People often see me now as a successful businesswoman – a confident and skilled communicator.
But, it wasn’t always that way…
When I first joined the management consulting firm McKinsey & Company, I felt surrounded by INCREDIBLY intelligent people.
I hesitated to speak up in meetings because I wasn’t sure that I could say the right thing. I was concerned about what people would think of me…
Can you relate?
But I soon realized that if I didn’t speak up, it would impact my performance evaluation – and I wouldn’t be able to contribute to the organization in the way that I wanted to.
So, I took a step out of my comfort zone and spoke up in a small meeting.
It was fine.
Then, I spoke up in a slightly bigger meeting.
It was fine.
I just kept repeating this process with gradually bigger and more important meetings.
Toward the end of my 10 years with McKinsey, I remember an all-company gathering. My boss was speaking and suddenly handed the mic to me, saying, “I’m sure Helen has something to say.”
And I took the mic and spoke with no problem.
I realized that I had come SUCH a long way!
You can too.
In Episode 145 of the Sasuga! Podcast, you’ll hear
- Why it’s normal to feel physical symptoms – like your heart beating fast and your throat going dry – when you’re nervous about speaking
- How you can look and feel more confident in less than one minute
- A little-known and easy technique that you can start to use immediately to take the pressure off yourself when you’re presenting
Enjoy!
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In this episode, I mention the Speak Like An Expert Online course. If it’s important for you to communicate clearly, confidently, and convincingly with your colleagues and clients or customers…
Click here to discover all the ways this comprehensive, self-study course can help you.
Eigo no Shigoto-jutsu – My book introduces essential communication techniques for global business. Available in paperback and Kindle versions