Public Speaking with Peter George

This morning, when you were brushing your teeth or hair, did you look into the mirror and say to yourself, "Casey, I hope you are perfectly average today?" Probably not. I hope not! Yet, by definition, many of us will be perfectly average today. I'm not here to assert that you should 10X, 5X, or even 3X your efforts every day. However, I do suggest that you at least take advantage of small opportu...

When it comes to connecting with your audience, how important are the pitch and tone of your voice? Are they serving you well, or are they undermining your success? In this episode, you learn from voice coach Susan Murphy why your voice matters, how it may be holding you back from truly connecting with your audience, and how you can find your authentic voice.   Takeaways - Why your voice matters -...

Have you questioned your own qualifications when doing something? For instance, have you ever asked yourself, "Who am I to be standing on stage speaking about this topic?" Or, "Will the audience see that I'm not THE expert when it comes to this subject?" Or perhaps, "Should I be the one leading this group?" If so, you may be experiencing impostor syndrome, and you're not alone. In fact, you're in...

Whether you're an aspiring speaker or an established one, what currency do you hold that you can convert beyond speaking? Do you have other opportunities that help you solve your clients' and listeners' problems, and how does your brand help you do that? My guest, Mary Henderson, is here to help you answer these questions and see what other opportunities are waiting for you to unpack and implement...

Do you want to deliver your messages with precision and clarity? Would you like to learn how to give yourself the gift of time as you communicate? If you said yes to either of these questions, then listen in as my guest, Alan Carroll, shows you how to be in the driver's seat of your communication. In this episode, he explains the transcendent dimension of consciousness that resides just on the oth...

You've booked a gig. That's great! But booking a gig and writing and rehearsing your talk is only part of your preparation. There is a whole lot more to be done. As an experienced speaker, coach, and event organizer, my guest, Sharyl West Loeung, shares with you the relationship between the speaker and the event organizer. By asking good questions and thinking ahead, she says, you show up not just...

Including stories in your presentations is one of the most powerful ways to convey a message and make it memorable. But what makes a great story? Well, as you might have guessed, there are particular elements that stories should feature, and my guest in this episode, Mike Ulmer, is here to discuss them with you.     Takeaways - Where to find stories to include in your talks - Who to ask for storie...

Do you have humor in your talks? If so, you may be engaging your audiences while helping them remember your points. If not, why not? Do you speak in business settings and don't think humor is appropriate? Do you speak on tough subjects where humor supposedly has no place? In either case, listen in as my guest Allen Klein discusses how and why he uses humor in his presentations.   Takeaways   - How...

When I speak with a prospect, we talk about their objectives. For example, do they want to work on creating messages, or are their needs more on the delivery side? Quite often — okay, the overwhelming majority of the time — I suggest that they work on both. More times than not, this comes as a surprise to them. Like so many others, they believe that having a powerful talk will compensate for a lac...

When it comes to public speaking, do you believe that there's only one way to do it? If you do, does this put added pressure on you? What would it feel like if you could find inspiration and develop skills from a multitude of sources — some not so conventional? You know, Pablo Picasso once said, "Learn the rules like a pro so you can break them like an artist." I agree, as does my guest, Martin He...

Today's episode has a wide variety of concepts that are sure to further help you develop at least one of your speaking skills, but I'd be willing to bet you'll find several that will benefit you. Today's guest, Brenden Kumarasamy, helps you with juggling just a few balls instead of the many you might be trying to keep in the air. He also helps you up your game when it comes to online presentations...

Do you deliver business presentations? If so, do include stories, and if you don't include them, why not? Is it becomes you don't think stories are appropriate for business? Is it because you can't find relevant stories? Is it because you don't believe you can tell stories effectively? Well, if you don't tell stories for these or other reasons, my guest, Sophie Wadsworth, offers several ideas that...

After you've delivered a presentation, don't you love when people come up to you and say, "Great job!"? It feels good, doesn't it? Well, I used to love it, too. But then, one evening, I gave a talk that I knew was far from my best, and still, people said, "Great job!" That got me thinking. Why are people telling me a talk was great even when I know it wasn't? The answer is a simple one. They are b...

Perhaps the most important speech you'll ever give is one that lasts only a few minutes. This speech is commonly known as a toast. My guest on this episode, Eddie Rice, discusses the art of both creating a toast and delivering it so that when you have the occasion to deliver a toast, it will be remembered for all the right reasons.   Takeaways - How to determine the goal of your toast - How not to...

As a speaker, two of the things you want to do are engage your audiences and set yourself apart from other speakers. And wouldn't it be great if you could accomplish both of these at the same time? Well, that's exactly what my guest, Gordon Stein, is going to help you do.   Takeaways - The value of watching video after the fact - How to determine exactly what the audience is looking for - Who you...

Have you ever thought about the many advantages that being a value-driven podcast guest offers you and your brand growth? Well, if you have, or even if you're thinking about thinking about it, listen to my conversation with Jason Cercone, and you'll discover a dynamic, innovative, and fun way to build your brand. You'll also learn how to establish authority in your space and develop more confident...

(3rd in a 3-Part Series) Do you use slides in your presentations? If so, do you use them in a way that helps your listeners immediately understand their meaning and how it supports your talk, or do they confuse your audience or otherwise distract from your talk? In this episode, you're going to hear a few ideas that will make your next presentation more engaging and professional.   - The Captivati...

Why do you speak? Is it for the sake of speaking, or do you speak as a means to an end? I often say, don't speak to inform; speak to transform, while my guest, Roy Osing, puts it a little differently. He suggests you speak not to the logical side of the brain but the emotional side so you can, as he puts it, "light fires in people."   Takeaways - The value of having an "only" statement - How being...

(2nd in a 3-Part Series) Do you use slides in your presentations? If so, do you use them in a way that helps your listeners immediately understand their meaning and how it supports your talk, or do they confuse your audience or otherwise distract from your talk? In this episode, you're going to hear a few ideas that will make your next presentation more engaging and professional.   - The Captivati...

Have you looked into how other activities may help you become a more effective, engaging speaker? You have? Then you've probably found things like improv, stand-up comedy, and impromptu speaking sessions. But what about ballroom dancing?   I've never heard about this either, but when you listen to my guest, Mark Herschberg, you'll understand how it and other activities may help you in your journey...

Do you use slides in your presentations? If so, do you use them in a way that helps your listeners immediately understand their meaning and how it supports your talk, or do they confuse your audience or otherwise distract from your talk? In this episode, you're going to hear a few ideas that will make your next presentation more engaging and professional.   Takeaways - How reading your slides kill...

Standing up and speaking in front of others may or may not make you nervous. But what about appearing on video … and I don't mean just on Zoom. What about being in a studio or making a TV Commercial?   If any of these scenarios make your heart race and your mind go blank, then my guest, Amy Scruggs, has a few simple ideas you can implement that just might make a world of difference.   Takeaways -...

Do you want to engage your audience throughout your talks? It's not as difficult as many people believe. But this is only if you make a mindset shift right now. One of the mistakes speakers make is believing they not only have to be the expert but they also have to prove it. Inherent in this belief is that the focus should be on the speaker, not the audience. This is unfortunate because it often m...

Are you nervous when it comes to speaking in public? Are you down right fearful? If so, you're not alone. But while knowing that you're not alone might be comforting to a small degree, it doesn't help you deal with the root cause.   Over the years, I've had several episodes on dealing with the fear of public speaking, but in this episode, Dr. Doreen Downing takes a different approach than the othe...

Are you just starting out on your speaking career? Are you a veteran speaker who struggles to make the money you want to make? Are you reluctant to run your speaking career as a business? If you said yes to any of these, then my guest, Jane Atkinson, has a lot in store for you.   Known as the Speaker Launcher, Jane is the author of the Wealthy Speaker 3.0, the founder of the Wealthy Speaker School...