Speaking with Confidence with Cat Matson: communication coaching for humble leaders

Sales conversations tend to trip up even the most confident of communicators - we don’t want to feel salesy or pushy, we don’t want to be rejected and of course, we still have our sales targets to reach.

Rather than just talk about this in theory, today’s episode you’re getting to listen in on a real confident communication coaching call that I had with a small business owner.

Caitlin runs a successful pet photography business; she now has a team of photographers capturing beautiful photos of families and their furry friends. And, like many small business owners, Caitlin was uncomfortable with her sales process and conversations.

Listen in to hear:

• How to shift your mindset from sales is ‘icky’ and ‘pushy’ to sales is a form of service
• How to use other communication techniques, like beginning with the end in mind, to reduce confusion and take your clients on a sales journey that feels good
• Different ways to respond to objections, and anticipate objections so they can be incorporated into the conversation
• How to package up your offers, and options, so they feel natural and easy for your clients to buyWhy speaking to your full stops, in full, complete sentences, rather than filling the silence with more words, is far more powerful than we realise

"I want to stop rambling" is the number one 'problem' people come to me to solve.

But what if your 'rambling' is actually how you process information, make sense of things and form your opinions.

If you're a verbal processor like me, it's not a flaw that needs to be fixed, in fact, it's the very thing that helps you see what others don't. The issue isn't the rambling - that's part of your process - the issue is not confusing your audience as you think aloud.

Listen in to hear:

• how I discovered I was a verbal processor (and how it's different to people who AREN'T out-loud thinkers)
• why verbal processing shows up as rambling
• how you can still 'ramble' in professional settings without losing your audience

Also in this episode I have a little chat about my refreshed approach to content creation as I move away from algorithm-focused techniques and back to human-focused techniques.

Mentioned in this episode

Concerned your umms and ahhs are undermining your credibility?

In this week’s episode I’m answering a listener question about training yourself OUT OF saying ‘ummmm’ and ‘ahhhh’, and also providing my thoughts on whether umms and ahhs are really as bad as we think.

Listen in to hear:

• Why you might want to ‘chill out’ when it comes to your use of umms and ahhs

• How silence, and ‘speaking to your full stops’ can be a useful way to stop using filler words

• Some alternative filler words or phrases that will engage your audience and give your mind time to ‘catch up’

• My controversial take on another key question that some speaking coaches says undermines your credibility

• Why being on message is more important than any umm or ahh you might use

Want my full lesson on how to stop umming and ahhhing? Visit - 

‘How much of yourself do you share?’ and ‘how to make a speech engaging’ are the questions I’m answering in this week’s episode.

Storytelling, particularly lived experience storytelling, is easily THE BEST way to make your speeches engaging. But how personal is too personal, how much of yourself do you share?

Listen in to hear:

• How to balance the line between misery porn or self-indulgence, and stories that inspire and empower

• Why framing your stories through the lens of the audience is incredibly important

• How to tell your stories to take your listeners on an emotional journey that leaves them ready to take desired action (rather than leaving them a broken, helpless mess)

• How to manage that doubt of ‘do people really want to hear my stories?’

• Where to find other lived experience stories

Ever rocked up to speak at an event, expecting a lectern, or a certain kind of microphone, and the set-up was NOT as you expected?

Or you were forced to use a headset mic that just felt weird, or a lapel mic that kept slipping?

Well, in today’s episode I’m talking about how to manage just these situations!

Listen in to hear:

• The pros and cons of using a lectern

• What you want to consider if you choose NOT to use a lectern

• How to ‘show up’ if you are using a lectern, particularly if you’re ‘vertically-challenged’

• The different kind of microphones and how to prepare not just your presentation but your outfits so they work on the day

• How to prepare for your stage WELL ahead of presentation day!

Want to know how to pitch to speak at a TEDx talk?

Listen up, because that’s the exact question I’m answering today.

A listener has set herself a challenge of speaking at a TEDx event and wants to know how to pitch her talk.

Listen in to hear:

• Whether a TEDx event is the right platform for you

• If it is, how to pitch yourself

• How TEDx speaker selection really happens, and what you need to do to be noticed

• Other events that might serve your purposes better

• How to pitch for them

Links mentioned in this episode:

Are you hiding, or not speaking up, because you’re concerned people might disagree with you?

Well, chances are, someone will! After all, if they already agreed with you, you wouldn’t need to say what you have to say, right?

So in this episode I’m sharing some techniques to manage disagreements and conflict.

Listen in to hear:

• Why disagreements are not as bad as you think

• How conflict is NOT tied to your professional value, though, how you manage it could very well increase your professional reputation

• How to pace out objections to dissipate conflict before it happens

• How to use agreements frames to manage and acknowledge differing opinions as they arise

• Why getting comfortable with conflict is a really powerful skill to have if you want to influence change

Ever feel like you’re tired of the sound of your own voice? Or the sound of your message? But you’re still not making the impact you want?

Yep, I get it.

Influence and making a difference is an endurance sport, so in this episode I’m sharing my top 3 ways to have making long term impact feel easier.

Listen in to hear:

• How you can plan out your long term influence using the same techniques you might use for a presentation

• How I influenced elected officials and other stakeholders through the smallest of conversations

• Why connecting your personal elevator pitch and ‘what you do’ stories to your long term impact outcomes can be a powerful way to weave your message in everything you do

• How to shift from feeling like your nagging your teenagers to being powerful and impactful in your messaging

• Why patience and self-compassion is required, in spades, to make long term impact

How do you recover a presentation where your slides don’t work, you’re not feeling great, and when you see audience members sleeping during your presentation?

Well, that’s exactly the scenario Lauren experienced recently, and so I’m providing some guidance and answers to help her feel a little better about the whole thing … and what to do if it ever happens again.

Listen in to hear:

• How to hack your preparation if you’ve been unwell or just don’t have time to prepare

• My hot tips for slides that work that I’ve learned the hard way after years and years of tech hiccups

• How to wake up sleepy audience members - really - without sounding like a cranky school teacher

• Engagement techniques to beat the post-lunch, post-conference-drinks slump

In honour of World Smile Day today I want to share the simplest, and most under-rated way to boost your confidence … 

Yes, SMILING

Before you think, ‘oh, that’s ridiculous, if it were that simple … ‘

Consider this a little gift to you to make you smile today.

Listen in to hear:

• Why smiling really does make you feel more confident

• My little experiment, that you can do while listening to prove the power of smiling

• The backstory of world smile day, and how it’s a thing

• Why sometimes, it’s the simple things (like smiling) that are often the best ;)

Does it ever feel like your brain and mouth are out-of-sync? You know what you want to say but your mouth just doesn’t play along?

That’s exactly the experience that’s been described by a regular listener, and they’ve asked me for some tips:

“You know, as much as I prepare myself to aid my confidence, it always feels like the right words won’t come out when presenting.  Of course I am nervous, probably more than most but I know that presenting clearly is so important ( perhaps this thinking makes it worse?)

Anyway, I’ll do what I can to calm my nerves and tell myself to relax but what my brain thinks versus what comes out are just not in sync!

I end up constantly correcting what I said which completely destroys the message.

Either I’m losing my mind or I just need some advice or skills to almost switch into gear before presenting”

This is SUCH a common challenge!

Listen in to hear:

• The biggest mistake we make when this happens, and what to do instead

• Why it’s actually not about the words

• How to shift your focus to what your audience needs and wants from you, rather than obsessing over the perfect words

• Why you don’t want to ‘correct’ yourself, instead, focus on connection (don’t correct, connect)

• Why you can trust that you know your stuff

Ever been in the audience at a conference, asked a question of one of the speakers, and got completely tangled up in giving context?

Well, that’s EXACTLY what I’m addressing today - how to ask questions FROM the audience in a way that elevates you, gets the answer you want and doesn’t get you all tangled up.

This is in response to a listener question who said

Many times I hear questions in presentations be asked with a lead-in that links some of the themes of the talk to the question about to be asked. However each time I try to do this I really seem to make a mess of the lead-in and then by the time I get around to asking a question the speaker is so confused about what I’m asking so we just have this awkward exchange where I repeat the lead in and question but get super nervous which makes things seemingly worse.

Listen in to my (slightly rambly) answer to learn:

• How to frame a question in your mind, first

• How to connect it to what the speaker was saying

• Why it’s easy to over-think our questions, and how I do it too

• The difference between a general question that will benefit everyone in the audience, vs an advice question that relates to you

• How asking these kinds of questions is a powerful networking and profile building strategy

“Is it realistic to do a 20 minute speech without notes?”, that’s the question I’m asking in this week’s Speaking with Confidence podcast.

It’s a myth that we need to memorise our speeches, and it’s also a risk to take a stage with a script or highly detailed notes. The more details in our notes the more we’re looking at the lectern, instead of connecting with our audience. 

Regular listeners will be familiar with my ‘post-it note’ method, where I encourage the use of a handful of post-its to keep you on track and on message, while giving you space to flow with your presentation.

Listen in to hear my answer to Sharon’s question, including:

• Why saying LESS really is more

• How to use your time in a 20 minute presentation

• Why what you say at the end of your presentation is actually more important than what you say in the middle

• Why it’s actually a mistake to focus on your content, and what you want to focus on instead

• How to craft a presentation that connects with your audience, delivers your key messages well and keeps it all focused for maximum impact

I was recently asked this question:

“How to engage the audience? I love watching speakers who engage the crowd but don't put people on the spot?’

Putting people on the spot is NOT an engagement technique and it can often have negative impacts on the audience.

So, in this week’s episode I’m sharing my top tips for engaging your audience without singling people out, or putting them on the spot.

Listen in to hear:

• How to build rapport and engagement in your opening statements

• My technique for asking questions that your audience WANTS to respond to

• Important body language and hand gestures that invite responses (for both stage and online conversations)

• How to phrase your questions to elicit audience responses

• How to build engagement momentum

In this episode of Speaking with Confidence with Cat Matson I’m answering another community question: “How can I make my audience relax, and maybe even laugh 😅?”

This is such an insightful question … if your audience isn’t relaxed they’re not going to be open to what you have to say.

Listen in to hear:

• My simple technique that you can use in your opening 2 lines to build rapport with your audience and therefore put their minds at ease

• Why some simple housekeeping announcements can be really powerful when it comes to putting your audience at ease

• My tips for making your audience laugh (and no, it’s not bad dad jokes)

• Why you need to relax, yourself, if you want your audience to relax

“How do you quickly prepare when you’re put on the spot?”, that’s the question I’m answering in today’s episode of Speaking with Confidence with Cat Matson.

I was recently asked, 

“How to prep in 2 minutes - I went to a networking event recently and once I got there the host said "ok, we're going around the room and everyone will come up to the front and introduce yourself, your business, and why you're here today" 

-- pro: I didn't have days to agonise over messing it up, like I would if I knew ahead of time

-- con: I was there more to socialise and was totally unprepared to promote my self/business

How do you not garble it all up?”

Such an AWESOME question!

Listen in to hear:

• How to quickly understand the ‘What’s In It For Them’ (WIIFT) of the attendees at the particular function … and how to introduce yourself in a way that’s relevant to them

• Why you then want to check in with your WIFFM - your’s ‘What’s In It For Me’ in this particular context

• How to use your elevator pitch, or your ‘I Am … ‘ story to connect their WIFFT with your WIFFM

• Why a rigid elevator pitch is NOT the way to go

• Why you ALWAYS want to be ready to talk about yourself and your business … and how you can do that with ease

It’s my birthday … it’s a big milestone birthday … as such, this episode is a little bit different to normal episodes.

As I reflect on my career, my business, and my work, the themes of imposter syndrome, humility and authenticity have been percolating … and I wanted to share some of those thoughts today.

Listen in to hear:

• My own ‘I’m not good enough’, ‘who am I to be teaching this’ thoughts
• How the suggestion to write a book has me bumping into all my ‘imposter syndrome stuff’
• How Jacinda Ardern’s memoir has reminded me of the importance of modelling authenticity, and how we NEVER know how the impact we make on others
• Ardern’s beautiful reframe of imposter syndrome

“How To MC an Event” is the question I’m answering in this week’s episode of Speaking with Confidence … a question asked by Louise in my community.

MCing is my favourite speaking format … so I LOVED answering this question!

Listen in to hear:

How do you end your talk so that your audience takes the next step with you? And how do you end your talk so you’re memorable?

This week I’m answering just those questions - questions asked by my community.

Listen in to hear:

• How to craft a call to action that moves your audience closer to working with you

• How to manage questions at the end of a presentation and STILL finish with impact

• Why your call to action needs to be really simple and actionable … and how to do that

• Just how many messages can you deliver in your close?

“What are your grounding hacks before a speaking gig?” is the question I’m answering in this week’s episode of Speaking with Confidence.

Grounding isn’t always about nerves, sometimes it’s about getting present to where you are and what you’re about to do.

Listen in to hear:

• What I do when nerves hit just before I walk on stage

• My ‘standard start’ that lets me settle, ground and get present

• How I connect with my audience, before going on stage and as I’m on stage to ground and calm

• My little tip for making eye contact with your audience (even when it’s a big one)

In this episode I’m giving you my top tips for speaking on camera, and getting over that reluctance to record when it’s just you and the camera.

I record A LOT of video content - this podcast, for one, as well as course videos, Instagram reels and stories, and I’ve picked up a few tricks along the way to move past that reluctance to hit record and just do it.

Listen in to hear:

• Why it’s perfectly normal to struggle with speaking to a camera without an audience.

• Why creating content quickly can help maintain momentum.

• How to quickly plan the content of your video (not your script) to get you moving

• Why authenticity in video content is more engaging than perfection.

• Why I’m a big fan of recording once and publishing

• The only part of your video I suggest you practice 

• My hot tip for connecting with an absent, invisible audience 

In this episode of Speaking with Confidence, I’m discussing the importance of strategic communication and how to effectively contribute to conversations that matter. 

I’ve been noticing my own ‘desire’ to contribute to ALL THE CONVERSATIONS, but actually, realising I need to focus on my own circle of influence and control, and the value of thoughtful contributions over mere opinions. The episode also touches on the challenges of moral outrage in the digital age, with an invitation to be mindful of your energy and impact.

Listen in to hear:

• How being more strategic contribution can enhance your influence.

• Why not every opinion needs to be shared; choose wisely.

• How moral outrage can detract from meaningful dialogue.

• Why it’s powerful to focus on areas where you can make a real impact.

• How you can conserve energy for significant contributions.

Today I’m answering the question, “how do I train out the excessive umms and ahhs and other unnecessary fillers that take away the conviction and strength in the message”

Well, I don’t think you need to get rid of all your umms and ahhs … they’re part of an authentic and real connection. But, if they’re undermining the impact of your message, there are some simple things you can do to remove them.

Listen in to hear:

• When filler words can undermine the strength of your message, and when they’re ok

• How to identify why you use filler words

• The different approaches to minimising them, depending on why you use them

• Why you might want to keep your umms and ahhs, and instead use other tactics to be impactful

• Different ways to replace your umms and ahhs, or deliver your message differently so you don’t use them anyway

It’s often said that the fear of public speaking is second only to the fear of death itself.

If this is even close to true I find it incredibly sad - how many people are not speaking up, and not contributing their insights and knowledge to the world just because they’re scared something bad might happen?

In this special episode of Speaking with Confidence with Cat Matson I’m sharing a snippet of my recent Speaking with Impact workshop series. In this particular workshop (which was part 2 of 3), I explore what we’re really scared of when we feel we’re scared of speaking in public, and how to manage it.

Listen in to hear:

• What we REALLY fear when it comes to public speaking
• How we can manage our nerves
• The simple techniques for reframing that fear
• How, by prioritising on connection, you can minimise that feeling of fear
• Why your own personal stories can be your most powerful antidote to fear

If I had a dollar for every person who’s asked me ‘how do I memorise my presentations?’ … 

In this episode of Speaking with Confidence with Cat Matson I’m talking about why memorising your presentation is a REALLY bad idea, and what you can do instead to deliver a powerful presentation.

Listen in to hear:

• Why you DON’T want to even try to memorise your presentation

• My top strategies for note-taking and using my slide decks for keeping me on track

• It’s more than acceptable to have notes (really, it is!)

• How memorising actually robs you of a key outcome of speaking, which is connecting with your audience

It’s really tempting to use shortcuts like AI or templates when crafting a presentation; but if you’re not careful they’ll trip you up more than they help.

In this episode of Speaking with Confidence I’m sharing the ‘colour-by-numbers’ mistake I see many people make when using a template, or AI, and how to overcome that.

Listen in to hear:

• The ‘secret’ to effective presentations

• Why your unique experience, and style, is your greatest asset when presenting (even if you’re quiet, nervous or humble)

• How templates and AI can not only rob you of your authenticity, but they can also trip you up and make you present worse than without them

• How you CAN use shortcuts like AI and templates effectively, without losing your unique voice or story

• Why it’s not about delivering ‘perfection’, it’s about taking your audience on a journey

How do you showcase your awesomeness without sounding like an arrogant twat? Well, that’s exactly what I’m answering in today’s episode!

Most humble leaders I know DON’T like talking about themselves, and they hope ‘their work will speak for itself’.

However, we often don’t have time for our work to speak for itself, and we need to be a little more overt in letting people know how we can contribute.

In this episode I share a powerful strategy for talking about yourself without sounding like a w*nker.

Listen in to hear:

• Why your self-promotion is actually a service to others

• How you can use factual stories from your life to demonstrate your fabulousness

• How dropping ‘brag bag’ stories into your conversations will showcase your experience and expertise in a way that doesn’t feel uncomfortable

• How you can find your brag bag stories

It’s REALLY hard to speak up when you’re scared or nervous; worried about looking like an idiot or being rejected.

Yet we need to, right? Because, chances are, you’re listening to this podcast because you are fearful of speaking in public (whatever that looks like to you) and therefore, it follows, you need to speak up even when you’re scared (or never speaking up at all …. Which, in my opinion, is just not ok).

So in this episode of Speaking with Confidence I’m sharing some practical tips on how to speak up even when you’re scared. Not tips for waiting until you’re no longer scared. Not waiting until you’re a confident, polished, fabulous speaker, but speaking up NOW, even when you’re scared.

Listen in to hear:

• Practical nervous system calming techniques (the ones I use regularly)

• How to confront and untangle your fearful internal dialogue so you can move past it

• How I’ve moved through significant fears of my own, like a fear of heights, and how those experiences can help you with your fear of speaking up

Other episodes mentioned (that will help with your fear of public speaking):

We’ve all been there. In a meeting, we have ideas we want to contribute, and we just can’t make ourselves heard.

Whether it’s dominating personalities in the room, people interrupting, whether it’s deliberate or just unthinking, it can be REALLY tough to make ourselves heard.

In this episode I share some ideas (from lived experience) of how to be heard without getting defensive.

Listen in to hear:

• How to use agreement frames to build on, rather than being seen to disagree, with what’s being said

• How to not get defensive or aggressive at constant interruptions

• Why it’s not as bad as you think to have someone else ‘claim’ your idea after it was dismissed when YOU suggested it

• Why you want to leave your ego at the door

• How you can be heard EVEN IF you are the quiet one in the room

Also mentioned in the episode

“I’m fine in normal conversation, but as soon as all eyes are on me, I just lose my confidence, and my words”

If I had a dollar for every time a podcast listener said this to me!

When we’re in a pressure situation - we need to win the pitch, present a dissenting opinion - when the stakes are high, it can be difficult to stay cool and calm, let alone speak clearly and confidently. 

In this episode of Speaking with Confidence I share my top tips for speaking clearly, and confidently under pressure.

Listen in to hear:

• The mistake we tend to make in pressure situations, and the easy fix

• What you need to prioritise, message wise, when you’re feeling the heat

• How to take the pressure down (hello John Farnham!) in those situations

• Some simple tricks to manage your mindset when you’re feeling the pressure

• What to focus on in the conversation so you can be articulate, confident and impact

Other Speaking with Confidence episodes mentioned:

Ugh! How do you show up and be engaging, inspiring, energetic, motivating and enthusiastic … when you’re not?

That is the topic of this podcast because, I’ll be honest, that’s how I felt on recording day.

And rather than just ‘fake it’ I decided to ‘work out loud’ and let you in on my ‘secrets’ for shifting my mood when the only option is to ‘show up’.

Listen in to hear:

• How to ‘find’ energy, even when you don’t have it

• How I use meditation, journaling and talking to myself to shift my mental and emotional energy

• What I do to move my physical energy

• How you can honour your feelings and your commitments

• Why your commitments to yourself are often the most valuable

• How sometimes just ‘freaking doing it’ is what’s needed.

This is a true ‘working out loud’ episode … I hope it helps.

How do you balance building rapport by sharing personal stories but not getting ‘too personal’ with your audience?

That’s the topic of this episode where I talk about the distinction between authenticity and over-sharing, why connecting personally IS important to effectively share your information and how you can find balance you’re comfortable with.

Listen in to hear:

• How authenticity and vulnerability are NOT the same thing

• How you can share your stories and avoid misery, rags to riches and rising from the ashes stories

• How to balance sharing personal stories without oversharing

• Why your stories help to share valuable insights, that are way more valuable than just raw information

• How to change the gradient, or the depth of your stories, based on how familiar your audience is with you

What is the best way to practise my speech? This is a question I am asked A LOT, so I’ve answered it in this podcast episode.

Unlike many speaking coaches, I’m actually NOT an advocate for practising your speech over and over again in the mirror, or in front of your family. Why? Because by the time you come to the ‘live performance’ you’ll risk sounding robotic and rehearsed, instead of connecting with your audience.

So how DO I recommend you practise an upcoming speech or presentation?

Listen in to hear:

• How the WORST speeches I’ve ever delivered were the ones I over-rehearsed

• The ‘real’ secret behind masterful orators like Martin Luther King Jnr

• How to get familiar with your key messages rather than memorising your script

• Which elements of your presentation are good to practise and how to do that effectively

• How to get really familiar with your stories and the point you want to make with each of them, without over-rehearsing them

• Why you want to be clear on your call to action

Also mentioned in this episode

Denise Duffield-Thomas is a highly successful business woman. As a Money Mindset Mentor she has supported more than 10,000 people deal with their money gremlins in her Money Bootcamp. Denise is also an author of 3 books, has been podcasting for well over ten years. She has spoken on small and massive stages around the world (even though she’s not a fan of it) and has been open in her discussions about living, working and building a business with ADHD and managing perimenopause.

So, I invited her onto Speaking with Confidence with Cat Matson to talk about ALL these things.

In this gorgeously real, insightful and authentic chat, we explore how Denise chooses to use her voice, her way, so that it works with her current phase of life and business and leans into her strengths

Listen in to hear:

• Denise’s preparation rituals for calming her nerves before a big presentation
• Why Denise doesn’t like keynotes and how instead she reframes reframes those invitations invitations into a style that works for her
• Denise’s journey in moving from delivering free presentations to paid ones
• How Denise stays on track in presentations, and avoids those ADHD rabbit holes
• Why Denise enjoys spontaneous presentations and discussions over prepped, rehearsed ones
• How to trust the spontaneous presentation style will deliver value for your audience AND be safe for you
• Why public speaking, in whatever format you choose, is a powerful way to share your voice and why we’re both such advocates for women finding theirs
• The lessons Denise took away from our conversation

Connect with Denise Duffield-Thomas on

“How do I establish credibility, how do I demonstrate my experience, without sounding arrogant?”

I’m easily asked this question at least 5 times a week.

We like to think that ‘our experience and expertise speaks for itself’, but that’s not always (often) the case.

In this episode I talk about why it’s important to tell your ‘brag stories’ in a way that establishes credibility so people WANT to listen to you, without sounding like a twat. I also share HOW to do this in a way that people want to know more.

Listen in to hear:

• Why it’s PERFECTLY normal to struggle with talking about yourself, let alone ‘talking yourself up’
• Why you NEED to talk yourself up in order to showcase how you can be of greater service
• Why your work DOESN’T speak for itself (even if it should) and how you can draw attention to your work
• How ‘brag bag stories’ can change how others perceive you, as well as how you perceive yourself
• Why, if it’s true, ‘it ain’t bragging’
• How to overcome cultural barriers to ‘bragging’
• How ‘bragging’ can actually help you serve more people

Other episodes mentioned in this episode

“Cat, I recently FROZE, completely froze, when the MC introduced me to talk. I was prepared, I knew my topic, but my nerves got the better of me and I froze. How do I NOT freeze next time?”

That’s the conversation that has sparked this episode, and I’m recounting the advice I gave in a recent group call.

Freezing on stage is a ‘normal’ response - it’s part of the nervous system’s fight, flight or freeze response.

If you’ve ever frozen when asked a question, or about to present, or you fear you might, listen in to hear:

• My simple nervous system regulation techniques for calming your nerves

• How to engage in a useful and compassionate conversation with your internal dialogue (that is screaming at you when you’re nervous)

• Why experiencing the freeze response is NOT a reason to never speak up again

• How having a standard start to your presentation can help ‘jump-start’ you, even if you do freeze

Even if you’re an introvert, if you don’t like ‘all the attention’ or you’re happy ‘being in the background’, sometimes it’s important to step into the spotlight. Whether that’s on a stage or, more often than not, simply ‘speaking up’ in a meeting, in a community conversation or for your business.

As humble leaders we often ‘fall back into the shadows’ even though we have a contribution we want to make.

In this episode I share why we feel such resistance to ‘speaking up’ and how to overcome it. I also share why I think it’s SO important, for you, and for your community, that you DO step into the spotlight.

This episode is a bit of a stream of consciousness piece … after preparing a 90 minute workshop for a conference that got cancelled thanks to tropical cyclone Alfred, I had too many ideas circling my mind … I felt they needed to be shared, at least in top-level provocation form.

Listen in to hear:

• Why we need more people ‘stepping into the spotlight’
• How societal and evolutionary conditioning can increase our resistance to speaking up
• The two biggest benefits to speaking up (and they’re possibly not what you think)
• How to meaningfully show up for the meetings you’re a part of
• How, and why, even the shyest of introverts and humblest of leaders, can speak up and contribute

Other episodes mentioned

In this episode of Speaking with Confidence, I’m answering another community question,

How do I bring everything I know, together?

This is a question I’ve grappled with myself, because I didn’t want to ‘lose’ the opportunity to influence someone by NOT sharing the relevant information. Using the storytelling canvas, I can connect with both long term influence outcomes as well as short-term, micro conversations.

Listen in to hear

• You don't need to share everything you know.
• How to focus on the audience's needs and problems.
• Use storytelling to illustrate your expertise.
• How to use the Storytelling Canvas to plan your information
• Why strategically thinking about long-term influence is just as important as preparing for one presentation.
• Why inferring knowledge can be more impactful than listing it.
• How to plan for long-term influence, not just immediate impact.

In this episode of Speaking with Confidence I’m answering a community question:

How do I write a speech? Where do I even start?

It’s an excellent question and in this short episode I talk you through my step-by-step process for writing ANY kind of speech.

Listen in to hear:

• Why the starting point of any good speech is actually the end
• How to limit your speech to just a handful of key messages
• Why I’m a massive fan of ‘no script speeches’
• How to use just a few sticky notes instead of a full, scripted speech
• And what the most important part of your speech is (spoiler, it’s your connection to your audience, not your words)

Other episodes mentioned:

In this episode of Speaking with Confidence I’m answering a community question:

How do I show up more naturally and not in ‘presentation mode’? And, how do I allow the passion I feel about my business and my work shine through?”

I love this question, because I’m all about authenticity - in a world of AI generated content, AUTHENTICITY is what will help you stand out and connect with your audience.

Listen in to hear

• How ‘presentation mode’ can create a disconnect with your audience
• How authenticity can lead to more impactful communication
• Why it’s perfectly acceptable, in fact, desirable, to express your passion and enthusiasm, even in professional settings
• How sharing your personal stories, and why you do what you do, can enhance your message
• How you can show up authentically instead of in ‘presentation mode’

Other episodes mentioned

In this episode of Speaking with Confidence I’m answering a question from my community:

“How do I stop talking so fast when talking to someone in person?”

Talking fast isn’t always a bad thing, but when you’re nervous, anxious or trying to say ‘all the things’ in a limited amount of time we can talk too fast and drown our listeners in all the words.

Listen in to hear

• How to manage your nerves when speaking
• Why it’s important to focus on connection with your listeners, not just delivering your content
• My top tips for slowing down mid-conversation, when you realise you’ve sped up
• How to engage in a dialogue with your listeners, rather than just a hyper-speed monologue
• Why chatting with your own internal dialogue is a powerful strategy to slow down and connect with your listener.

Other episodes mentioned:

In this episode of 'Speaking with Confidence' I’m sharing my top tips to effectively host and show up in online meetings. We all spend a LOT of our time in meetings and now, a lot of those meetings are online or hybrid (ugh!).

How do we effectively connect, engage and facilitate engaging online meetings that don’t suck!

Listen in to hear:

• Why online meetings require a different approach than in-person meetings.
• How to encourage people to turn on their camera
• How to cut across the bored multi-tasking and connect with everyone
• Why using chat to encourage side-conversations is a powerful technique
• How to change your pace to elicit input and maintain attention

In this week’s Speaking with Confidence episode I’m answering a listener question,

“If a speaking opportunity comes up, what is the best way to pitch yourself?”

Conference speaking is one of the most powerful ways to reach new audiences, share your expertise and boost your profile. Whether you’re a business owner, a public servant or a corporate leader, speaking can have a fabulous impact on your career.

But most people I talk to think they need to be experienced public speakers before they can pitch themselves … or they need to be more qualified in their area of expertise.

Not so.

Listen in to hear

How do I have my listener understand even the most complex of concepts? How can I stop overwhelming my audience with all.the.things?

They're the questions I'm answering in this week's episode of Speaking with Confidence - a coaching podcast for business owners, public servants, corporate hippies and humble leaders who want to speak with greater impact.

In this episode

1. Simplicity is key in communication.
2. How to make your message relevant to your audience.
3. Why we over prioritise content over connection.
4. How to tailor your message to the listener's current reality.

How do I have my listener understand even the most complex of concepts? How can I stop overwhelming my audience with all.the.things?

They're the questions I'm answering in this week's episode of Speaking with Confidence - a coaching podcast for business owners, public servants, corporate hippies and humble leaders who want to speak with greater impact.

In this episode

1. Simplicity is key in communication.
2. How to make your message relevant to your audience.
3. Why we over prioritise content over connection.
4. How to tailor your message to the listener's current reality.

In this episode of Speaking with Confidence, business psychology consultant Kara Lambert talks about the mental hurdles that can hold business owners back. 

We share our insights openly about imposter syndrome, fear of showing up authentically, and the pressures of hustle culture. 

We discuss why creating a business that truly aligns with personal values is key to long-term success, and how speaking confidently can expand one’s reach and impact. 

Listen in to hear more about: 

• How Imposter syndrome often stems from unrealistic expectations we believe others have of us. 

• The fear of being trolled online is a common concern for business owners. 

• Business ownership should provide flexibility, not burnout from hustle culture. 

• How comparisonitis can lead to damaging beliefs about our own worth and success. 

• You don't have to follow the traditional paths of business; create your own rules. 

This conversation is packed with insights into building confidence, staying authentic, and creating a business that genuinely supports your values and well-being.