The Chicken Or The Egg?
You know how this goes: Which comes first?
I often ask my clients which comes first—you or your profession? Here’s what I mean: So many people I meet, in so many professions, are uncomfortable speaking in front of others. They tell me, “I don’t feel natural," "I don’t feel prepared," "I don’t feel like myself." Once you can admit that, we're getting to the root of it. The next question to answer is: which comes first? Speakers who are their profession first often have an image in their mind of what they are supposed to speak like, sound like, maybe even look like. They are their profession first. "I am an engineer and this is how engineers speak," "I am a CEO and this is how CEOs are supposed to sound". That type of mentality. You can see where this might be a problem. Speaking in front of others can be challenging enough, but if you add "playing a role" to that, it just gets harder. Remember, you are a professional, you are working in the profession and you are, well—you. So be yourself, the person who also happens to also be an engineer or a CEO or a marketing specialist or a bank manager. There is no presentation template that comes with your job description. So be you when you present. You might be surprised what happens to your confidence and ability to speak in front of others when you relax and allow your personality to shine through.
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How To Look Professional While Public Speaking Professional Speaker Trainer Jan Bailey gives you exclusive tips and tricks from her speaker trainer course, Turn Your Speaking Fear To Your Speaking Power. Public speaking can be difficult. Some people just aren't born with the talent to get up in front of a group and deliver a long speech. The first thing to know about this fact is that THAT IS OKAY. We all have different talents and strengths and if that one isn't on your list of personal gifts, that's okay. Becaues guess what? EVERYONE can learn how to speak effectively. I've seen it myself. I've trained people with aboslutely zero speaking skills—I'm talking shaking-in-their-boots types of nerves—and have transformed them into speakers that now can give lengthy talks to hundreds and thousands of people. It takes a little work, but by working with me, we can get you there. And if you're a corporate professional, in politics, or are just looking to improve your communication in general, my tips, tricks, and training is for you. Let's start with today's lesson, shall we? Try this in the privacy of your home office: Pick a topic you intend to "deliver" or "do a talk on". It can be about anything, from your actual job to your favourite food. It doesn't matter. Now, speak about it for a short amount of time (60-90 seconds). On your first attempt: Slouch your shoulders, drop your chin, and speak quietly. Consider how you feel after you're done. Then, try it again. On your second attempt: Stand up straight – you have to in order to take a big breath Lift your chin - you have to in order to look professional and so that people see you Project your voice - make sure that the "back of the room" can hear you. Project from your belly! Consider how you feel when you're done. There's a big difference, isn't there? Volume + energy = CONFIDENCE & SUCCESS Turn up your volume, you might be surprised at the results.
