This Moved Me

What’s the biggest mistakes people make?… This is one of those questions I get again and again!  and well, if we’re talking about Delivery or Preparation or Content development or Mindset - I answer them each differently. And today I want to answer it in the context of STORY…    The 6 biggest rookie storytelling mistakes… so you won’t make them, too!   Let’s dive in!   

I remember watching this really famous speaker once tell a story that I KNEW she wasn’t ready to tell yet. It was too much - too powerful, still - still too emotionally raw…  (And I’ve also seen speakers who are so far beyond their stories - that it doesn’t have any emotional resonance left. They’ve told it too many times, it’s lost its power for them… there’s no emotive connection left. It’s been used up. ) What struck me was that she was telling the story because she NEEDED to. It was a part of HER healing. And that’s not nothing.  Would I recommend it? Nope….  There are those stories that we’re just not ready to tell yet because we ourselves aren’t healed enough. Listen to that instinct. It may not be ready yet. It might be too raw.  So how do we know when a story is ready to be told?

Credibility is getting in the way of you sharing your story.      What will they think of me if I share that one experience that doesn’t put me in the best of lights?    What if I talk about how I failed?    what if I share my biggest mistake?… will they still respect and admire me?     Even though we’re told again and again - Queen Brene, you are PREACHING THIS - that people appreciate and admire the bravery of vulnerability…    Especially in a work context, too many of us - to protect our credibility - stop short of sharing what’s real. 

So - today’s episode is getting us ready for that course… in the first episode of the series we talked about what an origin story is… and last week we talked about one of the biggest myths that keeps us from really sharing who we are and what we think…    TAKING THAT ME ME ME (or what can sometimes FEEL like me me me) and turning it into US US US.    Taking the personal, individual, specific…. and finding the universal in it.    Which is THE POINT of sharing our stories.  Because of course it is NOT to just talk about ourselves.  We want our audience to find THEMSELVES in OUR STORY. 

So today’s episode is based on a conversation I had with one of my speakers, who has also been a guest here on This Moved Me… I’m a HUGE fan of his, and he’s doing such important work. Tony Loyd. He’s the host of the Social Entrepreneur podcast, and he’s really building up his speaking work, because he’s so driven to get his ideas out into the world. He is NOT interested in getting HIMSELF out into the world… he’s So he’s a very typical - what I call - unspeaker. Despite the fact that he’s incredibly experienced - he’s been in the C-Suite, he’s been up on front of audiences for years - he still has a level of self-doubt or fear or myths that get in the way of him fully owning the moment and… to the point of my show today… his story. (By the way, EVERY SPEAKER struggles with this… unspeakers just admit it, and vulnerably walk into their efforts to change it… which is what makes their talks so compelling, authentic, and moving…) So when Tony and I sat down to work on his 2nd TEDx talk… he shared that he wasn’t

I want to talk about Origin stories.  I’m going to be sharing a course over on Movers-U on how to develop and own a powerful and authentic origin story in October… so excited about it. And so I’ll be - starting today - a series about our Origin Stories - to prepare for it.  So before I dive into some ideas around the challenges and importance of doing this - and walk you through some critical steps in terms of HOW to do it…  I wanted to spend the show today talking about WHAT IT IS.  What is an origin story? 

Carmen Simon - neuroscientist, best-selling author, speaker - uncovers the importance of knowing why and how we can remember things in the hopes that the message we have will stick with our audience forever. Her neuroscience background gave light to important insights to how we can tailor our talk to be extra impactful! 

Welcome, Movers! The new and improved WEBSITE is finally here! I am so proud of how it came together and hope you enjoy it as much as I do. My hope is that this website will become a home of resources for you as you begin or continue on your speaking journey! Check it out: http://www.thismovedme.com

Articulating clearly the point of your talk is one of the most difficult areas for speakers to master. It is not uncommon to start your talk and pretty soon you have five talks within one actual talk! Sometimes the idea we are trying to articulate is complicated - our job is to make it easy for our audience. Keeping the audience in mind when narrowing the point of your talk is essential. As speakers, we are meaning makers. We are trying to convey a new idea and bring meaning to that, which is why delivering it in a simple way is crucial. To effectively do this, the point of your talk must be these three things: Clear Meaningful Intriguing Now, here is the challenge! I believe that in order to achieve an effective talk, you should be able to pass the 7/7 test! You should be able to articulate the point of your talk in 7 seconds so that a 7-year-old can understand it.

Want to become a Thought Leader? Of course you do! Tony Loyd - raido host, author, speaker and thought leader! - moves the world with his unique perspective on how to do well and do good at the same time. Like many of us may have felt at some point in our lives, Tony needed a change in his life. He decided to take the leap to go do what his heart was longing for - mentor others on how to live a life where profit and purpose are intertwined. Through Tony’s journey, he learned an important lesson that would ultimately shape the speaker and thought leader he is today. He began to understand what it means to show up as your authentic self when you speak. To bring every piece of your self to your talk in order to serve your audience in the way they need. Although this wasn’t easy at first, it helped Tony to create talks that move the world and to help others to do the same.

A few weeks ago I got a text message from one of my speakers who needed a little encouragement before jumping up on stage. And I am always honored to be able to do the encouraging. It's not a small thing, and it's not fluffy. It is essential, and empowering! So - Who is your cheerleader?

Movers, this episode is all about something every speaker should aim to master in their talks. My friend Scott reached out and asked me, “I wanna get better at being a storyteller with my talks, any recommendations?” So, I came up with my top five recommendations for becoming a master at the art of storytelling!

Olivia Mitchell - Presentation Trainer, Speaker, Introvert - aims to redefine the expectations of speaking. Living in New Zealand, Olivia uses her professional presenting skills to speak up about what she is passionate about. Addressing real-world needs, Olivia sets out to use her voice to make a difference while helping others do the same. All of this - as an introvert. Olivia dedicates her craft to develop ways in which other introverts, like herself, can be just as confident and effective public speakers. She lives by the notion that anyone can speak with confidence despite the obstacles.

Recently, the National Speech and Debate tournament took place in Florida. I have been reflecting on when I had the opportunity to participate in this very tournament during my high school speech days - and I won! I was awarded the National Championship of Original Oratory. My coaches were incredible during this experience and helped so much! When reflecting on this time, I had the chance to truly realize how crucial this moment was to the path that led me to where I am today. I learned so much from speech and how special it really is. With that being said, I dedicated this episode as an ode to the high school sport that shaped who I am today - speech!

Chuck Schumer’s repetition of his stump graduation speech was caught on tape… many, many times!… and put together, in one hilarious montage on John Oliver’s show Last Week Tonight. (ps, I love this show - so smart and so funny) When I saw this video… I laughed, and then I cringed… Why? Because let’s be honest: we repeat our content. Of course we do! I And it’s necessary for a few reasons. So, what do we do? How do we repeat our content without being a fake (and being Chuck Schumer)?

Mel Burt-Gracik - Management Consultant, Career Transition Coach, Speaker- is authentically herself. Mel helps managers lead their teams better in the work environment. Her goal is to help her clients say, “I look forward to coming to work everyday.” Mel aims to create psychological safety at work in a way where individuals emotional needs are not just recognized - they are embraced. She knows first hand how failure is not a bad thing - it is just another stepping stone on the pathway to success. Ditching perfection, Mel chooses to always own who she is which ultimately shines through her craft.

In the last week, I’ve had several conversations with you about that moment when I’m asking you to stand up and give it a go… the moment when we’re trying this all on for size. All the words we’ve fussed over, the ideas we’ve thoughtfully and painstakingly clarified - dug deeper to to get it ‘just right’ - and then we’re at the moment where we’re putting it to the test. Taking it from theory to practice. And it feels like a big moment.    Just this week I’ve heard things like:  I’m feeling really vulnerable I’m nervous What if I hate this?  Ugh! I hate this!   And I know you don’t hate what we’ve created; you are simply afraid this work is not going to work.    I get it.    There’s no way to get to the other side without going through. And to get through, we have to get uncomfortable.    We have to… And I’m guessing you’ve heard this before… you have let go of the perfect presentation - the idea that’s in our heads and that we imagine for ourselves and that is making taking this step so darn hard. 

A little note to you, my un-speakers…    So, to start… an un-speaker? What is that?    An un-speaker is someone who might not define themselves as a speaker, and yet you speak! You are a change-maker - idea-driven, audience-focused, battle with wondering whether or not you’re ‘doing it right’, want to make an impact and understand that to be transformational, you must yourself transform at some level. You speak without being one of ‘those’ speakers…(a bore, a chore, a perfectly perfect snore). A speaker who breaks the mold, who rejects the myths of what speaking is or what we think it should be, who is going for - above all - AUTHENTICITY, CONNECTION and COURAGE.    If that’s you. Then guess what? You’re an un-speaker!

Tamsen Webster - speaker, presentation strategist, TEDX producer, messaging guru - brings her delightful spark to our conversation about how to not just get your audience to listen... but how to get them to CHANGE.

You have a vision of where you want to go... but how do you get there? Turns out, the tumble down into the canyon is the best way to the other side.