I belong to a small, slightly eccentric group of people — those who actually enjoy standing up and talking in front of others. Yes, I love public speaking! There, I’ve said it.
But here’s the thing — I know I’m in the minority. For most people, speaking in public feels more like a nightmare than a thrill. So what’s the real difference between public speaking and speaking in public?
Grammarians out there will say “Well Michael, Public Speaking is active voice, Speaking in Public is passive voice” and you‘re not wrong.
But from my experience as a trainer, the difference goes deeper. It’s not about grammar — it’s about purpose.
That’s why, at the start of every course I deliver, I tell attendees: I’m not teaching you public speaking; I’m teaching you how to speak in public.
Public Speaking vs Speaking in Public – What’s the Real Difference?
Public Speaking is what I do for a living, Monday to Friday 9 to 5 it’s my job to stand up in front of people and talk. Whether that’s 6 people in a training room or 400 people in an auditorium, it’s what I do and what I love.
It requires more than just good content; I have to maintain interest in a group of people for an hour, 3 hours, sometimes 6 hours. Consequently, there’s a certain amount of performance required to maintain engagement and interest for that amount of time. I need to know how to use my voice effectively, including the appropriate use of humour, understanding vocal concepts like anaphora, the rule of three, and using pace, pitch, and tone to give presentations variety. This is required and expected in someone whose job it is to communicate to a group.
So why is Speaking in Public Different?
So what is the distinction? I have delivered over 100 public speaking courses for various organisations and one thing that all attendees have in common, almost without exception… They are not public speakers. They are on my course because speaking is something they need to do in addition to other roles (and often something they find uncomfortable or potentially terrifying).
They might be presenting their department’s quarterly results in a management meeting, helping with the induction of new staff, pitching ideas to clients or giving a presentation to secure a promotion or new role.
At no point will this activity be a major or significant part of the job. So the stakes and requirements are significantly different from someone who is a full-time public speaker.
Speaking with clarity and purpose.
Speaking in public requires one very simple thing to happen: whatever message you have to convey is conveyed simply and clearly.
The only important result is that the people watching your presentation can say, at the end, I now completely understand what I need to do, say or achieve.
No jazz hands, no clever vocal tricks, not even a snazzy colourful, dazzlingly animated PowerPoint. Just information passed simply with clarity and purpose.
So what should you do? – Speaking in Public Tips.
- Create a Content storm. Whatever subject you are delivering, take time to map out everything you would like to say to your audience. Don’t hold back, be as creative and out there as you can. Don’t worry about your audience or how long the presentation is. Just brainstorm every idea you have.
- Understand your audience. The next step is to understand who your audience is. Are they senior managers who are driven by results, new staff members with no knowledge of the business or a client who doesn’t yet get why your product will help them. Write this out: what they need, what they want, what problem can you solve.
- Prioritise Relevant Content. Now take all the information you have and prioritise your content storm using your audience and the length of your presentation. Pick the parts of the content storm that are most relevant and useful to them and ignore anything that won’t add value.
- Create a Timeline. Take this prioritised information and decide a logical order for it to appear in. Create a timeline with a beginning, middle and end. Use it to help you decide what resources you need: a PowerPoint slide, a video or a handout. You can then bring these elements together, practice the flow of the presentation and build something that you can confidently deliver.
This means that your audience will get the right information at the right time and understand clearly what the next steps are.
If that is all you can achieve with your presentation, that will be enough. It’s not your job to entertain it’s your job to inform or educate, do that and it’s job done.
Learn the Basics of Public Speaking and Presentation Skills
In the courses I deliver, this is what we concentrate on: you will build and deliver a short presentation using the techniques I have listed above. You will receive feedback based on the content you deliver (and jazz hands, if you choose to use them). You will have the tools to take away and use immediately.
You may never like public speaking, but that’s OK because you will be clear and purposeful when speaking in public.
If you would like to learn more about the course I'm running, click Here
If you would like support with speaking in public for yourself or your company, please get in touch
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About Michael Niles: your speaking coach
Michael Niles began public speaking at just 12 years old and has been trained in classical singing since the age of 8. With hundreds of theatre performances under his belt, he brings a strong foundation in voice and stage presence to his everyday communication training.
After 12 years in corporate management, Michael transitioned to full-time training and has spent the past 15 years delivering workshops for both individuals and leading organisations—including Google Digital Garage, Lloyds Bank Academy, and Estée Lauder.
Michael’s coaching is ideal for beginners who want to build confidence in public speaking. His calm, structured, and supportive approach helps learners develop clear, engaging communication, backed by his extensive expertise in vocal technique, presentation skills, and real-world experience.