Public Speaking with Peter George

Are you an introvert? Great! Because too many people believe you need to be an extrovert to enjoy or excel at public speaking. Thankfully, this isn't the case. In fact, if you are an introvert, you have several advantages. In this short episode, you're going to learn about three of these advantages and the benefits they provide. Perhaps you can be inspired by these famous people who are self-proclaimed introverts. - Warren Buffett - Elon Musk - Barack Obama - Clint Eastwood - Micheal Jordan - Lady Gaga - Mahatma Gandhi - Julia Roberts - Meryl Streep - Tom Hanks - Christina Aguilera - Elton John - Beyoncé - Abraham Lincoln - Issac Newton - Albert Einstein - Bill Gates - Steven Spielberg - Eleanor Roosevelt - Mark Zuckerberg - Larry Page - JK Rowling - Charles Darwin - Dr. Seuss - Steve Wozniak

Speaking on stage and writing a book are often seen as two entirely different disciplines ... and with good reason. But is it really that cut and dry? In this episode, prolific speaker and author, Geralyn Gendreau compares and contrasts speaking and writing, based on her own experiences. Tune in and discover if you have a speech (or book) in you, and if you do, how to find your voice and clarify your message.

Do you watch any of the home renovation shows? My wife and I do. And it didn't take watching very many shows to realize that there was going to be a surprise – a problem – in every episode, no matter which shows we were watching. But, of course, this makes sense since stories, to be interesting, need challenges or conflicts. The surprise I like most is when the hosts discover there are problems with the house's foundation. Then, all structural work comes to a screeching halt because all they do structurally is at risk until the foundation is solid. This situation is a near-perfect metaphor for developing a talk. Your presentation is likely to have problems without establishing a solid foundation, just like a house built on an unreliable foundation. Listen in and discover how you can build a strong foundation for your talks.

In this episode, we take a departure from our usual discussions about speaking and talk about happiness. Why? Well, for two reasons. One reason is that, to me, speaking and happiness go hand-in-hand. The other reason is that when I learned about Mike Duffy and his mission in life, I wanted to interview him so he could share his message with you.

Which word in the English language do you believe is the most powerful? Of course, if you're like most people, you'll say it's "please." Now, answer this question, please. Which word in the English language do you believe is the most powerful when it comes to speaking in public? Listen in, and you'll learn how this simple word helps you and your talks connect more effectively with your individual audience members.

If you want to know how effective a public speaker you really are, then you should present to students and young adults. As one of my clients who routinely speaks to students likes to say, "You have to know what you're doing because kids will eat you alive." But he's quick to add that presenting to young people can be one of the more exhilarating experiences you could have, and if you do it well, you live to do it again. In this episode, Ryan Sweat shares with you his expertise when it comes to speaking, including with the teens and young adults of Gen Z.

Your brain's primary functions include keeping you alive and steering you clear of harm's way. When it determines that you are in a dangerous situation, or even in a stressful one, it initiates the fight or flight response. Once that adrenaline begins flowing through your body, all sorts of things start to happen, including your brain becoming super vigilant. In this episode, you'll learn how your brain, in an effort to help and protect you, may actually undermine your talk and how you can keep it from happening.

Everyone has their own public speaking styles practices. The key is to learn from others, take the ideas that resonate with you and your style and make them your own. Of course, once you do that, you should continue to learn, always advancing and honing your skills. One of the people you want to learn from is my guest, Jeff Belanger. In this episode, he explains how he has developed his public speaking skills, including how he learned from those in other professions.

How long do you have to establish a connection with your audience? Is it 3 minutes? 1 minute? 30 seconds? How about 15 seconds? Or 3 seconds? I side with those who say 3 seconds. Now, you might be thinking, "How can I possibly connect with an audience in 3 seconds?" Listen in and learn how you can connect with your audience before walking on stage and still have 3 seconds to spare.

Leaders have the opportunity to effect change, to move people, to make a difference. And to do that, they need many skills, but one of them perhaps more than any other. Of course, it's public speaking. As leaders, too many of us miss out on these opportunities because we don't spend the necessary time building these skills, thinking of them as soft skills, as opposed to the power skills they actually are. In this episode, Simon Trevarthen shares ways that you can use these skills to better communicate with others, ultimately providing yourself with a greater chance for the success you've been striving for. Takeaways - 3 Keys to connecting with your listeners - The 3 most powerful words in the English language - Using the rightly-timed pause - Delivering the powerful 3-minute presentations - How to create and tell hi-def stories - The reason to combine emotion with data - Why butterflies are your friend - How short sentences connect with your audience Resources - ElevateYourGreatness.com - https://www.linkedin.com/in/simontrevarthen/ - https://www.facebook.com/simon.trevarthen.9