Powerful Presenting For Leaders
200 episodes - English - Latest episode: 6 months ago -David Thomas, global speaker and executive speaking coach, shows leaders how to handle their nerves when presenting, really connect with their audience and walk off feeling like a presentation rockstar!
https://www.CreatingPresentationRockstars.com
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Episodes
#32 Lessons learned from his first bodybuilding competition
October 09, 2019 07:00 - 17 minutes - 24.2 MBWell, it happened, David stepped out onto a bodybuilding stage in front of hundreds of people wearing nothing but his underpants and at least 14 gallons of fake tan. Quite an experience! It turned out to be one of the most momentous days of his life teaching him many lessons, mainly about himself. In this episode, he is going to share some of those lessons that can be immediately applied by you in your aim to step on stage and be a rockstar. Not a bodybuilding rockstar, obviously....al...
#32 Lessons learned from my first bodybuilding competition
October 09, 2019 07:00 - 17 minutes - 24.2 MBWell, it happened. I got up on stage in front of hundreds of people wearing nothing but my underpants and 14 gallons of fake tan.It turned out to be one of the most momentous days of my life and in this podcast episode, I will share the many lessons I learned that also apply to presenting.
#31 Being nervous or drifting along
October 02, 2019 07:00 - 12 minutes - 11.8 MBWhich is worse - feeling nervous or drifting along? Chatting to a friend on Sunday and she said that she would rather feel nervous for the next 20 years than doing the same old stuff and drifting through. In this podcast, I look at how this applies to presentation skills.
#31 Where are you on the spectrum of certainty?
October 02, 2019 07:00 - 12 minutes - 11.8 MBIn life, everyone falls somewhere on the spectrum of certainty from high certainty at one end (life is very predictable but can be boring) to high variety at the other (life is exciting but is never truly stable). David was chatting to a friend on Sunday and she said that she would rather feel nervous for whole of the next 20 years doing new stuff than keep doing the same old stuff and drift through. In this podcast, David looks at where to position yourself on the spectrum of certainty.
#30 Any presentation is the sum of many parts
September 25, 2019 07:00 - 18 minutes - 17.4 MBDavid's bodybuilding debut is fast coming round. When he started, it was all about diet and exercise but now other factors are coming into play like the beautification process. Yes, really. In this episode, David will tell you what this actually involves and why it is exactly the same when preparing for presentations.
#29 Have you got what it takes to go up the value chain?
September 18, 2019 07:00 - 8 minutes - 8.46 MBThere are four levels of value. The higher up the value chain you go, the greater the type and number of opportunities you will get. And the success, fun and money that go with them. In this episode, David shows where presentation skills comes on that chain and if you wish to, how to ascend it.
#28 The best person to help conquer your nerves is you
September 11, 2019 07:00 - 12 minutes - 12.1 MBLast weekend, I went to a bodybuilding competition and instead of calming me down, it made my nerves worse. Now I am super nervous about my own bodybuilding debut. In this episode, I will share how I am managing it and how you could do the same with your speaking nerves.
#28 Believe it or not, the best person to help conquer your nerves is you
September 11, 2019 07:00 - 12 minutes - 12.1 MBDavid is entering his first bodybuilding competition this year and he is really, REALLY nervous about it. He decided to go to a bodybuilding competition hoping it would make him feel more relaxed. It didn't. In this episode, he will explain how he is managing his nerves and how you can do the same if it is an issue for you.
#27 The most boring story ever told
September 04, 2019 07:00 - 22 minutes - 21.3 MBDavid always tells people that he has no interest in their boring travel stories. As a professional speaker, he has enough of his own. But in this episode, he relays one to hammer home the single most important point he ever makes about presenting.
#26 The day I went to prison
August 28, 2019 12:00 - 13 minutes - 13.2 MBAs a leader, you need to find out if people are with you or against you. Find out what David said to two prison officers to find out who would support their charity.
#26 The day David went to prison
August 28, 2019 12:00 - 13 minutes - 13.2 MBDavid recently heard a brilliant phrase used by an internet marketer when putting together a marketing strategy. "Divide your audience BEFORE they come in to your community or they will divide your members AFTER they have come in." In business, you need to find out who is with you and who is against you. You know that a fox in the henhouse is a very difficult way to manage and run a business. In this episode, David shares what he told two former prison officers so they could immediatel...
#25 Have you got what it takes to accept brutal feedback?
August 21, 2019 12:00 - 7 minutes - 7.12 MBWhen David asks audiences if they like honesty, everyone puts their hand up. When asked about brutal honesty, 20% keep their hand up. When asked about rip your chest open and bare your soul honesty, just 1% keep their hand up. Problem is, without brutal and honest feedback, your speaking will not improve enough for you to reach your true potential. In this episode, David shares how he got some brutally honest (and negative) feedback from a client who didn't think he would read it and how...
#24 Measured challenge produces an astonishing response
August 14, 2019 12:00 - 15 minutes - 14.2 MBAs a presenter, you are in an incredibly privileged position to challenge your audience. Not to hurt but to help movethem forward. Do it right and the response is truly amazing.
#24 How to challenge your audience without hurting them
August 14, 2019 12:00 - 15 minutes - 14.2 MBEveryone wants to move forward in life but very few like being put on the spot and challenged. As a leader, you are in the incredibly privileged position of being able to help people achieve significant change when you present. The key is to do it in a way which moves them in a different direction and doesn't hurt them. In this episode, David shares the way to do just this and how, when you get it right, it will be one of the most amazing experiences you ever have when speaking.
#23 Just how far are you prepared to go?
August 07, 2019 12:00 - 10 minutes - 10.1 MBFind out what I did for 6 hours a day for 6 months and why someone spent more than 20 hours on a 6 minute presentation.
#23 Do what others won't or can't
August 07, 2019 12:00 - 10 minutes - 10.1 MBWould you cross a river filled with crocodiles? Of course not. What if your child was sat on the bank on the other side about to get snaffled by a hungry croc? Success is often no more than finding out how far you are prepared to go. In this episode, David will share what utterly useless activity he did for 6 hours a day for 6 months and why someone spent more than 20 hours preparing for a 6 minute presentation.
#22 The single most important part of any speech
July 31, 2019 12:00 - 20 minutes - 19.1 MBYou need to start every presentation like a greyhound coming out of the traps with its testicles on fire. There's a picture for you. A slow start will lose the attention of your audience and once they are gone, they are gone. In this episode, David explains how to get every presentation off to an electrifying start and why it is so important.
#21 Speeches are like cars
July 24, 2019 12:00 - 10 minutes - 9.58 MBPresentations are like cars. At one end of the spectrum is a 200,000 mile Ford Fiesta covered in panels painted every colour of the rainbow. At the other is a sparkling Lamborghini supercar with paint a mile deep. The question is - which would most accurately describe your presentations? In this episode, David shares the great news that the choice is yours and how to get yourself up to Lambo territory.
#20 The benefits of improving presentation skills
July 17, 2019 12:00 - 13 minutes - 12.5 MBThe benefits of improving our ability to present may be as obvious as the spots on a dalmatian dog but actually, they are unique to every single person and definitely unique to each presentation. In this episode, David shares what other leaders have said about the benefits of top class presenting including why Warren Buffet offered to pay students $50,000 more if they went on a communication skills course.
#19 Set your talk alight or watch it turn to ashes
July 11, 2019 00:00 - 17 minutes - 15.9 MBToo many leaders avoid humour when they present. Partly because they don't think they are funny but also because they understand that there is a fine line between setting your talk on fire with great humour and burning it to the ground with bad. But humour is the one thing that can make the biggest difference to any talk and is worth every effort to get it right. In this episode, David goes through safe and easy to apply techniques that are guaranteed to get your audiences rolling in the...
#19 Humour is a presentation maker AND a huge hot potato
July 11, 2019 00:00 - 17 minutes - 15.9 MBHumour can make a MASSIVE difference to any talk but it can also be a real minefield. Here are some tips on how to squeeze it in.
#18 David is still a good Boy Scout
July 03, 2019 19:11 - 12 minutes - 11.6 MBDavid was a very good Boy Scout and still is! When it comes to speaking anyway as he lives by the Scout motto of 'Be Prepared'. However, on occasions he has been caught out by winging out. In this episode, he talks about how that felt and why it is impossible to over prepare.
#18 Be a good Boy Scout
July 03, 2019 19:11 - 12 minutes - 11.6 MBBeing a great presenter is like being a Boy Scout. You just need to 'Be Prepared' in the extreme. Here I talk about how not being prepared caught me out at a recent talk.
#17 Interview with Chris Stanford, Managing Director of Arden Wood Shavings
July 02, 2019 19:34 - 21 minutes - 19.4 MBThis unusual episode broadcasts David's interview with Chris Stanford, MD of Arden Wood Shavings. Chris was present at a session David did on presentation skills. He went away and applied it word for word to massive success. This episode is a great example of how how presentation skills training is not just conceptual but really works in the real world.
#17 It's just down to process
July 02, 2019 19:34 - 21 minutes - 19.4 MBInterview with Chris Stanford, MD of Arden Wood Shavings. He heard me speak and applied my process in detail and to massive success. Hear how presentation skills works in the real world.
#16 Time to remove your bad speaking habits
June 05, 2019 16:00 - 14 minutes - 13.2 MBThe thing that frustrates David the most is that 80% of all presenters have simple bad habits that would immediately catapult them into the top 20% if they got rid of them. In this episode, David goes through them and how to get shut.
#16 Time to remove your bad habits
June 05, 2019 16:00 - 14 minutes - 13.2 MB80% of all presenters have simple bad habits that would immediately catapult them into the top 20% if they got rid of them.
#15 Learn how to tell a bloody good story
May 29, 2019 16:00 - 14 minutes - 13.4 MBRemember this one devastating piece of information: Audiences remember just 5% of statistics but a genuinely shocking 63% of stories. Stories are not there to keep the audience entertained (which is still a worthy goal and has value in itself). They are not there to impart raw data and information. Stories are there to create causal links that cement the information in the audience's memory and help them understand your message. In this episode, David tells his signature story from Wem...
#14 What do you really stand for?
May 22, 2019 16:00 - 11 minutes - 10.5 MBOne of David's coaching clients is doing a massive talk so he is coaching her to bring forward massive ideas. She is a global leader is her field so she is pitching it high.
#14 What do you really, truly stand for?
May 22, 2019 16:00 - 11 minutes - 10.5 MBDavid has a coaching speaking client who is a Managing Director and a global leader in her field. He is preparing her for one of the biggest talks of her career. The temptation for almost all leaders in this position is to go deep on the product they are promoting and bang on about features and benefits. These are important but could be put in a brochure. What audiences need to see is what you stand for. In this episode, David shows how he got this client to show what she really stood for.
#13 Age is a beautiful thing
May 15, 2019 16:00 - 10 minutes - 9.94 MBThe beauty of getting older is you get to live a life you never knew existed. The beauty of improving your presentation skills is you get to enjoy presenting in a way you never knew existed.
#13 Contrary to popular opinion, age is a beautiful thing
May 15, 2019 16:00 - 10 minutes - 9.94 MBThe beauty of getting older is you get to live a life you never knew existed. The beauty of improving your presentation skills is you get to enjoy presenting in a way you never knew existed. In this episode, David explains the deep joy of continual improvement in improving presentation skills and why it is SO worth the effort.
#12 Even negative feedback is good
May 08, 2019 16:00 - 10 minutes - 9.48 MBDavid did a recent talk and someone posted online that he was not likeable or personable. Well, that would be rude if it wasn't true. But it was true for that individual so it was valuable feedback. In this episode, he explains how he dealt with it.
#12 Even negative foodback is good
May 08, 2019 16:00 - 10 minutes - 9.48 MBDavid did a recent talk and someone posted online that he was not likeable or personable. Here is how he dealt with negative feedback.
#11 Control your speaking environment
May 01, 2019 16:00 - 9 minutes - 8.89 MBSpeaking is a live event. Stuff happens. At a recent speaking gig, David had to dodge a number of potential landmines. In this episode, David explains how it is really important to control your speaking environment otherwise it could come back to bite you in the arse.
#10 The difference between nervous and excited
April 24, 2019 11:40 - 9 minutes - 8.73 MBNerves are always up there as a big issue for anyone who has to get up and present and so it is no surprise that David is constantly asked if he still gets nervous. In this episode, David explains how he has managed to turn nervousness into excitement.
#9 Using a coach
April 17, 2019 18:33 - 10 minutes - 9.6 MBDavid was reading motivational bullshit on the walls of a gym he was training in. But a bad workout sets bad habits. So it is with speaking. Learn really good habits from a world class source.
#9 Get a coach and stop reading motivational quotes
April 17, 2019 18:33 - 10 minutes - 9.6 MBDavid was reading a motivational quote on the walls of a gym that said 'The only bad workout is the one that you didn't do.' This is bullshit. A bad workout can set bad habits. Bad habits can injure you and stop you training altogether. It is the same with speaking. Bad habits set in and this hurts presentations. In this episode, David explains how it is crucial to learn from a world class source and that the very best way to improve is to get a coach.
#8 You're the boss; be the boss
March 12, 2019 16:00 - 14 minutes - 13 MBToo many leaders don't get involved in the organisation of their own events and then get tangled up in a bad environment. David shares the nightmare of when Slido unstuck one leader at his own company event.
#8 You're the boss so get involved
March 12, 2019 16:00 - 14 minutes - 13 MBToo many leaders leave the organisation of their own events to their team then get surprised when things are not exactly right. Whilst delegating is essential in business, when you are up at the front, on your own, you need to know everything is right so get involved. In this episode, David shares the nightmare of an internal company conference that he was the keynote speaker at when Slido kicked in and completely unstuck the boss.
#7 How to be a better parent
March 07, 2019 17:00 - 12 minutes - 11.6 MBDavid received the most astonishing e-mail from a former delegate and immediately set off to interview him. This is that interview. In this episode, David relates the part of the interview of Chris shares how he has used his skills, even sharing with his family.
#6 Work to the level above
March 02, 2019 17:00 - 12 minutes - 11.3 MBIt is easy to get caught up in a current situation and not focus on the level above. But as an aspiring leader, it is important to do both with your presentation skills - develop them for your current environment but also the level above. In this episode, David shares how he has been preparing a young man to present at the level of a School Head while currently being a Deputy.
#5 Let others see the greatness
February 25, 2019 20:29 - 11 minutes - 10.4 MBLack of confidence is the number 1 issue for leaders when presenting. But an improvement in confidence is not just internal, it can also be external when others see how amazing you are before you even realaise it.
#5 Let others see your greatness
February 25, 2019 20:29 - 11 minutes - 10.4 MBLack of confidence is a huge issue for leaders when presenting. But an improvement in confidence is not just internal, it can also be external as others can already see how amazing you are before you even realise it. In this episode, David explains how it is important to let others tell you how good you really are.
#4 To memorise or not
February 05, 2019 01:00 - 21 minutes - 19.8 MBBecause he is a world class memoriser, all of David's speaking clients expect him to push them to memorise their talks. Without doubt, it can have a huge impact on the audience and dramatically improve your ability to really connect with your audiences. But at the same time, he really does understand how hard it is. In this episode, he goes through the best ways to do it should you wish to have a go.
#3 Everything is a presentation
February 04, 2019 19:00 - 20 minutes - 19.2 MBThis episode is dead simple. David explains how you must apply best presentation skills practice to everything from appraisals to huge keynote speeches. That's it.
#2 It is bloody awful when audiences don't like us
January 30, 2019 18:14 - 24 minutes - 22.1 MBIt goes against our entire nature to have people not liking us. It is bloody awful but thankfully, most of the time we can avoid these people. Not so with speaking. When we present, there is one indisputable fact. We cannot please all the people all the time. Some audience members will not like us, our message or both. In this episode, David uses an example of someone who sent him a vitriotic e-mail in response to something he felt very passionate about. He also shares how to manage diff...
#2 Not everyone will love your talk
January 30, 2019 18:14 - 24 minutes - 22.1 MBYou can't please all the people all the time. David uses an example of someone who sent him a vitriotic e-mail in response to something he felt very passionate about. He shares that and how to manage difficult audience members.
#1 Are We Too Weak To Change?
January 08, 2019 18:37 - 16 minutes - 15.1 MBPowerful Presenting for Leaders podcast #1 As we enter 2019 our New Year resolutions will quickly turn to dust. So it is with presentation skills. Leaders want to improve but end up doing the same thing. Is it because we don't have the how or the why? Or is it because we are too weak to change?
#1 Are you too weak to change?
January 08, 2019 18:37 - 16 minutes - 15.1 MBAs we move through 2019, New Year resolutions will quickly turn to dust. So it is with presentation skills. Leaders want to improve their presenting but end up doing the same thing. As a speaker coach, this eternal problem causes David huge frustration. Is it because leaders don't have the how or because they don't have a big enough why? Or is it because they are just too weak to change? In this opening episode, David gets stuck into this contentious issue and gives some hope.