2-Minute Tip : The Stage as War Zone   Think of the stage as a war zone. Not in the sense that the audience is an enemy. The enemy is the way many folks hold back and don’t spend all their energy on stage.   To mix metaphors even further, the stage is that poker hand where you need to go all in./ If you hold chips back — if you hold energy or enthusiasm back — you won’t win. You won’t accomplish your goal.   When you get off stage, you want to be exhausted and drained because you left it all out there.   Post Tip Discussion   One reason I like talking about public spea ..read more

2-Minute Tip: Tell Stories   Stories are how humans connect. They form the basis of our social relationships. They’re how we share history.   As a speaker, one of the best ways to make sure you connect with your audience is to tell stories — and not just one. Illustrate your talk with as many stories as possible. Generic ones are okay, but authentic, personal stories will bring you the most success.   Post Tip Discussion   Grant Baldwin has built a business speaking to speakers about the business of speaking. He hosts the Speaker Lab podcast, which is in my weekly must list ..read more

2-Minute Tip: Be Authentic and Tell Your Story   Across the different guests I talk with, the theme of authenticity keeps coming up in the tips. It’s similar in many of them which demonstrates just how important it is. Also interesting is how each of them brings their own angle to the concept.   When you tell your story and use it to connect with the message you want to convey, it’s much easier to have a memorable and authentic impact on your audience. And that’s ultimately what you want.   When you are talking about things that aren’t about you specifically, you can still let y ..read more

2-Minute Tip: Be Your True and Honest Self   We talk a lot about authenticity because it matters. And while it may seem daunting, it can actually make things easier. When you don’t try to fake it, you don’t waste brain cycles and energy trying to maintain a façade.   There are 3 questions to ask yourself when you prepare to talk to an audience:   Who are you really? What do you have to offer your audience? What do you have to gain from the experience?   Integrate this framework into your prep work to put yourself on the path to success.   Post Tip Discussion: Meet He ..read more

2-Minute Tip — Connect with Your Audience   Before speaking, meet your audience members. In a small meeting, maybe that means greeting them as they come in to the conference room. At a larger event, that may mean mingling with attendees in the venue.   By meeting with some of your attendees before you speak, you start to build a connection and a more personal relationship. It can make your audience instantly more friendly to you as a result.   It can also give you Valuable information about things that are on the audience’s minds that you may be able to incorporate into your tal ..read more

2-Minute Tip: Earn your Confidence   If you project confidence on stage your audience is more likely to believe you. If you are confident, you’ll feel less nervous getting up to speak.   Confidence doesn’t come for free, though. You have to earn it. And you earn it by doing to work — by planning, editing, revising, practicing and rehearsing. If you don’t do the work, you don’t deserve the confidence and probably should be nervous.   So if you find you lack confidence in your public speaking, ask yourself, “Did I do the work to deserve it?” If the answer is, “No,” okay. Now you k ..read more

2-Minute Tip: Be Vulnerable   We often talk about the importance of authenticity as a speaker. Another way to think about it, though, is vulnerability.   The benefit of vulnerability as a speaker is that the audience can feel where you are coming from. It’s easier for them to connect with you.   And if they feel that stronger sense of connection, they are more likely to pursue the action you are calling them to pursue.   Post Tip Discussion: Meet Charles White   When I put together an episode, I don’t always know what it’s about. I do my core edit of the conversation w ..read more

2-Minute Tip: Know 3 Stories   While it’s helpful to have lots of stories at your disposal, there are three types that will help you in speeches, job interviews and client interactions.  They are Underdog, Authority, and Fixer.   The Underdog story is the story of where you came from. It’s the obstacles life put in your path and how you got over, around, under, or through them to get where you are today.   The Authority is the story about your expertise. How do you know what you know? Why should people listen to you? What makes you different from other f ..read more

2-Minute Tip: Reframe your Anxiety   Anxiety and excitement are closely related so if you’re nervous before speaking, reframe it in your has as excitement. Tell yourself how excited you are at this opportunity. The physical symptoms — jitters, racing heart, etc. are very similar so give your brain a different interpretation of them   Post Tip Discussion: Core Confidence   Authenticity is something a lot of my guests talk about because it matters. You can take inspiration and learn best practices from other speakers, but don’t try to be other speakers. Be yourself. It’s a heck of ..read more

2-Minute Tip: Don’t Apologize   Or more specifically, don’t start your talk by apologizing to the audience for the talk they are about to hear. It comes across as an appeal for pity. When you do that it means you are starting from a position of weakness rather than one of strength.   The opening few moments of your speech are where you can have a tremendous impact. Engage your audience with something compelling. Don’t waste it apologizing about how you were up late the night before and don’t feel prepared to deliver your material well. Don’t start by telling the audience they made a ..read more