Cultivate these essential qualities of professional speakers

It takes more than talent to succeed in a life at the lectern. You need drive, self-knowledge, self-discipline and much more.

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What does it take to succeed in the competitive world of professional speaking?

It’s more than just talent.

What you need is the ability to work harder than your competition. Those who show toughness and hang in there are the ones who make it.

Recently, though, I was reading about emotional intelligence and reflecting on how important it is for public speakers.

Here are the five personal characteristics, drawn from the research on emotional intelligence, that professional speakers must have to be successful:

The drive to succeed. This drive is what causes you to rehearse your speech and improve your craft relentlessly, to work harder than the competition and to keep going when everyone else has given up. It remains the first and most important characteristic. Without it, you won’t have what it takes to beat the odds.

Self-knowledge. An awareness of your strengths and weaknesses is essential for mastering any skill, and public speaking is no exception. That means being prepared to hear tough criticism and to embrace your critics. It also means knowing what you are good at. I meet many people who are uncomfortable with their excellence, and just as many who are unwilling to face their shortcomings. Self-knowledge means awareness of both.

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