How Reserved People Can Shine as Public Speakers

by Marcia Yudkin

Are you surprised to learn that there is next to no correlation between being introverted and being able to hold an audience in the palm of your hand?

Public Speaking for Introverts

Above all, the keys to introvert success as a speaker are an understanding of your most comfortable communication style, a controlled speaking situation, careful preparation, some way to connect with the audience, and practice, practice, practice.

1. Know your native speaking style.

As an introvert, you're unlikely to do best with a rah-rah, get-them-shouting style of speaking. Instead, you are more comfortable relying on facts, logic, multiple teaching points, stories, imagination and elegant rhythm or phraseology.

Find models of great communicators whose speaking strengths you can identify with and learn from.  Several sessions with a speaking coach would help you smooth away the rough edges of your presentation style.

2. Seek out controlled speaking situations.

By a controlled speaking situation, I mean a speaking gig where you know in advance how long you have to speak and to whom, where you can plan your talk ahead of time and where you don't have to improvise much or react properly in the moment.

You would probably do better being interviewed in a slow, sincere fashion than in the jokey, superficial style of AM radio.  Don't put yourself on a TV interview show where the host (like Stephen Colbert) takes pride in keeping guests off balance.

3. Prepare what you'll say.

Either create a very detailed outline to speak from or write out your whole speech.  In the latter instance, you won't normally want to read your prepared remarks word for word, but the writing process helps set the content clearly in your mind.

If you keep the structure of what you plan to say extremely simple, such as "Three Steps to Mastering Your Fears," then you'll remember how to proceed even if you don't use your notes.  Audiences appreciate such simplicity, also.

Remember that the audience wants you to succeed in communicating with them.

5. Practice, practice, practice.

Don't merely envision yourself talking through your talk, actually say it out loud - numerous times.  Deliver your speech to your dog or cat, to the mirror, while pacing your hotel room or even while walking around outdoors.  (Hold a cell phone to your ear while doing this, and no one will give you a second look!)

When you don't have enough time to practice an entire talk from beginning to end, practice both the beginning and the end until you not only remember what to say but you can truly put yourself into it.

If you have shied away from speaking because you simply assumed it would not suit you, try it out in a low-stakes situation first, such as a small adult education class. If you enjoy it, then tackle more formal speaking challenges, in front of larger groups.

Leading seminars and presenting at conferences might even become a favorite way for you to build your reputation!

For more perspective on the lived experience of introverts in an extroverted society, sign up for my Introvert UpThink newsletter.

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