Characteristics of Great Speakers

What kind of speakers do you enjoy listening to? What kind of speakers do you get turned off?
Geoffrey X Lane, an internationally well-known professional speaker, lists some characteristics of great speakers as the following:

• stories with solid contents which reach people’s heart and have a strong impact on other people’s lives.
• a sense of humor which eases the audience’s nerves
• a well prepared and organized speech
• approachable
• being a authentic self
• continuing to grow as a speaker as well as an individual.
• speaking with passion.

The audience is smart. If a speaker is trying to say something funny or to impress others or talk something that he or she is not interested in at all, the audience will know if it’s “genuine” or “fake”. If you try to take on some characteristics of great speakers, such as Bill Clinton, if it is not of your true character, it is very unnatural, isn’t it?

The important thing in public speaking as well as our daily communication is to nurture your own unique personality and speak with passion as who you are. Even if it is a difficult subject, your charm and uniqueness will transform through your story and give the audience a strong impact.