Did you know that your influence at work could be one of the factors that determine the firm’s success? Think about your persona at work. How do you conduct yourself during meetings? Do you choose the right words? The proper body language?

It might seem like an irrelevant thing to you but a leader’s influence affects his organization more than you think. Whether you’re the CEO of a big firm, or the owner of a small startup, the way you stand in front of any audience has an effect on the way your employees and clients see you. But the most important part is how your public speaking skills can get you to grow your organization like you’ve never imagined.

Here are 3 reasons why public speaking is good for you business:

1. It Can Unlock Multiple Opportunities

People are generally more attracted to confident and strong-willed individuals. As a leader in your organization, you should take advantage of every opportunity you get to be onstage. You never know who might be in the audience. You could be pitching to potential investors, or have a connection with the biggest VIPs in your industry.

When they see that you’re well-versed and passionate on what you’re talking about, your trustworthiness increases and the more chances that one of your audience members will want to do business with you.

The last time I pitched to potential investors, I spoke with confidence and conviction and it ended with an investor discussing wanting to work with my team. It happened to me, and it can happen to you too. You have to express how you can help them, and make sure you deliver it in a way that suits their needs.

“A speaker should approach his preparation not by what he wants to say, but by what he wants to learn.” ― Todd Stocker

2. It Gives Inspiration to Your Employees

Have you heard that story about a NASA janitor? If not, here it is in short form: President John F. Kennedy visited the NASA space center in 1962, and while he was there, he noticed a janitor holding a broom. He walked towards that man, introduced himself, and then asked, “What are you doing?”

The janitor responded, “Well, Mr. President. I’m helping put a man on the moon.” The moral of the story is no matter how small or big we think our role is, we have to believe that it’s part of a much bigger purpose.

Now, imagine if you could tell your team and your employees something similar to this. Wouldn’t they feel inspired? The more you communicate the purpose of all that they’re doing at work, the more they will enjoy working for you.

Trust me, it feels so much lighter when everybody knows they’re working for a cause. So if you’re not doing that already, prepare your next speech right now and tell them why your organization exists. Remember, how you deliver it is also important, so make sure you get to rehearse it before facing them.

“If you have an important point to make, don’t try to be subtle or clever. Use a pile driver. Hit the point once. Then come back and hit it again. Then hit it a third time – a tremendous whack.” ― Winston S. Churchill

3. It Results to Personal Growth

When a leader grows, the business also grows. The more you expose yourself out there and learn how to communicate your ideas effectively, the more you will boost your self-esteem. This will give you the drive to do more and see progress within your business.

There are still times that I would get tunnel vision and a panic attack while I spoke, but I’ve learned how to deal with them on the spot. Growth doesn’t mean totally eliminating the challenges you face, but slowly learning how to handle them when they arrive.

Building a business means you have to build people first. But before building people, you must build yourself. What better way than to start with public speaking? Public Speaking is an essential skill that every entrepreneur must have in order to expand their vision.

It could grow their network, inspire their employees and boost their self-esteem even more. Imagine being the leader who people look up to because they know why you’re doing what you’re doing.

It would be much easier to work with somebody who knows their purpose for being here. You already know that person is you. So let’s get going, improve your speaking skills and grow your business today!

How has public speaking helped your business? Leave your thoughts below!

Image courtesy of Twenty20.com