The Speaking Club: Mastering the Art of Public Speaking

This month has been loosely themed around performance, and I’ve had an idea for months of doing an episode on ‘Framing’. This concept is used in many art forms, and is basically another story, situation or structure that allows the original story to be told, or better understood by the audience. You will have come across ‘framing’ in various forms within the arts, from Shakespeare plays to Hamilton the musical, from the movie Forrest Gump to the book 1001 Nights.   It’s so important to be able to keep your content fresh, engaging and relevant, and ‘framing’ is a tool that I use in my own talks and one that I teach when I’m coaching clients to achieve this. It allows you to keep your core content but frame it in a way that makes your presentation more accessible and relatable for different groups of people.   I hope you enjoy the show!   What you’ll discover: Why speakers should use framing. What ‘framing’ is and where it is most commonly used. Examples of framing across theatre, TV, film and literature. How you can use framing in your talks without starting from scratch. Examples of different frames you could apply using one of my talks as an example.   Thanks for listening! Resources: Storytelling Template for Success    To share your thoughts: leave a comment below. Share this show on Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn.   To help the show out: Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and review really help get the word out and I read each one. Subscribe on iTunes. See you next time.

Steve Cross began his career as a scientist, but soon left the lab to pursue his calling of making science more engaging. He shifted into communications, which led him to start the Bright Club, a project to make scientists funny. Today, alongside his more serious work with Universities and other institutions, who he helps with communication and engagement policy, he is also regarded as a Prince amongst Nerds! He has created a geeky comedy empire teaching all sorts of clever people how to make themselves and their content more engaging.   In this show Steve gives us some brilliant tips for making our content funny, whether we’re a speaker looking to up our audience engagement, or a business owner looking for ways to build our brand and business. Steve is also keen to share why we should let go of the concept of a ‘great speaker’ and follow our own path in business.   Enjoy!   What you’ll learn Why learning comedy is one of the quickest things to learn to make your content more engaging. The power of comedy and humour in improving your public speaking, raising your confidence, and growing your career. How to moderate your style for your audience. What an ethnographer is. How emotionally engaging with your own work makes it funnier. Why being funny is a learned, rather than natural skill. How comedy comes from detail and specificity. Ways in which you can make your content engaging across various communication channels. Why the tools and techniques of comedy are effective in building your social media profile and following. The importance of designing your own visual identity as a speaker. Why we should let go of the concept of a ‘great speaker’ How critical it is to adapt your style for the audience you’re speaking to and what they need. Why doing stand-up comedy is the most effective tool for teaching you to read an audience. The benefits of trying new things rather than sticking with the same talk. How to handle difficult questions. Why it’s important to choose the way you run your own business, rather than trying to keep up with the latest trends.   All things Steve: Clever Make Funny Website – https://clevermakefunny.com Chaotic Adequate Podcast - https://chaoticadequate.wordpress.com Steve’s Own Website - https://drstevecross.wordpress.com Steve’s FB Page - https://www.facebook.com/SteveCrossComedy Science Showoff – http://www.scienceshowoff.org   Books mentioned in the Show with Amazon Link: Impro by Keith Johnstone Teach Yourself Stand Up Comedy by Logan Murray     Resources* The Museum of Rural Life in Reading Twitter Account   Titter Comedy Course - Online: Sarah has been running comedy courses for a number of years, and she is now taking her flagship live course ‘Titter’ online. If you would be interested in learning how to make your presentations or content Funnier – then you join the Titter online waiting list here.   Thanks for listening! To share your thoughts:                                                  leave a comment below. Share this show on Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn.   To help the show out: Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and review really help get the word out and I read each one. Subscribe on iTunes.   *(please note if you use my link I get a small commission, but this does not affect your payment)  

I’ve done hour long stand-up comedy shows, acted in plays, and spoken in front of big audiences, but despite all that, I’ve been avoiding doing Facebook Live. I recognise that getting comfortable with doing live video is important for my brand and growing my business. So, I decided to ask Brooke Hender, a cognitive hypnotherapist, to take a look at this issue with me, and I’m sharing what happened in this episode.   I need to let you know that some unexpected things came up for me as we worked through what I thought was the fairly superficial issue of finding Facebook Live a challenge. There were deeper, more significant issues that I hadn’t been aware were driving my feelings, thoughts and behaviour in this area, and I want to say that although I believe that you will find what comes out of this positive, at times it gets quite emotional, and you may find listening to parts of the episode a challenge if you have recently experienced a loss.   I did struggle as to whether to share this episode, both from the perspective of whether it would be useful and interesting to you, but also from the perspective of the personal things that surfaced, and how much of myself I was sharing. In the end I felt it was important to put it out there because I know I’m not alone in struggling with this stuff, and if one person gets some reassurance or insight into their own challenges around public speaking or other areas of their business or life, then it will have been worth it.   What you’ll discover: That many people have doubts and challenges around public speaking and other areas of business, even if they don’t show it. When you use the word ‘should’ in relation to something that you are doing, it’s worth taking a deeper look at what is motivating you in this area. How we can tie up our self-worth with the baggage of others. That we sometimes need to examine whether the things that drive us, and the goals we are aiming for, are actually going to make us happy. How we need to look at what success really means for us, rather than adopting other people’s definitions of success. Why 90% of our behaviour is unconscious, and it’s not necessarily driven by what we think, but more by what we feel and believe. How intellectualising problems is a great defence mechanism.   Thanks for listening! Resources: Brooke Hender Website – http://www.brookehender.com   To share your thoughts: leave a comment below. Share this show on Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn.   To help the show out: Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and review really help get the word out and I read each one. Subscribe on iTunes.   See you next time.

Jay Miller dreamed of and trained to be a classical singer, and though his original dream drifted away from him, his love and passion of voice stayed. He has spent the last 20 years training speakers, actors and business people how to develop a great voice, as well as overcome anxiety around public speaking. He is now one of Canada’s finest voice and speech coaches, appearing across the Canadian media, and his work has had a profound effect, not only on building compelling and engaging voices, but also on the lives of those people that work with him. Jay is of the firm belief, that you cannot work on the voice, without affecting the emotional and mental aspects of human beings at the same time.   In this show Jay is sharing so much insight about a critical tool that we use every day but that we never give the attention and care that we should. This show will open up your eyes and ears to the power of the voice, and what you should be doing to cultivate it to fulfil its potential. We learn some critical distinctions and some great tips for increasing the power and impact of our message.   Enjoy!   What you’ll learn Why voice training is about more than just about how you sound and how it can transform your life. Why you can’t separate the physical, emotional and mental aspects in voice work. How voice work develops tangible, physical skills that have far reaching effects on your performance. Why you need to get out of your head and into your body to have a great voice. The impact of ignoring the importance of voice in your speaking and communication. That everyone with a healthy voice has the potential to develop a compelling and engaging voice. The barriers to having a compelling voice. The distinction between voice and speech work. Why relaxation is so important for a great voice. The distinction between projection and speaking louder. How you fill a space with your voice. Why cultivating a great voice is like raising a plant. A tip you can use to sound better tomorrow and develop vocal stamina. Why breathing is so important to becoming a great speaker and improving your health. How finding space in your body can make your voice richer, stronger and more engaging. Why voice training is a profound tool for managing stage fright and public speaking anxiety. How you can overcome an overly nasal sounding voice. How influential the sound of a person’s voice is. Typical problems that men and women have with their voice and why.     All things Jay: Jay’s Website –http://voiceandspeech.com Jay’s YouTube Channel - Visit Voice & Speech on YouTube Discounted video course   Books mentioned in the Show with Amazon Link: Trust Me by Nick Morgan The Actor Speaks by Patsy Rodenburg The Right to Speak by Patsy Rodenburg   Resources* The Back Exercise Video - https://youtu.be/_97RZ7uRuQs       If you are going to the Edinburgh Fringe in 2018 you can see Sarah in action as the infamous Lillie Langtry in a feisty comedy drama. Get your tickets via the link below: Tickets to See Sarah in the comedy, ‘The Amours of Lilie Langtry’, at Edinburgh Fringe – Aug 3 – 25 2018   Thanks for listening! To share your thoughts:                                                  leave a comment below. Share this show on Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn.   To help the show out: Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and review really help get the word out and I read each one. Subscribe on iTunes.   *(please note if you use my link I get a small commission, but this does not affect your payment)

Brooke Hender has had quite a journey, from project manager to actor to therapist. Although he found he had patterns of behavior that were negatively impacting his ability to live a happy and fulfilled life, he initially resisted getting help. He felt that this was just the way things were. Eventually, he gave therapy a chance but was amused when his own therapist suggested he would make a good therapist himself. Even though he dismissed the notion and fought against it for some time, after working on himself and transforming his life, he felt drawn to helping others get the same results and trained to become the Cognitive Hypnotherapist he is today.   In this show Brooke and I explore some of the thinking and behaviours that hold us back from achieving the success we want, in life, in speaking and in business. We cover off phobias, anxiety and the limiting beliefs that live in the shadows of our mind. There are some great strategies and tips for identifying and managing the thoughts that might be holding us back without us even being aware of them. If you know you’re not fully realizing your potential, then this show might help you to start removing the blocks that are in your way.   Enjoy!   What you’ll learn Strategies for managing anxiety around public speaking and performance. Why it’s important to be visible and add value. Tips for managing imposter syndrome. How to keep a healthy separation between personal and professional success Why presenting and performing is an essential part of business today How to discover the things in your subconscious that might be holding you back. The impact of the assumptions we make as human beings. What cognitive hypnotherapy is and how it works. Two great questions to help develop your self-awareness. How limiting beliefs work and how they impact our lives. Why “it’s just the way I am” doesn’t have to be true.   All things Brooke: Brooke’s Website –http://www.brookehender.com The Chicken and the Mushroom blog   Books mentioned in the Show with Amazon Link*: The Obstacle is the Way by Ryan Holiday The Bone People by Keri Hulme   See Sarah Perform this August!   If you are going to the Edinburgh Fringe in 2018 you can see Sarah in action as the infamous Lillie Langtry in a feisty comedy drama. Get your tickets via the link below: Tickets to See Sarah in the comedy, ‘The Amours of Lilie Langtry’, at Edinburgh Fringe – Aug 3 – 25 2018   Thanks for listening! To share your thoughts:                                                  leave a comment below. Share this show on Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn.   To help the show out: Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and review really help get the word out and I read each one. Subscribe on iTunes.   *(please note if you use my link I get a small commission, but this does not affect your payment)

Explore the world of productivity hacks and morning routines that promise to transform your day. Discover the Miracle Morning and how structured habits can lead to greater efficiency. Learn about game-changing apps that offer quick workouts and streamline your social media presence. Dive into effective writing shortcuts and tools for precise messaging on the fly. Plus, get tips on enhancing your audio quality and staying focused amid distractions. It's all about working smarter, not harder!

Graham Allcott fell into productivity when he found his emails going into a big black hole. He shifted from leading a team to working on his own and found that while had great ideas and could delegate well… he was not actually very good at getting things done. He did loads of research, carried out many productivity experiments and began to find the principles and systems that worked. That’s when he decided that other people could benefit from this stuff too.   After founding his company Think Productive, Graham went on to write Productivity Ninja, which is a worldwide best seller. Today his team works with companies all over the world, he is a speaker, and is currently working on other productivity related projects that will broaden the Ninja brand and help us work smarter.   Enjoy!   What you’ll learn Why it’s good to teach what you struggle to learn yourself Why you should detach your ego from delegation How clarity can overcome procrastination Why it’s more interesting to not be the Guru. How to develop positive productivity habits How starting a business in a time of adversity can bring more opportunity Why good design is important for all sorts of businesses Why taking risks and having strong opinions can pay dividends The main struggles around productivity Why technological questions are always people problems The silver bullet of productivity The four steps to improve your productivity How constraint can 10x your productivity What attention management is and why it’s crucial for productivity Why your will power won’t beat silicon-valley Why you should get your inbox to zero Why you should eat the rainbow How getting mistaken for an employee as a speaker is a good thing How comedy can help your speaking   All things Graham: Graham’s Website –http://www.grahamallcott.com Think Productive - https://thinkproductive.co.uk Beyond Busy Podcast - http://getbeyondbusy.com   Graham’s Books: How to be a Productivity Ninja by Graham Allcott How to be a Study Ninja by Graham Allcott Get your In-Box to Zero   Books mentioned in the Show with Amazon Link: Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela Anyone Can Do It – My Story by Duncan Bannatyne   Resources* The Speaking Club Success Hub   If you are going to the Edinburgh Fringe in 2018 you can see Sarah in action as the infamous Lillie Langtry in a feisty comedy drama. Get your tickets via the link below: Tickets to See Sarah in the comedy, ‘The Amours of Lilie Langtry’, at Edinburgh Fringe – Aug 3 – 25 2018   Thanks for listening! To share your thoughts:                                                  leave a comment below. Share this show on Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn.   To help the show out: Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and review really help get the word out and I read each one. Subscribe on iTunes.   *(please note if you use my link I get a small commission, but this does not affect your payment)

One thing I’ve learned in life and business, (and actually in theatre too – thanks Will Shakespeare), is that there are very few new ideas under the sun. It is inevitable in 99.9% of cases that someone else has already created something similar to what you want to do and often written a book or an article about it. But often we don’t check first. Even with the world at our fingertips, I know people who sit forever trying to invent the perfect wheel, when they could have looked at the wheel someone else created, learnt from it, built on it and adapted it for their needs in a fraction of the time. I’m always devouring content, I’m an avid learner and I love to find shortcuts, hacks and ways to do things better. In this show, I’m sharing some of my best literary discoveries in the hope they’re useful to you too. They just might give you some food for thought, and maybe help you move forward faster.   What you’ll learn: Why it’s important that you are comfortable with yourself and play to your strengths What you can learn from after dinner stories Different opportunities to use humour in business The power of little decisions Ways in which we are easily influenced   Thanks for listening! Resources:   You are the Message by Roger Ailes   My Lords, Ladies and Gentlemen by Phyllis Shindler   Comedy Writing Secrets by Melvin Helitzer   The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy   Influence by Robert Cialdini   To share your thoughts: leave a comment below. Share this show on Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn.   To help the show out: Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and review really help get the word out and I read each one. Subscribe on iTunes.   See you next time.

Dr Simon Raybould found his way to becoming a Speaker and Trainer, by way of being a professional researcher, actor, lighting technician and fire eater. He got interested in communication after seeing valuable research getting lost as politicians and policy makers couldn’t understand it. That led him to write his first book Presentation Genius.   It was when he was writing that book that the idea for his latest book on productivity, ‘Coming Up for Air’. He managed to research and write his first book in under three months, and spend more time doing the things he loved in the other areas of his life.   In this show he is sharing some of the things he did to increase his productivity, and as a speaker, he also shares how he implements his system in his business.   Enjoy!   What you’ll learn What a sigmoid curve is and how it can help your productivity Why you shouldn’t work in fixed blocks How you can find your optimum task productivity time Why we spend too much time working What the AIR model is and how it can help you be more happy and productive Life hacks for staying motivated Why you must have a productivity system The compound effect of productivity hacks Simon’s top 5 tips for staying productive Simon’s top 3 presentation tips     All things Simon:   Website –http://presentationgenius.info Twitter / Linked In / Facebook: @Presentations   Presentation Genius   Resources*   Click to Join me on the Miracle Morning 30 Day Challenge at The Speaking Club Business Hub   Books mentioned in the Show with Amazon Link: Dune by Frank Herbert Voice and the Actor by Cicely Berry   Sarah's Stuff  The Speaking Club Success Hub   If you are going to the Edinburgh Fringe in 2018 you can see Sarah in action as the infamous Lillie Langtry in a feisty comedy drama. Get your tickets via the link below: Tickets to See Sarah in the comedy, ‘The Amours of Lilie Langtry’, at Edinburgh Fringe – Aug 3 – 25 2018   Thanks for listening! To share your thoughts:                                                  leave a comment below. Share this show on Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn.   To help the show out: Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and review really help get the word out and I read each one. Subscribe on iTunes.   *(please note if you use my link I get a small commission, but this does not affect your payment)

Carl Reader started his working life as a hairdresser on a Youth Training Scheme, which didn’t last long. From there he shifted, by accident into accounting, starting at the bottom and rising to take over the business. His unorthodox background, entrepreneurial spirit, thirst for learning and passion for shaking things up, has helped him achieve success in the most traditional of professions in some not so traditional ways.   As an author of two popular business books for small businesses, and a popular commentator on business in the press, he has developed a reputation for no nonsense advice, and a stand out personal brand. In this show I asked him to share his experience and tips to help speakers and entrepreneurs grow their business today.   Enjoy!   What you’ll learn Why you should get under the skin of your target customer and become intimate with their industry. The four-step model for business success. When and why you should share your goals and dreams. Why self-awareness is a critical business tool. Why you should develop multiple touch points with your customer. How online and offline networking should work together. Why we should be aware of the ‘stay at home economy’. Why you should develop a personal brand for more sales. What you should never do as a first-time speaker. How speakers can protect their business through scaling up. How your topic and your chosen audience can impact your bookings. Why you should build a business with your exit in mind. How speaking mishaps can turn into great PR opportunities. The best business advice Carl ever got.     All things Carl:   Website – www.carlreader.com Twitter / Linked In / Facebook: @CarlReader   The Start Up Coach – Carl Reader The Franchising Handbook – Carl Reader   Resources*   Click to Join me on the Miracle Morning 30 Day Challenge at The Speaking Club Business Hub   Books mentioned in the Show with Amazon Link: Rich Dad Poor Dad – Robert Kiyosaki How to Win Friends and Influence People – Dale Carnegie The Four-Hour Work Week – Tim Ferris The E-Myth Revisited – Michael Gerber   Ifyou are going to the Edinburgh Fringe in 2018 you can see Sarah in action as the infamous Lillie Langtry in a feisty comedy drama. Get your tickets via the link below: Tickets to See Sarah in the comedy, ‘The Amours of Lilie Langtry’, at Edinburgh Fringe – Aug 3 – 25 2018   Thanks for listening! To share your thoughts:                                                  leave a comment below. Share this show on Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn.   To help the show out: Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and review really help get the word out and I read each one. Subscribe on iTunes.   *(please note if you use my link I get a small commission, but this does not affect your payment)