### Commanding a Room and Speaking Like a CEO: A Beginner’s Guide
Are you tired of feeling like what you say sounds better in your head than it does when you say it out loud? Dr. Laura Sicola has the solution. As the founder of Vocal Impact Productions, she specializes in helping founders and executives become confident communicators through vocal coaching.
Here are Laura’s top tips for how entrepreneurs can command a room and speak like a CEO, whether it’s to close a funding round, rally a team, or nail their next speaking engagement:
**Why CEOs Need to Master the Art of Speaking**
Founders often excel at building and creating but may lack the skills needed to communicate like a CEO. Venture capitalists look for leaders who can effectively communicate and inspire their team. Coming across as a leader is also essential for building trust with customers and employees.
**The Qualities You Need to Cultivate**
When it comes to authenticity, Laura stresses that it’s not a one-size-fits-all approach. People can adapt their behavior based on the situation or audience. Laura describes this as “your prismatic voice,” and encourages founders to consider which qualities they need their audience to see in them.
**Steps to Command a Room and Speak Like a CEO**
1. **Establish Your Goal**: Start with the end in mind by setting clear goals for what you want your audience to think, understand, or feel after your presentation.
2. **Figure Out Which Qualities You Want to Cultivate**: Consider the specific qualities you need to project to achieve your presentation goals.
3. **Measure Your Baseline**: Use a video camera to assess your current speech and communication habits, noting areas for improvement.
4. **Get to Work**: Implement the following professional presentation tips to improve content and delivery.
**Presentation Tips for Speaking Like a CEO**
– **Meet People at Their Level**: Avoid speaking over your audience’s heads and focus on what they need to know.
– **Explain the “Why”**: Tell your company’s story in a way that resonates with your audience both intellectually and emotionally.
– **Don’t Forget Your Punctuation**: Improve your delivery by avoiding common issues such as speaking too fast, mumbling, or using vocal patterns that convey insecurity.
– **Win Audiences Through Confident Communication**: Remember that commanding a room and speaking like a CEO involves both content and delivery. Perfecting both of these elements can help you become a truly persuasive speaker.
By following these tips, founders and executives can enhance their communication skills and exude confidence in any professional setting.
In conclusion, the ability to command a room and speak like a CEO is a valuable skill that can be cultivated through practice and effective vocal coaching. When you can master both the content and delivery of your message, you can become a truly influential and persuasive speaker.
*Keywords: Communication Skills, CEO, Public Speaking, Vocal Coaching, Presentation Tips, Commanding a Room*