Libsyn Directory

158: Dealing with Uncertainty and Fear When Public Speaking [Mindset Series]

Speaking Your Brand: Public Speaking Tips and Strategies

Release Date: 02/04/2020

Behind the Scenes of My AI-Powered Business: Real-World Use Cases

Speaking Your Brand: Public Speaking Tips and Strategies

Ever wish you had an extra set of hands - or better yet, an AI assistant - to take care of all those repetitive tasks in your business? In this episode, I’m taking you behind the scenes to share the exact AI-powered workflows I’ve built and now rely on every week at Speaking Your Brand. From automating my podcast production (yes, even these show notes!) to cloning my voice for a brand-new companion podcast, you’ll get a sense at what’s possible - and what's already working. I walk you through real-world examples of how I’m using AI to: Save time with automated content workflows ...

AI Is Already Impacting Your Business – Here are 4 Innovative Ways to Leverage It

Speaking Your Brand: Public Speaking Tips and Strategies

AI isn’t just on the horizon - it’s already here, reshaping how we work, connect, and show up in our businesses, no matter what industry you’re in. In this episode, I share how AI has fundamentally changed how I run Speaking Your Brand, well beyond using tools like ChatGPT (though I use that too!). I walk you through 4 powerful questions, originally posed by Wharton professor Ethan Mollick, that I’ve been reflecting on deeply and that can help you rethink your own services, content, and visibility. You’ll hear: What I used to do in my business that AI now does better (and...

Why Your Tech Presentations Aren’t Landing - and How to Fix Them

Speaking Your Brand: Public Speaking Tips and Strategies

You’ve packed your presentation with data, insights, and value — but your audience isn’t responding the way you hoped. If you’ve ever looked out and seen glazed-over eyes… or walked off stage and didn’t get the results you wanted, this episode is for you. As a former software developer and technology strategist who has presented at countless conferences and meetups, I’ve learned what works — and what doesn’t — when it comes to making technical or detail-heavy presentations land with impact. If you’re in a technical field — technology, software, AI, science, healthcare,...

What Giving a TED-Style Talk Revealed About Us as Speakers

Speaking Your Brand: Public Speaking Tips and Strategies

Have you ever wondered what it really takes to create, practice for, and deliver a powerful TED-style talk - especially one that’s only 8 minutes long? In this episode, I’m joined by Diane Diaz, our lead speaking coach at Speaking Your Brand, as we take you behind the scenes of our recent TED-style speaking experience. We were invited to be part of a live event called ElleX, hosted by a women’s entrepreneurship group at a local college. We had only one week to prepare our full talks for the audition! Diane and I share: How we came up with our topics and aligned them with the...

What Most Speakers Miss: 3 Secrets to Insightful and Inspirational Presentations

Speaking Your Brand: Public Speaking Tips and Strategies

Have you ever walked away from a presentation thinking, “That was… fine,” but not truly moved, inspired, or motivated? Here’s the truth: Most presenters mean well - they want to share valuable information - but they miss what truly makes a talk stick with the audience. In this episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on a recent presentation I gave at a local AI meetup that got amazing feedback - not because I taught all the things, but because I did these 3 key things instead. You’ll learn: What made this AI-focused talk both insightful and inspiring to a room full of people at all...

From Expert to Thought Leader: 3 Key Strategies You Need Now in the AI Age

Speaking Your Brand: Public Speaking Tips and Strategies

If I take a look at your slide deck or presentation outline and I can’t tell that the content is yours (vs. another speaker on your topic), you’re in danger of being a commodity speaker. Commodity speakers are undifferentiated and interchangeable. It will be harder for you to attract higher-profile speaking engagements, raise your speaking fees, and generate quality leads at your presentations. What you want instead is for your content to position you as a thought leader. You will have a much bigger impact on your audiences and your speaking will be an effective marketing channel and...

The Heart of Your Message: Why Emotion is Your Secret Speaking Superpower

Speaking Your Brand: Public Speaking Tips and Strategies

As speakers and entrepreneurs, we often focus on the facts, data, and tactics we want to share – but what about the emotional connection? In this episode, I talk about the power of finding the emotional heart of your message and why it’s essential for creating talks that resonate deeply with your audience and leave a lasting impact. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why the emotional heart of your message is critical for building trust and connection How mirror neurons make our brains wired for empathy and why that matters in storytelling Examples from popular culture, including Hamilton...

How to Land a TEDx Talk: From Idea to Application

Speaking Your Brand: Public Speaking Tips and Strategies

Have you ever imagined standing on a TEDx stage, spotlight on you, sharing a bold, transformative idea that resonates deeply with your audience? TEDx talks are powerful platforms, not just for delivering information, but for sparking new perspectives, challenging assumptions, and inspiring change. In this episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on what it takes to land a TEDx talk, based on my experience selecting speakers for TEDx events and coaching clients to develop their big ideas. Whether you’re a seasoned speaker or just starting to find your voice, I’ll guide you through what you...

What a Signature Talk Really Is - and What It Should Be Doing for You

Speaking Your Brand: Public Speaking Tips and Strategies

Have you ever wondered what truly makes a “signature talk”… well, signature? In this solo episode, I’m breaking down what a signature talk actually is (and what it isn’t), why most presentations fall flat, and how you can create a talk that not only connects with your audience — but also works for you as a speaker and thought leader. This episode is especially for you if you’ve ever felt stuck in what I call “the expert trap” - where you think you have to cram in as much information and training as possible in order to provide value. (Spoiler alert: that’s not how...

Want to Feel More Confident on Stage? Start Here.

Speaking Your Brand: Public Speaking Tips and Strategies

I’ve been there. Heart pounding, mouth dry, butterflies swirling - even after years of speaking on stages and on live TV. In this episode, I share some of my hardest speaking moments (including my worst ever speaking experience) and the surprising reasons we feel nervous before we speak, even when we know our stuff inside and out. You’ll learn: The 3 big reasons we get nervous (it’s not just about being unprepared!) How our physiology plays a bigger role than we realize — and how to work with it, not against it What to do in advance to reduce anxiety and boost confidence ...

More Episodes

Public speaking can certainly bring about nerves and uncertainty, whether you’re a new speaker or you’ve been speaking a while and want to try something new on stage or with a larger audience.

In this episode, Diane Diaz and I talk about:

The improv class we’re taking and what we’ve learned so far that can help you
Our own personal experiences of feeling uncertain about new experiences
How Diane is approaching hiking part of the Appalachian Trail next year (bears, oh my!)
How I’m approaching writing my book proposal and book this year (self-doubt, for sure!)
How some of our clients have approached dealing with uncertainty and fear
The benefits of uncertainty - that’s where growth comes from

Interestingly, the week we recorded this episode, I had received an email newsletter from Leo Babauta of Zen Habits about uncertainty.

Here’s what he wrote:

“The first mindset shift to consider is that uncertainty is not bad, or something to be avoided. It’s a natural part of doing anything meaningful. In fact, feeling uncertainty is a great sign that you’re doing something challenging and meaningful.

“The second mindset shift is to see an uncertain path as a practice opportunity. It’s not something to run from, but a place to stay, so that we can grow, learn, and create.”

Embrace trying new things and having new experiences, both on stage and off.

What’s something new you want to do this year? Let me know on LinkedIn!

Speaking of LinkedIn, have you purchased our LinkedIn for Speakers masterclass yet?

Users are loving it! Here’s a recent review:

“For months, I have moved the ‘learn to leverage LinkedIn’ task from one month to the next. Finding a class with the content, expertise and price point to fit my needs was a challenge. Finally success - I found Diane! She did a wonderful job focusing on the how's and why's of each topic. Her modules were well-organized to build upon one another and just the right length to absorb and apply the material. Because of the LinkedIn Masterclass, I am ready to leverage the platform to build my brand and grow my business. I could not be more pleased.”

Get instant access to the online masterclass at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/linkedin.

About Us: The Speaking Your Brand podcast is hosted by Carol Cox, joined in this episode by our top speaking coach Diane Diaz. At Speaking Your Brand, we help women entrepreneurs and professionals create their signature talks and gain more visibility to achieve their goals. Our mission is to get more women in positions of influence and power: on stages, in businesses, on boards, in the media, in politics, and in our communities. Check out our coaching programs at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com.

Links:

Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/158

Get our LinkedIn for Speakers online masterclass at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/linkedin.

Connect on LinkedIn:

Carol Cox = https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcox
Diane Diaz = https://www.linkedin.com/in/dianediaz

Book Writing Resources Mentioned:

The Busy Woman’s Guide to Writing a World-Changing Book by Cynthia Morris
Book Proposal Academy with Joelle Hahn

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