FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Are great public speakers born that way?

No, absolutely not. It is not a natural thing for humans to be alone in front of a crowd of any size; therefore we are uncomfortable until we learn how to master this situation.

Great speakers have worked with someone qualified and experienced or they have studied public speaking for some time.

I have the performance of my life coming up, but I don’t know where to start to write something memorable. Can you help?

Yes, I can most certainly help and I have for many executives and others. I am a world acclaimed speechwriter who has written some of the most sensitive and important speeches delivered to Congress, the Economic Forum, the Club of Rome, the JP Morgan conference, to name only a few. My clients use me to write the performances that must be memorable and must achieve recognition for them. These include conference speeches, big stage internal performances, Board presentations, International conference performances, Eulogies and even Father of the Bride speeches.

I am in a high profile position & feel very inadequate as a speaker. Can you coach me to be a fantastic speaker & influential leader?

There is a difference between good presenters who present a business presentation supported by a PowerPoint deck and great public speakers who command any stage and create a memorable experience with audiences. The latter requires extensive high-level training and there are few coaches capable of this. I specialize in working with Leaders all over the world, who are now brilliant speakers as a result of my coaching.

I have a critical performance soon that I know will affect my career. How can you help?

I can be the difference between you totally nailing this or simply being average and uninspiring. If you need to stand out, I know how to write the performance and coach you so that you will. If you need to be persuasive I know how to create the most persuasive performance for you. If you need to stand out against a competitor I know how to differentiate you through a performance written in such a way to achieve that.

I have a heavy accent that I think is holding back my career progression. Can my accent be removed?

Yes it can and in severe cases I have done this with a few clients. However, I am reluctant to remove accents since this is a big part of who you are and how you present yourself to the world. Different accents are charming, however, they are frustrating if others do not understand you easily. Therefore the problem is most likely a lack of clarity in your speech. I have many clients who have a foreign accent but now speak clearly and well and their audiences enjoy listening to them because now they can easily understand. Speech clarity is a problem for many people with American accents as well, not just foreign accents.

I have an introverted personality. I have been told that introverts can’t become wonderful speakers. Is this true?

This is completely false. Some of the best speakers in the world are or have been introverted people. Albert Einstein, Rosa Parks, Steven Spielberg, and Eleanor Roosevelt to name a few. Both introverts and extraverts have similar challenges in learning how to command audiences. It’s not about you; it’s about you creating an experience for them. My clients would be a fairly even mix between introverts and extraverts and every one of them is now comfortable on stage creating meaningful experiences for their audiences.

I’ve attended other programs but I’m still very nervous in front of audiences. Can I ever overcome this anxiety?

Yes, you definitely can. I have had many people complete my workshops or a coaching program who have told me they have attended other programs but are still anxious and nervous. I am very proud of my success with eliminating public speaking anxiety. I am a psychologist who has studied anxiety in great depth; therefore, I have used this understanding to develop a method that achieves a 90% success rate in removing anxiety. The remaining 10% report a slight nervousness, but they assure me it’s nothing like what they felt before working with me. They feel 100% in control of every performance therefore it’s not an issue for them.

I am already a reasonably accomplished speaker. How can I become more inspirational?

You need a high-level coach who knows how to firstly write, or teach you to write an inspirational performance, and secondly a coach who knows how to coach your delivery so that it is inspirational. There are only a very few in my field who have that knowledge and experience. Inspirational speaking is an art – that’s why everyone isn’t doing it!

I hate my voice. Can anything be done?

Yes definitely. This is a comment I hear at least once a week, so you are not alone. Most people dislike the sound of their voice. There are very good reasons for this and if you were to work with me you would learn how to ‘play’ your speaking voice the way a singer learns that. I realized very early in my career that there were issues with my client’s public speaking voices that I did not know how to fix, so I completed a post graduate program at the London School of Speech and Drama which gave me the answers I needed to help every client improve their voice dramatically.

I want to be a better communicator in the Boardroom. Can you help?

Yes. Every public speaking technique dramatically improves my client’s communication skills in other situations as well. Including boardroom presentations and discussions, speaking across the table with a client or prospect, conducting difficult conversations, conducting and facilitating persuasive discussions, and controlling conflict in tense situations. My personal coaching is tailored exactly to achieve the specific goals my client brings to me.

I feel that I don’t express myself well. Can you help?

Yes, I always love working with people who have this challenge. Our world is so fast and so full of interactions yet many of them are through technology. This means many of us lose our ability to be succinct and confident face to face. We lose the ability to put our thoughts into words quickly and easily. I can coach you in techniques that will have you communicating clearly and well in no time at all. 

Can you help with general communication weaknesses?

Yes, I have many clients whose goal is to vastly improve their communication abilities across a wide range of situations including business meetings, telephone calls, networking, attending events and making an impression, even how to open conversations confidently.

I am afraid of confrontation & I think it's impacting my career. Can you help?

Yes, I can certainly help you overcome this fear. People who handle confrontation well, have learned to do so. Learning how to master difficult and confronting situations will increase your confidence levels as a person 100 times because it removes a basic fear that we all have as human beings.

What is your approach?

We need to first have a conversation so I can understand your concerns, goals and timeframe. Based on this I would design the optimum approach for you that will get you excellent results in the fastest possible time. If, based on previous experience, I believe that your particular challenges will take a longer period of time I will tell you.

How much does coaching cost?

Every client is different with different challenges and goals therefore the cost of working with me reflects this. If you work with me you can be assured I will be the last Public speaking coach you will ever need. You can also be assured of a highly successful career as a terrific communicator and amazing public speaker. I will make sure of that. My clients are wowing, impressing and influencing audiences all over the world from 2 people to several million people.

How does your approach differ from other coaches?

Firstly, I am a psychologist with five degrees, every one of which has significantly contributed to my knowledge and understanding of the complex field of public speaking. I don’t think I’ve come across another coach who is qualified in this way. Sadly, most coaches have come from the business world. They use a prescriptive list that they teach which they have developed by previously delivering many presentations themselves. They have thought that because they have delivered so many that makes them qualified to teach others. 

 

Unfortunately I have been embarrassed to witness the poor speaking competency of many of the coaches out there! Therefore people like you looking for a great result, suffer from a coach’s lack of depth of knowledge. 

 

Every single client is different. Every client has particular mannerisms, fears and goals therefore I learned a long time ago that each client cannot be treated the same with the same packaged solution. 

 

I have a deep understanding of fear in front of audiences and what causes it. I have also studied theater and understand what creates a meaningful experience for audiences. I understand the psychology that exists between speaker and audience. I am a gifted speechwriter who knows how to create a performance that blows the audience away and achieves my client’s goals with a particular audience.