How to Speak Like a Leader

Leaders' words matter. In this expert video, discover top tips from a public-speaking expert.

Key Takeaways: speaking like a leader

• There are three key elements to speaking well. Attention, understanding and recall.
• Gain attention. First, capture attention by using new and unusual openers, such as stories or interesting questions.
• Aid understanding. Next, consider your audience's level of interest and expertise.
• Improve recall. Make sure your key message is easy to recall by repeating key information.
• Deploy classic speaking techniques. Rhyme, alliteration, contrast, and echo make your speeches memorable and key messages stick.

Let's Act: speak like a leader

There's a lot to remember and consider to improve your speaking skills and sound more like a leader. To get started, it's good to prepare.

Make this commitment today:

• Create a personal "public-speaking toolkit."

Create a document where you keep great openers, powerful phrases, and memorable messages. You can also add links to confidence-boosting resources and record your experiences to help you improve in the future.

Here are some more Mindtools resources on speaking to continue your journey:

• Article: Speaking to an Audience
• Article: Impromptu Speaking Skills.
• Video: Presenting Like a Pro
• Video: The Story of Business Storytelling
• Article: The Power of Storytelling in Female Leadership
• Podcast: Pain Points Podcast: Better Presentations