Today’s guest is Billal Jamil, the MD and one of the founders at Public Speaking Academy, who talks to us about the importance of being heard in the context of inclusivity.

The main mission for the Public Speaking Academy is to help people from all backgrounds to find their voice, ready to use it in the many spaces where they might have to access a confident, animated self.

Billal tells about how he started to find his own voice, after one particular incident when he was promoted to a line manager of 80 people and was put on the spot and expected to speak to them.  He also shares how most of us experience our first experience of public speaking at school, in the classroom when we put our hands up to answer a question. When we answer incorrectly, or can’t answer, that is when the seeds of fear are first sown.

He shares his journey and how even six months on from being put on the spot, he was still suffering in terms of his self-confidence. That was many years ago, and since then his journey to improve and gain confidence to speak grew. He read many different books, reading different ideas and opinions, but as he soon realised – when it comes to public speaking, information is not enough. Rather than thinking of it as a problem, he began to embrace the challenge.

In terms of inclusivity, Billal shares his passion and thoughts about how much better the world would be if everyone, from all backgrounds, cultures and societies could articulately voice their thoughts to mass audiences in a clear way.  Public speaking shouldn’t be just something for the elite.  We also talk about the issues that sometimes arise for those who are aging, are living with dementia and long term conditions, or are from ethnic minority communities when it comes to being heard.

You can contact Billal on: https://publicspeakingacademy.co.uk/

You can contact us at the following:

Dr Carol Sargent: https://sargentgroup.consulting/

Dr Tom Adler: https://getbide.com/