I've had the immense gift of collaborating on many, many speeches. I've been teaching public speaking / presentation skills classes for over fifteen years. I've coached hundreds of individuals on crafting and delivering their speeches. I've written speeches for executives as well as solo entrepreneurs building a business on their expertise.
If you are considering getting out there with your message bigger, bolder – making a real impact with this great work of yours – here's what I want to say to you:
It's not about the public speaking.
It's simply not about the outline, the way you step forward when you make a point, the story you choose to tell at a given moment. That's good stuff, but it's not what matters most.
At the core of truly captivating and engaging speaking is a message that pours from the center of your being.
If you want to be a great speaker, your first and primary job – the most essential exercise you engage in – is a deep and unwavering connection with your message.
This is true whether you are sharing cooking demonstrations or delivering heart-bursting missives of life inspiration (which may or may not involve cooking).
Because here's the thing: you can't strategize your way to authentic, powerful expression. Not fully. You can't manufacture the moves and the alchemy of words that will come from that place in you that absolutely knows that your message matters, that lives are being changed in the moments you are speaking in front of that room full of people.
When you dig deep on that message and step into it in a very personal way, there is a magic in your speaking.
This magic moves people like nothing you can study or “craft.”
And yet, deep digging and connecting with our message isn't enough, either.
You've probably got that in droves, given that you are here in this community. We here – we love the message, we love the meaning. To be effective in our great work – to build a sustainable business that makes a real difference in our clients' lives – we need our deep message and the structure of great speaking, in a very special dance.
When your meaningful message gets the organized speech structure it deserves, things get very exciting in your great work.
The truth is, applying strategy and structure to your beautiful message serves so many aspects of your business that go beyond speaking. You'll see what I mean if you decide to join us on June 13th & June 19th…
I'm co-teaching a class called Step Up to the Mic – Craft & Deliver a Speech That Magnetizes Clients You Love. We are going to give you precise step-by-step instructions to create a speech that you can offer to many different groups. You will walk away with a complete speech outline (which includes everything you plan to say in your speech), a beautiful new clarity on your own distinctive voice and expression style, and the gorgeous confidence that comes from having a speech completely done plus a whole toolbox of personal speech delivery guidance and practice support. Of course, we will begin this work with a sweet journey into the real meaning and impact behind your message.
Because it's not about the public speaking – it's about you making a meaningful difference in the lives of those you are here to serve, and building a sustainable business while you do it. Click here to register for class (don't worry if those dates don't work for you – we've got a plan in place for that, too.)
Special thanks to Prayitno on Flickr for the tango dancers image.