By Rosemary Ravinal
Meet my client Alina, a 28-year-old marketing analyst at a fast-growing tech company. She’s smart, thoughtful, and creative. She avoided the spotlight until her manager tapped her to speak at the annual meeting as a test of her readiness for a promotion to division manager.
Alina believed she didn’t have what it takes to be a good speaker. A novice speaker, she thought great speakers were born with something she lacked: stage presence, boldness, that special something.
During our weekly coaching sessions, I urged her to stop thinking of her presentation as a performance and focus instead on delivering the gift of information and insights that matter to her audience. We built her talk around a central theme. Alina practiced speaking in a conversational manner but with intention. She maintained a confident mindset while allowing for nervous moments.
When the day came, she stood tall, made eye contact, and focused on connecting with clarity. Her presentation was a hit. She realized that good speaking isn’t about being perfect, it’s about delivering value while being relatable.
Alina’s success story inspired me to record a short video to help nervous beginners speak with confidence and relevance. It’s a skill that anyone can learn.
To be a competent speaker, you don’t need to be charismatic. You don’t need a booming voice. You don’t need to be flawless. You need three elements:
MATTER, MANNER, and MINDSET, and the guidance of a professional coach.
Matter – Have something worth saying
Manner – How you say it matters even more
Mindset – Confidence starts from within
The world doesn’t need more perfect speakers. It needs more natural ones who understand that matter, manner, and mindset are the foundation of good speaking at any level.
Let me help you ace your next speech, presentation, or media interview. Office hours with Rosemary are available in June. I will work with your natural abilities to boost your confidence and credibility in person and online, in English and Spanish. Schedule a quick call with me and get started.
