Confidence is one of the most impactful traits a person can have. If you are confident enough, then your body, mind, and speech will follow.
Confident people give a radiating vibe even before they get to speak.
However, sometimes people who otherwise seem so confident do not have the confidence to express their thoughts properly.
Keep in mind that confidence and authority in speech come from adequate planning, preparation and practice. No one is born a great leader – everyone acquires the skill over time.
If you wish to polish your speaking skills and learn how to speak with confidence and authority everywhere and anywhere, look no further. Today, we will discuss some excellent tips to help you speak confidently right away.
Let’s start with our tip number 1!
Tip #1 – Own the Space You Are Going to Speak In
Public speaking is not everyone’s piece of cake, and if you are an introvert, you have to invest a lot of time to master the skill.
The first and foremost tip is to know, understand, and feel confident in the place where you will deliver a speech. Confidence comes with familiarity.
Experience tells you what to do; confidence allows you to do it.
— Stan Smith
For instance, you probably won’t feel shy if you have to speak in front of your family. It’s an everyday experience with which you are entirely familiar.
You can apply the same logic to any event that will take place in your life.
- If you are giving a speech or a presentation, prepare properly. Preferably, reach the place earlier, sit or stand from where you will be speaking and create an image of the audience listening as you talk.
- If you find it hard to speak in groups of people who you don’t know that well, you should start socializing more. Spend more time in unfamiliar social territory, and you will soon realize that you can speak with confidence easier.
Tip #2 – Use Stronger Filler Words
It is common even for the most confident and authoritative speaker to fumble or forget in the middle of their speech.
The only difference is that the experienced speakers know how to manage the situation. In contrast, newbies give up all their confidence due to a single mishap.
Gathering your thoughts is not an issue, but filling it with words like ‘Ahh, umm, aaa, etc.’ is!
The ideal scenario would be to avoid using filler words due to the completely unstoppable confidence with which you carry out every sentence. However, it is almost impossible to be in control 100% of the time.
In realistic scenarios, to sound like you have control over your speech, you need to use strong filler words such as:
- nonetheless,
- you see,
- now,
- alright,
- so,
- however, etc.
The main idea behind these specific filler words is that they sound more natural, more confident, and actually help you transition from one part of your speech to another.
The appropriate usage of the right filler words at the right time is not only going to leave a good impression but convince your listeners that you have a grip on what you are speaking.
Tip #3 – Silence Is Your Weapon
You must be wondering how silence can be a weapon when the article is about the speech.
A confident and bold speaker knows the power of pauses in his speech.
Sometimes, you need to press pause to let everything sink in.
— Sebastian Vettel
You might often find the speakers who keep on rambling tiresome and boring. They make it hard for their audience to identify when the speaker ends a point and moves to the next.
Therefore, when you are speaking, take short pauses.
Do not stop in the middle of a sentence; rather, use intentional silence to put more emphasis on significant parts of your speech. When you place a deliberate pause or silence, the audience will certainly give you attention to see what is going on there.
All in all, silence in speech can make the game or ruin the game for you; practice to use it carefully.
Tip #4 – Keep It Simple For Your Audience
One common mistake among speakers is that they think that there is a magic trick that you need to master to speak with confidence.
Like with anything we talk about on our blog – there are no whimsical fixes or completely revolutionary secrets here either. It is all about mastering basic principles and executing on them consistently.
Simplicity is key. Only when you can explain things in simple terms, you truly know the topic you are presenting.
People often write speeches with lots of complex words to sound more intelligent or educated. However, using a complex vocabulary just leaves the audience bored, confused, or frustrated.
Not just this, this is how speakers forget the point they were trying to make because it gets tangled in the depths of their vocal exhibition.
The purpose of your speech should be to make the audience understand your point. Hence, cut straight to the main message and drive it home.
Never complicate your speech for yourself and your audience for no reason. Keep it minimal and simple, and you will sound much more confident while you carry out your message.
Tip #5 – Convey a Story
If you dream of impressing your listeners and leaving a long-lasting impact on them, tell as many great stories as you can.
No matter what topic you are speaking on, there will always be a real-life example that fits it. These examples are your biggest friends!
The audience is never going to like long scripted essays that are boring to the ears. Your listeners wish to know something unique from your side to feel a connection and build their interest in your speech.
To connect with your audience, offer them stories that will keep them thinking for the rest of the day. The more questions your story raises, the more enjoyable it was to your listeners.
Your speech should feel like a unique experience to your listeners irrespective of your speech’s medium and purpose. Quality storytelling is the best way to achieve this goal.
The Bottom Line
Communication is a necessity in every field. At some point or the other, we have to communicate with our colleagues, classmates, etc. Not only that, presentations, meetings, and conferences are part of every industry.
So, learning how to speak with confidence and authority has become not an option but a need. Therefore, use the skills mentioned above and utilize them in your favor.
Which of the tips from our list did resonate with you the most?
Let us know in the comments below right away!
