Thought Leaders Amplified Podcast

For today's podcast, I met with Dr. Katherine Helm as we break down the do's and don'ts of public speaking. From facial expressions, why it's important to get vulnerable, presenting details, attributions, how to share more of your story, to making sure the audience is with you every step of the way…we cover everything you need to know before you step on stage. Tune in to Thought Leaders Amplified — Behind-The-Scenes Public Speaking Training for a TEDx Talk with Kathryn Janicek & Dr. Katherine Helm. What You Will Discover:  ✔️Have a natural performance quality. Facial expressions can get lost and forced, especially when you've practiced the same piece repeatedly. Be conscious as you speak to naturally convey the emotion when needed. ✔️ Don't be afraid to be vulnerable. Being on stage is a golden opportunity for you to show your authentic self. Share the most intimate (and necessary) details of your story to create a lasting impact. ✔️ Present real-world examples. Bring the audience closer to your story before they can say, “I can't relate.” This helps them connect your message to their experiences and deeply understand the core of your speech. ✔️Assume your audience knows nothing. When mentioning celebrities or prominent figures, give a title or a description so they won't feel out of the loop. Present all the important facts of your story along with the emotions your past self would have felt. Act as if your audience is your therapist. Katherine Helm, PhD is a Professor of Psychology and Director of Graduate Programs in Counseling at Lewis University, Romeoville, IL. She is also a practicing psychologist. Her clinical expertise is in working with a wide range of clients including couples. Katherine has authored several publications about racial and cultural issues in mental health, couples' issues, and pedagogy in multicultural courses. She has participated in counselor training at multiple levels and was a 2021 recipient of the Clinical Supervisor of the Year award from the Illinois Counselor Educators and Supervisors division of the Illinois Counseling Association.  Katherine is a sought-after presenter, professional trainer, clinical supervisor, and author. Want to see how Dr. Helm's TEDx Talk turned out? You can watch it on her website here: https://www.drkhelmconsulting.com ==============================================   Ready for more tips, tricks, and techniques on public speaking, media interviews, and standing out in front of any audience?

Socrates once said, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” Major General John Borling has taken this to heart as he continues to carve his path of success and strength to this day. A retired US Air Force pilot with a career spanning 37 years, a Vietnam War prisoner, a business chairman of a biotech company, and a weekly column writer, he joins us today to share his advice on dealing with trauma, being an effective and vulnerable leader, and avoiding arrogance and burnout. Want to learn more?

I held on to these Elton John tickets for two years.  The pandemic kept delaying the show… and then Elton got sick. I was starting to wonder: “Would Elton fully recover? Would he be too nervous singing in front of a huge crowd again (because of the pandemic)?” When he got on stage, I swear he put every ounce of his being into that show. And he didn't need to. That's definitely something we can all learn from. Learn more in the full episode of Thought Leaders Amplified

Whether you're the top thought leader or the biggest expert in your industry,  if you're not wearing the right clothes, people won't trust you.  You must look confident for people to be confident in you. You may have gone to a great school, have tons of experience, but people may still judge you for what you're wearing. This is why I found this topic so important. It could be for a job interview, a board meeting, or a panel discussion. Let me guide you in choosing the best clothes to wear in front of the camera. Tune in to learn more in this episode of Thought Leaders Amplified

Virtual meetings are the new normal. Now that we're hosting them from the comforts of home, it's easy to become complacent with how we present ourselves. We should focus on trying to be perceived as the thought leaders we are. So what should we avoid to win our audience's hearts? Learn more in the the full episode of Thought Leaders Amplified 

We all have seasons in our careers that have knocked us down. Laid off. Worked with a toxic boss. Lost a business. Getting back on your feet can be challenging.. But believe me,  it's not impossible to start over and come back stronger than ever. Learn more

 How do you stop your voice from shaking when public speaking?  “How can I stop my voice from shaking when speaking in public?” I get this question all the time. Whether it's a Zoom presentation, a talk on a big stage, a media interview, a panel appearance, a one-on-one meeting — any public speaking really — sounding shaky, squeaky, or choked up gives off the wrong impression. Studies have shown if your voice gets high-pitched and your breathing is shallow, you appear anxious or not confident to your audience.   I want to help you avoid that unpleasantness. Watch: How to stop your voice from shaking when public speaking. ▶️   Here's a glance of what you'll learn in this episode: #1: The biggest one: don't wing it! One crucial yet neglected tip is to come prepared for every speaking engagement. If you know where you're going in your speech, you'll be less nervous and your voice will be less shaky. You can't start strong and end strong if you just wing it. #2: Know where you're going with your speech. How are you going to start your talk strong? What's going to be in the middle, the meat and potatoes? How are you going to come up with a powerful end?  Planning all of these will make people remember you and respond to your call to action. Having that beginning, middle, and end laid out on a post-it note or bullet points will help you know where you're going in your speech.  You'll be less nervous, and your voice will be less shaky. It will make such a huge difference rather than just jumping in front of your audience.    #3: Know your audience; know what they want to hear. All of us deal with a lack of confidence at one time or another. I deal with $12 billion companies, and the people there still have mindset issues. But I will say, once you make it about your audience and serve them, you'll  feel a lot less nervous. Focus on their needs and what they need to learn from what you're going to say. That will take a huge amount of pressure off yourself.   #4: Truth be told, becoming an effective speaker also relies on what you eat, drink, and when you sleep and exercise. Don't underestimate how important maintaining your health is to your performance as a speaker. Exercise helps you use up that nervous energy. It could be just walking the dog at 5 a.m. or jumping jacks, sit-ups, yoga or  even for five minutes. Eating right fights off  inflammation; drinking lots of water and limiting caffeine keeps your vocal cords hydrated and prevents them from getting shaky. Getting enough sleep — seven to eight hours a night — staves off  brain fog, and having a sharper mind makes you feel more confident. I use a free app called Water Llama to track my daily water intake, you can download it here: https://waterlama.com/   #5: All about breathing! Here's  a great bonus tip I use before any major training for thought leaders and experts if they get nervous: take deep breaths with very long exhalations. It works wonders. The same thing is true for our kids and grandkids during potty training. If they are so nervous they just can't relax and go to the bathroom, you can use the breathing tip for them.  Resources: Track your daily water intake with Water Llama: https://waterlama.com/   Try WHOOP and get 1 month FREE when you use my code: https://join.whoop.com/C61E4D I've recently created a special program dedicated to healthcare professionals who need media training so they can confidently show up on camera, attract more patients, move up in their careers, and let their expertise shine. If that's you or you know someone who can benefit from this, click here: http://standoutinthemedia.com/  =============================== Ready for more tips, tricks, and techniques on public speaking, media interviews, and standing out in front of any audience?

In this day and age, video is king. It's expected to make up 80% of all internet traffic in 2022. How will you ensure your messaging doesn't get lost? How will you make it land with your potential audience? Take some notes … I want you to stand out from the crowd! Learn more

Do you have a problem with those pesky words that come flying out of your mouth when you can't think of anything else to say? They're filler words or crutch words. The “uh's” and the “like's” that buy us a few seconds of thinking time when our mouths try to keep up with our brains or vice versa. Stopping this habit can be a challenge. But don't fret. I'm here to share my advice on eliminating filler words for good, which will boost your confidence and credibility. You can learn more in this video: How to stop using these 10 filler words when public speaking. ▶️ Here's what you'll learn in this episode: ✔️ Amplify your voice. Filler words can muffle your message. No matter how passionate you are or how meaningful your mission is, just a few “ums” can diminish your credibility. You're a confident and eloquent thought leader with a purpose to share, so make your voice and word choice clear. ✔️Know your piece inside out. The best way to kill filler words once and for all? Preparation. Lots of it. You should know the steps like the back of your hand. Familiarize yourself with your mission and plan exactly how each part of your talk should play out. ✔️ Less confidence causes filler words. Butterflies in your stomach, stage fright, or getting jittery — that's all quite normal before giving a speech. Allowing nervousness to consume us can lead to poor word choices, such as over splicing our sentences with “like.” ✔️ Get enough sleep. Cliché as it sounds, a healthy 7-8 hours of sleep can increase your reaction time. It also enhances your brain's ability to fire up with ideas and transmit them to your mouth. ✔️ Lay off the alcohol and sugar. I've got nothing against alcohol and sugar, but I'll never take them before a big speaking gig. These two bad boys cause inflammation and create brain fog. An unclear mental state reduces your speed and sharpness in forming cohesive sentences. ✔️ Keep your mouth closed. If you don't have anything good to say, zip it — especially if they're filler words. Get in the habit of taking silent pauses when emphasizing a point or buying thinking time. Those few seconds of dead air would be less distracting than throwing out an “um.” ============================================== Ready for more tips, tricks, and techniques on public speaking, media interviews, and standing out in front of any audience?

What kind of communicator are you when you're stressed out? With the ongoing messy state of world affairs, you might be feeling a mishmash of intense emotions right now. And it's holding you back from being the effective thought leader you're meant to be. I'm here to remind you that getting your wellness in check doesn't have to be hard. Tune in to learn more

Are you a THOUGHT LEADER who is still finding your way HOW to… -Show up as an expert in your industry and your field  -Impress audiences, future customers or current customers -Get investors to trust and like you Learn the 3 BEST WAYS you can do that today. Watch: How to communicate in media (or anywhere) and be remembered. ▶️ Key points covered in this episode:  #1 We narrowcast, not broadcast. Every marketing training or speaking school teaches the benefits of knowing your audience. We hear it many times, but how often do you get to listen to someone in a conference, or someone interviewed by the media, who is not resonating with the recipients of the message they try to convey? So, think about your audience. For example, if the media interviews you – your audience is really not that journalist. Your audience is the person at home who might try out your brand, product, or service. Think about that person who's at home on the couch – that's who you're talking to. You're not talking to everyone.  #2 "Edutain" to get your message across. Influential speakers are educating and entertaining. I've been training CEOs, and the one thing they tell me all the time is, "I'm not a performer. I don't want to entertain". Well, I tell that CEO and I tell you that it really is your job to be one if you want to make sure you get your message across. So, we have to educate. We get up, we show our smarts – but we have to captivate an audience and keep them for five, 10, 20, 40 minutes.  One of those ways is to be more provocative. The Latin origin of being provocative is really about challenging and changing. How can you change the status quo and be provocative in your specific industry? And then, how can you communicate how you're different? You can't compete with other companies head-to-head with what they're doing, but you can change the status quo and communicate how you are different.  #3 Be vulnerable to be memorable. Tell those stories that touch the heart – but, before achieving that, what's important is to practice, practice, practice. If you don't prepare and rehearse your speech, talk, or two-minute video for YouTube, it's tough to be vulnerable, be present, and deliver with emotion. Every word you're saying may lack impact if you just read them.  _________________________ I've recently created a special program dedicated to healthcare professionals who need media training so they can confidently show up on camera, attract more patients, move up in their careers, and let their expertise shine. If that is you or you know someone who can benefit from this, click here: http://standoutinthemedia.com/  ============================================== Ready for more tips, tricks, and techniques on public speaking, media interviews, and standing out in front of any audience?