Be Authentic, Get a Standing Ovation

If you want a standing ovation, you have to be authentic.

Several years ago I was prepping to give the opening keynote for a business conference. It was a brightly lit, stark beige hotel ballroom setting with a room full of people chattering with one another.

Many had coffee in hand, still getting their engines fired up for the day, as they shuffled hurriedly to their seats to kick off the two-day seminar.

And, in front of a mixed audience of ages, genders, and industries, I shared some snippets of my most vulnerable stories as I wove them together with the actionable, effective tools derived from improv, and applied to LIFE and BUSINESS.

 I shared a few personal things that I used to feel were not “appropriate” in the workplace.

 I shared them in CONNECTION with the business and communication tools that I teach.

 I shared them as a way to demonstrate that we are stronger, more adept professionals because of the trials we have grown through in our personal lives.

And then I got a standing ovation. 

Some people will say that personal stories don’t belong in business. That some vulnerable experiences people have had are too graphic or triggering for the “professional” setting.

I believe that weaving these elements enable us to recognize and elevate our SOFT SKILLS and enhance the overall learning experience.

The workplace is NOTHING if not centered on the humans running it!

I am deeply passionate about helping speakers define and refine their WHY and dial up their delivery so they can amplify their message.

Being authentic as a speaker means opening up some of those vulnerabilities in order to drive home the topic you are so passionate about sharing.

A standing OVATION means it worked. It caused these people to STAND UP.

It means they heard you AND were MOVED by what you shared.

It means the message resonates with them and when that happens, people will take what you shared with them because it has become PART of them.

You ready to get a standing ovation?!

If you have a message you are eager to share with the world, and a desire to build a sustainable business around your expertise, drop me a quick “hey” so I can shoot you some deets and ultimately teach you how present in a way that will give people a reason to STAND UP.

Doors open again soon for the OVATION SPEAKER SERIES. Are you ready to go all in?