Have you ever had a “magic wand moment?”

Many of my clients secretly hope I will whip out my magic wand and wave it over them, offer an incantation, and voila! They will become fabulous speakers instantly.

I have to tell them that, sadly, I do not have that kind of powerful magic to share.

A bit further on in our engagement they might say, “You’ve told me all about the breathing and posture and stuff . . and that’s . . . interesting (?), but I thought you were coaching me to be a better speaker. Where does this fit in?” I tell them that is the magic; the road to becoming the best speaker starts with mastering that “stuff.”

We need to get back to basics. Because we’ve forgotten this truth--as we left childhood exuberance behind and entered the self-conscious teen years, on our way to becoming “professional”—Speaking is a Physical Activity! I never tire of advising clients: “get out of your head and into your body.”

Good speakers plan, prepare a dynamic text, then practice it. Great speakers get in the flow. They use their bodies as tools of communication. And their level of physical focus leaves them open and available to connect.

That connecting is what audiences respond to. And I’m not just talking about convention speeches from a big stage. Connecting with your team members, clients, and project partners is essential, too. You can’t do that if you’re stuck in your head second-guessing yourself, or getting lost in the weeds of too much detail.

It isn’t about analyzing your “style” or thinking about how best to strike the proper tone. It’s about experiencing your message. And sharing that experience with your listeners. It may sound mysterious, or even magical. And breathing exercises and physical awareness may seem an odd, even ”woo-woo,” place to begin a speaking practice. But they are the only strategies that always work!