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Excellent public speakers come in all shapes and forms. Some people love interjecting humor and lightheartedness into serious topics. Others paint vivid pictures with their use of storytelling. Then there are those who will expertly open and close a loop with a metaphor and those who deliver complex information in a straightforward yet digestible manner. But one thing is for sure: Public speaking is a crucial skill for advancing your career — regardless of your style.

The skill and art of communicating effectively will be used in many areas of your career: running and participating in meetings, influencing and selling, networking with your peers, getting buy-in on an idea of yours or interviewing for new positions. From my years as a Business coach to Entrepreneurs and Businesses, I have seen the higher an individual progressed up the corporate ladder, the more meetings they would attend and facilitate.

Whether you’re in a senior role and still struggle with the thought of public speaking or you’re just starting to get more involved in activities that require presenting and facilitating, developing your oral communication skills can only benefit your professional aspirations. And, since there is a vast array of advice on speaking, focusing on one important thing to improve can yield more impactful results than trying all the tips out there at once. Plus, it’s easy to get overwhelmed when trying to emulate all the different outstanding speakers of this world.

Oftentimes, when you try to implement some of the mentioned strategies, you may run into challenges. To resolve this very issue, I wrote my book “The Breakthrough Accelerator - Resolve your Biggest Challenge in 4 weeks”- Receive your Free download of my book by Clicking this Link

The no. 1 trait all the best public speakers share

The best trait a public speaker can possess is being relatable. Being relatable means being comfortable with who you are, which will help in terms of being authentic and uniquely yourself. A meeting in front of a board or a sales presentation will run so much smoother when you present or speak from the level of your audience without trying to come across as being better than anyone else in the room.

Spend some time watching different viral speech videos online and you’ll quickly notice that the most powerful speakers always find ways to be relatable to their audience — even when telling extraordinary stories or communicating expert advice.

Cultivating relatability

But how do you go about cultivating relatability? Showing up as your authentic self will help others relate to you. And when you are shaking and sweating and feel butterflies in your stomach, it can be challenging to be yourself. It helps to embrace your nerves and remembering that even the most seasoned speakers get stage fright. Make friends with nervousness because it’s not a sign you’re not good at speaking or unprepared. It’s normal and a natural reaction in your body.

It’s also important to remember that becoming an exceptional communicator requires practice. And the more you practice, the more confident you’ll become, which will in turn make you automatically more relatable. The skill of speaking is a lifelong practice. Each opportunity will enhance your skills and give you more confidence in your ability. Increased confidence will improve your relatability with your audience.

So, go ahead and get cracking on your next big speech (butterflies and all!).