Speak Like a CEO is a “field guide” on how to become a better public speaker. Many CEOs avoid public speaking. This is a mistake because leadership involves communication. Instead of saying “no” to speaking engagements, view public speaking as a game you can get better at.
Communication is one of the most important, if not the most important, leadership skills. As the CEO, you hold the highest position in the company. Your employees, stakeholders, the press—everyone is looking at what you are doing. How good of a communicator you are will determine how good of a leader you are to your team, and how others perceive the company. If you communicate poorly, employees won’t trust you.
To become a great communicator, you need to communicate from a place of honesty and integrity. You must also have a vision that you can clearly articulate to your team and those outside of the organization. You should be a good listener, able to provide feedback, communicate clearly, practice what you preach, and show humility, among other things.
In addition to these qualities, you must be authentic. But what if others look for leadership qualities that you don’t possess? In this case, you need to find your own unique voice, rooted in authenticity. This involves being the way you appear to be, rather than hiding behind a facade. Even if public speaking is currently not your strength, you don’t have to become someone you aren’t. Instead, try to find authentic ways to display leadership qualities. For most people, including CEOs, this doesn’t come naturally. Nobody is born a great communicator. But luckily, authentically displaying leadership qualities is a skill you can learn.
There are several tricks that can help you become a better speaker fast. One of the first things you should do is find a big idea for every speech. Rather than trying to create the most amazing presentation ever, or making your speech long, focus on a big idea. Deliver your speech by speaking in the moment. Nobody likes canned presentations. Keep your speech simple, and don’t try to cover too much. Be honest, optimistic, future-oriented and stand for something.
As mentioned already, nobody is born a great speaker. To speak like a CEO that people look up to, you need to view public speaking as a “game” that you can get better at. Treat public speaking like a challenge. With this mindset, say yes whenever you’re invited to give a presentation. Make it a habit to tell more stories and communicate regularly instead of avoiding public speaking.
It’s important to show up prepared to public speaking engagements. You don’t have to prepare for every possible curveball question someone may throw at you. That’s impossible. But if your speech or interview consists involves people asking questions, they will expect you to know the basics. You need to be well-prepared to communicate your core message. Also: Feeling nervous is normal. Your heart will pound and this is a good thing. If you aren’t nervous, it means the opportunity isn’t big or important enough. As a leader, you should adopt the mindset that the world is your stage. Walk on stage like you belong on stage. Embrace the spotlight.
Now that you know how to prepare yourself for public speaking engagements, and what mindset you should have, what are some of the most common mistakes people make? As hinted at already, one of the biggest mistakes public speakers make is not being prepared enough. Although you should speak from your heart, and be in the moment, never wing your speech. Show up prepared. Another common mistake is dodging questions from the audience. If you’re asked a question, answer it directly. And make sure you incorporate humor in your speech. Nobody likes a dry, humorless speech.
What else can you do to become a better public speaker? One tip Suzanne Bates shares it to film one of your public speeches and analyze it. Ask a trusted advisor or coach to review the footage and provide you with feedback on what you did well and would you should improve.
Now, let’s get to writing a great speech. There’s a method to the madness when it comes to speech writing. One of the best ways to start your speech is with a captivating story. But there are many other things that can help you make your speech come to life. Your speech should include humor, analogies, mind-blowing facts, and anecdotes. You can also speak about current events to make your speech more relevant. In addition to this, you should know your audience and find ways to include them in your speech. For example, if you’re giving a speech to a group of college graduates, you should know something about their college. Mention it by name, and potentially even address people in the audience by their name. Imagine how much more personal and engaging this will feel like.
So far, we’ve talked a lot about speeches and presentations. But what about preparing for a media interview? One of the most best things you can do is to prepare for the toughest questions. You can make a list of the absolute worst questions your toughest critics would ask you. Write down ten or twenty worst-case questions. This way, you’re mentally prepared if an interviewers asks you these or similar questions, and you can answer them with confidence.
Keep in mind that success doesn’t come from nothing. There is no magic trick that will turn you into a world-class public speaker. The truth is that it takes time and effort. You’ll have to carve out time for public speaking and make it a priority. If you’re in a high-stake position and a lot of eyeballs are on you, it’s probably a good idea to assemble a team around you. Your team could include a speaking coach, a media trainer, and even a speechwriter. There is no need to do everything alone. Keep all these tips in mind, and you’ll be on your way to becoming a great public speaker.
Note: In Dynamic Drive, Molly Fletcher shows how top athletes consistently achieve peak performance. One of the biggest lessons is that you need to connect with others. Success doesn’t exist in a vacuum.
Create a list of all the toughest questions an interviewer or someone in the audience might ask you. Write down ten to twenty of the worst questions you can think of. Come up with good answers. But don’t forget to prepare for the most basic questions as well, such as “so, tell me about your book?”
Say “yes” to as many public speaking engagements as possible. Most people avoid public speaking because it’s scary. If you want to become a better public speaker, you have to overcome this avoidance and accept or even actively seek out speaking engagements.
The great thing about Speak Like a CEO is how detailed and practical the book is. Think of it as a “field guide.” You won’t find much filler or fluff in the book. And it’s not a theoretical book. Suzanne Bates gets straight to the meat and shares practical tips on how to become a better speaker.
You’ll learn how to write great speeches, come up with great answers to questions, and display leadership qualities. The main lesson of the book is that nobody is born a great public speaker. If you’re feeling nervous about public speaking, that’s completely normal. In fact, public speaking is one of people’s biggest fears. This book gives you the confidence to lean into this fear. Instead of avoiding public speaking, you’ll see that it’s just a “game.”
While the book’s title implies that it helps you speak like a CEO, anyone can benefit from it. You don’t have to be in a leadership role to benefit from the tips Suzanne Bates shares in the book.
If you’re relatively new to public speaking and you want to improve your skills, this is a great read. However, seasoned public speakers may not learn any new things. This book is best suited for people who are starting out with public speaking and want to learn the basics. Keep in mind though, there are a lot of basics, and this book will give you all of them.
Note: A lot of people think their talents and skills are set in stone. It may seem that others are born as great speakers. Or maybe someone else seems to be a more talented speaker. But as Carol Dweck shows in her book Mindset, this type of thinking stems from a fixed mindset. Embrace a growth mindset and emphasize learning over talent.