‘Performing’? or just talking?

‘I can help you to feel more confident when speaking’: Anthony

The ability to speak effectively can make a big difference to your life. It opens up all sorts of career opportunities and makes it easier to get things done - whether you’re actually working in communications role, leading a team, or in law, teaching, sales… there are very few professional fields where speaking well isn’t important.

Although it’s an important skill, what we generally call ‘public speaking’ is also one of the most daunting methods of communication. That’s why so many of us will find any excuse to avoid doing it! It’s really common to have a lifelong fear of speaking ‘in front of’ more than one or two people.

Maybe it’s the way we view the actual experience of this kind of speaking that makes it daunting. We think of public speaking as speaking ‘in front of’ people; like we’re performing, and they’re the audience.

For professional performers, that’s fine. Do you have to be a ‘performer’

But when we sit down across a table to speak to one person, or gather with two or three friends or colleagues to discuss an issue - that doesn’t feel like ‘performing', does it? That’s just… talking. Right?

I’m always saying to clients and students that public speaking should feel like a conversation - where one person does most of the talking. With practice, it can feel no more daunting than a cosy chat with a friend.

It’s such a shame that fear of public speaking - being in the spotlight, and observed like a performing monkey - gets in the way of us progressing in our careers, or trying activities we might otherwise enjoy, like coaching sport.

Public speaking allows us to make important connections with other people, influence decisions and help to motivate others. But if you suffer from public speaking anxiety, or if you’re conscious of your accent, or simply feel you don’t speak effectively even in a low-key setting, I’m an experienced coach and I know I can help.

I offer bespoke one-to-one coaching for anyone who needs public speaking training or accent reduction.

You can take a private course with me, and we can focus on whatever is most relevant for you - of public speaking anxiety, or accent reduction, or a bit of both. I’ll help you learn to speak confidently ‘in front of’ people, or in any given speaking situation.

I’ve worked with many well known businesses and organisations and I can offer both bespoke 1-2-1 training, and workshops for groups. Most of my face-to-face coaching is in London but I can also work with you online over Zoom or Teams.

Have a look at my pages on accent reduction, and general public speaking skills, to find out more. You can book a free 1-hour taster session with me to see what’s it’s like to work me first.