Why Is Public Speaking Important: 11 Reasons to Learn to Be a Better Speaker

Have you ever thought about the importance of being able to speak in public? Can you realize how much it can help you in areas of your daily life? We bet you haven’t even thought about how much public speaking skills can help you during a job interview? Unfortunately, many do not realize it, and worse still, do not even think about it. They believe that since they do not want to become the future Martin Luther King, they should not know how to speak well in public.

Fortunately, you are not part of this category of people. Otherwise, you would not have read the article up to this point. If you notice, public speaking doesn’t necessarily have to occur in a structured and formal environment where people are there to listen to someone deliver a speech. Every day, without even realizing it, we speak in public countless times, and this is because speaking in public is simply one aspect of life. Enough with the talk, and let’s get to the heart of the discussion. Why is public speaking important? Read on as we list the countless benefits of public speaking.

11 reasons why you should learn public speaking

1. Improve communication skills

You are undoubtedly familiar with expressions such as, “the misunderstanding was due to a communication gap or error).” The consequences of such errors, or gaps, could be very costly. In fact, nothing is more frustrating than trying to pass quality information and realizing that the recipients don’t seem to receive it. In this scenario, the problem could be you and not your audience. Why? Because you are simply not communicating effectively enough.

Of course, public speaking is a form of communication. The more you practice it, the more you will hone your communication skills. These skills that you develop will help you connect with people’s emotions by getting your message across more comfortable to understand.

2. Improves the perception of your image

Why do you think people respect great personalities like Martin Luther King, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, etc.? It’s effortless: because of their communication skills. Mastering the art of public speaking will help you make a better impression on others for which friends, classmates, teachers, colleagues, bosses, etc., will respect you much more. And this will positively affect the perception you have of yourself.

3. Encourage the feeling of self-worth

Have you ever had a public speech or a successful presentation before? How did you feel afterward? We are sure that you experienced a great sense of satisfaction and inner joy that is difficult to describe. These are the moments in life that give you a sense of your worth, boost your self-esteem, and prepare you for success in other endeavors in life.

4. Improves your self-confidence and helps overcome fear

The name public speaking means you have to speak in front of many people. Of course, this requires much confidence. If you are not confident, you may end up with stage fright or become silent when in front of many people. Research has shown that the number one fear in the world is that of speaking in public. However, if you master the topic of your speech well enough and practice before addressing the audience (even if this is the first time), you can significantly reduce anxiety.

Therefore, if you devote yourself to the art of public speaking, you will be able to build your confidence and control fear. Not only will this self-confidence come in handy when you have to speak in public, but also at other times. If you have enough self-confidence, then you will also be confident to welcome all opportunities that come. That way, you improve your chances for a better career.

If you feel shy and cannot speak in public, just do lots and constant practice. Practice is the key to overcoming fear of public speaking. With time, you will see how things get better from time to time. The bottom line is that public speaking can go a long way in improving your self-confidence and reducing anxiety when facing a group of people face to face.

5. Serves as a career accelerator

The communication skills, confidence, and self-esteem you develop with speaking in public can help you excel in job interviews and get the promotions you deserve. During a job interview, the interviewer goes far beyond your qualifications because if your resume were enough to get you the job, there would be no need for an interview.

So, it doesn’t work like that. Your ability to communicate, interpersonal skills, confidence, and behavior play a vital role in the selection and decision-making process. On the other hand, don’t believe that the ability to speak in public alone is enough to boost your career. As always, a mix of factors creates magic.

6. Increase your knowledge

We can confidently say that public speaking increases your knowledge. One of the critical factors to speak well in public is to know the subject that will be dealt with in all its details. So, the exposure will come naturally to you, and you can relax. However, to make this happen, you need to do extensive research, and it will be these that will increase your knowledge. Let’s say you want to speak about marketing. First of all, you should read carefully about the topic, and thus, you will learn many new things on the subject.

7. Improve interpersonal and relational skills

Imagine that you are at a party or in any other social context that involves many people. At some point, you notice a person who appears perfectly capable of relating to everyone else by easily initiating conversations with people he sees for the first time, dragging others into speeches, and making new friends. Of course, you shouldn’t confuse these types of people with those nuisances who always like to be the center of attention.

Are you wondering how they do it? We cannot answer for them, but we can tell you that public speaking will help you develop confidence that will lead you to improve your interpersonal skills and maintain good relationships with your friends, family, and colleagues.

8. More critical thinking

Besides improving your speaking skills in public or in front of a crowd, public speaking skills can also help you improve your critical thinking. But what is critical thinking? This is the brain’s ability to solve a problem quickly and accurately.

So, how will public speaking help you with this? Public speaking will require you to speak attractively. Therefore, you must choose the right words and delivery method. Indirectly, this will stimulate the brain to practice critical thinking. When speaking in public, you are required to think about what words should be used quickly. This will help you think critically when you need it.

9. Gives you the opportunity to lead

Good at public speaking? You are definitely the most sought after by those closest to you, either in college or work. Why? Because when speaking in public, you are often required to get the people who listen to you to believe or be influenced by what you say.

For example, when you are at school, and there is an event that requires a representative to be selected, you will most likely be chosen because they (lecturers or friends) believe that you can do it. You will also become a leader in your place of work, where you can express your opinion and explain it in front of many people.

A good leader is one who has strength and can influence others. A leader will be tasked with giving instructions, delegating tasks, and making his subordinates believe in him. All of that requires public speaking skills. So, by learning your public speaking skills, you will indirectly learn how to become a leader.

10. Easy to socialize with many people

Being able to speak in public means that you become the type of person who gets along well with many people. You can connect well with people when there is always a topic of conversation. Other people will love to listen to you, and you also become a good listener.

11. Serves to give something back to the society

How? By speaking in public, you are simply sharing your knowledge with others. And you can inspire people and raise their broken spirits. You can motivate them to make crucial decisions that positively impact their lives and society in general. In this way, you are giving something back to the community. Some great men of the past have changed the world only with their words, and even today, the world is hard to forget them.

Conclusion

As you may have noticed, the importance of knowing how to speak in public is transversal and affects all areas of life. You will hardly find a place that has nothing to do with it. So, believing that it is a skill for the few is simply a colossal mistake. So, we advise you whenever you have the opportunity to develop your ability to speak in public, do not throw away that precious opportunity.