I have lost count of how many times I have heard stories about accountants who failed to make the most of a speaking opportunity.
Most recently, this has been when a sole practitioner rejects an invitation to guest on my podcast, either because they don’t like the sound of their own voice or they are not confident they will be able to sustain an interview.
This is such a shame.
In other cases, accountants have told me how they fluffed their spot at a structured networking event. Or they have bad memories of a time earlier in their career when they messed up a presentation, either as part of a pitch or at a seminar.
Speaking skills are critical
I’m always sad to hear such stories because I know how important it is to be able to speak in front of a group. Whether to influence or impress an audience, to assert your authority or to demonstrate your confidence.
Not everyone can do this naturally, but most people who claim to be unable to do so are simply untrained and have a natural fear of the unknown.
There are often two separate issues here.
- The first is having the confidence and ability to stand up and communicate effectively with an audience.
- The second is developing and delivering a powerful talk that is memorable, relevant and perhaps even a little special.
Confidence comes from practice
If you lack the confidence to speak in public, or you have never had constructive feedback on your speaking skills, I recommend finding a local speaking club.
There are plenty around the UK; some are ideal for novices and others are more suitable for experienced speakers who want to improve.
At various stages in my life, I have belonged to Toastmasters International. Despite the name, this has nothing to do with the red-jacketed toastmasters sometimes seen at formal functions.
There’s approaching 200 Toastmasters clubs all over the UK (and thousands around the world). They all operate in much the same way.
Members develop their skills initially by working through the Competent Communication manual, a series of 10 self-paced speaking assignments designed to instil a basic foundation in public speaking. There are also fun exercises in each club every week.
Everyone who joins Toastmasters works through the manual to achieve the status of ‘Competent Communicator’. Thereafter you have a choice of other programmes to further develop speaking skills in different directions.
They give members the opportunity to practise speaking in a supportive, self-help style environment, to receive feedback and gradually develop their skills.
That combination is important. Reading books and watching good speakers online or live can certainly help, but there is no substitute for actually getting on your feet and speaking.
Another organisation that may be worth exploring is the Association of Speakers Clubs (ASC), which also has over 100 clubs around the UK and aims to help members develop their public speaking, communication and leadership skills. has some
Then there is the Professional Speaking Association (PSA), although its purpose is rather different from that of a local speakers’ club. The motto of the PSA is ‘Speak more…..Speak Better’. I was thrilled to be elected a Fellow of the PSA in 2013. This is the highest level of membership and evidences a high level of professional experience and ability 😉
The PSA encourages everyone who needs to speak professionally whether as trainers, coaches, consultants or professional speakers. So it can also be relevant to accountants who want to use speaking as part of building their practice.
Becoming confident isn’t the whole answer
It is quite possible to become a confident speaker without becoming an effective one.
This is where I think some accountants (and many members of speaking clubs) miss the point.
They focus on overcoming their nerves, learning how to stand, where to put their hands and how to avoid too many “ums” and “errs”.
All of that can help. But the bigger question is whether the audience will remember anything useful after you sit down.
A polished delivery cannot rescue a dull or poorly conceived talk.
A key question to keep in mind is: what do you want the audience to think, feel or do differently as a result of hearing you speak?
That question changes your focus.
Instead of asking, “What shall I talk about?”, you start thinking about the audience and what would make the talk valuable to them.
For an accountant who wants to build their practice, that distinction is especially important. Your objective will rarely be to demonstrate how much technical knowledge you possess. You want the audience to recognise that you understand issues that matter to them and that you can explain complicated subjects clearly.
That is a very different form of credibility.
Practise where it is safe to practise
One advantage of joining a speaking club is that it gives you somewhere to experiment.
You can practise talks, try different openings, discover which stories or explanations work and become more comfortable dealing with an audience. You can also receive feedback without every appearance feeling commercially important.
Over time, that experience should make it easier to speak effectively when the opportunity really matters.
And speaking opportunities do matter.
A good presentation allows prospective clients and introducers to experience something of how you think and communicate before they ever consider engaging you. They can see whether you make complicated ideas understandable, whether you appreciate commercial realities and whether you appear to be someone they would feel comfortable talking to.
That can be far more powerful than simply telling people that you are an experienced accountant.
Don’t confuse speaking with selling
You may also be tempted to exploit the networking opportunities that present themselves at speakers’ clubs or at local business networking groups.
I would offer the same advice here that I have long given about networking generally: first aim to get to know the people you meet.
Use the speaking opportunities to practise talks you might later give as part of promoting your practice. Learn from other speakers. Give useful feedback. Become part of the group.
But don’t attend meetings with the aim of coming away with new clients.
In time, you may well find that fellow members need your help or know people who need professional advice. But if people sense that your primary objective is to sell to them, you will make building those relationships much more difficult.
There is a broader lesson here too.
Public speaking can undoubtedly help accountants build their practices. But it works best when the objective is not “How can I sell my services from the stage?” but rather “How can I say something useful and memorable that demonstrates the value of my thinking?”
Get that right and the commercial benefits can follow naturally.
And, like most worthwhile professional skills, you are unlikely to master it simply by reading about it. You need opportunities to practise, useful feedback and the willingness to keep improving.
