Are you organising a high-profile corporate event? Do you need to make sure it’s a massive success?
Hotels and flights booked, months of organisation, late nights and anxious lists. The entire global Senior Leadership Team (SLT) is flying in for the event that will be live-streamed to the global team. The C-suite is there. The pressure is off the scale. No place for “it was ok”.
But are your speakers ready? Do they know what they are saying yet? Are you confident that they can command a room? Or are they massively overconfident and haven’t even started yet?
Could you use a reliable, experienced and unflappable speaker coach to help your speakers deliver their messages effectively and confidently? Even if they are novices, who have never spoken before in public? Maybe they are a bit cocky and over-confident and need a “gentle-but-firm” reminder from an expert external source to make them buckle down and do the preparation required.
As a 6 x TEDMED speaker coach, I have helped put over 300 speakers, experienced and novice, on the famous red dot. I have worked with egos and anxieties belonging to senior military officers, CEOs of global businesses, Doctors and scientists and, often the worst, academics. As a speaker coach for over three decades, I have worked with a range of anxious, excitable, grumpy, scared, difficult and accomplished speakers for clients in various industries, helping them prepare for high-stakes events such as corporate AGMs, key analyst meetings, End of Year Comms sessions, Trade Fairs, exhibitions, presentations, pitches and All Hands meetings.
Whatever the industry or the event, the goal is always the same: to make the speaker amazing, to ensure that the speaker is able to deliver their message with confidence, clarity, and impact.
One of the key aspects of my coaching is storytelling. Whether you are a seasoned speaker or a complete novice, the ability to tell a compelling story is essential to engaging your audience and getting your message across. I work with clients to develop themes and content that are not only relevant and informative but also emotionally resonant and memorable.
I can work with your speakers as a Storytelling Coach to help them prepare their content – what they are saying, as well as help them deliver their talk or speech as their Speaker Coach. The WHAT and the HOW.
Storytelling coaching for your event
Crafting a compelling story for a corporate setting is like painting a picture that captures the audience’s attention and imagination, making the message more vivid and memorable. Just as a skilled painter uses colours and brushstrokes to convey meaning, effective storytelling uses words and structure to convey ideas, emotions, and values.
But storytelling is just one part of the equation. As a speaker coach, another part of my role focuses on delivery, helping speakers to hone their physical presence, vocal tone, and pacing so that they are able to command the stage and connect with their audience.
I often use analogies from the world of sports to illustrate the importance of preparation, practice, and performance. Just like an athlete, a speaker needs to put in the hours of training to ensure that they are able to perform at their best when it matters most.
One of the biggest challenges that speakers face is the pressure of performing in front of a high-stakes audience. Whether it’s their colleagues, their bosses, or a global audience tuning in via live stream, the stakes can feel incredibly high. The success of their performance and their career is intertwined in their head – the danger of them choking can be high.
This is where my coaching comes into its own. By providing a robust and frank, yet safe and supportive, environment for speakers to rehearse and receive feedback, I help to build their confidence and reduce their anxiety. Speakers can smell I am on their side, and they sense that I am there to help them be amazing. I also help them manage their nerves and stay focused under pressure.
“Peter is one of the best practitioners of “tough love” I’ve ever seen. He’s direct and uncompromising. He “gives it to you with the bark off,” as they say – but you’ll love every minute of working with him.”
Marcus Webb, Chief Storytelling Officer, TEDMED
Of course, every speaker is different, and my coaching approach is tailored to meet the specific needs and goals of each individual. Some speakers require a more robust, direct approach, while others need more encouragement and support. Whatever the approach, my goal is always the same: to help my clients deliver their best possible performance.
I have encountered almost all types of speakers and personalities in the three decades `I have been doing this. I am respectful to rank but not impressed or fearful of it.
“Peter is not afraid to challenge.”
Colonel in the British Army
Success at your next company event
Ultimately, the success of any high-stakes event, YOUR next event (and therefore your reputation), could depend on the quality of the speakers you bring on and how they perform on the day. By investing in speaker coaching, event companies and organisations like yours can ensure that your speakers are able to deliver their message with confidence, clarity, and impact, helping to build their reputation and drive their message forward even if they are novice internal speakers brought on stage for a major internal event such as an awards event.
So whether you are planning an AGM, a product launch, or a TED-style talk, remember that the right speaker coach can make all the difference for your event – and for the peace of mind and anxiety calming of your speakers. The event is high stakes for you, and it is also high stakes for them!
Let’s work together to develop powerful stories that resonate with the audience and deliver the required messages with clarity and impact. Contact me today to discuss how I can help.