Professional Skills

🎤 Professional Speaking Skills

Your Voice is Your Superpower at Work!

Imagine you’re a superhero, but instead of flying or having super strength, your power is your voice. Every word you say at work can open doors, build friendships, and help you succeed. Today, we’re going to learn how to use this superpower in four amazing ways!

Think of professional speaking like learning to ride a bicycle. At first, it feels wobbly and scary. But with practice, you zoom around confidently, enjoying the ride. Let’s learn to “ride” in four different places: job interviews, meetings, presentations, and phone calls.

🎯 The Four Speaking Arenas

graph TD
    A["🎤 Professional Speaking"] --> B["💼 Job Interviews"]
    A --> C["🤝 Meeting Participation"]
    A --> D["📊 Giving Presentations"]
    A --> E["📞 Phone Manner"]

    B --> B1["First Impressions"]
    C --> C1["Share Ideas"]
    D --> D1["Tell Stories"]
    E --> E1["Sound Friendly"]

💼 Job Interview Speaking

Your Ticket to Your Dream Job

A job interview is like a first date between you and a company. They want to know: “Will you be a good friend to work with?” Your job is to show them the best version of yourself.

The STAR Method: Your Secret Weapon

When someone asks “Tell me about a time when…”, use STAR:

🌟 Golden Phrases for Interviews

When greeting:

“Thank you so much for this opportunity. I’ve been excited to learn more about this role.”

When asked about weaknesses:

“I used to struggle with [X], but I’ve been working on it by [Y]. For example, recently I…”

When asked “Why should we hire you?”:

“I bring three things that match what you need: [skill 1], [skill 2], and [skill 3]. Let me give you an example…”

When you don’t know something:

“That’s an interesting question. While I haven’t faced that exact situation, here’s how I would approach it…”

❌ Words to Avoid

🤝 Meeting Participation

Making Your Voice Heard

Think of a meeting like a group conversation at a dinner table. You don’t have to talk the most, but when you speak, people should think: “That was helpful!”

The 3 Types of Helpful Contributions

graph TD
    A["How to Participate"] --> B["🎯 Add Ideas"]
    A --> C["🤔 Ask Questions"]
    A --> D["👍 Support Others"]

    B --> B1["I have a suggestion..."]
    C --> C1["Could you explain...?"]
    D --> D1["Building on what Sarah said..."]

📢 Powerful Meeting Phrases

To share an idea:

“I’d like to suggest…” or “What if we tried…”

To ask for clarity:

“Could you help me understand…” or “Just to make sure I follow…”

To agree and add:

“I really like that idea because… and we could also…”

To politely disagree:

“I see your point. Another way to look at it might be…”

To bring the group back on topic:

“These are great points. Could we connect this back to our main goal?”

🎯 The 30-Second Rule

When you speak in meetings, aim for 30 seconds or less. Imagine you have one small cup of words. Use them wisely!

Bad example (too long):

“Well, I was thinking about this yesterday, and you know, I remembered when we did something similar last year, and it reminded me of what my old boss used to say about…”

Good example (clear and short):

“I suggest we try Plan B. It worked well last quarter and fits our budget. Thoughts?”

📊 Giving Presentations

Telling Stories That People Remember

A presentation is like being a guide on a fun journey. You take people from “I don’t know” to “Now I understand!” Your job is to make the journey enjoyable.

The Sandwich Structure

Every good presentation is like a sandwich:

graph TD
    A["🍞 Top Bread: Opening"] --> B["Hook + Main Point<br/>What will they learn?"]
    B --> C["🥬 Filling: Body"]
    C --> D["3 Key Ideas<br/>Stories + Examples"]
    D --> E["🍞 Bottom Bread: Closing"]
    E --> F["Summary + Call to Action<br/>What should they DO?"]

🎬 Opening Like a Pro

Hook their attention first!

✨ Making Complex Ideas Simple

Use the ELI5 Method: Explain Like I’m 5

“Machine learning is like teaching a dog new tricks. You show the dog many examples, give treats for correct guesses, and eventually the dog learns patterns. Computers learn the same way—from lots of examples!”

🗣️ Your Voice as an Instrument

📱 Handling Nerves

Before you present, try the 4-7-8 Breathing:

• Breathe IN for 4 seconds
• HOLD for 7 seconds
• Breathe OUT for 8 seconds

Repeat 3 times. Your body will calm down!

📞 Professional Phone Manner

Being a Voice People Want to Hear

On the phone, people can’t see your face. Your voice IS your face! It shows if you’re friendly, helpful, or grumpy.

The Phone Voice Formula

graph TD
    A["📞 Great Phone Voice"] --> B["😊 Smile While Talking"]
    A --> C["🎯 Speak Clearly"]
    A --> D["👂 Listen Actively"]
    A --> E["📝 Take Notes"]

    B --> B1["People can 'hear' your smile!"]
    C --> C1["Slow down a little"]
    D --> D1["Say 'I see' or 'Right'"]
    E --> E1["Write key points"]

🌟 Perfect Phone Phrases

Answering the phone:

“Good morning, this is [Your Name] from [Company]. How may I help you?”

Asking someone to hold:

“Would you mind holding for a moment while I check that for you?”

Returning from hold:

“Thank you so much for your patience. I have that information now…”

When you need to transfer:

“I’d like to connect you with someone who can help you better. May I transfer you to…?”

Ending the call:

“Is there anything else I can help you with today? … Great! Thank you for calling. Have a wonderful day!”

🎧 Active Listening Sounds

On the phone, the other person can’t see you nodding. Use these small sounds to show you’re listening:

• “Mm-hmm…”
• “I see…”
• “Right…”
• “Of course…”
• “That makes sense…”

⚠️ Phone Don’ts

🚀 Your Quick Reference

🎯 The Universal Secret

Whether you’re in an interview, meeting, presentation, or phone call, remember this:

“People may forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel.”

Be warm. Be clear. Be yourself.

Your voice is your superpower. Now go use it! 🦸‍♀️🦸‍♂️

Practice these skills daily. Even a 5-minute phone call is a chance to improve. Small steps lead to big changes!