When people think of confident speakers, they often imagine big gestures, strong voices, or powerful words. However, the real power often sits in the silence between the words. Most people rush. They speak too fast because their brain is racing ahead: worrying about what’s coming next, how they sound, or how people are judging them. […]
Self-doubt is a proper demon, isn’t it? In my attempts to fight it, I’ve used breathing exercises, posture tweaks, power stances, tongue twisters, in fact the whole confident speaker all-you-can-eat buffet. And yes, those techniques did all help, but only became truly effective until I did the one thing I didn’t think was significant: actually
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I love Batman/Bruce Wayne (especially the Christopher Nolan Dark Knight trilogy). Batman’s brilliant as a comic book hero because he has no superpowers. He’s just a chap with gadgets, questionable bedtime habits, and an intense prep routine (a contingency plan for taking down Superman is not paranoia; that’s preparation). Most speakers seem to avoid preparation:
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Some people seem to think that confident speakers simply don’t experience nerves. That’s not even close to what’s actually happening! Nerves are like that one colleague who always comes to the meeting uninvited. The trick isn’t getting rid of them; it’s getting them to behave and perhaps even help. When you feel nervous, your body
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What makes you tick?What makes you uncomfortable?What do you love?Why are you speaking? Share some or all of these things in the first minute and you’ll create a connection with your audience. Good communication is all about rapport, empathy, relatability, authenticity, humility, and humour. Stand-up comics often start with the most important thing people need
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