Elevate your speaking game with these tips

If you look at the greatest speeches of all time, you may be inclined to think that those speakers were naturally gifted. After all, they made it seem effortless. It’s easy to think that you will never be a good speaker because, if the “speaker gift” was ever handed out, you didn’t get one. 

Terry Szuplat, a speechwriter who wrote hundreds of speeches for President Obama, says public speaking is a skill that you can absolutely get better at – with practice. 

Terry was our featured speaker at IABC Atlanta’s professional development event last month. His bestselling book, "Say It Well," shows how you can elevate your public speaking game. 

A cozy reading nook inviting readers to explore stories.

5 Takeaways worth calling out

So many takeaways emerged from this event -- and there are more in the book -- but here they are:

💡Connection with your audience matters more than perfection.

💡Content drives impact. Delivery helps, but what you say matters most. Focus on being authentic and what you bring to the conversation.

💡Use the 50-25-25 rule — 50% on thinking and research, 25% writing, 25% rehearsing.

💡Don’t memorize — practice. Aim for natural delivery, not robotic recall.

💡A speech’s impact can be measured by what the audience does when it’s over. Do they take some type of action?

I highly recommend "Say It Well" if you want to elevate your speaking game: https://lnkd.in/eWKxTFwg