Here's how you can cultivate your distinctive speaking style that mirrors your authentic leadership persona.

"To thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man." Developing a speaking style that truly mirrors who you are begins with a fundamental step: knowing yourself. By understanding your values, strengths, weaknesses, and experiences, you can develop a communication style that is genuine, engaging, and impactful. Your ability to inspire and lead others with your words. Embrace this journey with openness and commitment, and your distinctive speaking style will naturally reflect the authentic leader you are. Focus on three aspects 1) Reflect on Your Values and Beliefs 2) Identify Your Strengths and Weaknesses 3) Reflect on Your Experiences Be yourself; everyone else is already taken

You cannot fake sincerity. If you do not believe in what you are speaking about, please do not pretend that you are. If you are always deadly serious, work on lightening up. Intense presenters wear out listeners quickly. Use humor whenever possible, but only when appropriate. Aristotle identified three core components of effective speakers: good sense, good character, and good will. The last is perhaps the most important. It hinges on being likable. There is no cookie-cutter approach to take here because every audience is different. Do your homework about who you are talking to and play to their strengths.

To cultivate your unique style, try this: #Identify Your Strengths: Are you funny? Insightful? Energetic? Reflect on what makes your personality and leadership shine. #Listen to Yourself: Record yourself speaking naturally and identify your natural cadence, word choices, and humor (if applicable). #Watch Inspiring Leaders: Observe leaders you admire and see how their style reflects their personality. #Practice & Adapt: Role-play presentations or speeches, incorporating your strengths and adapting from your observations. #Feedback Loop: Ask trusted colleagues for feedback on your authenticity and impact. By embracing your strengths and practicing with awareness, you'll develop a speaking style that's both powerful and uniquely you.

I believe showing your real self to the people is the best policy here. showcase your strengths, enjoy your words and let your body language support your ideas

If in doubt - speak slower and lower. At least that is my fool-proof recipe, unless by nature you have slow speaking speed and very low voice. High pitch and fast pace makes an impression that you are under stress, not confident and generally just want to "get through with it". Speaking slower is very much connected to your breathing. If you have shallow breath, your voice won't project (it won't have power), but also you will naturally speed up.

The line from “The King’s Speech”: “Because I have a voice!” underscores the transformative power of finding and using your voice. In the symphony of leadership, your voice is the conductor's baton—guiding, inspiring, and harmonizing your team towards shared goals. The art of speaking is not just about what you say but how you say it. A good speaking voice should be loud enough to be heard, clear enough to be understood, varied enough to hold attention, and vivid enough to create an impact 4 tools help you with the same - Volume - Pitch - Tone - Pace Maya Angelou aptly noted, “People will forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel.” Your voice has the power to evoke emotions and drive actions. #DJ

The worst kind of death is being talked to death. If I had a quarter for every presenter who sped through their material, read all of the power point slides, and refused to change their pace in favor of droning on in monotone, we would be taking much better vacations! Never delegate audience analysis. Always watch for non-verbal cues. Every group I have ever been in front of wanted me to succeed at adding value to their experience. I also have had considerable success making sure that humor is part of what I present. Audiences enjoy being pleasantly surprised and humor never fails to deliver.

The WAY you say your message is just as important as your message. Speaking quickly can create an anxious feeling in audience members. Speaking too slow and you might lose some of the audiences attention. Varying your voice inflection, tone, and volume can add interested and focus to various points you have. Changing up the speed to be quick at some points and slower can often help drive home a key point. Remember when you school teachers would slow down and repeat something and we all knew that meant it would be on the test?! Use your voice to help your audience understand what are the important takeaways and actionable tasks.

In my view, the most effective public speakers have a natural rhythm and timing when they combine key messages and points of emphasis with their body language. You can 'feel' the energy of a great speaker who does this well. And, to challenge the LinkedIn statement here, MOST people DO NOT 'over do' body language when speaking. Most UNDER do it! In fact, I say to the people that I teach public speaking to that if they don't feel "uncomfortable" with their new/stretched level of body language, they're probably not doing it enough! Besides, when was the last time you heard someone say, "he/she uses too much body language, or moves too much". That's right - never!

My high school speech teacher noted an annoying habit when I spoke: my right hand flew up and distracted my listeners. She literally threatened to staple my hand to my side if I did it again. Although she is no longer with us, every time I see that hand, I put it back down before she can make good on her threat! Audiences are experts at providing non-verbal feedback and you will lose them if you do not read their responses. These days, seeing half your audience checking their phones is the equivalent of people looking at their watches a generation ago. If you do not get their attention and work hard to keep it, you are wasting their time as well as your own.

Kinetic Communication Beyond traditional body language, explore the concept of kinetic communication. This involves using purposeful movements and gestures that align with your message’s rhythm and intensity. Study movement arts like dance or martial arts to enhance your physical expressiveness. Incorporate these dynamic movements into your presentations to create a visceral connection with your audience. Imagine your communication as a performance art where every gesture amplifies your message.

My most common complaint about male speakers is hands in pockets. I see so many male speakers shove their hands in their pockets. Maybe women don't do this because we don't have pockets. :) This one action can show your confidence, or expertise, or ability to connect with the audience. Standing confidently and yet welcoming will help your audience stay comfortable and engaged.

In my experience, if you aren’t leading with authenticity, People can see right through you. If you aren’t authenticity yourself when conversing within the workplace or anywhere else, people can feel it. I’ve found that when I’m unapologetically me, the response is much more positive and I’m much more relatable. We are all humans.

- Start by understanding your core values, strengths, and experiences, and let these elements shape your speaking style. - Use your natural tone and language, avoiding overly rehearsed or scripted delivery, to maintain authenticity. - Share personal anecdotes and insights that reflect your leadership journey, allowing your personality and passion to shine through. - Engage with your audience by listening actively, responding thoughtfully, and encouraging dialogue, demonstrating that you value their input. By staying true to who you are and fostering genuine connections, you create a speaking style that not only reflects your authentic leadership but also resonates powerfully with your audience.

Engage your audience in ways that break the mold. Instead of standard Q&A sessions, consider interactive workshops or live polls that adapt in real-time based on audience feedback. Use technology to your advantage—augmented reality or virtual reality can create immersive experiences that make your presentations unforgettable. Radical authenticity means being willing to break the fourth wall, addressing unspoken concerns, and making every interaction feel personal and direct.

There is much dishonesty in this setup. I'll keep it simple: if you have a 9-5 job, the messages are clear: don't be yourself, don't be honest, and keep your annual goals in your pocket. When you go out on your own, ride our expertise, talent, and God-given personality, the message is different: be more you; I'll only work with you because you are honest, and Goals are liberating, not factories to pin another year without a raise on the book. I am a happy guy, but I've known only this.

Authenticity is a struggle for many leaders due assumed expectations of how a leader “should” present themselves. While it’s great to have a game plan, calculated and robotic interactions create such a divide between yourself and the audience. Learn how to improvise and connect to your audience organically. When someone puts in the effort to participate, reward that encouragement with genuine enthusiasm! Commend them if sharing something personal or insightful or connect their perspective to your content. Lastly, let your personality guide your interactions. Being a leader means being YOURSELF and utilizing your personal strengths to exemplify your content and connection to your audience.

Content is king, but hyper-personalization is the future. Tailor your speeches and presentations to the unique demographics, interests, and needs of your audience. Utilize data analytics to understand your audience deeply and craft messages that resonate on a personal level. Incorporate elements of their culture, language, and current challenges. This not only shows empathy but also positions you as a leader who truly understands and cares about their world.

I have developed several “Rules of Three” over the years to guide my presentations. One of the most important is my insistence on using at least three pieces of factual evidence to make my point. The thought process goes like this: 1 fact can be an accident; 2 facts can be a coincidence; 3 facts is a trend. This Rule of Three establishes my credibility as a speaker. With credibility, I can make a difference by giving the listener confidence to follow my lead. Without credibility, I am simply wasting everyone’s time.

No matter your voice, tone, how you stand, what your slides look like, or how you walked on stage, if your content and expertise aren't 100% on point, your audience will know. Audiences will forgive a lot if you provide them with content they can use.

As you go to cultivate your personal speaking style — yes. practice, practice, practice matters… but what you practice and how is the secret and try not to over practice to the point that you take the flow and naturalness out of your delivery. One secret I use is to think about the story arc & flow of what you want to say — how one section moves to another. In my opinion, thinking about the arc is more important than writing it out and trying to memorize every word. If you know your message points, understand the flow and remember the needs of your audience, then just stand up and have a conversation. If you feel stuck, try to think about the fact that your audience wants to know: 1. So what? 2. Who cares? 3. What’s in it for me?

I agree to nearly every speaking opportunity that is presented to me or the mere fact that it gives me another chance to practice my content. The more times I get up and speak in front of a group, the more at ease I become at sharing the information. If you don't have stages to practice on, standing in your living room and practicing can be good also. Stand and say your keynote or presentation out load, just as if you were on stage.

Be genuine delivery with fact’s and your message must motivate your audience too act. Sell your dreams too better prepare for the future. Help your crowd see your dreams for the future and offer your crowd too help build a better future for all. If you are not selling a dream for all you are selling snake oil for yourself.

Adapting your speaking style to resonate authentically with your audience involves a nuanced approach that balances your leadership persona with the needs and expectations of those you are addressing. It begins with a deep understanding of your audience—their interests, knowledge level, and preferences. Tailoring your language, examples, and delivery to suit their context helps to establish a connection and ensure your message is relevant and impactful.

Cultivate cognitive flexibility—the ability to adapt your communication style fluidly based on the context and audience. This involves developing a broad repertoire of styles and techniques that you can draw upon as needed. Practice speaking in different environments, from boardrooms to casual meetups, and adapt your style to each setting. This adaptability not only enhances your effectiveness but also keeps your audience engaged and responsive. By integrating these concepts, you can create a speaking style that is profoundly unique, deeply engaging, and unmistakably authentic. This approach not only distinguishes you as a leader but also ensures that your communication leaves an indelible mark on everyone you encounter.