The premise:
If you are relaxed and confident, if you can be understood clearly and can inform your audience in a succinct manner that provokes thought and invites questions, if you can maintain composure whilst negotiating, resolving and influencing, then the world is your oyster. You are an influential communicator.
The obstacles:
When we get nervous or thrown by a question (or a stare/ or turn of phrase/ or unexpected occurrence), our adrenalin kicks in and our ability to think and speak becomes secondary as our body prepares for basic survival mode: to fight or fly. If in addition we are not a natural communicator or english is our second language then this situation can seem unconquerable.
The resolutions
When some preparatory work to ready our body and voice for the upcoming event has been undertaken, and we have developed a set of skills that "kick in" when these hindrances arise, we are more able to recover and control how we present ourselves.
When we breathe deeply into our body and expand our diaphragm, our brain is sent signals telling it that there is no danger (rest and digest). Oxygen is pumped to our brain and we start thinking again and can communicate those thoughts more articulately.
At sPeak Performance, we combine preparatory work with a vocabulary of “soft” interpersonal skills and techniques training you to converse strategically and with impact.
The Training:
Learning to breathe deeply, "warming up" all the muscles that aid speech (tongue, jaw, lips, resonators, diaphragmatic breath -abdominal muscle- control) prior to a situation of high adrenalin (job interview, etc.)
Getting into "flow:" mental preparation and visualisation to create an easy access tool for re-focussing.
Develop listening and "soft" communication tools such as reading the room, connecting and influencing through body language.
Training in a structured approach to answering a question succinctly and strategically. Think on your feet, speak on point and set up the conversation to take it where you want it to go.
Be coached in a repeatable, simple to remember formula which will give your presentation a dynamic and memorable edge, ensuring that your audience takes away the desired key points and is left wanting more of you.