Turning the idea of public speaking on it’s head…
When people learn that they have an important talk, whether it be in a meeting, one-on-one, on a teleconference, in front of a large group, or even introducing themselves to a group, there are two thoughts that typically arise:
- Oh, my gosh (to keep it clean), what am I going to say?
- Fear!
At RiverWays Enterprises, a public speaking presence coaching firm, we turn that mind-set upside-down by helping people discover a new way to approach their public speaking experiences. Instead of focusing on their content and their anxiety, our clients learn to:
- Relax and be themselves
- Engage their audience with their presence by placing a priority on connection
- Think more about how they can be of service to their audience than how good they look
- Skillfully use visual aids, such as slides, to truly support their message rather than distract the audience
- Tell relevant, compelling stories
- Recognize the value of silence
- Slow down
- Be fully present
- Inspire their audience and motivate them to action
- Have fun!
To help people learn to speak with presence, our programs offer a unique “inside-out” approach to presentation and leadership skills training. Rather than focusing on delivering prepared talks, we begin by learning to stay present with ourselves through a variety of stress management tools. We then practice speaking to a group, placing a priority on connecting with the people in our audience, engaging them through our attention.
Once presence is experienced, participants find that speaking in front of a group becomes increasingly easy as they begin to feel calm and relaxed. Words come not from some pre-planned script, but rather from the relationship established with the audience. The results are powerful for anyone who wants to learn to speak authentically with confidence, presence, connection, and leadership.
We offer group programs and coaching services to the public and in-house and have workbooks, DVDs and articles to support your speaking presence. If you’d like to know more, then please visit our public speaking website for more information.
