With all eyes on you as the speaker, every opportunity to make a presentation is an opportunity to showcase your leadership potential. Here are some easy but powerful ways to do so.
Leaders Inspire: as a speaker, use your speech to inspire the audience towards a powerful vision of what you want to see happening. Move beyond petty issues and keep your focus on the larger good.
Leaders display emotional balance and maturity: stay objective, taking care to respect both sides of a discussion. Consider supporting and dissident opinions equally, acknowledging both for the value they bring.
Demonstrate leadership values: Be ethical, don’t speak ill about others, whether absent or present, competitors, other functions or individuals. Also discourage others from doing the same. Mind your language, ensure you are courteous and polite always. Share credit and appreciation instead of blame and criticism.
Leaders are decisive: While you collaborate towards a decision, as the speaker you must have your own a well-informed and courageous stand on issues and a clear ask. Dithering over decisions, fence sitting can cause delays and frustration.
Leaders get action: Keep the discussions carefully limited to the agenda. Boldly park other divergent topics for another time and forum. Define action steps for the future with accountabilities for those involved.
Leaders Energise: Always stay positive and optimistic, portraying difficulties and weaknesses as opportunities to improve. Encourage, motivate and be supportive. Stand erect, be vibrant get yourself excited about your presentation!
A leader’s energy and mood are contagious and your communication as a speaker is a clear reflection of these. So gear yourself up, take responsibility and charge forward!