Do you need to be an extrovert to be a good public speaker?

The short answer to that is ‘no’. In my opinion, there are two criteria for being a good public speaker; a genuine interest in your topic and a desire to communicate it.

 Extroversion v introversion 

These two descriptors have been used to define people for a long time, but their true definitions have become warped.  The proper definitions are based on how we draw energy to ourselves.  If you are an extrovert, you are energised by being with others, and if you are an introvert, you gain energy from within and when alone. 

Over the years, we have tended to view extroversion as a positive state, and introversion as a negative one. Calling someone an introvert has also been used as a negative term. With the above explanations, however, it is easy to see that those evaluations are irrelevant. Extroversion and introversion simply indicate how we are disposed to become energised. 

Extroversion/introversion is a continuum. Some people very noticeably fall at either end of the spectrum whilst many will see themselves somewhere in the middle, needing to both spend time with others and periods on their own to re-energise. 

Extroversion and public speaking   

Assuming a person doesn’t have any traumatic memories around public speaking, an extroverted person might find that being in front of an audience comes relatively easily to them. They might even thrive on it and see it as a platform to project their personalities and gain praise if they deliver well.  They might easily inject humour into their performance, encourage audience participation and see it as their ‘duty’ to engage their audience. Some might even feel they can ‘wing it’ and might be able to give an impromptu speech if called upon. They generally exhibit warmth and enthusiasm, drawing their audience in.  

Introversion and public speaking 

A person might consider therapy for their fear of public speaking not because anything particularly difficult has happened to them in the past that is triggering fear in the present, but rather because being in front of an audience simply isn’t a part of how they see themselves. Unlike the more gregarious, they might prefer small groups to larger ones feeling that they lose energy when in larger groups for any length of time. This can be a contributing factor to their discomfort in front of an audience.  

On the other hand, introverts are often those who listen well to others, are observant and prefer deeper conversation to small talk.  They have much to offer in the public speaking arena though they may worry more than the extrovert about how they are perceived. 

Indeed, some experts maintain that introverts may be better presenters than extroverts, they are the kind of people who reflect deeply on issues and speak when they have something to say. They are the kind of person who will research their topic fully, potentially creating real value for their listeners. Because of their observation skills and ability to tune in to others’ feelings, they are in a position to connect well with their audience.  

Some of the most famous characters in history were themselves introverts such as Eleanor Roosevelt, who was instrumental in developing the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, serving as Chairwoman of the committee. As such, she travelled the world speaking at conferences. She declared that she had been terrified of public speaking in the early days of her marriage to President Roosevelt.

Ultimately though, whether you consider yourself an introvert or an extrovert or somewhere between the two, anyone can learn the skills of public speaking. You can do this through a course or by attending a public speaking organisation where you will have the opportunity to learn and practise the skills.   

The important thing though is to harness your particular qualities and develop your own style. If you have ever been to a conference, you will have seen that each speaker is different in their delivery. Audience members love their speakers to project their authentic selves.   

Hypnotherapy and public speaking 

Wherever you are on the extroversion/introversion scale, public speaking can be a source of anxiety for many. Even those you might consider natural performers, such as actors, can suffer with intense nerves. Sometimes, the fear of public speaking can lead a person to leave a job or university studies or indeed eschew promotion to a position that might require more public speaking. 

Hypnotherapy can make a difference here, addressing the different aspects of a person’s particular fears.  

Very often we can find that there have been public speaking events in a person’s history that have left a person feeling humiliated or judged in some way. Often, these have taken place at school. Taking the emotional charge out of these can go a long way to soothing how a person feels about being in front of others. 

It is important to address a person’s beliefs about themselves as speakers and other aspects of being in front of an audience to reduce the fear. Such beliefs might be “I don’t know what I’m doing”, “I’ll embarrass myself”, “I’m no good at this” and many more.

A person might be affected by the composition of an audience. For example, someone may be fine speaking before an audience of colleagues but be overcome with nerves when a certain authority figure is present. Or, authority figures in general in an audience might be fear-inducing. Size of the audience might also be a factor, as can being called upon to introduce yourself at a group meeting, or being expected to speak up in team meetings.

When we tease all these out for a particular individual, we can address them and reduce their impact. 

It’s about you 

One of the things that hypnotherapy is so useful for is harnessing your own particular resources to bring them into your public speaking experience. We can also harness qualities that we admire in others as speakers. So, with the fear minimised, you get to decide how you want to be in front of an audience and we build that resource, drawing from your past experiences, day-to-day experiences and if you want, your experiences of others demonstrating those traits you admire.

Through mental rehearsal, this public speaking identity if you will, becomes more available when you go out in front of an audience or participate in a meeting. 

When the fears are addressed and you can see yourself speaking in front of an audience in the way you want to, it doesn’t matter whether you are an extrovert or not. You are simply expressing yourself in your unique way and feeling comfortable doing so.