What Does a Public Speaking Coach Actually Do?

You may be wondering what a public speaking coach is before asking what they do.

Contrary to popular belief, public speaking isn’t restricted to wedding and key note speeches. It’s also not just something politicians do.

Imagine the following situations at work:

– You have to update or brief your team regularly

– Your management team or board have asked you to present your thoughts

– The business needs a verbal status report on a project you’ve been working on

– A major change initiative needs your leadership

– You are called on to represent your company at a conference

– Part of your role involves sales and you need to make a pitch

– You need to inform, influence or persuade a group of people

These are all examples of public speaking.

Outside of the workplace it may be more ceremonial:

– Birthday, anniversary and congratulations speeches

– Retirement or funeral speeches

– Thank you or graduation award speeches

The list of public speaking opportunities is a very long one

This is where the role of a good public speaking coaching is a significant one.

Whatever the situation is, it requires strong communication skills. All presenters need confidence and the ability to connect with an audience.

Whether you are presenting to two people or a group of two thousand, public speaking is a skill.

You may have heard it described as a ‘soft skill’. There is nothing soft about using the spoken word to influence, persuade and lead fellow human beings.

The role of a public speaking coach revolves around a number of key areas

Here are a few of them:

– Understanding a presenter’s specific communication challenges, objectives, and aspirations

– Identifying what their personal communication strengths are

– Fixing bad habits and hindrances

– Developing a strong rapport and empathy with the client

– Challenging, equipping and empowering clients with tools to improve

– Understanding the client’s mindset, perspective and limiting beliefs

– Looking for possibilities and opportunities for clients to improve

– Creating a safe, confidential and supportive learning environment

– Championing open and respectful honesty

– Respecting and coaching for authenticity

– Creating a fun and enjoyable learning experience

Common public speaking challenges

The role of a good public speaking coach is a varied and challenging one.

Here are just a few of the common areas we help people with every day.

1. Overcoming fear and anxiety

Many people admit to being frightened of speaking in public. In fact, public speaking anxiety is one of the most common phobias in the world today.

Here are just some of the symptoms many people experience:

– ‘Brain freeze’

– Palpitations

– Sweaty palms

– Dry mouth

– Dizziness

– Trembling

– Muscle tension

– Nausea

The list really does go on and on.

A mindful public speaking coach can help you to manage and overcome these symptoms

They will focus on:

– The body language needed to feel confident

– Showing you how to find your true voice

– Coaching to craft content that allows you to speak authentically

– Reframing your fear of public speaking

– Helping you to feel at ease making eye contact

– Breathing, meditation and visualisation techniques to build confidence

– Channelling your nerves into a positive energy

– Connecting with yourself before connecting with your audience

– Relieving the paralysing symptoms of public speaking anxiety

A highly effective public speaking coach will give you the tools needed to manage and overcome the fear of public speaking.

2. Presenting with confidence, clarity and impact

A public speaking coach will help you to step way beyond anxiety. One-to-one coaching will help you to speak with much greater confidence, clarity and impact.

A mindful public speaking coach achieves this through:

– Helping you to look and sound your best presenting in-person or virtually

– Showing you what your audience really want and need from you

– Giving you the skills to craft a clear and content-rich presentation

– Building a compelling message that connects with your audience

– Coaching you to speak with presence and authority

– Demonstrating how to present creatively and stand out from the crowd

– Helping you to connect with your audience emotionally as well as intellectually

– Showing you how to influence, persuade and inspire any audience

3. Standing out from the crowd

Anyone can learn to present with confidence, clarity and impact. A mindful public speaking coach doesn’t stop there. A highly effective coach will show you what it takes to stand out from the crowd.

They will do this by:

– Sharing storytelling techniques to connect with your audience

– Helping you to think creatively to challenge the status quo

– Showing you how to present powerfully with visuals

– Coaching you to involve and interact with your audience

– Revealing the key elements of high impact presenting

– Coaching you to use your voice in a way that engages and energises your audience

– Giving you lots of honest, helpful and constructive feedback

– Creating a safe, open but challenging learning environment

– Helping you to leave your ego at home and focus exclusively on your audience

Photo by Miguel Ángel Hernández on Unsplash