Monday, November 8, 2010

Speakers are Leaders


There is no doubt about it. If you want to succeed in anything – most especially in business- you need to be a good speaker. May it be in America or elsewhere. Speakers are leaders. Most often, leadership roles do not go to the most intelligent or the most skillful workers. They go to the man who knows how to communicate best. I have seen this to be true in almost everywhere I go. The most effective leaders I know are good communicators. They know what to say, how to say, and when to say it.

Contrary to popular belief, good speakers are not born. They are MADE. There is only one way to improve in anything. And that is to practice, practice and practice. Really, there is no other way. This is especially true when it comes to public speaking. The more you speak in front, the easier it seems to become. You might even find that you actually enjoy it. This was my experience. It was my mom who convinced me to join Toastmasters. Toastmasters International is an international, non-profit public speaking organization that can help you improve your leadership and communication skills. Now ever since I read RichDad, PoorDad back in high school I always knew I wanted to be a businesswoman-an entrepreneur. And if wanted to be successful in business I needed to become a good speaker. That is what motivated me to join Iligan Toastmasters club.

The first time I spoke in front, I trembled with fear. My thoughts were in a jumble and I did not know what to say. Now that experience would have traumatized most people. But that only made me all the more determined not to give up. I was determined to become a good speaker and nothing could stop me. And so I joined Toastmasters. Fast forward, 1 and a half years later. Now I have become club president of Iligan Toastmasters and the experience has been wonderful. Now I am more confident. Now I relish and enjoy speaking in front of a crowd. I have not only improved as a speaker, I have also improved as a leader as well. How could I not when as president I had to lead the club. I know that what I am learning now in Toastmasters I can use someday when I finally decide to go into business and put up my own company. As John Maxwell often said, “Everything rises and falls on leadership. And leadership rises and falls on communication.”

2 comments:

  1. true.. you will never be able to lead when you do not learn to communicate; and you will never become a good, better, and best communicator when you don't try. everyday is an opportunity to improve our way of passing on words to the audience may it be 1 or 2 of them in front of you. most leaders i know did not just become who they are instantly. they were trained by everyday experiences. how? they communicate to people. and the more they communicate, they more they learn. and the next you know, their names are an aroma to the hall of best speakers in the world. to be the best leader and speaker of the generation, timidity is out of the dictionary.

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  2. You're right Rach. Nothing great is achieved overnight. It takes time to hone and improve your craft. And if you want to be a better leader, you have to improve your speaking skills. One way to do this is to take the opportunity to speak whenever you can. ^_^

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