I’ve said this many time…I used to be very uncomfortable with public speaking, but I got better at it because I was presented with opportunities to speak in public. One of those many opportunities was at our monthly commander’s calls.
Now, I did this every month and while I hope I didn’t bore people to death, I was pretty much the person they listened to. Something I started (I wish I had started it way earlier) was having the lieutenants in the squadron brief. I’d have them pick a topic, prepare a presentation and do a 5-minute brief to the squadron. Was I looking to extend this monthly meeting…not really, but I wanted to give the LTs the opportunity to speak in front of a large audience. Some were excited about it and others I could sense some reluctance…they had the same fear I had of speaking in front of large audiences. However, I didn’t just have them show up…I made sure to review the topic with them, review their presentation, give some feedback and then tell them to practice, practice and practice some more. Always made me smile to see them perform and see them get over being “uncomfortable”. I encourage you to do the same…either for yourself or your team today…you’ll be amazed at the results. Have a great day!
Deliberate Development 