Importance of Public Speaking in the Modern World

Does everyone need the art of public speaking? The significance and relevance of Public speaking is bound to touch your life at some point. Public speaking is a logical extension of our day-to-day conversation. It is a vital component for success in any endeavour. The person who can present his wit and wisdom before a crowd is at a terrific advantage. In survey after survey, it was found that companies sought college graduates with good communication and public speaking skills.

Great leaders, generals, presidents and prime ministers have all been excellent communicators. Lee Iacocca, former President of Chrysler, said, “You can have brilliant ideas, but if you can’t get them across, your brains won’t get you anywhere.” Public speaking, if combined with the right skills and attitude, instils confidence in you as a person. It can help you sail through interviews and get you that dream job. It can take you to the top leadership position in any organization. You could raise millions of dollars by simply selling your ideas to a venture capitalist if you can present those ideas convincingly enough.

It is true that stage fear is the greatest fear for many people, even greater than death! Most people would prefer to go to a dentist and have a couple of teeth extracted or perform a skydive, rather than face a crowd and talk. Is learning public speaking really that strenuous and stressful? Do we need to put pebbles in our mouths and have swords dangling over our heads to learn to speak eloquently? Fortunately, we don’t have to.

Public speaking is like any other art - driving, swimming, or even learning to sing. It needs patience and guided practice. Our fear can be conquered and harnessed into powerful, passionate words with a strong purpose.

If you strive to acquire the skills to persuade, inspire and entertain people by following Aristotle’s communication model, your success is a short stop away. Remember, to get what you want, you have to present yourself with Power, Passion and Purpose in both your professional and personal life. Demosthenes summed it up marvellously when he said - “As a vessel is known by the sound, whether it be cracked or not; so men are proved, by their speeches, whether they be wise or foolish.”