This Moved Me

Olivia Mitchell - Presentation Trainer, Speaker, Introvert - aims to redefine the expectations of speaking. Living in New Zealand, Olivia uses her professional presenting skills to speak up about what she is passionate about.

Addressing real-world needs, Olivia sets out to use her voice to make a difference while helping others do the same. All of this - as an introvert. Olivia dedicates her craft to develop ways in which other introverts, like herself, can be just as confident and effective public speakers. She lives by the notion that anyone can speak with confidence despite the obstacles.

Recently, the National Speech and Debate tournament took place in Florida. I have been reflecting on when I had the opportunity to participate in this very tournament during my high school speech days - and I won! I was awarded the National Championship of Original Oratory. My coaches were incredible during this experience and helped so much! When reflecting on this time, I had the chance to truly realize how crucial this moment was to the path that led me to where I am today. I learned so much from speech and how special it really is. With that being said, I dedicated this episode as an ode to the high school sport that shaped who I am today - speech!

Chuck Schumer's repetition of his stump graduation speech was caught on tape… many, many times!… and put together, in one hilarious montage on John Oliver's show Last Week Tonight. (ps, I love this show - so smart and so funny) When I saw this video… I laughed, and then I cringed…

Why? Because let's be honest: we repeat our content. Of course we do! I And it's necessary for a few reasons. So, what do we do? How do we repeat our content without being a fake (and being Chuck Schumer)?

Mel Burt-Gracik - Management Consultant, Career Transition Coach, Speaker- is authentically herself. Mel helps managers lead their teams better in the work environment. Her goal is to help her clients say, "I look forward to coming to work everyday."

Mel aims to create psychological safety at work in a way where individuals emotional needs are not just recognized - they are embraced. She knows first hand how failure is not a bad thing - it is just another stepping stone on the pathway to success. Ditching perfection, Mel chooses to always own who she is which ultimately shines through her craft.

Tamsen Webster - speaker, presentation strategist, TEDX producer, messaging guru - brings her delightful spark to our conversation about how to not just get your audience to listen... but how to get them to CHANGE.

You have a vision of where you want to go... but how do you get there? Turns out, the tumble down into the canyon is the best way to the other side.

Matt Abrahams is a passionate, collaborative and innovative educator, author, and coach. He is a lecturer at Stanford University's Graduate School of Business where he teaches two very popular classes in Strategic Communication and Effective Virtual Presenting. Additionally, Matt is a professor of communication at De Anza College and an adjunct faculty member for Stanford University's Continuing Education Program. Also, Matt coaches entrepreneurs from around the world on pitching their ideas as part of Stanford's Graduate School of Business's Ignite Program. Matt is especially interested in applying communication knowledge to real-world issues. In service of this goal, he published Speaking Up Without Freaking Out, a book written to help people present and communicate in a more confident, connected, and compelling manner.

On the show, Matt and I talk about some key strategies to calm your body down so you can speak with more confidence and clarity - a need for ALL of us, not just the newbies or introverts. No, siree! We all have some level of anxiety around speaking, so I'm thrilled to share Matt's ideas and insights with you!

Speakers!

If you speak at events - or pull together events - or attend events! - then you know that HOW an event comes together is really important. And it's way more complicated than most people think...

I'm currently in Milwaukee doing a fundraising event with an awesome team of people who have consistently created and produced some of the most beautiful, stunning and powerful events I've ever had the privilege of being a part of.

And so I've invited these 'all-star' event people into the conversation with me today about how to pull off a spectacular event program!

Meet: Todd Hansen - producer and performer - who knows the ins and outs of doing this work well. And Sarah Gillund, communications guru - who oversees the consistent and beautiful messages that the audience experiences from the first moment to the last.

(We're not talking table centerpieces. Just not my expertise, and I happily hand off front-of-house stuff to someone else) as much as we're talking about what happens 'on stage.')

A good event can inspire action; and a bad one can do the opposite.

So - here are nine ingredients of a spectacular event!