Showing results by publisher "Penguin Audio" in Public Speaking

Does the thought of delivering a presentation make your heart skip a beat? Do your pitches fall flat no matter how much preparation you put in? Are you often comparing yourself to more eloquent speakers and wondering how they capture the room? At some point in our careers we will need to speak in front of an audience, whether to present our ideas to a group of five in a meeting, pitch for investment in front of a panel or deliver a keynote speech to 1,000 delegates. Yet glossophobia, or the fear of public speaking, is incredibly common.

Getting our voices heard can be a nerve-wracking and overwhelming task - particularly in a world where everyone seems to have something to say. The ability to present our ideas with confidence is now a coveted skill. Yet on stage, we become this other person: less funny, less engaging, less human. Mark Shayler draws on his own experience - from nervous speaker to charismatic compere - to guide you through the task of public speaking.

Every time you deliver a speech, give a presentation, or simply tell a good story, you are taking centre stage. Here, one of the world’s leading voice coaches introduces the simple exercises that great actors use to hold people’s attention – and reveals how anyone speaking in public can use them. Drawing on 25 years working at London’s National Theatre, Jeannette Nelson explains how to warm up your voice and body before a big speech, how focusing on your breathing can improve your clarity and pace, and much more.