Speaking Freely BlogAuthentic Public Speaking and Leadership

Speaking Freely: Why is Authenticity Important for Public Speaking?

In public speaking,  authenticity is important because our degree of comfort is directly related to our degree of authenticity. The more willing we are to be genuine with our expression, the more comfortable we feel with ourselves. Conversely, our fear and anxiety is locked up in our reluctance to be real with our thoughts and feelings. People… Read more

Speaking Freely: What is Authenticity? How Does it Help Public Speaking?

In terms of public speaking, developing greater authenticity is an important key to unlocking stage fright and fear of public speaking. To transform stage fright and fear of public speaking, you must learn to be comfortable being who you are in front of other people. In public speaking, the tension associated with stage fright comes from… Read more

Alan Rabinowitz: How a Severe Stutterer became the Voice for African Wild Cats

Alan Rabinowitz could not talk to people at all, but he could talk to animals fluidly. He promised his childhood pets if he ever became a fluid speaker, he would speak up for the animals of the world. I heard Alan tell his story about being a severe stutterer as a child on the MOTH… Read more

The Power of Self-Expression

There is simply nothing that transforms your life as much as Self-Expression, because a profound shift in consciousness happens when you open yourself to share your truth. “What we say is important… for in most cases the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.” – Jim Beggs As you express your inner Self, your… Read more

How to Demonstrate Grace under Media Fire: General Eric Shinseki, VA Secretary

By Sandra Zimmer How would you respond if you were accused of incompetence in a media interview? Could you stay calm and open? Could you handle it with grace and dignity? Currently, there is a big media bruhaha around General Eric Shinseki, the Secretary of Veteran Affairs. He has been accused of allowing veteran’s hospitals… Read more

One Subtle Communication Secret for Getting Others to Hear Your Message

The prevailing model for speaking persuasively is a style of speaking that is enthusiastic, energetic and extraverted.  The speaker is asserting a point in hopes to convince the listener to agree. However, this model can be a trap. It puts you in the position of selling.  Of course others don’t want to be sold, so they have… Read more

Sandra Zimmer featured in Houston Chronicle Article on Public Speaking as a Career Tool

Today, Sunday, March 23, 2014, The Houston Chronicle Jobs Section is printing an article entitled “Public Speaking an Important Career Tool.” This article written by Emilia Benton, a copy editor from the Special Publications of Houston Chronicle Media Group, features some of my ideas about the value of public speaking skills for career development. Ms. Benton… Read more

Communication Secret to Getting Your Way

Marian Bell of www.MarianBell.com demonstrated the most powerful communication skill I know – she asked me gently for what she wanted me to do. I buy delicious food from her each week which she delivers to my house every Monday. In order to get her food, I have to place an order each week. She really wants customer’s… Read more

How to Encourage People to Speak the Truth

Have you experienced that people sometimes give you excuses rather than reasons? They respond, but somehow it just doesn’t ring true? Maybe their answer just does not satisfy you? I walked into the women’s restroom at my favorite pizza kitchen last week. A lovely young black woman was in the restroom talking on a cell phone. … Read more

Joe Kowan Sings a Song at TED to Beat Stage Fright

Oh Wow! For all of you struggling with Stage Fright and fear of public speaking, please watch Joe Kowan give an 8 minute TED Talk on how he beat stage fright.  Joe shares that he wrote a song to express the inner feelings of stage fright as a way of dealing with it. Those of… Read more