Want to Get Better at Public Speaking?

The Angel Edit: Want to Get Better at Public Speaking? 

Read Time: 5 minutes

Topics Covered: Public Speaking, Confidence Building, Storytelling Skills, Feedback Mastery, Continuous Learning

Over the last month, I’ve had to do significantly more public speaking, speaking on live radio, TV panels, and giving media interviews.

When I share the behind-the-scenes of this journey, people often ask, “Angel, how do you do it? How do you look so confident?”

The truth is, when I started public speaking, I would get so nervous I could sometimes not even say my own name.

I would break out in sweat, and my heart would beat really fast.

And that still happens!

The difference is, I found tools to focus on how I get 1% better each time.

If you’re looking to speak with more confidence and boost your visibility, here are the four steps that helped me close the gap.

1. Ask for Specific, Live Feedback

Don't wait for formal feedback down the line.

As you practice, get people you trust to give you feedback up front.

After the session, always ask the organizers or hosts:

• What resonated? Find out which specific points landed well with the audience.
• What could have gone deeper? Ask what they would have liked me to expand on.

This gives you live-in-the-moment feedback that helps you build on your points while they are still fresh.

2. Get Uncomfortable and Watch the Replays

It took me a long time to watch my own podcasts, YouTube clips, and recordings.

I was great at pushing the content out, but watching it back made me so uncomfortable.

But you must get through the discomfort.

Watching the replay helps you pick up on elements that regular feedback misses:

• How you hold eye contact.
• The pace of your delivery.
• How your body language and hand signals land.

Since public speaking is in service to your audience, you need to see yourself as they see you. 

3. Build a Bank of Powerful Stories

Early in my career, I focused only on data and research to establish credibility.

But I realised people rarely remember data.

They remember stories.

Stories are the quickest way to build rapport, trust, and authenticity.

If I forget everything else, I remember my own lived experiences.

• Build a Story Bank: Collect personal anecdotes about a time you had to be a sole breadwinner, lost your voice, or the day you started your business.
• Shift the Focus: Use stories to shift the focus from you to your audience. Instead of saying, “I lost my voice, and I fixed it,” try: “That time I lost my voice made me realise I had to find myself again. Here’s how you can find your own voice.” 

4. Commit to Constant Learning

The biggest skill that will enable your success is your communication skill.

It’s a constant learn-as-you-go process.

I’m always looking for experts in this field.

I look at other people's recordings to see what lands well.

I look at colleagues in media and facilitation to see what I can learn.

You must commit to this iteration and constant learning.

Growth comes from feedback, reflection, and iteration, not perfection.

Each time you speak, treat it as a mini lab for improvement.

This is what I do with my community of accelerators.

If you want more tools and frameworks like this to truly level up your career, join the waitlist for the Career Accelerator here.

I’d love to hear from you.

What’s one presentation hack you swear by?

Rooting for you,

Angel Kilian

Founder  l Career inFocus