If you’re a leader, a healthy dose of fear can be a good thing. In fact, if fear doesn’t push you to take a risk, to up your game, to push to top performance, you may hit rock bottom in your career. That’s especially true if you’re plan to speak before large groups of employees, customers, or colleagues.

Speaking can be a high-stakes proposition in the age of Periscope, Instagram, and live Facebook or Twitter feeds out to the world. Audience members do not take kindly to an unprepared rambler wasting their time on irrelevant topics.

Leaders think strategically, understand the critical link between focus and clarity, and appreciate the value of time.  So fewer and fewer are inclined to let others waste their time. Brevity has become a basic communication skill for professionals.

Here are six best practices as a leader:

Be brief when speaking off-the-cuff. Lectures are for the classroom. Make your point and move on.