Accountants have to present information all the time, and they need to do it with confidence to represent the firm well. This is best exemplified through public speaking as a means of delivering information concisely and informatively. This also shows authority in your delivery.
You need good speaking skills to:
- Be credible in front of colleagues
- Be credible in front of clients
- Build your reputation in accounting
1. Credibility in front of colleagues
In order to gain credibility in front of colleagues, you need to be able to present information in a clear, concise manner. Asking for a promotion or sharing your ideas to improve the firm takes confidence. When you can share your ideas confidently and authoritatively, others will listen and this enables you to develop your career as well.
2. Credibility in front of clients
Having credibility with your clients is a must when conducting consultations and sharing presentations. Throughout all business development or training opportunities, it is imperative that you break down the information in such a way that the client understands what they need to do next as a clear course of action. When you master public speaking, you will be able to deliver speeches and pitches in a much more efficient manner with fewer follow-ups than if you had not practiced public speaking at all.
3. Build your reputation in accounting
After you’ve gained credibility with colleagues and clients, you will start building a great reputation in your field. This opens doors for you so you can achieve career growth and move to the level in accounting and showcase your knowledge.
Once you’re recognized at the firm as someone who wants to present and take the lead in meetings, then you can host webinars, serve on committees, bring in new business and even speak at conferences.
Tips to improve your skills
There are a few different approaches you can take to practice your public speaking skills. If you’re feeling shy in front of your coworkers, try practicing with your family first.
The next real-life step would be to shadow other speakers. You can also ask for training or coaching from them. We encourage this at LvHJ and have had great success.
The next level of public speaking would be to offer training on a topic like a new tax law or audit standard the entire teams needs to understand. This is a great place to start.
Then, you can move into building presentations, taking the lead in sales meetings, presenting proposals or prospect presentations, hosting webinars and eventually speaking at conferences.
Throughout your entire career, and this affects other aspects of your life as well, you can build trust and credibility through strong public speaking skills.
At LvHJ, we aim to develop a culture of learning and we are here to help you develop your career. View our open positions and apply today!
