Sure, developing public speaking skills can help you deliver a big speech or major presentation. But you can put these workhorse skills to use in these 36 additional ways, in settings that range from everyday life to unusual situations. Will this list help you make the case--to yourself or to your boss--for seeking out training to hone your skills?Formal speaking situations:
- Testifying in court
- Arguing for a change in policies before your city or county council
- Testifying before the Congress or a state legislature
- Debating (in a meeting, or in a formal debate)
- Presiding over a ceremony--awards, graduations, and more
- Asking a question of a political candidate in a public forum
- Making a formal motion to change a procedure or law
- Asking for a raise or increase in your budget
- Chairing a meeting
- Presenting an award
- Honoring a friend or colleague on a special occasion
- Speaking up in favor of a colleague's point or project
- Rallying your team to a cause or effort
- Thanking a mentor, senior colleague or a good work effort
- Accepting thanks, an award or other recognition
- Delivering a eulogy
- Sharing bad news with a work team
- Fielding questions from hecklers
- Fielding questions from a hostile or upset crowd
- Advocating a less popular point of view
- Explaining what you do for a living to the uninitiated (which would be most of us)
- Handling questions about your personal life
Everyday work situations:
- Conference calls
- Webinars
- Podcasts
- Presentations to your boss or board
- Presentations to clients
- Negotiations (for raises, deals and more)
- Talking and listening to customers
- Working with clients
- Explaining your product or service
- Framing and telling a story to illustrate your point
- Anticipating what your friend will want to say or hear
- Focusing a discussion on just a few points
- Speaking so you can be understood and appreciated by people of all ages and backgrounds
- Making your point clear
