When shouldn’t you listen to a presentation coach?

A really good presentation coach can make an enormous difference to anyone looking to connect with their audience.

At Mindful Presenter our presentation skills and public speaking coaches know exactly how to help you to  get the results you need through the way you present your ideas.

You’ll often here a tradional presentation coach insist that you

– Stand still

– Never say ‘err’, ‘umm’ or ‘uh’

– Never ever put your hand in your pockets

– Be who they want you to be rather than be the best version of yourself

– Follow their long list of ‘rules’

A presentation coach with a long list of rigid do’s and don’ts isn’t helpful. They don’t serve us well in terms of inspiring and empowering authenticity.

Don’t listen to them, choose a mindful presentation coach. One who can help you to present authentically without so many rules.

Consider Sir Ken Robinson

The late, Sir Ken Robinson, PhD, is one of the world’s leading speakers. He is an internationally recognized leader in the development of creativity, innovation and human resources in education and in business.

His 2006 talk is the most viewed in TED’s history with over 30 million views. As if that isn’t recognition enough in 2011, he was listed as “one of the world’s elite thinkers on creativity and innovation” by Fast Company magazine, and was ranked among the Thinkers50 list of the world’s top business thought leaders.

In the first 5 minutes, one of the world’s best  loved and highly acclaimed speakers uses ‘verbal graffiti’ ‘err’ at least 16 times.

I wonder if the 30 million plus people who have listened to that talk have dismissed and admonished him as a poor public speaker. b

Throughout his 19 minute speech you will hear Sir Robinson ‘umm’ and ‘err’ a number of times. I’m certain you’ll agree that not once does it diminish the quality and brilliance of his speech, or our level of engagement with him and his message.

See what you think here:

Consider Amy Cuddy 

Her TED Talk in October 2012, has been viewed more than 22 million times. It ranks #2 among the most-viewed TED Talks second only to Sir Ken Robinson.

She too, ‘errs and ‘umms’ 16 times in the first 5 minutes alone.

Consider Mary Roach

In 2009, Mary Roach gave a TED talk which has been viewed over 14 million times. She also ‘errs and ‘umms’, 20 times in the first 5 minutes alone.

Do you think less of Amy or Mary as speakers because of their ‘errs’ and ‘umms’?

Does it reduce their personal impact as speakers, adversely affect their message or your ability to engage with them?

For most of us, I’m sure the answer to each of these questions would be a resounding NO.

In fact, most of the people I have spoken with who have seen each of these videos hadn’t even noticed.

Why don’t we notice these things that so many professional coaches are telling us not to do?

The reason is, they have so many good habits.

In fact, they have at least 20 of them

If you listen to and watch them closely you will see many of these good habits at work:

 1 -They acknowledge and reframe

 2 – They focus on the audience

 3 – They don’t try to be perfect

 4 – They stick to the point

 5 –  They see the opportunity

 6 –  They ‘anchor’ themselves

 7 –  They practise

 8 – They tell stories

 9 – They use colourful, creative and compelling images

 10 –  They involve their audience

 11 – They use videos and props

 12 – They use their voice

 13 –  They stay in the present

 14 – They know how to make friends

 15 – They know what they are talking about

 16 – They are consistent

 17 – They are generous

 18 – They help them to see the contrast

 19 – They give them a good reason

 20 – They give them hope

If you would like to learn more about these habits everything you need to know is included in the THE 20 HABITS OF TRULY BRILLIANT PRESENTERS

As you read these, please keep in mind that they are habits and not rules.

So, when shouldn’t you listen to a presentation coach?

When you sense you are losing your authenticity

If you need the help of a mindful presentation coach:

– Book yourself onto a powerful public speaking course.

– Invest in some really good one to one public speaking coaching.

– Get yourself some excellent presentation training