Building Your Communication Confidence

I teach public speaking for a living. When I share this fact with others, they sometimes treat me as if I’m some incredible daredevil because I can speak in front of an audience. (Public speaking is considered the #1 fear for a lot of people.) The conversation often leads to them saying that they lack the confidence to speak in public and would hate having to take my class.

I tell them that they are wrong. They would love my class and by the end of it they would be a much more confident and capable public speaker. Because I firmly believe that anyone can become a more confident speaker, whether it’s speaking in public, small groups, or in one-on-one situations. Communication is a skill, not a superpower that is gifted to only a chosen few. You can learn to communicate and learn to do so with confidence.

How do you learn this amazing power? There’s only one surefire way – experience. The more you practice this skill, the better you get. The problem is that, yes, at first you may not be where you want to be. You might not yet be able to command a room with the power of your voice. Don’t fret, like training for a marathon, you have to take it one step at a time.

Over time you’ll improve. You’ll make mistakes, learn from them, and do better next time. Those experiences help you know what to do next time. You get smoother, more confident, and more engaging. The only reason I’m able to speak so confidently in front of others is years of experience, and this includes years of trial and error.

This is why I recommend joining Toastmasters. You’ll gain so much experience and confidence in a supportive environment. I also recommend improv classes. By getting out of your comfort zone you learn to better communicate and handle yourself in many different situations.

They key is to keep trying and working and building your skills. It will happen, and one day you’ll realize that you do indeed have that confidence you’ve always wanted.