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I thought learning about public speaking was a waste of time until I met Laura. In today's episode, you're going to speak with my favorite public speaking coach, which is Laura. She's a PhD in executive. Communication. She talks about neuroscience, political campaigns, and she's just, she speaks, she helps people who work in corporate environments as much as entrepreneurs and anyone with anything that they want to do good in the world. 📍

In today's episode, you will learn the three things to focus on to improve your presence today, how to overcome self doubt and start speaking with confidence, especially if you're an introvert and the surprising way that public speaking helps you refine your brand and business strategy. I didn't realize this as much.

Uh, I underestimated its value. So you may be as well.

Here's the real question. I don't want to ask. Alice's have like 10 minutes of their time. Why should they be listening to us? How is them learning how to be a better public speaker today? Going to benefit them today, tomorrow, in the next three months, if they're not going to do a public speaking gig.

Right. If they're not a professional public speaker, right. Yeah, it's such a great question. Thank you for having me on the show shared it. I'm super excited I'm a big fan of your work as you know, and I to this day practice my breathing work to stay sane. So The thing with public speaking for you, whether you work for yourself Or you are in the corporate world.

Most of my clients are in the corporate world I think a lot of your clients are working for themselves This is the thing it's it's one To many, so that's, this is your opportunity to influence more people to help more people. I don't want, I mean, if you want to influence them to promote you, hire you, give you more money, buy more of your stuff, that's fine, but you can also influence them like you do Sheridan with, you know, take better care of yourself.

Don't get so stressed out, but it's one too many. And it also, so if. Because it's one to many, because it's uncomfortable, it forces you to get clear on a lot of things. And I think that's a very valuable exercise. Can you speak a little bit more to that because in my mind where, okay, I was walking down the street the other day and I ran across somebody that I know and she was like, Oh, I've been meaning to talk to you because I really want to work with you.

The work that she wants to do is actually very similar to work that I want to do. And so the first thing that I was like, I was like, okay, we actually need to get really clear. What is your take on this, on this work? Because what I'm doing is also very similar to what a thousand other people are doing.

And so. When you say that, my first thought goes to, it's almost like when you start, you know, when I wrote the book or when I started writing content, the more that you practice these things. What, what are people getting clear on? What do you notice? Oh, that's great. Yeah. What are you doing? Okay. So you're, so that's a very common experience Sheridan and for everybody who's thinking about starting a business or you're, or you're kind of new to it, let me tell you that no matter what you do.

Even if you thought you were alone, there's 500, 000 people doing the similar thing. So that's a fact of the mark. Otherwise there wouldn't be a market for it, right? And so you can feel like, well, what do I have to offer? But if you keep pushing through with your message, you keep digging in, getting that clarity and public speaking is one way.

I was at least a few months, you know, it wasn't too long that that became, Oh, I can help introverts. I can help anybody, but I can especially help introverts. But how did I get clear on that by telling my stories and my tips that resonated more with introverts than Extroverts. And then further though, through the years, uh, you keep refining because you grow, your audience grows, and you just keep refining that message because you have to say it out loud.

You can't, it's not the spiral inside your head. You have. To say it out loud to other people so that forces you to get more clear. And then that's how I got clear last year. I shifted my focus to not only mostly high performing introverts, but to executive presence, which when I first started, I don't even think I knew what that was.

So it's a constant clarifying of what you do, how you help people comes out through the exercise of public speaking or writing a book. But frankly. Uh, public speaking is a lot easier than writing a book. It's also a lot quicker. You know, everyone can go and practice it this week. Yeah. And it, it is a lot quicker feedback loop, but I wouldn't recommend a lot of people go and write a book because then without a lot of speak, a lot of speaking, a lot of speaking, a lot of speaking.

Yeah. Right. Exactly. So just like introverts have specific kind of challenges, I'd say a lot of the people that are listening to this podcast would probably be introverts, but maybe not. What specific challenges do you think that. Entrepreneurs or people who are considering being an entrepreneur or people may be prone to burnout.

What experience? Well, the, if you're prone to burnout is because you say yes to everything and it's because you want to help people mean that that that's the truth. It's a, it's a beautiful quality. And not only to help people, but you're also good at getting stuff done. Like if they give it to you, you'll get it done and you'll do it well, and you'll probably do it quick.

So what happened to keep getting more and more and more. So you can see like, Oh, this Laura's adding yet another thing to my list. Thank you very much. And so you might think about, well, maybe I can say yes to this public speaking opportunity. What can I say no to in order to say yes to something? else.

And then again, the mere act of preparing, what is it I have to say? How can I help people? What is it that I wish this audience knew that will help them? That helps you get clear, uh, yourself. And I think for entrepreneurs, especially the solopreneurs, like we're in our, this is my office. I'm here all day sitting in this chair.

I'm talking to clients for sure, but you want like some outside ventilation of your ideas. You want to express some things, maybe ask them some questions. You, you want that, um, cross pollination of ideas that you can have if done properly. A, a public speaking gig or event is not going to be a monologue.

It's going to be you talking, but Hopefully you're not going to do all the talking. Yeah. I've started doubling in a little bit myself after doing a lot of the, like, you know, just speaking to people in this format and I've noticed it's really cool because you get feedback about your idea from people who you wouldn't normally.

Engage with, right? Correct. Correct. Exactly. Exactly. And so anybody who is thinking about, um, you know, should I, should I try it? If, if you get the opportunity, absolutely. Yes. Even, and even if you're not sure I would poke around if you're in a corporate situation. You know, there should be opportunities for you to give a presentation and to see it as an opportunity to practice the skill and to practice.

This is, this is how I see it shared in that each of us, like in this conversation that you and I are having, and if any of us do a public speaking or when people read our books, we want people to be better off. better off after having spoken with us or listened to us than they were before. That's the goal, leave them better off, right?

100%. And when you're clear in your, in your message, and when you have executive presence, can you explain what executive presence is and how it helps us help them be better off? Oh, absolutely. Executive presence is a gray quality. It's, and it is very, uh, nebulous, kind of amorphous. Sometimes people think it's drinking tea with your pinky up.

I don't know if that's a thing in Australia, but executive presence means that you walk into a room with confidence and warmth like you're, and, and you're, and you're actually present with the people. So you were there. Helping people, listening to people, giving them, you know, resources, help, advice, if, if needed, but you were there and you know why you're there.

It's, it's a combination of competence and confidence and connection. Three Cs. So it's, it's not being an egomaniac and talking your head off. It's not playing on your phone. It's not strutting. It's not being afraid to speak up either. Does that, does that make sense? Connection, confidence, and competence.

Connection, confidence, and competence. Okay, so what are three things that we can do? Okay, this is, okay, this is going to be for your next meeting or your next presentation. I'm going to give you three quick and easy tools. Very introvert friendly, very just super easy and high impact. And the first one is to lead with purpose.

So whether you're speaking. In a meeting or starting a presentation, you say, Hey, I want to mention this thing because it's blah, blah, blah. I want you to have this tool because it's easy and high impact. Why are you speaking? If you do that, you're already ahead of 90 percent of people talking because in most work situations, people are like, why is Laura talking?

What what is Sheraton talking about? Why is she speaking? So if you answer that question, you're far ahead of the game. And that is a cue to people. That's a value indicator. Hey, this person knows why he or she is speaking. I'm going to listen. Okay, so that's number one lead with purpose. Number two is keep it to one point or three.

So it's the one thing you need to know is that it needs to be one or three points, or there's three tools I want to teach you one, two, and three, and when you actually number the things, even if they're just coming to your mind in that moment, it sounds so professional and polished, so it's one thing. Or three things, and then the third, the third of the three is to ask questions.

So if it's a short thing that you're just speaking up in a meeting, you would say, Hey, I want to mention this thing because of whatever. And what you need to know is blah, blah, blah. And then you close it with, what do you think? So that way for those of us who have experienced that terrible thing where you speak up in a meeting and there's silence and then people act like they didn't hear you and go on.

They can't do that because you've asked them. What do you think? And if you're in a public situation, public speaking situation, just find ways. To get engagement by asking questions, whether it's raise your hand, give me an emoji, write it in the chat, um, or just if it's in a live situation, you know, like, Hey, who wants to answer this question?

Blah, blah, blah. So those, those are three, three tips that put you in the top 1%, just like that. How about that? I'm so excited. I'm speaking on Thursday at an event and, uh, I feel more prepared. Yes, I'm actually really excited Yes, it is that it's just a totally different way of thinking about it instead of thinking.

Oh How can I be impressive? How can I show them because? People tend especially people that you work with and I work with they're highly conscientious, right? Because otherwise they wouldn't care they just slap it together. But when people are highly conscientious, they worry so much about them being Worthy And nobody cares if you're worthy or not, like, what have you got to help me?

That's what they want to know. Can you just say that again, that last sentence again? It's very good. I want everyone to hear it. Yeah. Nobody cares if you're worthy enough, if you're competent enough, if you went to Harvard or whatever the Australian, you know, super duper posh, uh, college is. Nobody literally.

Nobody cares. The only thing they care about is how can you help them? How are you? What do you have to offer this person today? Here's a here's a story. I heard from a colleague who had Bill Gates, who is the founder of Microsoft speak at his college graduation for 20 minutes. Big deal. Big deal. The guy was paid.

100, 000 US dollars for the occasion. And the guy said the speech was a total snoozer, like nobody remembers it. It was the, everybody remembers how much he was paid and that, and who he was, and that he was a total loser as a speaker. So, and that's, and that's a super billionaire, highly respected by a lot of people.

Don't be like that. Don't be that guy. Okay. I love it. so much. Yes. My pleasure. My pleasure. Laura, what's the best way to people for people to keep learning these things and to find you? Oh, well, I, I have a podcast called speak up, develop your executive presence. I'll send you a link. I have one episode. I think your people will really like it at 11 minutes, you know, Sheridan and I both believe.

And get being to the point and it's about is some, you know, more, uh, speaking, public speaking tips. I'm going to send you a link for your listeners where they can get that on wherever they listen to their, um, podcast and, uh, that'll be great. Can you send it today so that I can prepare for my speech in two days?

Yes! I will send it to you! That would be really great. I will send it to you! In a few minutes. Yeah. Beautiful. Ah, so, so much. I really appreciate this. It was my pleasure and everybody listening, you know, listening to Sheridan is a truly helpful person and I commend, I commend your intelligence for spending some time with her.

That's great. Yeah, that's great. And we have a really good podcast on your podcast. Um, I'll, I'll link it down below and good breath practice on it, guys. Yeah. Yes. No, no. And I have been using it.

I love it. Perfect.

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