Speak Like a CONFIDENT Leader! 3 BEST Ways to Improve Your Speaking Skills as a Leader
Summary
TLDRThis video offers three essential tips for enhancing leadership communication skills. It emphasizes speaking with a firm, clear, and confident voice, which instills trust and authority. The script advises slowing down speech to appear more in control and suggests lowering the tone for a confident sound. It also highlights the importance of eliminating uptalk and filler words to convey certainty and commitment. Lastly, it recommends initiating discussions with thought-provoking questions to lead conversations and stimulate creative thinking within teams.
Takeaways
- 🗣️ Use a firm, clear, and confident voice to convey authority and control as a leader.
- 🔍 Slow down speech to appear more in control and to ensure clarity of communication.
- 📉 Lower the tone of voice slightly to project confidence without sounding too authoritative.
- 🚫 Remove the upswing, or rising intonation at the end of statements, to avoid sounding hesitant.
- 📈 Use the downswing, or downward intonation, to sound assertive and confident in your statements.
- ❌ Eliminate filler words like 'um', 'like', and 'you know' to appear more decisive and confident.
- 💭 Avoid non-committal phrases such as 'kind of' or 'sort of' to project certainty in your communication.
- 🤔 Ask open-ended, thought-provoking questions to initiate discussions and lead conversations.
- 💡 Thought-provoking questions stimulate creativity and problem-solving within team discussions.
- 👥 By asking questions, you can lead a conversation without the need to dominate the speaking time.
- 📝 Practice and incorporate these speaking skills in meetings and interactions to enhance your leadership presence.
Q & A
What are the three main tips provided in the video for improving speaking skills as a leader?
-The three main tips are: 1) Use a firm, clear, and confident voice. 2) Remove hesitancy in verbal communication. 3) Ask thought-provoking questions to start discussions.
Why is it important for a leader to have a firm, clear, and confident voice?
-A firm, clear, and confident voice is important because it conveys control and assurance, which are essential for followers to trust and follow the leader's guidance, support, and direction.
How can slowing down speech contribute to a leader's confidence in speaking?
-Slowing down speech can make a leader appear more in control and less nervous, which in turn can make them seem more confident and better able to hold the attention of their audience.
What is the effect of speaking too fast on the perception of confidence?
-Speaking too fast can make a person seem nervous or hesitant, which can negatively impact the perception of confidence, especially if it's due to fear of losing the audience's attention.
How does the tone of voice affect the perception of confidence?
-A slightly lower tone of voice can convey confidence and control, whereas a high-pitched voice may sound insecure. However, it's important not to lower the tone too much to avoid sounding authoritative or dull.
What is an 'upswing' in speech, and why should it be avoided in leadership communication?
-An 'upswing' is a rising intonation at the end of a statement, which can make the speaker sound hesitant or unsure. It should be avoided as it does not convey the confidence and assertiveness expected of a leader.
What is the opposite of an 'upswing' and why is it recommended for leaders?
-The opposite of an 'upswing' is a 'downswing,' which is a downward intonation at the end of a sentence. It is recommended for leaders because it conveys certainty and confidence in their statements.
Why are filler words like 'um', 'like', and 'you know' detrimental to a leader's speech?
-Filler words can make a leader seem hesitant and unsure, which detracts from their main message and undermines the perception of confidence and clarity that is crucial for effective leadership communication.
What is the significance of using open-ended questions in leadership communication?
-Open-ended questions, starting with 'what', 'how', or 'why', require more elaborate answers and stimulate deeper thinking and discussion. This positions the leader as a conversation leader, directing the conversation and fostering creativity and problem-solving.
How can asking thought-provoking questions help a leader appear more assertive without dominating the conversation?
-Asking thought-provoking questions allows a leader to initiate and guide discussions without the need to constantly talk. This approach demonstrates leadership by engaging others and leveraging their insights and ideas.
What is the recommended approach for removing filler words from one's speech?
-The recommended approach is to simply remove the filler words from sentences rather than replacing them with something else. This helps to create a more confident and clear speaking style.
Outlines
🗣️ Mastering the Art of Leadership Communication
This paragraph emphasizes the importance of using a firm, clear, and confident voice when speaking as a leader. It explains that controlling tone, speed, and intonation can convey confidence and authority. The speaker suggests slowing down speech to appear in control and using a lower tone to sound more confident. The purpose is to ensure that followers perceive the leader as capable and certain, which is essential for gaining their trust and confidence.
🎤 Adjusting Vocal Delivery for Leadership Presence
The second paragraph focuses on the practical application of vocal techniques to project leadership. It advises trying these techniques with new acquaintances first and then gradually incorporating them into interactions with familiar colleagues. The speaker also discusses the concept of 'upswing' and 'downswing' in speech, recommending the use of a downward intonation at the end of statements to avoid sounding hesitant. This approach helps in establishing oneself as a confident and assertive leader.
💬 Eliminating Hesitancy in Verbal Communication
This paragraph addresses the issue of hesitancy in verbal communication, particularly the overuse of filler words such as 'um,' 'like,' and 'you know,' which can undermine a leader's confidence. It suggests removing these words to appear more decisive and assertive. The speaker also warns against using non-committal phrases like 'kind of' or 'sort of,' urging leaders to be fully committed to their statements to inspire confidence and command respect.
🤔 Utilizing Thought-Provoking Questions for Leadership
The final paragraph discusses the strategy of using thought-provoking questions to lead conversations and demonstrate leadership without dominating the discussion. It advocates for open-ended questions that begin with 'what,' 'how,' or 'why' to encourage elaboration and stimulate creative thinking among team members. This method not only positions the leader as a conversation leader but also leverages the collective intelligence of the team to achieve better outcomes.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Speaking Skills
💡Voice Control
💡Firm, Clear, and Confident Voice
💡Tone
💡Intonation
💡Upswing
💡Downswing
💡Hesitancy
💡Filler Words
💡Thought-Provoking Questions
💡Conversation Leader
Highlights
Use a firm, clear, and confident voice to improve speaking skills as a leader.
Control over voice tone, speed, and intonation can convey confidence.
Leaders are looked up to for guidance, support, and direction; a firm voice reflects control.
Hesitant or unsure communication undermines leadership and followership.
Slowing down speech can project control and reduce nervousness.
Excitement can influence speech rate, but it's distinguishable from nervousness.
Pausing and slowing speech can enhance confidence and comprehension.
Lowering the tone of voice can project confidence and authority.
Practice new voice techniques with new acquaintances before applying them in familiar settings.
Remove the upswing in speech to avoid sounding hesitant or unsure.
Use the downswing for statements to project confidence and assertiveness.
Filler words like 'um', 'like', and 'you know' can detract from a confident image.
Verbal commitment and removing hesitancy are key to leadership communication.
Thought-provoking questions can initiate discussions and establish leadership.
Ask open-ended questions to lead conversations and tap into others' creativity.
Being a conversation leader by asking questions is a powerful leadership tool.
Summarizes the three key points for speaking like a leader: voice control, removing hesitancy, and asking thought-provoking questions.
Transcripts
this video will give you three practical
tips on how to improve your speaking
skills as a leader so you can speak like
a leader at work we have a lot of
content to cover in this video so get a
notebook out get a pen ready and let's
get started number one use a firm clear
and confident voice what i'm essentially
talking about here is how your voice
sounds not so much the words that you
use but how your voice sounds and
despite what you might think you
actually have a lot of control over how
your voice sounds you have control over
your tone your speed and your intonation
and all of these things when used in the
right way can help your voice sound firm
clear and confident before we get into
talking about how to achieve that i want
to talk about why it's important for you
to have a voice that is firm clear and
confident well the reality is as a
leader people look up to you they look
up to you for guidance for support and
for direction as well when people look
up to you they want to know that you are
in control that you've got it together
if you communicate in a way that is
hesitant or unsure it's gonna tell them
you don't know what you're doing they're
not going to think you are in control of
the situation and as a result they won't
follow you basically you don't have
confidence in yourself so why should
they have confidence in you now if
people don't follow you because they
don't truly believe in what you're
saying or they don't have confidence in
what you're saying because you use a
voice that is not firm confident or
strong it's going to impact you as a
leader and most emerging leaders i speak
to they want to know how to have more
impact in their career in their team and
in their company having a voice that is
firm clear and confident is definitely a
good starting point so how can you
achieve a voice that is firm clear and
confident well the first thing you need
to do is to slow down your speech when
you slow down your speech it immediately
makes you look like you are in control
of the situation it makes you look like
you know exactly what you are going to
say next it makes you look as though you
are not fearful of losing people's
attention and you're not increasing the
rate of how fast you speak because
you're nervous this is something that
people who are nervous quite often do
the next time you're in a conversation
take note of whether that person is
speaking fast or slow do they look
nervous or do they look in control and
when they speak fast how does that make
them sound does that make him sound like
they are confident like they are in
control of the situation or does it make
them sound like they're hesitant or
worried about losing your attention now
i do understand that sometimes when you
are excited about something when you're
really excited about a project or a task
or a challenge that you are facing as a
leader your excitement will come through
in the rate of speech that you use if
you're excited you'll speak faster so
speaking faster doesn't always mean that
you are nervous but of course you can
detect whether somebody is speaking fast
because they're nervous or they're
speaking fast because they're excited
this is something you can absolutely
detect through their facial expressions
through the other body language and
through the basic words and vocabulary
that they use when they're explaining
something to you but for you we're
talking about how you can speak like a
leader and improve your speaking skills
what i recommend you to do is to slow
down your speech if you feel that your
nerves are coming through if you feel
that you're starting to lose confidence
in what you're saying you're starting to
get nervous in that meeting
take a breath
pause
slow down your speech it will not only
help you look more confident and in
control of the whole conversation but it
will also help your listener to
understand what you're saying because
remember when people speak fast it is
more difficult to understand
what they're saying to understand what
their main point is and at the end of
the day when we speak every time we
communicate it is for the listener it's
not necessarily for us it is for the
listener we need to communicate
so the listener can understand what
we're saying and that is how you have
impact as a leader when you speak you
can also lower your tone of voice a tiny
bit so when we speak in a high-pitched
voice it makes us sound young and
insecure when we speak in a slightly
lower toned voice it can make you sound
like you are confident like you are in
control of this situation do you see the
two differences here in how i just used
my voice in this one video saying
exactly the same thing now when i film
my youtube videos i tend to make an
effort to lower my voice the tone of my
voice a tiny bit you don't want to do it
too much because it can make you sound
too authoritative or perhaps aggressive
or sometimes even dull and boring but
lowering it just enough so you can
convey that level of authority so you
can convey that level of confidence that
you want people to read from you that
you want people to see in you it can be
very very very effective in helping you
speak like a leader and sound more like
a leader at work i recommend you start
to try it out with people you meet for
the very first time so obviously people
you know really well at work they know
exactly how your voice sounds it might
be more difficult to make that
transition with them so try it out first
with people you are meeting for the very
first time see what their reaction is do
they treat you like somebody who is
confident do they treat you like
somebody who is in control of the
situation do they look up to you like
you are a leader you can take a lot of
clues from reading how other people
react to the way you speak and the way
you act and the way you interact with
them and if you find that it is working
with those strangers you speak to then
you can slowly start to incorporate it
in your interactions with people you
already know at work i recommend you
begin during meetings this is quite
often the time when a lot of emerging
leaders find it difficult to get talking
space especially when there's someone in
the room who was a lot more talkative
who is a lot more a senior who's a lot
more of an extrovert than you are so
start during meetings start using it
during meetings and see what the
response is and please let me know in
the comments below how effective this is
for you because i would love to know the
results of this guidance and the tips
that i'm sharing with you another tip i
have for you is to remove the upswing i
have spoken about the upswing a number
of times in other videos on my channel
you have probably already heard of me
talking about the upswing if you are a
regular viewer a regular subscriber of
my channel but in case you're watching
this for the first time and you don't
know what the upswing is i'll explain it
to you right now so the upswing is the
rising intonation
at the end of a statement not a question
but a statement and i'll give you an
example i sent you that report last
friday it was about how we should
respond to that client's request or i
took the train to the city on the
weekend i had to go to the apple store
and get a new computer now these
examples are a bit exaggerated i admit
that but i'm hoping you can get an idea
of what i mean when i talk about the
upswing it's something you have no doubt
heard in movies you probably hear in
your day-to-day life people you work
with probably use it in a business
context it is actually very very common
in society to use the upswing it is more
common in with people who are of a
younger generation most likely because
they're more uncertain or hesitant about
what they're saying especially if
they're talking to senior professionals
but that's exactly why the upswing is
not good for you to use because when you
use the upswing it makes you sound
hesitant it makes you sound unsure of
what you're saying and that is not the
image or the impression you want to
convey when you want people to think you
were a confident leader and i know
because you are watching this channel
you're likely subscribed to this channel
if you are thank you so much but what
you want is for people to recognize you
as a confident assertive leader or
emerging leader that is what this whole
channel is about and one of the best
ways you can get there is to stop using
the upswing instead use the downswing so
the downswing is obviously the opposite
it's a downward intonation at the end of
a sentence for example i sent you that
report last friday it was about how to
respond to our client's request or i
took the train into the city on the
weekend i had to go to the apple store
and get a new computer now i mentioned
before that the upswing is the rising
intonation at the end of a statement not
a question and i want to talk a little
about that now so questions when you are
asking somebody a question it is
completely natural and actually
recommended for you to have the rising
intonation at the end of your question
why because that is how people know you
are asking a question you need that
rising intonation so they can understand
from your tone of voice from the way
your voice sounds that you're asking
them a question now i remember when i
was learning japanese they actually put
a certain syllable at the end of a
statement to make it into a question
they use ka which indicates to the
listener that that person is asking them
a question now in english we don't have
such thing to use so what we do in order
to indicate to the other person we're
asking them a question is by using the
rising intonation so i want to say that
an upswing is only valid for statements
so when you're asking a question you can
use the rising intonation if you are not
asking a question if it's a statement
something you are sure about or you
should be sure about use the downward
intonation now if you like what you've
learned so far in this video there are
two things you can do to help my channel
the first is to hit the like button
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you like this video and like this
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more people like you on youtube the
second thing you can do is to subscribe
to my channel if you haven't already now
every week i share videos on leadership
to help you on your leadership journey
and i would be honored to share my
future content with you too now let's
move on to more tips to help you improve
your speaking skills number two remove
hesitancy in your verbal communication
so even if you have a confident sounding
voice through the speed through your
tone and through the downswing hesitancy
can creep in through the words that you
use if you use words like um are
basically literally just like you know
these are all filler words they don't
really add anything to the context of
what you're saying or to your main
message they just kind of fill the space
or you use them to fill the space mostly
while you are thinking of the next thing
to say so for that reason filler words
can actually be helpful but what i have
found is that when people use them too
much when it pops up in every sentence
or a number of times in the one sentence
it immediately makes you look like you
lack confidence it immediately makes you
look like you are hesitant and unsure
about what you're saying when they are
overused in your leadership
communication it detracts from your main
message and as a leader when you
communicate clarity is everything other
phrases i hear often are it's kind of or
it's sort of for example you know that
client report well it's kind of your
responsibility or i think tuesday is
sort of the best option for the meeting
so again using filler words or hesitant
non-committal words in your speech don't
make you sound like a leader remember
we're aiming for a confidence as a
leader you need to show confidence you
need people to believe you are confident
in order for them to follow you if you
want people to think you're confident
what you need to use in your verbal
communication is verbal commitment you
need to be sure about what you're saying
you need to stick to your word you can't
show any hesitancy you have to be 100
committed to what you're saying and this
should be conveyed through the words
that you use as well as the tone of
voice and everything we've talked about
already in this video but this does take
courage i get it i understand it takes
courage to speak with such commitment
with such a verbal commitment especially
if you're coming from a more passive
style of communication where you are
used to using hesitancy when you
communicate maybe you grew up in a
culture where being assertive where
being committed to your ideas and your
opinions was frowned upon so it can take
a lot for somebody to change their style
of communication to make it more
confident assertive or even persuasive
but i know it's something that you can
absolutely achieve and removing filler
words is a fantastic starting point for
you to get there you don't have to
replace the filler words with anything i
have been asked this question what
should i replace the word just with in
my sentences i advise you to not replace
it with anything just simply remove it
it's a filler word right it's just
filling in your sentence so all you need
to do is to remove that filler word and
your sentence will sound perfectly
confident i want to put a quick break in
the content to see if you've downloaded
the how to become a go-to expert guide
which is available on my website it's a
free download and i share 21 ideas on
how you can become known as a go-to
expert so these ideas range from advice
for your communication or your social
presence or your visibility at work you
can download it from the link at the
bottom of the screen here and i will put
a link in the description below so you
can quickly access it now let's move on
to the rest of the tips number three use
thought-provoking questions to begin our
discussion starting a discussion is a
fantastic way to look like a leader
without the pressure of having to talk
all of the time i know a lot of you
watching are more on the introverted
side you don't like to be the center of
attention and you might be wondering
well how can i be seen as a leader if
i'm not the one who is doing all the
talking well your answer to that is by
asking thoughtful questions by starting
a discussion by initiating a discussion
it puts you in the position of
conversation leader instead of
conversation followers so when we're
talking about conversation leader and
conversation follower conversation
leader is a person who asks all the
questions conversation follower is the
person who answers the questions now the
benefit of being conversation leader is
that you can direct the conversation to
where you want it to go by asking the
right questions the conversation
follower must follow your lead and
answer the questions that you ask them
so by using thought provoking questions
to start our discussion it puts you in
the position of conversation leader
which is exactly where you want to be
now how do you start asking thought
provoking questions well you need to ask
open-ended questions so these are
questions that begin with what how or
why for example what led you to that
decision why did you come to that
conclusion how should we do this in a
more efficient way all of these
questions get the other person thinking
when you begin your questions with what
how or why it gets the other person
thinking they can't answer with a simple
yes or no because you're not asking them
a closed-ended question which only
requires a yes or no answer you're
asking them a question or a style of
question that requires them to elaborate
on the answer to think about how they're
going to answer you and to give you a
more lengthy answer rather than a yes or
no answer it's really the best way to
tap into people's creativity problem
solving skill and creative thinking
ability this will help you get the most
out of your team get the most out of
their expertise and their intelligent
helping you achieve better results as a
leader so to sum up the three points
we've talked about in this video how to
improve your speaking skills and speak
like a leader the first thing you need
to do is use a firm clear and confident
voice the second thing you need to do is
to remove hesitancy from your verbal
communication and the third thing you
need to do is to ask thought provoking
questions to start our discussion this
is how you improve your speaking skills
and sound like a leader at work i really
hope you've enjoyed the tips in this
video if you did let me know in the
comments below if you like this video
hit the like button subscribe to my
channel thank you so much for watching
and i will see you in the next video
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