"Opened Dawes" Podcast Ep 1: Launch & why is public speaking so important?

“Opened Dawes” Live is designed to run weekly as a live video show at 11 am on Tuesday mornings so that we can throw open the doors and welcome you in for a relaxed sharing of information, tips, thoughts, and answering any questions about public speaking and presentation/communication skills you may have.

So, make sure you set the reminders for the shows on Facebook or YouTube (links below) as they are scheduled online and get involved.  The stream is designed to be interactive, with comments/questions able to be shown and attributed on screen.

This week’s show is launching the new series, launching our new “Communication Skills that Remove Limits” programme, which is a hybrid of online on-demand training and personal interactive development.  These sessions will allow us to delve into some of the topics/sub-topics from the programme, expand on some of the points, or delve into specifics with/for you.  In this episode, we start with why and how public speaking is such a vital skill set.

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This show can be watched live (and previous shows recorded) from the following locations:
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/OpenDawesTraining/live

YouTube:
www.youtube.com/channel/UCnwlPiWylgEDLrwemI8ZZjw (or search YouTube for Open Dawes Training and click subscribe to be notified)

Thanks to:
www.opendawestraining.co.uk
www.chrisdawescomms.co.uk
www.opendawestraining.co.uk/connect

Transcript

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Thank you for listening to the Opened Dawes Live podcast. This is actually the audio taken from our weekly live video show that you too can get involved in or watch past episodes back by going to Facebook, YouTube or LinkedIn and searching for Open Dawes Training. That's da w e S. For other ways to connect with us go to Open Dawes training.co.uk forward slash Connect. There you'll find ways to communicate with us free downloads and information about our training programs, whether that is face to face online, or a blend of the two, all designed to help people grow in confidence, willingness and skills to communicate in public. Whether that is giving presentations or speeches, providing training, having great presence or communication skills in meetings, or just having those difficult conversations effectively. public speaking is a soft skill that gives your core skills of voice and can open doors that you may not even know exist yet. But for now, let's dive into this episode of Opened Dawes Live. Good morning, welcome to Episode One of a new thing that I kind of think I've been bullied into this one really, apparently, it's, it's definitely the thing to do. I can't complain because of course, I do a lot of live broadcasting. And I hope that everything is is working as it should. This one, I'm afraid I'm on fumes at the moment. I have been for the last three days, Saturday, Sunday Monday, commentating at two different circuits, we have worked out 24 hours on the mic over over three days. So I am on autopilot and nervous. Because after this, I'm heading to get my second vaccination. So that's good news. But a six foot three, and one of those typical big guys total worst when it comes to injections, but hey, at least it will had that one. So it'll be good, but welcome along. If you're joining in, please do add comments either on Facebook or on YouTube because I'm able to see them, put them up on the screen. It'll be lovely to get your involvement. And, you know, as we as we make our way through, I'll be able to answer more and more of your questions. And it'd be good to have your comments because as we talk about things, to get your real life examples of where you've done it, because Whilst this is about public speaking, presentation skills made, you know, even media training in the like, Is that the way that we then have to implement that and put it into use in our professional lives, our everyday lives, it's very, very different. Our personalities make the challenges that we might face very different, our skill sets might be different. So it's, we need to make sure that it is relevant to you, your inputs as well can can be really, really helpful for everybody else. Because they might be more in your situation than in mind. So please put the comments, but the questions we'll be able to see them. And it'll be really, really good. So today really is kicking this off making sure everything works, as I wanted to introduce for anybody who hasn't come across this yet, myself. I'm Chris Dawes, the founder of Open Dawes Training. And yes, that's my surname in it. But it's all about how, from my own personal experience, is building your confidence, building your skill set, building your willingness to let your voice be heard, can open doors that you might not even know exist yet. And it is most definitely the situation for myself, where at university, I would be out in the pubs and I'd be holding court, I'll be having a whale of a time, center of the noise and jokes and whatever else. Yet when we had to present in a business and IT degree and when I had to stand up and actually present something structured, with an audience focused on me, I fell to pieces. So against my real personality, it was just fell to pieces about it, and I couldn't do it. And I realized I had to find a way to do this. Otherwise, it was just going to be a big barbell for my parents, rather than actually getting a degree. Well, I did work on it. But sadly in this country we don't really do a lot about public speaking. I'm afraid you know, America, they seem to do an awful lot Can't you tell? But we don't do too much in terms of gaining confidence. If you go to private schools, they may have things like debate Club, which is why a lot of those then go into politics and what have you. Which does give it but not the rest of us don't get to do it. So I self taught myself. Okay, what am I thinking? What am I feeling? Why am I thinking and feeling those things? And how can I then create the counter arguments, how can I put things into perspective? How can I be prepared to stand up there and share this information, doesn't matter what it is, whether it's my dissertation, whether it's my solution and my product, whether it's my experience, whether it's motivation for other people, whether it's training, you know, I train trainers as well, that is still presenting and sharing that knowledge. You want to be able to stand up and do that. And I was able to do it, I was able to get a degree. I then finished university and I went into sales and marketing. And I was demonstrating and presenting it solutions, either in small meetings, because I do a lot of work with people with meetings, not just presentations as well. Or it could be big seminars and presenting our software solution. The biggest thing that came out of that, for me, the biggest pride for me was that I was accused of making it entertaining, I have to tell you, I am still stupidly proud of one. And from there, I then got the opportunity 11 years ago, to break into the world of Motorsports commentating; my favorite sport; and then I get paid to be at circuits and talking about it, getting excited and interacting with the spectators. It's amazing! From that I then got into hosting awards nights, into voiceover artist, presenting on podcasts, vlog casts, radio, TV, online stuff, all that kind of thing. And it's just amazing. And I still pinch myself. But what opened these doors originally was by trying to gain the confidence and the willingness to actually present, I still get incredibly nervous. Even this morning, I've just been on the mic for three days in front of 1000s of people at Brands Hatch and Castle Combe Circuit. And yet, I'm there this morning and the counters, countdowns going, and I'm absolutely, hearts going 10 to the dozen that I've now got to do this, I have no idea how this is going to go. But you know what I'm very passionate about what my business and what our knowledge and how we can assist people very passionate about all of that. And so it's like, no, absolutely, I'm gonna go and do it. Now I'm into the flow, it will go one way or another. But hopefully it's useful. And of course, this is there for people to actually see. So that's me, I'm Chris Dawes, Open, Dawes Training. We work with individuals, we work with organizations, we work with sports people and the like for media training. media training, of course, is a multitude of sins is that the right word? I don't know what to say, really. But that includes professionals, you know, I work with business owners, or technical experts within organizations that suddenly have to do, whether it's live like this, or whether it's, you know, training videos, information videos, whatever it is, we're doing a lot, we're putting a lot of videos up on social media and the like, but quite a lot, suddenly put a camera in their face, and they become rabbit in the headlights. And so I work with people. So that's also media training. For sports people. It's not just interacting with the media. But it's also about interacting with sponsors, potential sponsors, fans, teammates, mechanics, competitors, whatever it's really about interacting with people. So hence, it is about communication skills that remove limits, because it can! And don't try second guessing what it is. Who knows, I never would have dreamt that I get to do the things I do now. So don't limit yourself. Just put yourself in a position where you can do it. And where you learn to enjoy, including enjoy the challenge. When you have those nerves and you start questioning yourself, why am I doing it and we'll do another one of our shows will be specifically on nerves. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if we split it up. And it will be in in a few different shows because there's multiple angles to address on that nerve side of things. But you suddenly feel I haven't just gone and done. nine to five, I've gone and challenged myself. I've felt under pressure. I've questioned why am I doing this. But when it finishes, "that's why that's why I've done it that feels good! I've achieved something I've pushed myself I've challenged, I've taken myself out of my comfort zone!" And that's what it's all about in reality. And don't forget something else. This is not just about to your advantage. That's a key thing we work on, obviously to your advantage to let people realize what you know, to let people know how good your organization is, your product, your service, all of those kinds of things. But it's also about empowering others. Think about over your years, the things that you've learned, the things that you've grown from. Well somebody's empowered you at that stage, multiple stages, even if it's something that you've watched online, someone that you've been sat with, someone that you've been sat in a presentation or a training course, or whatever it is, they've empowered you, they've motivated you, they've potentially even inspired you. Well you can do exactly the same for others! Share your knowledge, share your experiences, share your passions. And that's why a lot of our work is not necessarily about trying to create the next TED Talks professional speaker. It isn't, I mean, hey, happy days if or when we do more of that. Great, and we're not walking away from it. But it's about us, the average people that are within organizations, and we may not be heard, we may not put our hands up and say, yeah, I'll do it. This is about empowering you. And then you can go and empower others. And it's a wonderful opportunity. Now, obviously, we've had a challenging time over the last year and a half year, and a quarter, I've lost track now. And just to sort of time check this one is that we're now in June 2021, and March 2020, we all went into lockdown with this COVID pandemic. And of course, that meant that our face to face training stopped, we've still been providing training via zoom, other video conference suites are available... Just keep myself out of trouble there. But we haven't been doing the face to face. Now, what we've spent the last six months creating is not just an online training platform, it's a hybrid. Because what we've now created is a suite. That is online training videos, audio lessons, practical exercises, downloads, personal one to ones with myself, as well. So there's a hybrid element, and even ongoing mentoring, we've got proactive groups online that we will regularly meet with, as well as messages and questions that can come back and forth and not just answered by me and my colleagues. But by our clients, you can all bounce off of each other. So it's a very interactive program that's available, I'm just going to play a quick video that that I created that is going to give you a bit more information about that. And then we're going to launch into a kind of really been touching on it, but the why, why and how is public speaking important to you. Many people say to us that they wish that they had the ability to do the public speaking and presentation skills training in their own time, even in their own time zones with the international clients that we have. And that they can go back to it time and time again. Well, we of course during the pandemic, the lock downs, etc, we were providing our training via zoom and various other video conferencing suites. But that still wasn't giving them quite what they wanted. So we have invested lots of time, and effort, and creativity. And we now have the Communication Skills that Remove Limits program online, the online training portal. There is over six hours of video split into 10 modules, and audio lessons and practical exercises to do throughout so that you are able to put into practice what you are learning, you are able to see your development over time, there are downloads to keep your notes all together. At the end of the course there is even a 30 minute video conference directly with myself. Where we can have a look at your before and after videos. And we can look at review how it's gone. Any recommendations that we can have for you, of course, we'll be able to look at that and say, you know, have a look at this, work on that, you're doing that brilliantly, make sure you keep doing it. These are the important elements that take it from just an online course, to still having that personal touch. And if you've got the pro package, then you also get a further three hours worth of mentoring, split into typically 30 and 60 minute chunks. And it doesn't all need to be done at the same time. It may be that you do the training material, you then do the 30 minute review with myself and we work out what it is that we're going to really focus on. And we then do 30 or 60 minutes, you know, a week later A month later, whatever it is, then you go and do some presentations or deliver some training or involvement in meetings, whatever it is that you're putting into practice. And then we have another 30 or 60 minutes, you book that time with me, you have three hours worth to pull off as and when; they can be topped up as well if you want more. And the great thing is is that all of that training material, all of the practical exercises, you'll have access to that for a full 12 months. So all of you, as you you work through it, you digest it. And as humans, we only tend to be able to take in a certain percentage, let's not kid ourselves. And I always use the analogy of golf, you don't go and learn to drive, Chip, and putt all at the same time, you work on each bit at a time. So if that is how you are going to tackle this training, and you're going to really put some effort into implementing certain elements of the training, and you get to see it in action, you get to feel it in action, and you make it become second nature. When you've done the course you'll understand my phrasing of going from consciously competent to subconsciously competent, I won't spoil it or leave it in the training material. But, we then, you get to go back into the training again, and then focus on another element. So instead of it being a course that is provided for you, you have a full year to keep going backwards and forwards to it, backwards and forwards every time you do a presentation, go back to it and see what you can work on next. So that is the communication skills that remove limits online training portal. Add to that, by the way, as members, you'll be invited to the exclusive Academy Facebook group where people can, as well as chatting with each other, we'll do sessions, we'll do webinars, we'll do group calls, where we can focus on specific things, anybody has questions, we can all address it. Other people may have input onto that as well. But also learning from that particular question that's come up. So it really takes it to development rather than just a training course. So that is the the details of the Communication Skills that Remove Limits program. I look forward to meeting you in there. And I really want to see you grasp this. I have opened doors as a result of putting effort into speaking in public, to presenting, to getting more involved in meetings. And I hope that you're going to be able to as well, and there's no point second guessing them. I never dreamed that I was going to be a motor sports commentator and a host of awards nights with a Dicky bow at the front. never crossed my mind. And yet, that is what I get to do. Yours could be anything. It could be promotions, it could be new jobs, it could be own company. It could be closing the sales, closing more sales, closing bigger sales, providing training courses within your organization, to sell your training courses, anything at all. Don't second guess. This is about giving yourself those skills, giving yourself those confidence, making yourself willing to stand up and speak in front of others. So Best of luck. See you on the inside. Sorry, it's the same ugly fellow, wasn't it? Nothing I can do about that. Sorry. But I know it repeated a little bit of what I've what I was already saying earlier. But one of the key things that I forgot to mention is it is it's 12 months worth of access deliberately. And that's something I believe is that there's one thing for a training course that you sit on and go away and forget it over time. But the fact that you can keep going backwards and forward to this, you know, watch the videos again, listen to the audio lessons. I mean, you can even throw headphones in and go off for a walk listening. I do apologize in advance. It's still my voice. But at least when you got your headphones in, you don't have to see my ugly mug, so small graces and all that. But it's they're designed to help you and you go and do something you can't remember it, you dip back. Now why would you do this? Well, there is a whole challenge that I faced in the early stages when I set this business up. And it's that that people turn around and said, I don't do presentations. So it's not relevant to me? Well I ,first of all, would turn around and say, why not? Could you go and do more? Would you gain more? Would you get more exposure? Remember something is that you could be an absolute expert at something, you could be hugely passionate about something, you could have had loads of experiences about something. But if you don't share that, if you don't allow yourself to be heard, nobody will ever know what you bring to the table. It's mad because we're they're kind of going, "yeah but I know this, I can do that. I've achieved this. I've seen this I've experienced all of those things." But because you haven't vocalized that, nobody else knows! I worked with a solicitor who got overlooked for being partner because they didn't share their, their experiences, etc. And the person that got it wasn't I mean, their words, not mine. They were not better than them. But they were a lot more vocal, and I don't just mean sort of like, you know, brash and ghastly This is not about changing your personality. This is about letting people hear, see and feel your personality. Definitely not about creating blueprints! This is the key remit when I set up Open Dawes Training! I do not agree with creating a blueprint of a presenter, or a media darling or anything like that. It's about unlocking you! your personality is what is unique. And that's what I want. If I'm sat through a whole day, listening to presentations, I don't want to listen to the same thing over and over! The robots that just go, "right, I've got to do this". There are some core elements that we learn to so that you can have a structure that you can open with impact, that you can close with impact and actions. You can do the tell-show-tell to bring each point to life properly, you know, all these bits and pieces? Yes. But the core focus for us, is about bringing your personality out, unlocking it getting you connecting with other people. So it is absolutely vital. But it's not just about presenting Yes, I'd love you to go and present more. And don't forget presenting includes things like training. So why couldn't you go and give training courses internally, externally, that helps you, that complements your products and services and helps them be sold, that can actually make you or your organization revenue. And I don't just mean like we are a training organization. Of course, it could be you go off and do training. But what about within every organization, they have a product, they have a service, they have a knowledge that can be shared outside of the organization? There's a value to that? Well, if you're delivering that properly, how about that is something you can sell? How many courses have you sat on whether that's face to face, or online, and it's just beat you down, because it's been delivered in in a relatively monotone way. There's no sort of, you know, there's no pizzazz. If you can connect with your audience, you are going to get them to digest more of your information, there's a value to that, that you can go and sell, for your organization or for yourself. So that is presenting as well. But let's take it deeper than just presenting. What about meetings, I've touched on it already. How many times have you set sat in a meeting and let's say for argument's sake, there's 10 people. And you suddenly realize, and if you've not done it yet, do it in the future, if you don't realize it might be you who's doing this, but look around, there's 10 people and suddenly two of those people aren't actually participating at all. And that's a shame. Now, that will be for various reasons. And we work on that. It could be that they're afraid of conflict, that they're, they're suppressed by someone senior or they've create in their mind the suppression, you know, I work with both the people that won't participate in meetings, and the people that don't allow other people to participate in meetings, that's actually a lot harder, if I'm honest. But we do those kinds of things. The issue being is that everybody is in that meeting, for a reason. You know, they're from a particular department, they bring in particular knowledge and experiences and longevity, or, or the opposite may be, but they are in it for a reason. If they're not participating, you're not getting their knowledge, their experiences. And that means by its nature, therefore, is the end conclusion at the end of that meeting is going to be skewed, you may never know that it was skewed. But it does, it will probably make it subprime, the outcome of whatever that meeting. And it could be fairly trivial, but it could have a big impact. Whereas if everybody is involved, it will go through. So we work with people to help them get involved And this is really been useful in a number of examples. As you in meetings. can tell, I'm very much about"this is relevant to everybody". But I was tested once when I was in a group course within an organization, and one of them and they were they elected to be involved because the organization provided this and it's always up to 10 people at a time when we do the group course. And this particular first one that we did with the organization was those that said, Yeah, I want to go on that course, CPD accredited and all of that sort of stuff, but that they knew that they wanted to do it for their own benefit. One of them was warehouse manager. And I'll be honest, I turned to him and said, "tell me, I'm about being this being inclusive, but I am interested to know what made you want to be on this? Do you present?" He said, "No, I don't, I don't present particularly", he said,"but I have to communicate with my staff. I have to sit in meetings with other department heads and we were sort of, you know, putting our two pennies worth in fighting our corners, updating our details, you know, etc, etc." And he said, "and I do have to present occasionally and in a kind of way, but I probably don't do it as a presentation. But I would like to, and that's when it's with the hierarchy. And I'm having to present results. Excuses, maybe if something's not quite gone right or justifications for, if we're looking for more investment, for more people, for more for changes in in ways which I have to sell that concept to the board of directors. And I need to be able to do that properly, because my team are looking to me to facilitate those changes, to get the buy in for those changes. And the company is going to gain from what I believe would be good ideas." So I shut up and realized you're absolutely right. It is for everybody, and anybody. Education, we've touched on with training, giving training. Media, we've really covered that, because it's not just about communicating with the media, but it is about marketing videos, you know, live shows like this. The great thing is, is to let you know about this, it is really scary when you first start! I was! doesn't matter what else I do, I was still really nervous before we started. And the great thing is, I'm not anymore. I've just thought about it. Now, all of the the the butterflies and everything they're gone! Once you get you have to, think about it yourself, when you're about to communicate in some way and you've got those butterflies, how long do they last? Once you get into the flow? You forget about it. And I don't know whether it's just that you forget about it, or whether you realize there's nothing to be nervous about anymore. and off you go you roll with it. So I'm not anymore. So the marketing videos, the live videos, they're good to do. Sports, social environments. You know, don't forget this is even, you know, we talked about in, in, even in professional environments, but socially. What about when you go and make a coffee? What about if you're one of the, if you're a smoker, and you go out to the smoking area? And there's other people out there? And instead of just staying quiet? Wouldn't it be good to get engaged in conversations? I used to smoke, I'm pleased to say I don't anymore, because someone suddenly turned to me and said, hang on, you make a living from your voice. That was the defining moment for me. It's like, wow, you're right. But what I was fearful that I was going to miss is that I did engage with other people in the outdoor smoking area, that would be other businesses as well. And I would engage with other people and have conversations with them because we had this one thing in common. And I was worried I was going to miss out on them. Lots of people do miss out on them, because there's some that just kind of go out and they'll just stand there silently and then they won't get involved. Why? Who knows what those conversations could lead to in the future. It is worth getting involved. Never prejudge. So never prejudge about whether they're important enough or or relevant enough. Have those conversations. It's amazing where they can lead in the future. So it is just social. And that could be in the pub, it could be whatever. Groups! I've worked with, Women's Institute. I've worked with slimming clubs, people, with fitness instructors, you know, they give classes and they want to have more confidence. So it really is a very, very broad spectrum. It's not just presentations or speeches. It's anybody who has to communicate with others. And there's a phrase that I live by that brings this to life. Allegedly, public speaking or communication skills is a soft skill. I'll get over it. I think I probably took offense initially. No, I didn't really, but it's apparently it's a soft skill. If that's true, let's go with it. But it's a soft skill that gives your core skills of voice. Think about that. That's what I was saying earlier, your core skills are in here. You might turn around and go Yeah, but they'll see me doing it. Maybe, maybe, but what if somebody else is doing it, you know, just as well or nearly as well. And they're a bit more vocal. I'm afraid that they're the ones that get noticed. You know, we've got two ears, and we will hear people and that's where our attention will be drawn. We're busy. We're flitting from one thing to the other. And if you're not careful, we we miss what's really going on in front of our very eyes. So make sure that you are vocal so that you can be heard. So any time that you need to communicate, you need to do it give your core skills of voice, it is absolutely vital. Now in terms of the different areas where it can really benefit people. Whenever you communicate with someone, where, even whether it's presenting, you are tend to be trying to achieve one or more of three things, inform them of something, motivate them, or win over or persuade; in these basic terms that could be selling. We're all kind of doing that is that I'm probably doing it with my wife half the time going,"Now it's okay if I go and do this, isn't it?" So we're always trying to win over and persuade, but you are attempting to do that; inform, motivate, win over or persuade. Its actually really useful to jump back in whenever you're going to communicate, think, right. What is my objective here? Am I just trying to inform them of something? But am I trying to motivate them? If you think my training, even in this presentation, you can see, what I'm doing is that I'm trying to inform you I'm trying to be helpful, give you little tidbits of information, every Tuesday, normally 11 o'clock, when I've not got vaccines is that we're going to be sort of touching on different subjects every time. So please do look out for the shedule set the reminders, and get involved. I am trying to inform, but you may sense that I'm also trying to motivate you because I really want you to get more involved, be more prepared to do it, put your hand up and say "yes", or certainly don't say no, if it's specifically asking you to do it. And do it to the best of your ability! So I'm actually trying to achieve two things there. Win over or persuade is fairly obvious, if you're stepping back going, right, I'm trying to convince them to buy my product or my service, I'm trying to convince my team, my staff that we need to make this move. And this it's the best thing because... so I've got a win over and persuade them. But, if I did that same conversation, "right, So we're going to make these changes", and I purely did it as inform, I could end up in a lot of bother there. Because they could kind of go, "really"?? So that's what How many times have you had a situation where all you've done is you've been informed someone just told you this is what's happening."Oh, really? Okay, I'm not sure I'm particularly happy with that one." Whereas if the person that's doing that presentation goes, right, yes, I'm informing. But I need to win over and persuade them that it's the right thing to do. Heck, we could have all three in there is that we're actually motivated them that it's to their advantage is to our advantage, it's going to be the best thing since sliced bread. But you need to go in with that mindset of going right? What am I trying to achieve here? So that's, you know, a reason and benefit of why why would you publicly communicate with people. It's your chance to shine. Really, I'm not going to harp on about that, because we've been saying that already is that it is your chance to shine. You can't be a hero, silent alone in a room. It just can't work. So give yourself that voice, allow yourself to shine. It could open up new opportunities, both professionally and personally. That's why I said earlier, don't second guess what doors you could be opening. No idea. I genuinely had no idea 12 years ago, that I would now be doing the things that I'm doing. Unbelievable. I graduated University in 2000. I came out and I went into sales, a marketing I was doing that and I was enjoying that. And then out of the blue. I think my wife's official line when she encouraged me to go for it 11 years ago was you talk rubbish for a living, go make it about something you enjoy. Thanks. I cleaned that up as well, I can tell you, but it can open up new opportunities, more opportunities, enables you to develop both personally and professionally as well. Again, you have no idea where that could be. But put yourself in a position where it can! I have a golden rule. "never have a what if"! if it doesn't work, if I don't achieve something from something, or Worse still, I fail from it, I will learn from it. I will analyze it and look and see what will work better. But I can never have that "What if"! What if I done that? Get it off the table, do it and you've done it and you go, you know what? I did absolutely everything I could. And I'm happy if it didn't work. Why didn't it work? So I can grow and learn going forward and it is. So never have a "what if" where you think well, what if I had been more vocal? What if I'd said "yes, I'll be involved in that company presentation"."Yeah, I'll be the one to go and deliver the training for that. I'm gonna be nervous. But Wow, I'm challenging myself and taking myself out of my box out of my comfort zone". That's where you really achieve things as we know. It's what helps you be recognized as both a leader and an expert. Now they could go hand in hand but they could also stand completely separate. You, I said already as a chance to shine. This is a bit more specific. It's what enables you to be recognized as a leader, as an expert, your organization being seen as the experts in a particular field. Never lose out on an opportunity to an inferior product or service because they've presented it better. Get yourself positioned as the experts get them buying into it. And by the way, as an easy to understand expert! That is where it's important how you do things. Because you don't want it all jargon and over technical and you lose them, or you bore them because you assume these bits and pieces, really take them back. Be an easy to understand expert, take them on the journey with you. That's where you'll get the buy in, you will be recognized as an expert, your organization will be recognized as the experts that they want to stay engaged with. And it's what could may help you be recognized as a leader and get those promotions internally or externally. I hate to say it, but that includes you could be presenting at something and it's another organization that actually hears you. I'm sure you've heard of headhunted? That's how headhunting happens, that they suddenly go, "think we need to get that person in have a little chat"! Might not be there and then. It might not be the next da. It could suddenly be a week, a month later, they go, "do you remember we sat in that presentation or that training course, or we just had a meeting with that person? They could be great for this project that we're about to do for that role that's now opened up"! For, who knows? The only way you can be sure you will never open those opportunities is by no one knowing you exist. So it's absolutely critical. Innovation is another big one for me why public speaking, communication skills is absolutely vital. Innovation rarely comes from an individual's eureka moment on its own. That's kind of the perception, that's what films tell us that happens is that someone wakes up and goes, ding lightbulb, I've got an idea, this is going to be amazing. Can do, but not very often! Quite often is that you'll wake up and you'll go Ding, I've got an idea. No, that's not gonna work because of I don't really know enough about this side. But if you are communicating, you have the confidence to share what you've come up with in your element. Then that other person that's an expert on this side communicates, "guess what! Actually do you know what? I've been thinking of this, but I was missing this. But if you if I take your bit, and you take my bit, and we put it together, there's our Eureka". So the Eureka will come from communication between parties, not a fabulous dream. You will wake up and need to get take your ideas, jot them down and be prepared to share them with people in some way. And then it's bringing them together. That's what's going to take it there's there's no question innovation comes from communication skills. It's what enables you to move people to action. You know, we've talked about motivation. And, you know, it's almost like getting them to go into battle with you. One of my favorite, and I've used it in some training courses in the past, one of my favorite speeches is Independence Day, when the president of the US stands up and does the the big speech to everybody they've got to take on these aliens. Wow. How inspirational how motivational was that? And don't go thinking yeah, but I could never do that. Yes, you could. If there's something you believe in, if there's something you are passionate about, you can move people, it doesn't have to be a hooray Henry speech like that. It could be sharing details, the what ifs, the what can happen. This is why share and make people go wow, you know what, I have to do this, I have to go and do that. I now have been inspired with knowledge I didn't have before, I could, Think of what I'm trying to do here? I'm trying to inspire you to be more present, to be more vocal, to be heard, to give yourself the opportunities you may not even know exist yet. You can do it with whatever your and don't forget every time you open up a door. Well, what else could that open next? Because you're now doing this, you're now gaining this knowledge, this experience? Where could it lead you Next, everything is adding to the pot of YOU! And that pot of you can go wherever you allow it. You're the only one that will limit it, genuinely. There, there is going to be a luck thing about where it could and couldn't lead you, 100%. But as I said, the only way you're guarantee you won't go that way is if no one knows you exist, put yourself in a position that it could interest me It could suddenly take you that direction instead, but you've got to do it. It's what enables your input and feedback to be heard. You know, we also turn that on its head by the way, this isn't just I know it's about I've been saying public speaking. But it's communication skills, means it's also about listening, and we do a lot of work. Certainly when I work with organizations on meetings and the like. It's about listening. You need to make sure that you're actively listening to people. You are getting the feedback and their input, but you sharing your input and your feedback. It's improve, uh important. Improved pitches. I've touched on this is that the fairly obvious one is sales pitches. And it goes without saying that I do a lot of work with individuals and organizations on on, you know, working on pitches, especially when my background was sales and marketing anyway, is that we do a lot of work there. But think about it, we are always pitching, I use the example of the warehouse manager, where he's pitching to the Board of Directors, he's pitching to his staff, that this is what we need to do. The reasons are really endless. I've worked with so many different industries I worked with, with a lady that that goes out to schools that are not, you know, they're from challenged backgrounds. And so they sort of think that, oh these opportunities, like, even down to like, oh university's is not an option for me. And they go out, and they present to these people. And so they are pitching the idea that the impossible isn't impossible, you know, they are doing those kinds of things. And they need to learn that that is what they're doing. They're not just information dumping. And you've all been I'm sure in presentations, where literally you've just been bombarded with info, Well, how about if that information, that exact same information was actually pitched to you? What if it was moving you to action, and it was motivating you? It would feel very, very different. And so that's, you know, those kind of things that we're doing as well You can give improved training and greater presence, communication skills in meetings. So there is a whole raft of places where it's useful. And it is, in my opinion, it's probably one of the most, if not the most important soft skills as it's called, as well as it giving your core skills of voice. So it is vital. And I encourage all of you to try and grasp it and do more of this it's really, really powerful for you. Now, I've put in the comments already on the both on the Facebook group live and the YouTube Live. So go. And if you're not in YouTube, by the way, you can always go to Open Dawes Training in YouTube, as well as a few bits and pieces. And that will grow over the coming weeks and months and years, whatever. But there are two free things that are available, there is a download to the top five ways that we work on of sources of nerves and how to overcome them. And the top three ways to start a presentation. But also just speaking in general, with impact, you know, don't just suddenly launch into your content, it's how do you open that up with impact and they are PDF documents totally free. So the links, I put them straight in both of them in the in the comments, go and get yourself downloaded. And it'll just give you the least a start there is the ability to sort of upgrade that to all 15 sources of nerves in 15, part video course and then eight part audio course of the top ways to start, but the PDF, great document that the team have put together where it gives you the details of the of the top five, or the top three, depending on which one; you can have both, by the way; obviously totally free. But it gives you the ability to make your notes and talk about you know, think about where you either do implement those, or could implement those with presentations you have given, do give or may be given in the future or going to get yourself to start giving or training that you're going to give etc. So it helps you make it relevant and live. So I hope that's useful. Also, you'll see going across the bottom there OpenDawesTraining.co.uk/connect And it will give you all of the ways that we can connect whether it's these freebies, whether it's the website, in general, the blog posts that we you know, we keep putting bits and pieces up on the on the website as well. The YouTube channel, which as I say will get more and more populated whole number of ways. Don't hesitate. By the way, if you've got comments or questions or thoughts or anything like that, please do drop us a line either via the ways to connect messages on it, you know, within the social media, emails on the phone, whatever you want to do. And also if there's specific areas, I've got a whole raft of things that we're going to be covering on the weekly basis. And they'll all be different lengths. Some of them might only be sort of 20 minutes in length, but we're going to cover different areas in a bit more detail. If there's certain things that you really want us to cover, let us know and we'll look into it. Hopefully as this develops is that we'll get people more involved and we'll be able to put comments and questions. But for now, I hope it's been really useful. I'm going to now and sit and focus on being nervous about my my vaccination injection and what effect it might have on me. But other than that, I hope it's been useful. It's been a pleasure to be in your company. And make sure when I put the details up, or the team put the details up of the next shedule it will be 11 o'clock in the future, because the idea is, I want it to be that we can kind of have a coffee together, we might, you know, be interested get feedback is that I might find it needs to actually be moved to lunchtime. I'm not sure. And that's okay, if that's the case that we can have a look at that. But I was thinking of sort of like a coffee break together or something to that effect. They are available to watch afterwards. And if you watch this afterwards, and you add comments, please start your comment with hashtag replay. Because that then enables me to know that you'll get notified that you've put it there and it was whilst you were watching it back. And you know, we'll look to still reply to those comments and what have you and hopefully we'll get involved more as each weekly show goes on. But that was opened doors. I know sorry, was open doors to get together. Thank you so much for your company, and I look forward to seeing you next time. Cheers. Thank you for listening to Opened Dawes Live. I hope you enjoyed it and it was useful. Remember, go to Open Dawes training.co.uk forward slash Connect, to find out more about how you can interact with us and how we can help you