When's the last time you have had to give a speech?

Was it someone's wedding? At a funeral? To children in a classroom or on a sports team? At a Lions Club? At a staff or client meeting?

Most people claim to truly hate speaking before audiences, yet they give more speeches than they realize.

The following is an excerpt from a workbook I use in seminars with clients. As you peruse it, put on your self-evaluation cap and see in which of the primary areas you can improve:

"Connecting with an Audience:

"Effectively connecting with an audience is what builds individual morale, improves team productivity and increases profits. Your success speaking before a group, be it large or small, hinges on many factors but three reign supreme:

"First is your self-confidence. Audiences are perceptive. They detect the confidence you have, both about yourself and your subject. If you don't believe in who you are, they won't believe in you. By every word you use or don't use, by every move you make or don't make, have no doubt that you make an impression.

"Second is your attitude. To be persuasive, your enthusiasm and warmth cannot be an act. Likewise, the respect and courtesy you extend to a group must be authentic. These behaviors build trust and dictate whether you gain audience buy-in.

"Third are the skills you bring to the platform. Unequivocal musts for success include seeking honest, objective feedback on what you do well and where you must improve. Through this you increase self-awareness and are more likely to improve from each speaking experience.

"Connecting with an audience is an opportunity that few have and most fear. It's a risk of putting your convictions on the line. But resolving to find the courage transforms you into an individual who inspires people and positively influences the lives of those around you, sometimes forever."

So how did you do? One critical element not included above is the priceless value of the videotape recorder. Those who take the time to be recorded on tape, see themselves and are coached for improvement, are going to more effective than those who have not. You have to see what others see to connect with a group of people.

Speaking in public and doing it effectively have more consequences than you may realize on not just your business, but your life. In business, presenting well is often what separates great leaders from the mediocre. It's what builds morale in companies and influences multi-million-dollar business deals every day.

In your personal life, it may be a toast to someone whose birthday it is. Perhaps it's the celebration of a life that has passed, a retirement or graduation for a loved one.

Either way, it makes sense to push through your lack of comfort to improve how you communicate for a group because it's not only about you getting better, it's about the connection you share with the people before you. It's about making them better as well.

Joe Takash speaks at business conferences and sales meetings. He is the president of Victory Consulting in Chicago and director of corporate relations at Robert Morris College. Find out more at joetakash.com.