This week: 3 Steps to Become a Confident Speaker / How to Get Featured in the Media / Become the Leader Every Organization Needs
How to Become a Confident Speaker
Is it possible to become confident on command?
Last week I shared 9 ways to calm your nerves ahead of a speech or presentation.
This week I focus on how you can boost your confidence in high stakes situations like public speaking. These are two sides of the same coin.
I wouldn’t go as far as saying that we can command ourselves to be confident. But confidence is no mystery anymore. We know what it is and how to get it.
Confidence = past successes + preparation + intrinsic self-esteem
We can’t change the past, but we can prepare what we say and how we say it, and we can boost our self-esteem through our mind and body.
I use an acronym to capture the process of creating confidence: BMW.
It stands for: Body, Mind, Words.
Here’s how you apply it to public speaking and presenting:
#1 – Your Body
- Control your breathing to maintain your confidence and composure.
- Practice power poses: Stand straight and pull your shoulders back.
- Use eye contact: Acknowledge as many people as possible in the audience.
- Use Your Hands: Tell your story with your hands.
- Take up space: show that you own the room.
#2 – Your Mind
- Remind yourself: I am the expert, that’s why I am giving this presentation.
- Embrace the power of giving: show up to give, not to get.
- Focus on the message, not yourself, to get out of your own head.
- Visualize success: imagine the audience reacting positively.
- Enjoy the experience! I sometimes tell myself: I worked hard to be here, so let’s have some fun!
#3 – Your Words
- Practice your delivery. The more you practice, the more confident you become.
- This allows you to speak freely without slides or notes – a hallmark of a confident speaker.
- Eliminate filler words and verbal tics.
- Take time to pause before you deliver your key messages.
- Use vocal variety and avoid monotonous monologues.
The upshot: You are in the driver’s seat of your BMW.
PODCAST
Turning Rejection Into a Revolution
Can you get PR without hiring an expensive agency? Yes you can.
NYC-based PR strategist and podcaster Gloria Chou is here to demystify PR and the media pitching process for entrepreneurs and small business owners.
Her methods have helped over 10,000 entrepreneurs get seen and have resulted in over 1 billion organic views for small businesses – with no ads budget. Join as she shares actionable tips and insights from pitching hundreds of solopreneurs, founders and small businesses to outlets like Forbes and Entrepreneur.
Her message: You don’t need an expensive PR agency to get featured. But you do need to understand how the media work.
This episode will equip you with the mindsets and proven tactics to become a powerful spokesperson for your brand. Gloria shares which subject lines get journalists to open your email, how to overcome imposter syndrome, how to build relationships with journalists, and how to leverage earned media to boost your credibility and business growth.
She also shares her step-by-step CPR pitching method that has generated coverage in over 100 news outlets across 4 continents.
Listen on Spotify and Apple:
BOOK
Become the Leader Every Organization Needs
In "The CEO Test," Adam Bryant and Kevin Sharer draw from their decades of experience to reveal the essential challenges that all leaders must master for organizational success. Through stories and case studies, this book serves as an indispensable guide for current and aspiring executives alike.
You'll gain insights into navigating high-stakes situations like:
- Managing Crises - Learn how extraordinary leaders calmly prioritize and make tough decisions under immense pressure.
- Leading Turnarounds - Discover strategies to overcome cultural resistance and rally an organization to transform itself.
- Executing Strategy - Understand how visionary CEOs get everyone aligned and committed to driving change.
- Building Teams - Explore techniques for inspiring diverse personalities to become a cohesive, high-performing unit.
Bryant and Sharer make the compelling case that world-class communication skills are vital for the success of a CEO. Master these challenges and you'll pass the ultimate leadership test with flying colors.
If you find this interesting check out my detailed post on 'The CEO Test' here.
Have an inspired weekend!
Best,
Oliver
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