases your value and prestige in the community as well as in the industry. An effective public speaker noticed by employers will get ahead faster. Public speaking is the quickest and most effective way to develop courage, poise and self-confidence. The higher up the ladder you go, the greater your need for this skill and leadership. Effective public speaking can establish you as a source matter expert (SME). You will be an inspiration to those around you and you will help them to become more self-confident and courageous by your example. Effective public speaking will also enhance your personal brand or image. To succeed in public speaking, you must consider: PHYSICAL CONTROL SKILLS: How you dress, walk, stand in front of an audience. How you react to your audience. Rules: Stand tall. Keep your head up. Don’t look at the back of the room. Don’t casually gaze at your audience en masse. Look directly at as many individuals as possible. Concentrate your attention on one person. Sustain eye contact long enough to finish a complete thought or sentence. Then shift to another person in the audience. This way you talk to just one listener at a time – less frightening than addressing a sea of faces. You also lessen the possibility of suddenly going blank in the middle of your speech or presentation. Don’t try to hide your nervousness. Use your nervous energy to generate spontaneous, unrehearsed, natural physical expressions of thought and energy. Allow your body movements to spring naturally from your ideas, your emotions, your emphasis. Don’t worry about what to do with your hands. Hands take care of themselves when you concentrate on your message. INFORMATION CONTROL SKILLS. Knowledge is key. This means acquaintance, familiarity, awareness. You must research, organize, edit, and present – often under severe time pressure. Organize to the mind of your audience and edit to their interests. Ask: what does your audience want to hear? What does your audience expect to learn? Your answers will guide you in collecting pertinent information for your presentation. Analyze your speech for the main points. Rather than putting these points in writing, use pictures / visuals – symbols for your thoughts. Don’t worry about what they look like. They’re not for a museum. They’re your tools for better speech. Don’t read from a prepared text. It kills your spontaneity and bores your audience. DIALOG CONTROL comes during Q&A. Effective communication is sharing of information. One speaker said: “I must have been terrific, they didn’t ask any questions.” Wrong! Actively seek questions. Research critical areas of concern. Let the audience know at the beginning you’ll be happy to answer any questions afterward. Rephrase each question for the entire audience. This gives you valuable think-time. It also ensures that everyone hears. Keep each answer brief – then move quickly to another questioner. Don’t get sidetracked by personal questions that do not apply to the entire audience. If you don’t know the answer, say so and offer to get it later. In anticipation of some of your questions, I offer the following: *Should I memorize what I am going to say?* No. Not word for word. If you do, you’ll probably forget it with the pressure of the occasion. Canned presentations are often dry, colorless and lifeless. Use notes, but do not hide them. Limit notes to key words. Write large enough to be seen two to three feet away. Remember…don’t memorize your presentation, even if you are speaking to 50, 100, or 1,000 people. *What are the main keys in speaking?* Know your subject matter. Get excited about it. Be eager to share it with your listeners. Mix these three things with a little experience and you will be confident and effective. *What about speed and volume?* Increase volume with size of group and room. Be conversational, but increase it by projecting to the farthest person in the room. After your first few sentences, ask: “Can you in the back of the room hear me?” This (1) lets you know if you are being heard (2) gives you a few moments to relax a little (3) brings the audience into what you are saying. Start by speaking slower and deliberately than normal. With the excitement of the situation, and the nervous energy built up, you’ll be off to a good start. *What can I do about nervousness and shaking?* Accept it. Nervous excitement is normal before starting. If you don’t have feelings, you will be ineffective. Nervous excitement (bottled-up energy) will be a big asset. Once released, it gives you excitement and animation. Don’t ever say to yourself: “I feel terrible. My heart is pounding. I am breathing heavily. I am shaking. I am scared. I will forget what I’m going to say. I will be embarrassed. I will make a fool of myself.” With that outlook, you can imagine what the outcome will be! Say to yourself: “I can’t help the way I feel. The excitement and nervousness are normal and will make me more effective. Nervous energy is going to work for me. I’ll use excitement to project my thoughts and feelings. I know my subject. My ideas will help these people. I must get my ideas across slowly, clearly and deliberately. This excitement will work for me.” Your performance will be dictated by the way you talk to yourself. Give yourself encouragement. See yourself getting your ideas across. With such an attitude, nothing can hold you back. *What about gestures and tone of voice?* Gestures and emphatic speaking are normal characteristics. In ordinary conversations, when we feel comfortable, we use them. Resist the temptation to use profanity to make a point, and never us big words or you ‘ll obfuscate the significance of what you are trying to communicate. Ask yourself: Am I using good examples, Illustrations and quotations to get my ideas across? Am I comfortable with and excited about these things?” To stir your audience, first stir yourself. Belief comes from know-how. Experience builds confidence. The more you do it, the better you’ll be. *What about audience reaction?* Your audience will tell you how you are doing by non-verbal indicators. Fidgeting, side-talk, looking at watches, twisting and turning, looking up at the ceiling or out of the window – all say you’ve lost them or you’ve talked too long. “Always stop before your listeners want you to,” is good advice. Stand up to be seen. Speak up to be heard. And sit down to be appreciated. Once learned, the personal communications skills (described above) become part of you. If you want to persuade or impose your will to get people to buy your ideas, policies or recommendations, these vital skills must become part of your repertoire. *Ron Owens is President of Ron Owens & Associates, a marketing consultancy specializing in market development, branding, diversity, equity & inclusion. Ron has served as VP, TMP Worldwide; Director, Advertising & PR, Pitney Bowes; and VP, Bozell Worldwide. He has also served as Governor, 4A’s, Region II; Vice Chair, AAF; Committee Chair, ANA and Past President, Ad Club of Metropolitan Washington, DC. Ron can be reached via* [*Ronowens221@yahoo.com*](mailto:Ronowens221@yahoo.com)