Learnings: From Public Speaking Training
Michael looked at me: "You just have a lot of words."
I am aware.
It's the first piece of feedback I got after stepping on stage for the first time in front of the Ports and my classmates, #grad18. It's like 40 of me in the audience. And all of them: bosses. I see something in every single one of them that makes me want to be like them. It's breathtaking. We all have a love story to share about what got us to this moment. The energy we make just sitting there together is palpable.
It's January and by then, we've completed the 12-week-long online writing portion of our training. We are meeting IRL for the first time, each of us equipped with a "rehearsal-ready" as a tool for the performance portion of our graduate public speaking program. We'll all travel to Lambertville, NJ, three times to get on that stage before we graduate in March.
March 15, 2023. The HPS Stage. Lambertville, NJ.
We are learning the art, science and craft of designing speeches in service of taking our audience through an experience - not a powerpoint deck. To make them feel something.
To shape our conferences, company kick-offs, sales pitches, panels, communities - any kind of event - from inspirational to transformational.
And to be big in life, in the fullest expression of ourselves.
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Yes, I do have a lot of words!
And... I wound up with a 450 word script. Just enough for a 4-minute trailer to accompany my future TEDx applications. We record it on that same stage in 2 weeks. I'm working on learning my lines, turning up my quirkiness and calming my nerves in rehearsals everyday until then.
And then I'll keep going forward, while trusting the process. And doing the work.
I'm in transition.
I am confident I'll look back on the last 7 months of training as one of the most significant transitions in my life - it competes with Ironman y'all...
In the spirit of economy of words, here are my top 3 reflections about my experience with the Heroic Public Speaking Graduate Program.
ONE: I discovered and learned how to work with my own creativity process. I am proudest that I was able to take in all of the training, tips and tricks (and apply other creativity and productivity tools I've gathered along this 25-year career) to create a discipline that works, for me. To recognize and own my creative activities as mine. To sequence and optimize them. My result: I can take an idea from one of my beloved post its and turn it into one that's worth sharing.
TWO: I found out that love - one of the oldest, most written about topic in the world - has been neglected and left out of our workplaces, yet is undoubtedly most needed in our workplaces, right now. Not only is it appropriate for work, love is a state-of-mind necessary to revolutionize our workplaces. And we have a lot of work, to do.
My work on love doesn't end with a TED-style talk. I'm going to keep going and undertake another cycle. Give it the long-road outlook. Supported by a new business community of like-minded makers, and lovers. And those who have loved me in the bigs and at home all along. Love is not just for romance. And I have more left in me.
THREE: I've recognized that the business of consulting has both prepared and equipped me well to make an immediate impact as a speaker. To live on my purpose: design & facilitate experiences that connect and boost people’s lives.
BONUS: At my most vulnerable, I got to share the #grad18 Superlative Award with co-cohort BFF and someone who has already touched my life so deeply: MaryBeth Hyland. I love you sis!
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