Public Speaking Is No Longer a ‘Soft Skill.’ It’s Your Key to Success in Any Field

I’ve interviewed young business professionals in their 20s and 30s whose careers are soaring and who get promoted much faster than their peers largely because of their ability to deliver presentations more effectively. Here’s the key. They work at it. Public speaking is a skill anyone can build.

In Warren Buffett’s office, he has one diploma on display. It’s not his business degree. It’s a certificate he earned after completing a public-speaking course. Buffett says it’s the most valuable degree he has. For a man who’s worth $80 billion, that’s saying something.

Calling public speaking a “soft skill” diminishes its value in a world that cherishes the hard sciences. Public speaking isn’t soft. It’s the equivalent of cold, hard cash.