Good speakers possess a magnetism that draws others to them. They have interesting things to say and they know how to present the topic with the right length of pause between words or phrases, with the right facial expression and body language, and good pronunciation. Good speakers are more likely to get promoted at work since they can express business ideas and social matters eloquently.

Anyone can learn to be a good speaker with practice. Here are some suggestions to help you along your path to success:

Begin by improving your listening and observational skills. Observe people who are known as good speakers at work and on television. Regardless of your religion, take some time to watch the evangelists on television. They have elevated public speaking to an art. Listen to where they pause their words in a sentence; for example, after an important concept or just before reaching a conclusion. Notice that they never speak in a monotone. Try to imitate the inflection in their voices. Look at the expression on their faces, whether their hands are moving, whether they are leaning into the audience or standing straight. You may even want to record a one hour show and practice in front of a mirror. Most good public speakers do practice in front of a mirror.

Whenever you are speaking with someone make sure to maintain eye contact. It will force your brain to stay focused on the conversation. Sometimes a person is not a good speaker because his attention is constantly wandering in and out of the conversation so he has difficulty following what is being said. Work on maintaining eye contact and you can retrain to a new habit.

Speak with all kinds of people who are in different social situations. Learn to be comfortable around people who are different from yourself. A good speaker has to be able to reach out to everyone on all levels.

Learn to interject a little humor in most of your conversations. It does not have to be a joke (although knowing a few genuinely funny jokes is always an asset) but try to make the best of a boring topic.

Stay current on the news as well as your chosen favorite sports, hobbies, and other interests. You need to have a working knowledge of what is going on in the world so you can participate in conversations. I've met people at work who never read the newspaper, never watched the news on television, and generally had no idea of what was happening around them. They stood around watching other people talk but never had anything to contribute --- sort of being on the outside looking in.

If you have a strong accent or other speech problems, consider signing up for an accent reduction class. Most news anchors on the major networks do not have an accent even though they have been raised in different regions of the country. They know that they need to be clearly understood by everyone if they are to succeed in their careers.

Practice impeccable grooming. If two people gave the same speech and one was clean shaven with a nice haircut and wearing clean and ironed clothes with polished shoes, and the other person looked like a lost hippie from the 1960's, which one would you naturally gravitate to and pay closer attention to his words?

Keep practicing in front of the mirror and then in front of your family and friends. It will build your confidence as you learn to become a good speaker.

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