Who (the hell) is Peter Botting 

What a great question. 

The whole point is that you're not supposed to know who I am. My job is to help other people find, develop and use their voice. So they can tell better stories. I am their discreet backroom resource.

If you see my clients succeed and advance “effortlessly” in their business or political careers or win at interviews, that's great. But you shouldn’t know that I helped them. It's their story, not mine.

I am a London-based narrative and risk adviser specialising in two closely related, yet separate, disciplines: storytelling and speaker coaching. 

You are searching today because you want (need?) to be better and need practical, usable, instantly deployable expertise, feedback, reassurance, advice, skills, knowledge, and guidance.

You also need to identify and eliminate the risk associated with differences between what's seen and heard on stage and the scaffolding behind it.  

This should also be delivered (at the very least) in an objective, brutally honest and zero-BS way. Ideally, by someone totally on your side. An adviser, mentor, a personal Non-Exec.

That's where I come in.    

Peter Botting Background

Born and raised in central Africa, I was surrounded by vivid stories, natural storytellers and strong personalities from very different backgrounds and cultures.

At school, against the backdrop of a vivid and violent civil war, everything was gladiatorial: goodies and baddies, win or lose. I devoured books when not playing competitive tennis and rugby. No surprise that I love hearing and telling stories and hate losing.

I have hired, promoted and fired people, worked with companies from start-ups to PLCs, and understand firsthand from HR teams and CEOs why people get hired, promoted or fired.

I've started and led businesses and worked with those who do.  

Peter Botting: Real World Experience

Real World P&L Experience 

I have turned around, run and exited a failing small 135-strong manufacturing group in Europe.

When I took over, one of the companies was losing 980,000 off a 3.1 million turnover. By Year 2, we cut losses to 78,000 (a reduction of 92%) on a REDUCED turnover of 2.4 million (a reduction of 19%), by boosting margins and slashing Cost of Sales (storytelling helped!), streamlining ops, and refining production.  

This was WITHOUT reducing any headcount, which was prohibited in the acquisition agreement.

I have run my own tiny business for 30+ years. I "get" the loneliness and pressure of leading a business. 

Storytelling Coaching for Business Leaders  

I have advised hundreds of CEOs and business leaders from different countries, cultures, industries and approaches. Although they keep making up new chief titles, I have worked with all the main ones, including CEO, CFO, COO, CTO, CMO, CIO. 

Professionally trained in Germany, I have worked for 17 PLCs and coached over 10,275 people in 20+ countries – including four years with that cheeky German start-up SAP (when it was a start-up and only had one building in Waldorf), a fun bit of work for Mercedes, an ongoing workshop series with BASF and several other PLCs and storytelling for IBM all around Asia. 

There’s a fuller bragging list here if you’re interested. It isn’t exhaustive - some clients prefer discretion. It's my SOP. 

Do you want to Talk like TED?

I have speaker-coached (it's a bit like Film or Stage Directing) over 300 speakers for 6 TEDMED conferences (the geeky health arm of TED). Speakers at TEDMED have included the U.S. Surgeon General, U.S. Army Surgeon Generals and business and academic leaders in the health sector.  

Storytelling for HealthTech and the Health Sector 

I have coached serious people and leaders in the health sector, including heads of hospitals, directors of health, professors, scientists, Doctors and Surgeons. As well as having worked within the NHS as a Non-Exec, I have worked with the Royal College of GPs. 

I have helped health tech companies develop and deliver their narratives in a variety of settings form recruitment fairs to investor groups and analysts. 

Storytelling for Startups 

I have helped startups raise capital, recruit and retain talent and develop their pitches and narratives for clients, including sovereign states. I have spoken at StartX and Techstars.

One of my clients is now a Unicorn, one is 70% there. 

Storytelling in the Public Sector

I have been a panel member for multiple Magistrate (Judge) Selections and Interviews in the United Kingdom, which gave me an insight into preparing for public sector interviews. 

Storytelling in Politics and Campaigns

• I helped the then Prime Minister of Sri Lanka prepare for his historic address (it deserved that overused adjective) to the United Nations in 2003. He was later the President of Sri Lanka and tasked with restoring stability to that country. 
• I helped James Cleverly write and prepare for his speech in his bid for the leadership of the Conservative Party.
• I’ve helped over 175 people prepare for and navigate the interview and selection process to enter the UK Parliament. Many have become Ministers, while some have become Cabinet Ministers. 
• I was part of a tiny team that used storytelling to bring Anti-Slavery Day onto the UK statutes. I conceived and set up the Anti-Slavery Media Awards.
• I conceived and pitched the concept and need for a new political think tank to Francis Maude and Archie Norman, who hired me to found and set up what is now known as Policy Exchange – reporting to Francis. This was the ideas factory for David Cameron. 
• I used storytelling extensively in my “crucial contribution” to the national No2AV referendum. We were trailing 30/70, and my job, achieved with storytelling, was to reverse the polls by persuading the Labour Party to join the Conservative Party on the No team. The end result: we won with 69%. A landslide. 
  

Storytelling for Interviews

I have helped senior executives prepare for interviews across a range of industries. More details here https://filteredout.co.uk

Why retain Peter Botting?  

What a good question. This type of advice is personal; it has to be the right person for you. 

Five reasons to work with Peter Botting

1. My advisory experience and expertise

Malcolm Gladwell talks about 10,000 hours. My work hours exceed 32,000. 

2. What drives me? My Why. My purpose 

I believe everyone has a story or stories they don’t tell (that they should), or stories they do tell but that could be told better. I believe people know, deep down, that they are often underselling themselves.

My WHY is helping people find, develop and use their voice – and tell their story better. 

3. My Advisory Approach

I love seeing people grow in confidence, volume, and impact. Grow into their future. I love helping people identify and unpack their stories, understand the power and potential of their stories and then deliver those stories in the best way. But that doesn't just happen.

If we agree to work together, I am all in. You need to be, too. 

But there is no instant silver bullet. Input = Output. We both need to put the work in.  

My bespoke advisory is the furthest thing from copy-and-paste. Your story is unique, and you deserve tailor-made advice. 

4. My MessageCraft®️Process

I am not a recycling advisor - I constantly think about and review how I work. I read, learn, apply and then learn, reflect, think and apply - again.

There has to be more, there have to be better ways. My processes reflect this. 

I am haunted by how much I still have to learn. But I am excited about learning and still learning every day. 

5. Discretion

My clients are the stars on stage. My job is to be their secret, backroom resource helping them to be amazing. NDA is my SOP.

What others say about working with Peter Botting 

One very senior military officer wrote: "Your different thinking and disruptor style that leads to better solutions but in an inclusive way is a strength." I'll take that! 

Another senior officer nodded approvingly and said: "Unorthodox." I'll take that too. 

Another senior officer described me as "unafraid and happy to challenge…thinks in broader terms…more ambitious and less constrained". I'll take that too - all of that.

“Peter is in the top rank of speechwriters worldwide, especially if the speech will receive extensive media coverage. He is the go-to guy for an inspiring,memorable, and fresh speech that will stand out…a speech individually tailored to each client that will be authentic and effective.”

“Peter, I can honestly say that I learn from you, which I can only say about two or three people in our field. Good luck with your upcoming work. Your clients are lucky to have you.”

 John Shosky, speechwriter in three U.S. presidential administrations and CEO of Roncalli Communications, Alexandria, Virginia USA.

"Peter's seismic approach to speaker coaching can make you feel as if there's earth moving under that once-stable place you were standing. You can view that as a danger… or…" 

"In Washington, you can’t throw a rock without hitting a speaker coach or media trainer. I’ve hired or worked with many of them, and have heard them say the same things over and over again. It’s a cookie-cutter, off-the-shelf, robotic method of coaching. Peter takes a personalized approach, uncomfortable yet powerful precisely because it focuses on you as a unique speaker. Far from merely spouting tips and advice, Peter listens and reads with care, catching nuances and seeing gaps I miss."

Denise Graveline. Deputy Associate Administrator for Communications, Education and Public Affairs-US Environmental Protection Agency, Washington PR Woman of the Year, White House Council on Women and fellow TEDMED SpeakerCoach - Washington, D.C.

You can read more about some of the people and companies I have worked with here.  

Peter Botting in Spoof Video

A client-turned-friend contacted me to say that I was in a spoof video that had been watched over 400 000 times! He thought I would be upset. I watched it and howled with laughter. 

The video mocks my work helping political leaders handle questions and sharpening their question-handling skills. 

I contacted Jay and said lunch was on me when the video hit 500K. A few months later it happened and he and his team and I, including the actor playing me, went for a looooong lunch at the Mayflower Pub on the Thames.

That's a very cool pub worth visiting, with a LOT of stories. 

The video now has over 2 million views! Enjoy! 

Working with Peter Botting 

I never know what my clients will walk in the room with, nor which tool or skill I need to be of value TO THEM… so I need to be ready for anything, with a complete toolbox – not a pre-prepared solution. 

I am not a train stuck on a single track. I am more like a 4x4, ready for whatever challenges and terrain my client has. 

To do this, I must first listen aggressively to you and then work with you. It also means time with me is tailored and focused on moving you forward.  

Feedback YES, Validation NO. We won't be bored. 

That's what bespoke coaching is – it is not pretending to listen, nod, then "apply standard solution - just change the label". Plenty practice what Americans call "Cookie-cutter" approaches - the same old, single-trick stuff. Not my gig. Yours?

You're not standard - I am not standard. 

I was professionally trained in Germany and have built on that with over 30 years advising business leaders on content and delivery: as a Storytelling Coach (WHAT) and a Speaker Coach (HOW). 

I offer a more comprehensive, more demanding and more "holistic" (eye-roll) coaching experience than a narrow speechwriter or an ex-journalist reborn as a "media trainer".