Great Public Speakers Are Made, Not Born

EXPERT OPINION BY CARMINE GALLO, HARVARD INSTRUCTOR, KEYNOTE SPEAKER, AUTHOR, ‘THE BEZOS BLUEPRINT’ @CARMINEGALLO

I recently taught a four-part online class at Harvard. The students were a mix of leaders, entrepreneurs, and business professionals. I told them the one big idea I wanted them to take away was that great speakers are made, not born.

Public speaking is a skill, and like any skill, you can sharpen it with time and practice.

I can offer strategies to improve your public speaking and presentation skills, but the first thing that has to change is your attitude.

If you don’t believe you can command a stage, you won’t.

The first step to building self-confidence is to recognize that nearly everyone with a reputation as a ‘gifted’ speaker worked really hard to develop their talent.

For example, I’m reading historian Jon Meacham’s New York Times bestseller on Abraham Lincoln, And There Was Light. Lincoln didn’t just wake up one day to write one of the greatest speeches ever–The Gettysburg Address. Lincoln spent years honing his writing and public speaking skills.

As a kid growing up on the American frontier, Lincoln would attend church services and, upon returning home, go out in the field, jump on a tree stump, and attempt to repeat the sermon he had just heard. Lincoln even practiced in front of an audience, taking his siblings out to listen to the speeches.

Lincoln had a “growth mindset” long before the phrase became a buzzword.

Contemporary business leaders share the same mindset, a dedication to working on public speaking as a craft. For example, an executive at Apple who knew Steve Jobs recently told me that Jobs would clear out his calendar one month before major keynotes like the launch of the iPhone. The 2007 iPhone presentation is still widely considered one of the best product launches ever.

Great speakers make it look effortless because they put a lot of effort into making it great.

I’ve offered tips on practicing presentations effectively on your own, but nothing will build your confidence and skill faster than speaking to a group of people you don’t know. One of the best ways to build in the practice time you need to sharpen public speaking skills is to volunteer to teach a class online or, even better, in person.

Shark Tank judge Barbara Corcoran once told me she had a fear of public speaking early in her career, so she volunteered to teach real estate at a community college. It was unpaid, but she didn’t do it for the money–she did it to improve her skills.

The word free is a powerful motivator. Trade associations, non-profits, and local colleges always look for guest speakers and educators, but only a few have the budget to pay for speakers. These free speaking slots are valuable opportunities for you to gain experience that will pay off in real cash as you grow in your career.

Above all, don’t fall into the trap of thinking that the polished, effective, and confident speakers you admire most always have exceptional stage presence. It’s likely that you’re only seeing the outcome of hours, months, and in many cases, years of practice.

You don’t have to give a TED Talk out of the gate. By taking small, intentional steps to speak in front of people, you’ll be surprised at the confidence you can build and the skills you’ll display. 

Photo Credit: Getty Images.