High Stakes Speaking Engagements
The days and hours leading up to a speaking engagement are critical. By this point, the message has been crafted and the focus is on landing the delivery. Our job is to drive your style and delivery so you take control of and optimize this opportunity to connect with a larger audience of stakeholders.
Individual Coaching Sessions: Services range in duration, dependent upon needs and time-frame (can be Virtual or On-Site)
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Discovery Call prior to the session to identify current state and target areas of preparation
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Immediately applicable for—Adrenaline Management, Facilitated Dress Rehearsal, Content Edits, Visualization Techniques
Live Feedback Dress Rehearsal: We partner with Event Producers and Sponsors to offer live coaching and expert feedback for Conference Speakers. Integrated into Dress Rehearsal slots, Speakers can utilize on-site expert coaches for feedback on targeted components of their content and delivery.
“Brush-Up” Accent Coaching: When delivering high-stakes presentations, adrenaline often increases rate of speech. For Accented English, this can make a speaker more difficult to understand at the precise moment they need to make that First Impression. Targeted coaching during the last phases of preparation to ensure a spoken image that is clear, engaging and sharp from beginning to end.
Executive Leadership & Communication
For Senior Leaders, the ability to motivate, inspire, persuade and compel is often as important as their competence and strategic prowess. Managing impressions, building and maintaining trust with teams and driving stakeholder motivation are areas where perceptive blind spots can undermine even the best communicators.
If you have ever received feedback that you are: “Condescending, Dismissive, Disengaged, Aloof, Arrogant, False, Un-credible, Too slick, Poser, Too Dated, Very Old School, Likes to Hear Him/Herself Talk, Smartest One In The Room, Never Listens, Always Interrupts, Dominates, Intimidates, Never Present, Disengaged,”
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“Too introverted to lead", "Poor client facing interactions", "Can’t work a room", "Too flat", "Uninspiring", "Rambles", "Nervous", "Anxious", "Up in his/her head", "No succinct thoughts/hard to follow", "Unseasoned", "Lacks poise”... let us transform your optics
These sessions provide:
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Accurate, honest assessment of Executive & Vocal Presence
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Identification and solutions for existing barriers to relatable, connected communications
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Concrete personalized coaching tools and techniques for implementation and reinforcement
Applicable Communication Situations
Townhalls, Roundtables, Podium Presentations, Keynotes, Panels, Pitches, High Stakes Board Meetings, Performance Reviews, Investor Presentations, Fund Raising, Sales Presentations, Media Interviews
***These services may be customized for individual development or as a team paradigm.
Customized Group Classes & Workshops
Gathering peers to learn and practice best practices of communications provides an opportunity for internal accountability, alignment of messaging and team-building. We integrate education, interactive coaching and experiential learning to uncover key communication qualities and behaviors that lead to successful, impactful professional communications.
We can assist in eliminating often-unconscious behaviors and habits that can be destructive barriers to a polished, credible and confident professional presence. Each team member will leave with a stronger understanding of what makes a communicator impactful, as well as a clear, simple action plan for individual elevation of his/her own communication style.
Program paradigms may be customized to include:
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Executive Presence & Visual Image
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Vocal Presence & Spoken Image
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Active and Passive Listening
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Body Language-- Nonverbal Cues and Transmissions
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Panel and/or Moderator Preparation
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Conference Calls & Virtual Presence
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Tandem and Team Presentation Preparation & Rehearsal
Ongoing Reinforcement private coaching packages (virtual and/or in person) are also available as a follow-up reinforcement tool for individuals as needed.
Female Leadership & Communications Training
While business cultures move in the direction of equality, the bottom line is that we are not there yet. This can leave women uncertain and frustrated as to how to most effectively develop and refine their communication style.
We tap into ever-evolving research along with experiences from leading female executives and dynamic discussions to offer communication solutions, strategies and tactics relevant in today’s business landscape.
** Training may be one-on-one Executive Coaching or via an interactive workshop with either female and/or male peers
Vocal Presence & Spoken Image
The sound of your voice is one of the first things listeners subconsciously assess when making their first impressions. Yet most Executives have little or no awareness of their Vocal Image and the impact it has on their overall presence. Further, in an increasingly virtual business environment, your voice is most often the primary vehicle for building trust, advancing ideas, and ultimately closing business. Our highly specialized, expert coaching gives you the tools to master your unique Vocal Presence so your voice is an asset and not a liability.
If you have ever received feedback that you are… “too loud, shrill, domineering, nasal, frenetic, strained, hoarse, quiet, shy, hesitant, mousey, mumbly, or monotone”; then your vocal habits may be a barrier for you
Voice Coaching focuses on:
Tone, Projection, Resonance
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Breathing Technique and Pace
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Self-Sabotaging Habits: Diminishing Qualifiers, Filler Words, Upward Inflections
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Conference Call Presence
An International Executive's foreign accent can give speech authentic character and may even make the speaker more memorable. However, if a listener perceives this accent as thick, heavy or unintelligible it may negatively impact spoken image and even business relationships. We specialize in working with executives across the globe, equipping them with the tools for mastering their spoken image to be competitive within the North American Market.
We offer:
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Customized Individual Accent Coaching Packages
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A personalized plan is developed for you based upon an in-depth analysis of your current speech along with a thorough understanding of your business circumstances and situations.
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Pronunciation, Inflection, Intonation Delivery
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“Brush-Up” Coaching (provided days, hours or moments before your big talk)
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During the delivery of high-stakes presentations, adrenaline often increases your rate of speech. This often makes a speaker sound nervous or rushed. This may also make you very difficult to understand at the precise moment you need to make that strong first impression.
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Targeted coaching during the last phases of preparation ensures that your speech is articulate, engaging, crisp and clear from beginning to end.
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Our Accent coaches are trained in the Compton P-ESL Accent & Pronunciation Instruction Method from the Institute of Language and Phonology.