Transcripts

Suzanne Bates:
Well, I think the biggest mistake people make is underestimating the importance of public speaking to their careers.

Suzanne Bates, author of the book, Speak Like A CEO, says sooner or later everyone in every career will have to speak in public even if it's just informally. And when you do speak…

You really need to prepare to deliver any remarks. I mean, if you see somebody get up in front of an audience and appear to be speaking off the cuff, telling a good story, even just speaking from the heart. 99.9% of the time they have prepared, they have written it out, they've practiced it and they know they're going to deliver it effectively. So, that when they get up to speak they look comfortable and confident as if they're speaking off the cuff. While in fact they're usually well prepared.

And what exactly does it mean to prepare?

You need to start well ahead of time. And write down what it is you want people to know and what it is you want them to believe after you've gotten up to speak. So, write that down and prepare an open to the presentation so that you are telling people what you're going to tell them.

And you have to practice what you're going to say, out loud.

This is one of the big mistakes people make. They'll prepare their remarks and go over and over them silently. But they never get up to speak. And when they get up to give the presentation it's as if they're giving it for the first time. And the first time you give a speech is never the best time.

Tomorrow, the importance of telling stories. I'm Mike Carruthers and that's Something You Should Know.