The Choose-Your-Own-Adventure Guide to Becoming a Fearless Speaker
If you’re like most people, you want to get better at public speaking. You know if would open up new opportunities and new audiences for you, and that it can help you hit the next level in your project or career. You see people whose presence electrifies a room full of people, and they even seem to be having fun with it. You want that for yourself, but you’re not sure:
if it’s even possible for you; and
if it is, how you’d ever get there.
When you look around, there are lots of options for improving your skills. The real question is where to start. So here’s a rundown of your main options, and the pros & cons of each.
Option 1: DIY
Write a presentation. Practice it at home. Deliver it when the time comes. Repeat.
The good: It’s free, and you can do it on your own schedule.
The bad: Planning a presentation can take an unholy amount of time if you’re trying to do it yourself and don’t have an opportunity to bounce ideas off somebody else. Your spouse or best friend might not give you truly honest feedback. Your cat definitely won’t. There’s a good chance you’ll walk into your high-stakes presentation with lingering doubts about whether you’re really performing at your best - and that is not the time to be harbouring doubts or to be bringing anything less than your “A” game.
Might be the right choice for you if: your presentations are fairly low-stakes, and/or you have access to a support person who will help you organize your thoughts and will give you honest, helpful feedback (and do it gently!)
Option 2: A community public-speaking group
Toastmasters is the quintessential public-speaking training ground, although there are other options out there if you look. You pay a membership fee, meet up every week or so, and practice you skills together. Often there’s a set curriculum to mark your progress, and your peers give you feedback about how you’re doing.
The good: These groups are relatively inexpensive and easy to find. They offer consistent practice opportunities, and it’s safe to screw up because the presentations you give don’t have real-world consequences. People in these groups tend to be understanding, because everybody’s there to learn.
The bad: Some people find these programs too rigid, or have trouble finding a group that suits their personality. As a result, way too many people out there have concluded that public speaking just isn’t for them…leading them to give up entirely. What’s more, the feedback you receive can be hard to implement. No matter how many times people tell you to speak more slowly, you can’t just suddenly change a lifelong habit. You need practices and strategies to build the change into your muscle memory - and these programs won’t necessarily give you that.
Might be the right choice for you if: you like routine, your goal is general skill development, you’re looking for a program that will challenge you to keep practicing and improving, you’re not in a rush to see results, and you’re able to find a group full of people you like.
Option 3: An online course
Believe it or not, you can improve your public speaking skills without leaving the house. Nothing substitutes for real-world practice, but if you’re wrestling with fear or looking for practical advice to improve your presentations, a course like Fearless Public Speaking offers techniques and exercises to improve your presentations bit-by-bit. Look for a course that includes active practice exercises, not just passively watching videos or reading articles.
The good: You can’t beat the convenience of learning from your couch, and doing things at your own pace is a big help if you have an unpredictable schedule or young kids who occupy your evenings. Online courses also tend to be pretty affordable, making them a good way to try out something new.
The bad: A lack of deadlines can make it easy to procrastinate or even just stop progressing entirely, so this option is best if you have the discipline and motivation to follow through. This is a case where paying for something is actually better than getting it for free, because the sunk cost will motivate you to get your money’s worth (behavioural science for the win!). It also helps to create some kind of accountability in the beginning, when your energy and drive are highest, so consider using a Ulysses Pact to keep you following it through to the end. You also need to follow it up with actual public speaking practice (in person or on video), because that’s how the learning actually sticks.
Might be the right choice for you if: flexibility is important to you, and you’re good at finishing the things you start.
Option 4: A group program
The essence of public speaking is speaking to an audience. So the best way to learn it is in the presence of real people. A group program like Fearless Public Speaking + LIVE will have you meeting regularly (physically or virtually) to learn and practice. This might be an intimidating prospect at first, but you’ll quickly find that everybody else is there to learn, too, and you’ll probably relax into the groove before you know it.
The good: Regularly meeting with a group provides a layer of accountability that helps keep you on track. Your peers and the instructor expect you to show up and put in the effort, and you're likely to rise up to meet those expectations. The group can also be a source of friendship, camaraderie, insights and encouragement as you learn and become more confident in your skills. And, of course, you get that practice in front of a live audience. Many people find that this doesn’t just help with their public speaking - it also makes them more comfortable speaking up at meetings and hobnobbing at networking events.
The bad: Your success depends on your willingness and ability to actually show up for sessions. That can be a challenge if the program doesn’t fit your schedule. Plus, sometimes life happens unexpectedly and you have to take time off. For that reason, look for a program that includes written materials or even video modules, so that even if you have to miss a session you can still catch up on the basics (and go back to review them from time to time).
Might be the right choice for you if: you work best in a group setting (or group settings make you nervous and that’s exactly what you want to change!), you want to practice in front of real people, you’d like some external accountability to keep you on track, and you can commit to a regular schedule.
Option 5: Private coaching
Sometimes you just need help on one specific thing, like writing your speech for that big event, making your slide deck more user-friendly or figuring out how to stop pacing nervously every time you get on stage. In that case, the most efficient approach might be to get 1-on-1 attention from a coach who will give you feedback and work with you to create a solution that fits perfectly.
The good: You get exactly what you want and need, and nothing else. Sometimes you just need to brainstorm, strategize, laugh nervously, drop f-bombs (or whatever you do before you’re ready to get in front of an audience), and you want some advice about what works and what doesn’t. A 1-on-1 session lets you do that without feeling like you’re wasting anybody’s time. Plus, you can schedule it to fit your own life.
The bad: This is the priciest option, although it can also be the most cost-effective when you want to zero-in on your particular needs. It’s also not a substitute for practicing in front of an audience. You need to follow that private session with real-world experience in order to get a well-rounded public speaking education.
Might be the right choice for you if: you have a really specific or unique need and want individual attention to resolve it, you want to get straight to the essentials without any fluff, you want help writing your presentation or implementing feedback you’ve received, or you need a solution that’s tailored to your schedule
The bottom line is this: don’t let indecision stop you from getting started. Any step in the right direction is better than standing still. And if you’d like to talk more about the best approach for you, book a no-pressure call with us to talk about how to achieve your speaking goals.