THE POWER OF BEING GENUINE

Well, there have been many times this has happened to me. And, yes, I’ve learned a lot about confidence and integrity, especially from my academic crush, Amy Cuddy. If you haven’t seen it, watch her video. It’s a game-changer, especially the ending.

THE HUMAN SIDE OF A PROFESSIONAL SPEAKER

Here’s the thing: I am human. I’m not just any human, but a fallible one, needing basic things like sleep. Sometimes, as a professional speaker, sleep is hard to come by.

For example, I was traveling for an out-of-state training. Travel issues got me to my hotel at 1:36 am. I had to be up by 5:15 am for prep and travel to the venue, leaving me with about 4 hours of sleep.

This would have been easy twenty years ago. Now, it’s tough even in top physical shape. But I did what I needed to do: cold shower, push-ups, and a venti coffee with extra shots.

Despite being tired, I delivered the best training possible. Off-stage, I was exhausted, but does that make me less authentic? No.

INTEGRITY IN SPEAKING AND LEADERSHIP

This story shows that even on tough days, we can find the strength to perform for our teams and audiences. My on-stage energy might have been boosted, but my confidence and integrity remain constant.

People often ask how to beat public speaking fear. For me, being true to myself, both on and off stage, builds confidence. This alignment means I don’t have to switch “performances” or track different personas.

Focusing on consistency in our personalities, whether we’re on stage or not, is one of the most liberating and confidence-building practices in speaking and leadership.