WHERE Do I Start? Making a Confident First Impression

Its a valid and very real thought to have, isn’t it? You’ve got an interview coming up on a subject you know well. You’ve been preparing for days and have an answer practiced for every question you can reasonably assume you’ll be asked. You sit down in the chair and they throw you a complete curveball. What do you do now? There was no warning, no context, yet here the question sits in the air, lingering like a bad smell and you don’t know the right words to make it go away. Its ruined your flow. This is a very real situation, and one could argue that it is almost guaranteed. It would be unreasonable to expect anyone to prepare for every single question that someone could feasibly ask, especially when they have no boundaries or restrictions keeping them on topic. So, how do we fix this?  That’s where this week’s episode comes in. Charlotte and Luke share their storied wisdom on the matter, having been on both the interviewer and interviewee side of the table numerous times throughout their careers. We hear about when its ok to pause, how you can buy yourself time in the moment and when its actually ok to not answer the question at all! Moreover there are many situations, especially at work, where you will have legal protections against being asked certain questions! We also cover tropes like ‘steering’ that can cause you more harm than good and are perhaps best avoided. As well as looking into the increasing prevalence of highly reactionary responses in recent years.

Another skill that at some point or another we all come to realise is an edge that can and probably should be honed to really help us reach our maximum potential. We all retain and process information in similar ways, yet our methods for recalling and using that information (especially when speaking publicly!) are often varied and unorthodox. So how do we know whats best for us as individuals? This is rather on the nose, but it’s Practice! Trying these things out is the best way to really get to understand what works and what doesn’t, as well as keeping yourself ‘match ready’ for eventualities that may never come. You may never need to read from a teleprompter, but it could happen at a moments notice and if you’ve practiced your technique, even just briefly, you’ll be much better off should it happen. Something you can always be certain about is uncertainty.  So whats stopping you? Time? Energy? Motivation? At worst, you’ve spent some time working on a skill you don’t yet need. At best, you're equipped with something that could save you at a moments notice. If this all seems unrealistic, Luke and Charlotte are here this week precisely to debunk those thoughts. Having made Careers undoubtedly helped by practicing (and sometimes not!) they share their experience with practice and preparedness as well as keeping your eye on the prize in the moment. So, have a listen, perhaps make some notes and once its over go and practice!

Or is it not if, but rather when? Rapid advancement in the last few decades mean that Tech is inevitable in everything we do. Despite being so ubiquitous, it still seems to choose its moments to surprise and embarrass us with impeccable timing. Microphones, PowerPoints, zoom meetings, projectors, cameras, teleprompters.. The list goes on. None of them are infallible. So if there’s no escaping it and it can never be 100% guaranteed to work on demand, how do we make sure it serves us well rather than fighting us to the bitter end? With plenty of fantastic anecdotes and real world examples, the dynamic duo as always lay out their perspectives on the matter. Not only that, but also give their tested and proven techniques for mitigating any hiccups along the way. From performing your own dress rehearsal for a zoom call or recording, to having a conscious Plan B in the back pocket to help jump that inevitable hurdle. (and perhaps even a Plan C, D, E.. you get the idea!) Got any thoughts of your own on the subject? We'd love to hear them! Let us know!

Rushing, Mumbling, Getting it over with quickly! Another common behaviour that many of us exhibit when public speaking. So what's the deal? A big factor here is that its very often completely subconscious. We're used to our own voices and naturally we've developed our own habits over a lifetime of making sounds with them. That makes both spotting and fixing these issues on our own very difficult! Perhaps people have even outright asked you to slow down? This week Charlotte and Luke discuss their methods for practically dealing with the problem, since in this case simply fighting your own subconscious isn't the easiest of options. Who's got the headspace to think of their next line and remember to actively manage the speed of their delivery the whole time? As always we hear insight into their own personal experiences, anecdotes, first hand experience and even get some live cattle auction practice along the way! So for at least the next 41 minutes and 28 seconds, take a beat and listen in to Speaker S.O.S!

Feeling unsure, unqualified, like you don’t belong.   This is something that can profoundly inhibit us in our professional lives, especially where public speaking is involved. A feeling of impending doom, a disparagement from other peoples thoughts that you’ve potentially totally imagined.  Its not unusual, but where does it come from? And how can we fix it? As always Luke and Charlotte delve into their font of knowledge and first hand experience on the subject. Bringing stories to light from their far and recent past that give some great insight into the issue at the core of this episode; Confidence and self assurance. There are also risks with too much of a good thing, like taking a job which requires fluent Welsh and only being able to understand what you learned at school. Or singing the national anthem on camera and not knowing a single word. Or maybe its at a much smaller scale, like being the one in the room to pick up the phone and order the takeaway. These things can happen and sometimes will catch you unawares. Whatever it is, there's something here for you. So join us for this weeks Speaker S.O.S!

Is it any good? Do I sound right? Why does my face do that? Feedback is a difficult subject when it comes to public speaking. There are some constants that many of us share, experienced or not. We hate the sound of our own voice, we’re protective of what we’ve made and we often wear our heart on our sleeve. In public speaking these can be barriers we allow ourselves to stumble at that prevent us from being truly great.  The thing is, like anything else that's been covered so far in the series it is something that can be worked on and it doesn't take long to see results. As always, Luke and Charlotte dive into their wealth of knowledge and first hand experience on the subject and share some great stories and lessons, some they've rarely shared openly before now. Also, Clothes Ironing, Kiera Knightley and angry yoga. Want to see where these fit in too? Tune in to this weeks episode of Speaker S.O.S!

A question with seemingly no right answers, or is that the answer in itself? Deciding what to wear is a daily decision for us all, regardless of intent. Even grabbing the first thing in the wardrobe and leaving the house is itself a decision. So if we all do it all of the time, why do we find it so difficult to choose? This week Charlotte and Luke dive into this topic with some of their own wisdom and experience about being Subjective and choosing something that empowers you through appearance or personal meaning. Or Objectively, such as avoiding Green when presenting on a Green screen (Nice one Luke!) Sometimes it works to be bold, and sometimes it can be to your benefit to not let your outfit do the talking before you can open your mouth. This and more on Speaker S.O.S!

How? How do they do it? 'They' being everyone else who is already lightyears better than you... ... In your own head at least. Easy is subjective, and as you'll find out in this episode the bar is not nearly as high as it might seem. Today Charlotte and Luke explore this phenomenon and despite its prevalence seek to dispel it as complete Bull. We take a dive into their past experiences and even get to see footage of Luke's first live TV appearances which he's not even seen since they originally aired over 8 years ago! We explore the fear of being judged, and how it can profoundly affect us all in both positive and negative ways, especially in a modern world where the figurative town square of society is larger than ever. We also dig down into the fundamentals of some common phrases and tropes and see if they can help reframe some misconceptions. Honestly, what does talent actually mean? This and more in this weeks Speaker S.O.S! Follow us on instagram! @Speakers.o.s

Sweaty palms, Racing heart, Knotted stomach. Just a few of the array of feelings we get before speaking to an audience. Does it make me weird? Is it a sign of weakness? Does this mean I can't speak after all? The short answer is No, but it doesn't mean its as easy as just ignoring it. In this episode Charlotte and Luke discuss their own experiences with these feelings (yes, even professionals get it!), their own methods for dealing with them and in some cases flipping the negative into a positive and harnessing those effects to help you to succeed. We also find ourselves discussing the association with nervous energy and needing a toilet break, as well as the potentially problematic area of quick fixes and short term relievers that may be doing more harm than good overall. Luke delves into his experience with using belongings and clothing choices to ground him in the moment, Charlotte touches on her hilarious and almost terrifying experience with using eye tracking software and we all forget the name of the lead singer of Coldplay. All this and more in this weeks episode of Speaker S.O.S! Follow us on instagram! @Speakers.o.s

I don't know how to start! Where do I start? Making a start on a task isn't easy under the best of circumstances. So what about combining it with public speaking? How do I remember it all? Why can I easily speak to my friends and family but not an audience? In this poignantly placed first episode Charlotte and Luke discuss making a start on speaking and share their tips and wisdom from first hand experience in planning and execution. Including Not being ashamed of ideas, learning how to spot nuggets of genius, squashing procrastination and not overthinking it all. Metaphor and comical anecdote abound, we make some quick stops along the way at Ronseal, Oakwood Theme Park and Dunston Checks In. So, still unsure where to start? Start here! Follow us on instagram! @Speakers.o.s