Sometimes you get the call – or create the occasion – to speak about your expert service. As with my services detailed elsewhere on this site (which improve your workshops, teaching and writing for the better) I can coach you towards advanced and inspirational speaking skills.
Public speaking is often held up as the most widespread phobia in the western world. In my experience, even people who aren’t actually phobic can struggle with speaking in public for two main reasons. Do you recognise these? Maybe you had a tricky experience in the past – schools sometimes have a lot to answer for. Maybe, now, you convince yourself that you won’t be any good before you’ve any new evidence on which to base that opinion. Remember, when you’re speaking about your service, your practice or your business, you’re speaking with passion about the way you make your living (and if you’re not passionate about what you do why are you doing it?) That’s very different from struggling through something you were made to do at school and probably had little or no interest in.
Or you may, in the past, have proved to yourself the saying that ‘failing to plan is planning to fail’. Even when you’re passionate about your topic, you still need to prepare in detail. Usually it’s obvious when even experienced speakers are ‘winging it’.
After David Cameron’s speech to the Conservative conference it’s becoming fashionable among politicians to speak without notes. That way, the speaker seems more natural, more spontaneous, and genuinely interested in the subject of the speech. Done well, it’s truly inspirational speaking. And when it’s done well, it’s the product of careful writing, full preparation, and detailed rehearsal. Yet it’s achievable and worth considering being coached in that approach if you want to take your speaking skills up to a new level of inspiration.
Even if you don’t aspire to that, you can ensure that you know and apply the basic rules of inspirational speaking. And remember the rewards – getting a speaking gig is a great way of promoting your practice or business even if you only perform adequately. If you take the steps to be able to perform confidently, charismatically, and inspire your audience, imagine how much more your business will benefit. I’d like to suggest investing in your personal development in this way is vital.
How do I take the next step?
I can coach you to become an inspirational speaker. You’ll be able to put the basics of excellent speaking in place and, of course, apply them whenever you have a speaking engagement. My service starts from where you are – from basic first steps if you’ve not spoken before, to moving you on to new levels of excellence and inspiration if you already have some experience. I can give you constructive feedback on your performance, either by reviewing a video or seeing you work in person. And I know you’ll find this part unbelievable if you’re one of those people who dreads the thought of making a speech – but you can move from that dread to actively enjoying speaking and looking forward to the next engagement. Contact me and we’ll take it from there.
