Are you shy and standoffish? Do you avoid confrontation? These are traits associated with introverts like Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg. But how do you survive being an introvert in business?
Successful entrepreneurs and leaders usually have shared qualities that resonate with people. Especially in the startup phase of your business, you may find yourself having to meet with various strangers to convince them to give your business a chance. Not to mention, there is usually some painfully awkward networking involved with launching your company. Natural speakers often have an advantage in their ability to work a room and make lasting connections with others.
To become more outspoken, especially if you’re an entrepreneur, you need to be groomed, so don’t feel bad if you were the awkward, shy kid who didn’t grow up with savvy social skills like your peers. You can learn them.
Here are a few tips to help you find your inner voice so you can successfully lead others.
Practice Makes Perfect: Develop Your Inner Voice
To find your voice, it might help to take a speech class. You can also strike up random conversations with people to help you improve talking in public.
To work on your conversation skills:
- Practice speaking clearly to yourself by reading a newspaper article out loud daily. This helps you work on annunciating and articulating your words.
- Recite out loud how to make a recipe or how to build something. As you work through the steps in your mind, the words will come to you.
- Read up on the latest news so you will have easy conversation starters with colleagues.
- Write and recite a short speech in front of friends. Highlight key points.
- Before a big meeting, write down the key points you want to highlight in your discussion. Think about what information about your business your audience should take away from the interaction.
You may panic, but as you speak, stay calm. Just believe in yourself, and you can do it!
Find Your Inner Roar
In meetings, you might be put on the spot and have to defend a point with someone. To help you find your inner roar:
- Say “no” sometimes. Calmly argue your point in discussions.
- If you start to panic, relax, breathe and calm down. You may feel a rush of adrenaline as your heart begins to race, but it will pass if you steady your nerves.
- Once you have a few dialog exchanges, you’ll see that it gets easier to get your point across and be heard.
While it takes time, practicing your public speaking can help you gain confidence. You should also consider hiring strong talent to represent your business.