I mentioned two techniques here; the first is finding my vocal style. It has helped me improve my communication skills, especially pausing and pacing. And because I’m a naturally fast speaker, slowing down the pace has an even pause. They both helped me communicate more clearly and succinctly, take the audience’s pulse and see how engaged the audience is in my content. The second technique I found handy is the prep method. That is point, reason, example and point. And this comes in handy when I’m giving my opinions about something because then I can support my opinion with a real example. And that helps get the point across in a very tangible way. I started presenting recently to the company executive team every week. That has been a great exposure for me as a project manager and budding project manager.

How has Speak for Success helped you improve?

Another thing I want to mention here is speaking with diverse groups and a diverse audience through the practice sessions of Speak for Success and learning about new techniques. It has just made me more confident about public speaking. And for me, that itself is an accomplishment. If I did try out different techniques, have fun experimenting with different styles until you find your own. You may feel anxious at the beginning. I know I did. But keep at it, keep practicing, and with time you will get better, and you’ll soon realize that, hey, it’s not that bad.