Three public speaking skills for executives: the three A's

Executive overview

Most professionals confuse fluency and coherence with strong communication — but at executive level, both are already assumed. The gap is in three sub-skills that separate competent speakers from influential ones.

Master active listening, advanced composition, and authentic deliverance to communicate as an executive.

Active listening

• Listening means understanding the meaning behind what is said, not just the words spoken
• The speaker's lens and the listener's lens are never identical — gaps are the source of most miscommunication
• Different communication styles and cultural backgrounds add nuance that words alone don't carry
• The most common failure: assuming you've been heard, or that you've heard correctly

Advanced composition

• Content is judged on what you actually say — both impromptu and prepared
• Coherent, rational content is the floor at executive level, not a differentiator
• Insightful content demonstrates depth of knowledge across domains
• Impactful content drives the positive change you want to see
• Inspirational content moves an audience to act — the root of persuasion

Authentic deliverance

• Fluency of speech is the bare minimum; authentic deliverance goes beyond articulation
• Authenticity means speaking from genuine knowledge, experience, and wisdom — including awareness of your own gaps
• Self-mastery is the ability to recall and deliver content from the inside out, even under pressure
• Self-governance is controlling internal fear and anxiety when putting ideas forward that others may challenge
• Confidence in authentic delivery comes from a complete, honest knowledge of yourself