Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: Foreign.
[00:00:14] Speaker B: Hello, everyone, my name is Todd Wall, and welcome to Communication Makeover, where we believe that intentional communication will lead to the breakthrough that you're looking for both in your business and in your life. You know, one of the quotes that we use on a regular basis here is the idea that the greatest illusion in communication is that it has actually occurred. The problem we're talking about today is let's imagine you've got whatever size audience in front of you. The problem you'll need to engage with is actually getting audience engagement. If it's just you talking, then you're just talking into the wind. It's all about the connection between you and your audience. That's absolutely critical to your communication. So how do you engage the audience? What is the process that that's necessary in order to bring that out?
The whole goal is that they walk away with something. Not that they sit there and give you the nod and look at their watch. The goal is that they walk away with something.
So today, Deirdre is going to interview Gretchen Clyburn and we're going to. You're going to love this engagement and talk through the coaching process of how do you build audience engagement? Here they are.
[00:01:45] Speaker A: Hello, Gretchen.
[00:01:47] Speaker C: Hello. How are you?
[00:01:49] Speaker A: I'm well. How are you today?
[00:01:51] Speaker C: Doing well, thank you.
[00:01:53] Speaker A: Good. Well, we're going to talk about audience engagement, and I think you have some speaking engagements coming up. Is that true?
[00:02:00] Speaker C: I do. I have several in the next couple of months that I'm looking forward to and slightly nervous about.
[00:02:06] Speaker A: Okay, so I was going to ask you first question. How do you feel about these speaking engagements? So you said nervous. And tell me a little bit, what makes you nervous about speaking?
[00:02:19] Speaker C: It is mostly making sure that I am prepared so that I can get my message across to the audience.
That's probably the most. The part that I'm most nervous about. I actually enjoy when I know that I'm connecting with the audience. It's that beforehand, getting ready to, making sure I have the right message and I'm prepared to engage the audience that causes me to be nervous.
[00:02:45] Speaker A: And that's understandable. Let's talk a little bit about how you just said when you do feel you're connecting, that something happens, you feel good.
What makes you feel as if you're connecting? Is it a signal that they're giving you or is it just something you feel inside?
[00:03:07] Speaker C: I think the most frequent way that I've evaluated that I feel like I've connected is unfortunately, it's at the end of the session when we get questions or when people walk away telling me I learned something today. Those are the two things where I know that I was successful in engaging them. But often when I'm speaking, I'm not positive as to how engaged they are in the conversation. So I would love to learn how to engage them and know that they're engaged throughout the presentation.
[00:03:43] Speaker A: Okay. And that makes sense because you want to feel better sooner and you're looking for those. Those subtle signals, perhaps, that they're sending. Let's talk about some of the positives of speaking. What do you like about speaking and what goes well from the beginning, the middle? And I already know at the end you feel as if you've landed because you're hearing the questions or people approach you. So what about at the beginning?
[00:04:17] Speaker C: As far as what do I like about speaking? Primarily, yes, I love helping people. That's really where my passion lies. And I feel that by speaking I can help spread that word and communicate to more people quicker. And that does two things. One, certainly, hopefully they are motivated and they walk away with their own personal to do list and they're actually going to execute it or they're going to call me and say, hey, we really want to hear more. Can you come either speak to our group or come sit down with my wife and I. Any of those things would be.
Would mean that I have made an impact and I'm connecting with them and I just love to help.
[00:05:02] Speaker A: And how are you helping them? What is about your talk or your speech that you feel will resonate? What's the most powerful part of it?
[00:05:16] Speaker C: Well, as I begin my story, when I get on the stage, I usually start out by talking. I start out with Benjamin Franklin once said that there is only two things in life that are death and taxes. And we're going to talk about both of those today. We're going to talk about taxes later, but we're going to start out talking about death first.
In April of 2014, I was actually running a half marathon after having traveled all week for work. I was very exhausted. I was dehydrated. I had no business running this race. However, I had already paid for the race medal and I insisted on running because I wanted to earn that medal.
So I went ahead and caught up with my running partner and we started running that day. It was a gorgeous day. We were running well ahead of our normal pace.
So it was no surprise to her when after mile marker nine, I said to her, I need to slow down. A little. Moments later, without any warning whatsoever, I collapse from A cardiac arrest.
[00:06:17] Speaker A: Oh, my goodness. Okay, so this is a story that really hits home. It's a tragic story. It's very personal. And you're sharing an incident that's scary and life threatening.
And that is something, Gretchen, that is.
You're sending that out to your audience.
Did you ever look out into the audience to see what the reaction is?
[00:06:48] Speaker C: Yes, in some cases I have.
People like, their eyes have gotten wider as they're hearing my story because obviously they're putting together the fact that that happened to me and yet I'm still here speaking to them. And so I think there's shock and disbelief. Obviously, I'm going for the fact that we never know when it's our time and there are things that we need to do before that happens. That's the message I want to get across. But they are absolutely. It does get their attention.
[00:07:20] Speaker A: It does. And what do you think they're feeling? You said shock, disbelief. Let's stay there for a moment. What else do you think they're feeling?
[00:07:32] Speaker C: A lot of times I'm speaking to the healthcare community, so they also know how unlikely it is that I would have survived in this circumstance. So I think they're also feeling some awe, like, wow, how is she here speaking to us and being able to speak fairly eloquently. So I think they're thinking all of that at the same time. And they're also hearing why it's so important to me that I am there speaking to them. Because of that personal experience.
[00:08:03] Speaker A: Exactly. And Gretchen, when you're talking, do you feel you're just speaking at them or do you feel you're speaking with them?
[00:08:16] Speaker C: I think I feel more like I am speaking at them instead of with them. I feel like if there was. If there were ways that I could engage them to where it's more of a conversation, it would. Then I would be speaking with them. But at this point, I'm up front, I'm talking, sharing my story and just talking. I would like to figure out how to make it feel more like a conversation.
[00:08:44] Speaker A: Okay. And that's interesting because there's unspoken, most likely unspoken conversation and energy that's being passed from speaker to audience as you're sharing that kind of a story. And can you tell when an audience is engaged? So if I asked you, what would it be like other than a back and forth conversation, which happens in the Q and A, what would engagement look like to you? What would they be doing?
[00:09:20] Speaker C: As I continue with my presentation, I like to see when they're taking notes to me, that means that my points are hitting home and they're finding information that's valuable. So often taking notes, certainly looking at me, nodding their heads, those are probably the primary things. But I'm often.
I don't know how much attention I'm paying to that when I'm speaking. I think I might be more focused on making sure I remember to say the right things.
[00:09:51] Speaker A: And what is it about you being on stage that is there anything preventing you? So do you just feel, I've got to stay on some kind of a script, I have to continue with my presentation?
Is that why you're not looking out at the audience and kind of sensing what's going on?
[00:10:11] Speaker C: I think I'm very concerned about getting my points across so that I can provide the education and the information.
And so I stay very focused on that, which means I'm less focused on the people in the audience, even though that's who I'm there to speak to.
[00:10:29] Speaker A: Right. And it's. It's something about feeling that connection sooner that will help you to feel comfortable. And I think it's there and we're going to work through it. So thank you. Thank you, Gretchen, for sharing what you've shared so far.
[00:10:46] Speaker B: I'm very interested in getting your impression on this, Deirdre. I saw some very unique things in what she's talking about. One, like, when she immediately went in, she drew me in, like. And then I realized, oh, she's actually giving the beginning of her talk. And I felt myself leaning in and hearing more. I'm wondering if this is a matter of being in her head and not in her heart. What's your impression so far? Because the awareness stage of this is getting very interesting.
[00:11:17] Speaker A: She has a powerful story, and she's pretty much admitted that she's in her head. And what's happening is her audience automatically is engaged. And I think when Gretchen realizes that the preparation she needs to move her forward will just get her out of her head and connected and staying with her audience the entire time. She knows her story. She doesn't have to be in her head as much, and she knows the company as well and the industry. So we're going to get there.
[00:11:53] Speaker B: We're going to. This is just the beginning awareness stage. Now we're going to move to Discovery, so. All right, Deirdre, I can't wait to see what you do next. All right, stick with us. We'll be right back for the Discovery stage on how to engage your audience. We'll be right back.
All right, I'M loving this element of how do you create engagement with your audience? And so often we see, you know, the really, the paralysis of any speaker is. Is the worry that, am I going to say the right things? And when we get in that place of am I going to say the right thing? It moves from me expressing and connecting my heart with someone to I'm analyzing and thinking, and so many things are going on in my brain. I don't know if that's what's going on here yet. But I'm interested to watch as we move the conversation into this next stage of discovery. This is when the magic starts to happen. This is where the awareness has taken place. We now see the situation, but now as we go into discovery, where are the actual leverage points? They are going to move us from point A to point B in Gretchen's life because her life, her communication, is unique. So I'm eager to see which direction Deirdre goes. Let's keep looking.
[00:13:34] Speaker A: Gretchen. So thank you for sharing about your story. And it is. It's powerful. I think we've laid out the situation. I want to go deeper with you.
Let's peel back the layers of the onion. Okay. And if anything strikes you, let's stop, let's talk more about it. First off, you explained how you're on stage. You want that feeling of connection. You have a personal story that it's yours and you share, and you shared it beautifully and with power right before when you shared it with all of us.
So let's talk a little bit about how you see yourself as a speaker.
If I were to ask you three words to describe yourself as a speaker, what. What might those three words be?
[00:14:28] Speaker C: Formal, educational, and serious.
[00:14:36] Speaker A: Okay.
Formal, educational, and serious.
And when you think about what you're talking about, do any other words come to mind, even if it's just that beginning part of your story?
[00:14:56] Speaker C: Yes. What I want to be is motivational and certainly make a significant impact so that they understand the importance of doing certain things to achieve their personal goals.
So I want to be motivational and impactful.
[00:15:17] Speaker A: Right. And would you also say there's this authenticity that comes through because this is your personal story? Would you add that word to your list?
[00:15:28] Speaker C: Yes, I think that's an excellent list. Excellent word, authenticity. Because I do tend to try to be very authentic and use my personal experiences to motivate others.
[00:15:40] Speaker A: Okay. Now, I want you to think about, and you don't have to name a speaker, but can you think about a speaker recently that you've watched, whether you Were in person at a conference or perhaps you were watching a TED Talk.
Do you have somebody in mind?
[00:15:58] Speaker C: Yes.
[00:15:59] Speaker A: You feel as a successful speaker.
[00:16:02] Speaker C: Yes.
[00:16:03] Speaker A: And what is it that that person is doing that you feel is engaging you?
[00:16:12] Speaker C: They tend to use humor in their presentation. They are more comfortable probably moving around on the stage and, you know, body movements, hand movements, things like that that they are able to not only use, but use to be more impactful in their presentation. So use appropriately.
[00:16:32] Speaker A: Okay. So they're taking up space, they're moving around, they're entertaining because they're funny. And do they come across with their own personal story in this particular presentation?
[00:16:48] Speaker C: Yes, I think, I think that to me is what's engaging when they tell something personal so we can better identify with them, understand where they're coming from. So, yes, they are telling a story either at the beginning or through their presentation.
[00:17:03] Speaker A: And would you say that you instinctively do that as well with your presentation?
[00:17:14] Speaker C: I almost always start my presentation out with a story and I typically use a very similar one because it does have a lot of impact and I can apply it directly to the things I'm wanting to help people with.
[00:17:28] Speaker A: Exactly. And what are some of the ways that you want to help people so that impact the engagement that you're looking for? I know you mentioned it a little early on, but as we go deeper and deeper, what is impact? What is engagement? What's that target that you're trying to hit?
[00:17:47] Speaker C: I'm trying to help them think about, you know, what do they need to do in order to primarily take care of their family. I work with a lot of physicians and there's a lot that they deal with related to burnout. And as a result of my life changing experience, I want to help them be able to have a clear focus on their patients, have the best possible patient outcome, and not be worried about their personal financial status. So we want that under control, that scenario I can help them in so that then when they're taking care of you, me, our neighbors, our friends, they're able to take care of their patient and put them first and have the best possible patient outcome.
[00:18:29] Speaker A: Excellent. And how do you measure? So how do you even know that you've had a good speaking engagement? You mentioned a couple things, but put it in a package for me. What, what has you walking away saying, I know I created impact because.
[00:18:51] Speaker C: Primarily that is because I have had several people, depending on the size of the group, let's say at least 10%, who have want to engage with me further, whether it's One on one or they want to bring me and have my story told to their bigger group at a later date. So that's usually where I feel like I've had an impact.
They are now wanting to further engage with me.
[00:19:18] Speaker A: Okay, let's stay there for a second. Further engage with you. Have you been asked to do other speaking engagements as a result of being up on stage or other places to speak?
[00:19:35] Speaker C: I know that I have been asked a lot to speak when I have told my story, and often that may be one on one. And they're like, oh, I want you to come speak at this. I have not. I would say last year was the year I really started speaking. So I haven't had a lot of stage experiences yet, but that is my goal for this year, is to continue to increase those opportunities. And internally, within our company, more of our teams are asking me to come speak to their clients, which I think is a huge honor and representative, that I must be doing something well.
[00:20:14] Speaker A: Yes, you are. And what I'm also hearing you say is you want to engage more with speaking, and as you want to do that more, you become a more engaging speaker. Because there is a lot of practice that's involved. And I think I'm going to bring Todd back in at this moment because we're creating some impact here.
[00:20:41] Speaker B: Yeah, I'm loving what's going on. I saw. First thing I noticed as she was talking was the initial list versus the how, I'll say, the happily ever after list. It's a. This is what I actually aspire to be. And her countenance was even different in the two. Did you notice that?
[00:21:02] Speaker A: Yes, I did notice that. And I also noticed that she left off the authenticity part, which is such an important part of what she's talking about and how she also gravitates to that when she watches a speaker.
[00:21:20] Speaker B: That is interesting.
[00:21:21] Speaker C: And it's there.
[00:21:22] Speaker A: It's just not recognized.
[00:21:24] Speaker B: Yeah. Because when she gave the init that, when she just immediately went into her story at the beginning, I felt it. It was authentic. I was like, oh, me too. She's sharing something. Yes.
[00:21:36] Speaker A: That is from the heart.
[00:21:38] Speaker B: Absolutely. It wasn't just in my ear. My ears weren't affected. My heart was affected when she shared that, because I was like. I was like, oh, cardiac arrest. It's like, I remember kind of stepping back a little bit.
[00:21:50] Speaker A: Exactly. So she is engaging. She just doesn't realize it. And she loves engagement. And she even said, I want to speak more. That says, I want to engage more. It's Coming.
[00:22:06] Speaker B: Yeah. I love that we're going to get to the tactical stage next because I can see the leverage points that you're laying out in this discovery stage because it's still the phase of raising the windows, but we now see what, what is that that she wants to step into. And also she, she very quickly had a picture of the other speaker that she wants to be like. And as she described it, I'm looking forward to this next session because as she described it, it didn't feel a million miles away to me. No, it feels like a tiny step away, almost even, like you said, a recognition.
[00:22:47] Speaker A: I think it's, it's changing a mindset to understand that as she engages more and what she does, as she's engaging more, will automatically engage her audience.
And that's what's going to come out next.
[00:23:03] Speaker B: I, I think so too, because I. That there is an absolute, a mindset shift with repetition. The more reps you get on stage, you're. You just get more comfortable. You get more in your own skin and your, your information that you're trying to. You're less worried about remembering the, the information and you're more like, let's just see what connection. Let's see what happens today. It's almost like a curiosity is formed, honestly. The same kind of curiosity when you sit down and have coffee with somebody.
See what happens today.
[00:23:40] Speaker A: Let's just see what happens. And it's, it's in her preparation, but it's a different kind of preparation, and I think that's what she's going to uncover.
[00:23:48] Speaker B: Wow, that is interesting. That is very interesting. All right, I can't wait for you to jump into it. So, all right, everybody stick with us. Right after this, we're going to get tactical on how do you engage with your audience. Be right back.
All right, welcome back, everyone. My name is Todd Wall. Welcome to Communication Makeover, where we believe that intentional communication will lead to the breakthrough that you're looking for, both in your business and in your life. Today's topic that we've been discussing is how do you create engagement with your audience? So it's not just one way communication. People are walking away impacted, they're walking away changed. They're walking away with a shift of some sort. And so we're talking about how that transition from, with Gretchen of, from her feeling like it's just me talking at people to, well, what if she actually is creating more impact than she actually thinks she is? So we've created awareness, We've gone through the discovery Stage within our breakthrough method. And now it's time to get tactical and begin to actually uncover the levers that can be used in. In order to create that impact that she's actually looking for. Here we go.
[00:25:32] Speaker A: Gretchen, I want to check in with you. At this point, how are you feeling about speaking, being on stage? Has anything struck you from our conversation?
[00:25:44] Speaker C: I feel like I am excited about having more opportunities and after talking to you, realizing that authenticity is certainly a part of what I do and what I try to express.
And I'm really just excited to hear more about how maybe you're going to help me feel comfortable so that I know that I'm engaging the audience.
[00:26:10] Speaker A: Okay. Well, engagement is a mindset in having that mindset takes a little bit of preparation, little, little bit of a shift. So let's talk about when you are planning something else other than a speaking engagement. If you're trying to hit a goal, let's say you have a big project, would you say that there's planning and development and strategy and some legwork that goes into it?
[00:26:41] Speaker C: Yes, I'm a certified financial planner.
I do love to plan for.
[00:26:49] Speaker A: All right, so you know what it takes, and does it take time?
[00:26:54] Speaker C: Does it takes time and often more time than I think I have available.
[00:26:59] Speaker A: Okay. And does it take your heart and your soul and your energy?
[00:27:06] Speaker C: Yes, it does. And it seemed when I'm preparing for something like this, it might zap my energy initially, but as I see the progress and get closer to completion, then my energy starts to increase significantly and I get excited and I know that I see the end of the horizon on that.
[00:27:30] Speaker A: Right. And you want that launch, you want that project to move forward. Okay, that's good. You're in the right mindset and headspace. You're ready to tackle. Now, let's talk about a speaking engagement. What kind of preparation goes into your speaking?
[00:27:51] Speaker C: First of all, I generally look at the calendar and see how much time I have until that presentation. I want to find out who's going to be in the audience so that I'm able to talk to them, preferably directly engage with them, because I understand where they're coming from.
And then I often will work with my team members to make sure I am thinking about the right points that would be most beneficial to that audience to get across.
[00:28:24] Speaker A: Okay. That's a lot around the messaging, and that's good because you want to make sure you understand those folks in the audience and you are delivering information that will resonate with them. How about some of the other Ways that we engage.
We engage through our voice. Sometimes we engage through body language. The way we move proxemics, how we take up space. Because you even said that the person you were thinking of who was speaking was using their body language and was on stage and had a presence. So talk to me about those three areas.
[00:29:05] Speaker C: I have not practiced those a lot, primarily because I don't have a lot of.
I haven't done the research. I haven't spent the time finding out what are those things that I need to do from that perspective to. To better engage the audience. So definitely things I need to learn and do more of.
[00:29:25] Speaker A: That's fair. And just knowing that you need to learn. And there's a little bit of legwork there, but even some simple steps, even something around your voice and the way you use your voice. Talk to me about your voice. When you go out on stage, do you feel you use your voice? Do you have a range? Do you modulate your pitch? How does your voice sound?
[00:29:52] Speaker C: I feel like my voice is fairly monotone. I don't have an intentional awareness of how and when to utilize my voice to make it more impactful.
[00:30:07] Speaker A: Okay. And you probably don't realize it, but as we speak, you are modulating your voice. When you were sharing your story, I heard some of the higher range, and I heard lower range. When you got to the point in your story about cardiac arrest, your voice went lower. But when you talk about motivating your audience or inspiring them, your voice went higher. You're naturally doing that. And I think that sometimes we get nervous, and especially if you have nerves going out on stage, the voice stays at a level. So do you think nerves play a part of perhaps how the voice comes across?
[00:30:52] Speaker C: I would say yes. I think it's definitely nerves and how I'm feeling as I'm coming on stage.
[00:31:00] Speaker A: Okay. And has anybody ever talked to you about breathing, breathing properly so that you can reduce your nerves and some of the ways that speakers warm up?
[00:31:15] Speaker C: No, I have not had a lot of knowledge or training in that area.
[00:31:20] Speaker A: Okay. The one.
Okay. The one major takeaway here is that breathing controls everything. It controls your brain. And when you're breathing properly, then you're able to share all of those messages. Your voice sounds better. So I'd like to just talk to you for a moment about breathing. Do you realize when you're breathing in your chest or when you're breathing in your diaphragm? Can you tell? Because if you don't know the proper breathing, that will stop you from getting into the flow of speaking and even the proper mindset.
[00:32:03] Speaker C: I don't believe that I'm intentionally aware of how I'm breathing or where I'm breathing.
[00:32:11] Speaker A: Okay, well, you're going to do a little test that helps you to breathe, and you're going to check in with yourself. Just put your hand on your stomach quickly, and you can put your hand on your chest. And I want you to breathe and make the hand on your stomach move. So take a deeper breath so that you're. Your hand moves out when your stomach expands and your hand contracts when you exhale. So breathe in.
And when you breathe deeply, your hand should move and breathe out.
[00:32:50] Speaker C: Do you feel that.
[00:32:54] Speaker A: That'S where you're going to start? Because when you breathe properly, it's a game changer. When you're breathing in your diaphragm, your voice sounds richer. You have more control over your voice range. So that's one simple step. But I think that stepping back to say, how might I learn now that I understand breathing, how might I learn about feeling more comfortable on stage, letting the energy flow out of my body? So when you speak, you're using your hands, you're opening up. Do you ever speak with your hands?
[00:33:37] Speaker C: All the time at home.
[00:33:39] Speaker A: Okay.
[00:33:40] Speaker C: I don't know if I do as naturally on stage, but I do use my hands a lot when I'm communicating with family members.
[00:33:48] Speaker A: All right, so you know how to use your hands. And if you could do it at home, and you're having passionate conversations, whether it's with your family or maybe it's with your friends. And I bet you're using your hands with your colleagues, too.
That's a level of comfort.
And you are engaged. Your body is engaged. So what would it take to have that same engagement, that natural you, that authentic you on stage? And this is where I'm going to ask you to close your eyes. And I just want you to close your eyes and picture yourself using your hands and moving just like as if you were talking to somebody you knew. Can you see it? Can you picture yourself?
[00:34:45] Speaker C: I can.
[00:34:45] Speaker A: Yes, you can. Okay. And how does it feel?
[00:34:51] Speaker C: Feels great. Feels like I'm very confident.
[00:34:57] Speaker A: Okay, well, thank you for sharing that. I'm going to bring Todd in quickly.
[00:35:04] Speaker B: She is so close, Deirdre, because I don't know if you noticed this, but when you said one, do you have that person, you know, that you like how they speak? Oh, yeah. And I know it immediately. And then you said, do you know when you ask her about specific tactics? Well, I Don't know how to do any of that stuff. It's like there was an immediate wall there. Did you see her light up when she goes, oh, but when I talk to my friends and family, oh, I'm very expressive. I was like, I was behind the scenes going, ah, there it is, there it is, there it is. Here we go, here we go. And so I'm going to bring that.
[00:35:41] Speaker A: Part of Gretchen out so that when she goes on stage, that's the Persona that she brings forward. Because she can see it. She knows she can do it.
[00:35:53] Speaker B: Absolutely. And even with the other, the speaker that she likes, she already has a clear picture on what to do of a way that she likes, because so many speakers do it so many ways. She has a way that she likes. I can't wait, Deirdre. So here we go. All right, everybody, stick with us. The breakthrough is just right around the corner. I mean, I was just getting so antsy behind the scenes. So stick with us. We will be right back.
Hello, everyone. My name is Todd Wahl. Welcome to Communication Makeover, where we believe that intentional communication will lead to the breakthrough that you're looking for, both in your business and in your life. The problem we're dealing with today is how do you create engagement with your audience? So it's not just you talking out into the vast open cavern and just wasting. Wasting your time and energy, but you are leading a person from point A into to point B. And so Deirdre is on this journey with Gretchen, and it has gotten so, so good. And we are so, so close to that. That aha moment. I'm not going to waste a single moment. I cannot wait to get to it. So here we go, Gretchen.
[00:37:24] Speaker A: Okay, we left off, you were visualizing yourself on stage, and I could see in your face that you were happy with the picture of yourself that you saw. And I also want to point out you said something really interesting about when you're speaking with your family, plenty of conversations where you're using your hands and your nonverbal cues.
That's because when you're speaking with them, would you say that you are an engaged speaker?
[00:37:58] Speaker C: Yes. I'm obviously very engaged in that topic and communicating with them. Yes.
[00:38:05] Speaker A: Yes. So there's already a part of you, you're there, and it's just figuring out what part of your personality and Persona can you take from an experience that you're already having and bringing that onto the stage so that you feel comfortable, because clearly you feel comfortable around family and friends. And I'm sure There's been situations with co workers where you've led meetings and you're an engaged speaker. Has that happened in the business setting?
[00:38:40] Speaker C: Yes, without a doubt. I have the opportunity to lead a team, and I would say I'm very comfortable with that and communicating. I probably am more relaxed when I am talking to them. So naturally I use my hands and my body more than I would probably standing on stage.
[00:38:58] Speaker A: Okay. Now, did you. Did you know that when you stand on stage, first off, that audience out there, unless they're forced to be there, they are your champions. They want to be there. Did you ever think about that?
[00:39:15] Speaker C: I had not thought about it from that perspective, no. That's a very good way to think about it. They actually want to be there and hear what I have to say.
[00:39:24] Speaker A: Right. How does that make you feel?
[00:39:26] Speaker C: Makes me feel good, definitely. It changes maybe my perspective of how I'm communicating with them. They are waiting for that information.
[00:39:38] Speaker A: Exactly. They want to hear from you. They are waiting for you to show up. And the way that you start, you share something that's powerful, that gets them engaged immediately. Now, I know one of your impact targets, you said, is very much around the message and getting the right talking points, and you're in your head about that, and that might prevent the engagement. Would you say that you know this story really well?
[00:40:13] Speaker C: Yes, absolutely. I told it many, many times, and obviously I somewhat experienced it.
[00:40:22] Speaker A: Right. So do you trust yourself with this story to deliver it?
[00:40:29] Speaker C: I should trust myself with this story, yes.
[00:40:32] Speaker A: And I can, and you do. And I think that if you look at your. There's a couple pieces here. There's a preparation piece where I think, every day, Gretchen, you're preparing for speaking because you are the engaged speaker.
Does it feel comfortable to say, I am an engaging speaker?
[00:41:02] Speaker C: I can certainly say that. I know that saying that to myself will make me believe it more. I probably don't initially believe it, so that's my challenge. But I know it makes sense to me that I should say that until I know it for myself.
[00:41:19] Speaker A: Right. And are there instances where perhaps you could remind yourself.
[00:41:24] Speaker C: Yeah, that would be a great thing to do, would be to remind myself that I am an engaged speaker. And it would give me more confidence when I have the opportunity to speak, whether it's, you know, in a team meeting or on stage.
[00:41:40] Speaker A: That's right, because you're practicing even in your team meetings. Now. What about your preparation? Can your preparation change so that you can be that engaging speaker and show up with your heart? You already have your talking Points. But how might your preparation change with your voice or your body language? What. What could you do?
[00:42:07] Speaker C: Well, obviously, I need to practice my breathing, and I could start out by making statements about, you know, the type of speaker that I am, and then I would maybe have my very specific primary statements, and that's really all that I should have in my brain so that I can just talk about those as I transition through the presentation, if that makes sense.
[00:42:39] Speaker A: Yes. And after you share your story, do you have the same comfort level of the messaging and what you need to share in terms of talking points? So is that message solid? Whether it's the beginning, the middle, or the end?
[00:42:58] Speaker C: The middle, I think, is a. Is very solid. It's what I do and what I talk about all day, every day with clients, prospects, co workers.
And if I just have one or two words on the screen, I know exactly what I'm supposed to talk about, and I talk about it for quite some time.
I think where I find another challenge is just closing. Making sure that my closing doesn't just drop off a cliff after I've given, hopefully, a very impactful presentation.
[00:43:26] Speaker A: Well, the closing is a piece where you want that engagement to continue. So I would agree. I have this feeling that there is a Gretchen, the engaged Gretchen, who speaks all of the time, whether it's professionally or with her family and friends, who shows up on stage. And if you had a maybe a little plan behind how you prepare to speak, you could, from the beginning to the middle, you could have that same engagement as close in your close. So talk to me about, is there a way that you can close that would be the same level of engagement, impact, and motivation that you want to get across.
[00:44:17] Speaker C: What I'm currently thinking about is referencing back to running a marathon and identifying how what they do every day is challenging, just like a marathon. But regardless of how committed they are to their patients as physicians, they definitely need to take care of themselves, because if they're not taking care of themselves, they won't be able to complete their marathon.
Then I would like them to scan a QR code that would enable them to receive a free guide on achieving financial independence so that they know that they have a plan in place and they would know exactly what would happen to them, well, to their family if anything happened to them.
[00:45:02] Speaker A: Okay, so you're sort of tying it back to this powerful story that you shared in the beginning, giving them a reason to understand why they need to be set up and set up for their families. And this is a.
You want a marathon you don't want a sprint and you're setting them up so that they're going to be good for their marathon.
[00:45:32] Speaker C: That's correct.
[00:45:34] Speaker A: Okay, so now when you think about the ways that you're going to move forward with your speaking and you think about your goals and what you want to achieve, has anything shifted for you?
[00:45:51] Speaker C: Absolutely. I feel like through talking with you that I am doing a better job than I feel personally that I am. I am probably more engaged and engaging the audience and I now know that I need to, you know, definitely focus on my breathing and do a better job of getting out of my head and focusing on the audience while I'm speaking, rather than just on the words that I think I should say.
[00:46:22] Speaker A: Okay, well, now let me hear you share about your future self as a speaker with everything that we've talked about. I am a speaker who.
[00:46:37] Speaker C: I am a speaker who is routinely requested to come speak to groups of all different people in all different walks of life, who is known to be very impactful and makes a difference in those who are hearing her story and what they are doing immediately after that presentation in putting those things into practice for themselves.
[00:47:03] Speaker A: Well, that is a powerful speaker. You just said it. That is your future self. You saw yourself, which means that is you. And you can do it. And I hope this has helped you. Thank you, Gretchen.
[00:47:18] Speaker C: Thank you very much, Deirdre. This was great. I appreciate it.
[00:47:22] Speaker A: Thank you.
[00:47:24] Speaker B: I love that, Deirdre. You know, and one thing I, I'm curious about. I saw her, her countenance change when you, when you had her say I am an engaging speaker like her, her non verbals were different. I wonder if, I wonder if there's a second part of that magic sentence that she can repeat to herself of. I am an engaging speaker and people are here to hear me. Because I heard that in that previous, that previous part where she goes, you know what? I hadn't thought about that. I guess they are here to hear me. They're not being forced.
No one. No one. No one's in lunch detention right now. So I wonder if that's part of a magic formula for her in terms of what to repeat that internal dialogue because I saw the tactical stuff lower her guard. But that really goes into the new belief. A new belief that I saw a seed being planted of. I am an engaging speaker and everyone is here to hear what I have to say.
[00:48:32] Speaker C: I wonder.
[00:48:33] Speaker A: I think Gretchen knows that. I think it's in her heart.
[00:48:35] Speaker B: She does. I think so too.
[00:48:37] Speaker A: I think it's coming into her mind because she said it and she saw it. If you can see your future self as an engaging speaker, you are.
And she will. It's there. I can feel it.
[00:48:50] Speaker B: Absolutely. I love it. All right. So just like Deirdre said, if you can see yourself as an engaging speaker, then you are. I love how simply she put that. That's it for this week. I hope you enjoyed on how to engage with your audience the mental shift that took place, the new awareness, the new belief that is, even if it's just in a seed form now, that's going to unlock the new future her and the dynamic speaker. That's not just going to talk into a cavern, but it's going to change people's lives. We'll see you next week.
[00:49:34] Speaker A: Sa.
