How To Own The Room

Why are you here? Viv Groskop talks to writer Esther Freud about her new book, about why it's good for writers to get out, and the power of understanding that it's not about you - you are here for the audience. She explains why she loves feedback, why she loves interviews - and how she has to remind herself not to tell everybody absolutely everything... Esther's book, I Couldn't Love You More is o...

Are you ageing with power? Viv Groskop talks to designer Norma Kamali about why women should look forward to getting older. She explains that self respect and self love are hard but vital, and will draw the right opportunities to you. She shares her experience of being told at 18 that it's all downhill from here, her experience of divorce, her experience of discovering financial independence and c...

Are you following someone else's rules? Viv Groskop talks to poet Hollie McNish about the value of working out your own way to do something - even if it takes time. Hollie discusses her efforts to unlearn society's unhelpful lessons about being female, including frank conversations with her grandmother. And she explores nerves, pressure, being apologetic - and the sadness of putting poems about he...

Are you doing it your way? Viv Groskop talks to designer and businesswoman Anya Hindmarch about the value of authenticity. Anya reveals how neuro-linguistic programming and autogenic training helped her beat chronic stage fright. She argues that nerves are useful, that you know more than you think and that emotion is not only useful, it is the heart and soul of any business.  Anya's book If In Dou...

Have you said what you came to say? Viv Groskop talks to Anneliese Dodds, Labour Co-Op Member of Parliament for Oxford East, about owning the House as the first female Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer. How to communicate complex ideas, how to build trust, how to deal with the Daily Mail style police. And how to make sure that you are clear what you want to say - and say it. Find out more about A...

Are you feeding your self doubt? Viv Groskop talks to writer Isabel Allende about how women can combat insecurity by celebrating each other. She talks of the value of feeling comfortable in your skin, knowing what you want to say and understanding that: "these people have come here to love you". Oh, and realising that she is not, after all, a flamboyant bitch.   Isabel's new book, The Soul of a Wo...

Do you feel completely happy? If not, admit it out loud to yourself. That moment of truth will help. Viv Groskop talks to sociologist and life coach Martha Beck who argues that aligning with your truth will get rid of all your psychological suffering. They also discuss chronic public speaking nerves, how to train your animal brain as if it were a frightened horse - and what it's like to hang out w...

Are you doing the work? Viv Groskop talks to Dr Nicole LePera, holistic psychologist and author of How to Do The Work. They explore the idea of healing yourself, learning to regulate your body and how that psychological and physiological work can help you to own the room. And Viv finds out how someone who "hates public speaking" manages an online following of millions. Find out more about Nicole's...

Do you know why you are doing this? Viv Groskop talks to Yewande Akinola MBE,  chartered engineer and TV presenter, about the power of knowing your purpose when it comes to connecting to your audience. She reveals the setbacks and criticism that come with building a public profile and argues that if you think of your work as an extension of who you are, it becomes less daunting. Find out more abou...

Do you want it too much? Viv Groskop talks to TV presenter, actress and writer Mel Giedroyc about the power of not caring and how she was nearly too rock 'n roll to audition for what turned out to be her big break. They talk #strictlycomedancing, #GBBO and almost going bankrupt. And making mistakes. Like thinking: who the HECK is interested in whether a cake rises? Mel's new book is The Best Thing...

To celebrate International Women's Day 2021, Viv presents a special five-part series featuring psychologist Ethan Kross, author of Chatter: The Voice In Our Head and How to Harness It. In this fifth and final part Viv and Ethan discuss how they speak to their daughters about inner voice. How do you distinguish between your feelings and your thoughts? And how to talk to yourself with kindness and c...

To celebrate International Women's Day 2021, Viv presents a special five-part series featuring psychologist Ethan Kross, author of Chatter: The Voice In Our Head and How to Harness It. Part four looks at negative thought loops and what to do when you are talking to yourself like a bully. How to know when to trust your intuition and when to seek external confirmation. And the six things you need to...

To celebrate International Women's Day 2021, Viv presents a special five-part series featuring psychologist Ethan Kross, author of Chatter: The Voice In Our Head and How to Harness It. Part three discusses the role other people can play in challenging our inner voice. What they do to help — and what they do to hinder us. And what role does environment play? Could cleaning your kitchen be the secre...

To celebrate International Women's Day 2021, Viv presents a special five-part series featuring psychologist Ethan Kross, author of Chatter: The Voice In Our Head and How to Harness It. In part two: What is "distanced self-talk" and why is it so helpful? How thinking forward into the future and backwards into the past can help you reassure yourself and find perspective. And why talking to yourself...

To celebrate International Women's Day 2021,  Viv  presents the second of two special five-part series. This week: Inner Voice with psychologist Ethan Kross, author of Chatter: The Voice In Our Head and How to Harness It . Is your inner voice sabotaging your presenting style? In part one we look at what "chatter" is, how to avoid "spinning" (going into a negative thought spiral) and why it matters...

To celebrate International Women's Day 2021, Viv presents a special five-part series featuring Hillary Rea, award-winning storyteller and founder of communication consultancy Tell Me a Story. In this fifth and final part: why you don't need to be a flashy version of yourself, why telling your story is important because it shows others that it's OK to tell their stories, keeping "something in your...

To celebrate International Women's Day 2021, Viv presents a special five-part series featuring Hillary Rea, award-winning storyteller and founder of communication consultancy Tell Me a Story. Part four is about the practicalities of your story: how to know how long you should talk for, why every story must have a beginning, middle and end - plus Viv unpicks how she learned the hard way that a stor...

To celebrate International Women's Day 2021, Viv presents a special five-part series featuring Hillary Rea, award-winning storyteller and founder of communication consultancy Tell Me a Story. Part three explains how you can use storytelling to bring your true self to work and talk about who you are "beyond the blazer" (your work persona). Plus, how to know when a story is ready to be told and when...

To celebrate International Women's Day 2021, Viv presents a special five-part series featuring Hillary Rea, award-winning storyteller and founder of communication consultancy Tell Me a Story. Part two explains how choosing five simple words will help you build your story quickly and easily — and how mastering this technique means that you have something to say for every occasion. Hillary puts Viv...

To celebrate International Women's Day 2021, Viv presents a special five-part series featuring Hillary Rea, award-winning storyteller and founder of communication consultancy Tell Me a Story. In part one we look at how storytelling techniques can revolutionise your communication at work - and in life. Why do we care so much about stories and what can they be used for? What is "the hero's journey"?...

Sex or work? Viv Groskop talks to radical feminist critic, journalist and memoirist Vivian Gornick about the gains of the feminist movement - and what still stands in the way. They discuss the revelations of #MeToo, the TV show The Crown and the reason your inner critic is actually a sign of liberation. They talk Gloria Steinem, Betty Friedan, Hilary Clinton - and the importance of gaining power o...

Are you still waiting for the cavalry? Viv Groskop talks to June Angelides, investor, entrepreneur and founder of Mums In Tech, the UK's first child-friendly coding school for mums. June talks about privilege and entitlement, about how to boost investment in Black-owned ventures - and about the moment she realised she had to be her own cavalry. She reveals what she learned about creativity and ent...

Are you lost in the moment? Viv Groskop talks to Egyptian architect Shahira Fahmy about saying yes to life, inspiring a team to trust your vision and how self consciousness can hold you back. Plus the tale of her very first film audition - with Isabelle Huppert. Oh, and the wisdom to be found in fishing. Find out more about Shahira's work and life @shahira_fahmy   Viv's books, including  How to Ow...

If you don't take risks, have you really lived? Viv Groskop talks to Ruth Coker Burks, author of the memoir All The Young Men, who risked everything to care for men dying of AIDS. She describes how being present and listening can express more than words. She talks about the power of believing in her message, even when she was shunned by the community and crosses were burnt on her lawn. Feeling fea...

Does your story deserve to be told? Viv Groskop talks to TV presenter and charity founder Katie Piper about taking ownership of your story and accepting that people want to hear it. They discuss protecting your energy, selling yourself to yourself, accepting your insecurities and the surprising things that intimidate us (think stapler...) Find out more about Katie's at the Katie Piper Foundation ....