Public speaking feeds the ego.  When you step onto the platform, all eyes are on you.  You might even get the feeling you matter.  Your ego is further enhanced if you do a good job.  Can you hear the applause?  Can you see their smiles?  Can you feel the love?   There’s no longer any doubt in your mind you’re good and that you matter!

But what if you are suffering from a deflated ego?  Given the state of uncertainty the world is experiencing these days coupled with the absence of anyone telling you how great you are, your self-confidence may be on life support.  That could be fatal In today’s business climate.  Where IS the nearest communication skills coach?” you ask.  “I could use a few positive strokes right now!”

I don’t want to get into the perils of ego enhancement in this current discussion.  For one thing, I’m not sufficiently qualified.  I’ll leave that up to Oprah and your Zen master.  But in my experience, any attempt to improve as a public speaker so as to feed ones ego is a flawed strategy from the start.

For one thing, it’s too easy to lose site of why you’re up there.  Your hidden agenda is no longer hidden.  Secondly, you’re no longer committed to your objective because you’re no longer concentrating on your listeners and how they’re doing.  Through a combination of words and actions, you communicate that it’s all about you.  Your audience doesn’t really  matter.  The result: You come across as a performer and the gap between you and your listeners widens.  They are much less likely to believe you or take any kind of action on your behalf.

Strengthening your communication skills starts and ends with your audience.  And the first step may indeed require “checking your ego at the door” by mentally shifting the spotlight off you and onto them.  When you demonstrate that your listeners matter, your listeners will genuinely respond that you matter also.  (Oops!  That’s ego enhancing, too!  Guess you’re going to have to find ways to be humble to offset your continuous improvement as a speaker!)