Speaking For Myself

Everyone knows I like to talk.
Give me a podium and a radio-mic and I’m as happy as a Russian football fan.
(Congrats to Russia by the way!)
Obviously, I enjoy addressing crowds, and I love telling stories.
So I’m delighted that I’m getting booked for more and more speaking engagements.
But it’s not just the adrenaline of being up there that I cherish.
The opportunity to speak publicly enables me to sense-check the things I believe in.
It’s like inviting someone round to dinner for the first time.
You do a ‘walk-through’ to check that everything’s in order.
You clean and tidy the house.
You make extra effort on the menu.
You break out the good crockery.
In short, you view the experience through your guests’ eyes.
And that’s exactly what happens when you’re booked to speak.
You interrogate your story.
Check your references.
Rehearse your performance.
By the time they’re calling you on-stage, you’re utterly convinced.
Then it’s much easier to do the same with your audience.