Skill Builder Series
Empowered to Speak ‘Skill Builder Series’ offers individual workshops with each one focusing on a particular public speaking skill.
Sign up for the series or select the ones of particular interest
1 – Think Quick
Develop the ability to speak at short (or no) notice
Talking to a group with little or no time to prepare can be a challenge for the most experienced speakers. The ability to quickly order our thoughts and respond confidently is a valuable competency. Delivering a talk that is effective in achieving our purpose and providing value for the listeners requires well developed skills.
Our ‘Think Quick’ workshop provides a safe, supportive and fun environment for participants to overcome their fears; embrace impromptu speaking opportunities and deliver interesting talks.
New skills, tools and self-awareness empower participants with greater confidence with the following benefits:
2 – The Power of Your Voice
Learn how to use your voice to increase the effectiveness of your speech
Whether the purpose of a talk is to persuade, inform or entertain, voices are the instruments that link our messages to the audience. Enhancing the power of words by using vocal variety will maintain audience interest and create impact.
This fun and highly interactive workshop provides insights into how to use the voice to convey messages effectively. Using the voice to create a mood or elicit emotional responses ensures an engaging and memorable talk. This workshop provides an opportunity to have fun with varying volume, tone, pitch and timing as we explore how they are used in memorable and effective talks.
Benefits include:
3 – Non – Verbal Communication
Align your physical movements with your spoken message
When we speak, our message is conveyed through three channels. The words we use, the way we say them and the physical movements we make. When all three are aligned, our listeners accept that we are being genuine. When there is a lack of congruence, people may distrust the spoken words and be less receptive to the messages.
Our challenge is to ensure our tone and physical actions support the words. How we present will either reinforce the spoken message or detract from it.
At this workshop you will develop greater awareness of how your audience sees you and what you can do to ensures your tone and actions support rather than detract from your spoken message.
In this fun and highly interactive workshop you will learn how to
4 – Preparing a Speech
Learn the keys to preparing an effective speech
Effective speeches are the product of preparation to ensure what is said is of interest and relevance to the audience. How we develop what we say will have a significant effect on how well the message is received.
Talking to a group without a purpose and structure is likely to have people bored and disappointed. A stand-up comedian telling a string of jokes has a clear purpose – to entertain, and usually has a theme which provides a loose structure. To go beyond entertainment a clear structure is critical in holding the attention of people in order to inform and/or persuade them. Structure provides ‘shape’ to your talk and helps the audience follow you.
At this practical workshop you will learn the key elements of effective speech structures and identify how to prepare a talk that has purpose and supports your own style.
Outcomes are:
5 – Storytelling
Improve your speeches with compelling stories
We all love a good story and the more personal the better!
Telling interesting and relevant stories provides an opportunity to engage people at a personal level. Stories that are relevant and told well highlight key messages and make them memorable. Adding humorous stories can enhance a talk and provide a counterpoint in serious talks.
When we hear stories the right side of our brains is engaged and our personal experiences of sights, sounds, smells and tastes allow us to relate on a personal level. This makes the stories memorable.
At this workshop you will discover the elements of compelling stories and how to best use them in a speech. Benefits are:
6 – Engaging and holding attention
Learn the skill of maintaining audience interest throughout your speech
When talking to a group it’s important to be clear about your purpose. Do you want to persuade, inform or entertain? Maybe you want to do all 3!
Whatever you want to achieve, you need people to listen.
Getting the attention of your audience is the first step in making your talk effective. Maintaining interest throughout can be challenging but is essential for your talk to have impact.
This Skill Builder workshop is designed to provide a safe, fun and supportive environment for you to learn, develop and practice the ability to get attention and keep people listening.
In this workshop we will identify why people may lose interest and develop an understanding of techniques to keep them engaged. You will get feedback on your personal speaking style and gain insights into how to avoid distractions and keep people following your message.