Recently I heard pop star Jessie J interviewed on BBC Radio 4.  During the interview she talked about how the key to success was being fearless.  She then went on to define what that meant for her. She explained that fearlessness was the acceptance that , making mistakes, getting things wrong, or being criticised by others were just…

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A  recent comment to one of my earlier posts by Stephen Hendren prompted me to review some of the research on positivity and performance. Thanks to his post, I found a great video interview by Positivity researcher Barbara Fredrickson.  I thought you might like it so I have included it in this post.  Dr Fredrickson’s key message…

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In my last post I focused on the delivery side of an impromptu speech but what about the content?   How do I stop by brain going blank and running out of things to say? Well here are two further technique to help you wow your audience ; Use the PEP model Position – Start…

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Delivering a prepared speech can be nerve-racking enough, the thought of being put on the spot to give a short speech without any preparation or advance warning can seem to some people like their worst nightmare. other people cope remarkably well with these situations so what can we learn from them? Well for a start…

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Some people find it hard to plan and structure their speech effectively.  There are lots of models out there but here is one of my favourites. It’s called the aeroplane approach and  is particularly useful when you know how you want your speech to finish but are not sure how to get to that end…

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Even the most experienced managers can be paralysed by nerves.    I see it almost every time I run a course and I know that, with the help and support of a good coach and fellow students this  fear can be overcome.  There are lots of techniques to help including; Deep breathing Visualisation Holding a little saliva in your…

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Fear of Public Speaking

Don’t let your fear of public speaking hold you back Last week I ran one of my open workshops in London and I had six fantastic participants, and despite their professional experience, every one of them wanted to learn how to minimize their nerves. The fear of public speaking is a common and often paralysing condition.…

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