9 speaking tricks you may not have tried

I joined a Toastmasters club, read up best practices and found interesting research from psychology, sociology and business.

Armed with this experience and knowledge, I hacked my speaking skills and got better fast.

Speaking in public is a challenge. But it can be overcome—and even become something you enjoy—by following speaking tricks I’ll share with you.

I have them listed by “tricks for you” and “for them.”

“Speaking tricks for you” are hacks that will make you more confident, relaxed, and at ease.

“Speaking tricks for them” are hacks that will make you more effective and entertaining.

For you:

Find your model

I can’t speak like Tony Robbins or Martin Luther King. Their speaking styles differ from mine. When I try to become a better speaker, I don’t see them as models. Instead, I look for great speakers who are like me. People like Malcom Gladwell and Alain de Botton are perfect models for me. They are pensive and light-hearted, like me. Look for speakers who are like you and learn from them.

Meet the strangers