Finding the fun beyond fear
How Natalie captivated an audience of experts
The Challenge
Public speaking is daunting for anyone, but imagine delivering a presentation on your Master’s dissertation at an international conference filled with seasoned professors and world-renowned experts.
That was the task ahead for Natalie, a double first Oxford graduate with a BA and MA in English and German Literature from Oxford University.
Natalie would be the youngest speaker at this international Franz Kafka conference. She would present her fresh perspectives on Kafka’s work, framing it through the lens of childish play. Understandably, she was nervous about how her ideas would be received by an audience of experts.
Adding to the challenge was the 30-minute Q&A session, which required her to confidently field questions from a room full of experts.
(I think most of us can sympathise with Natalie’s feelings of imposter syndrome!).
“Emily’s approach was so relieving and inspiring – she provided me with a different perspective, changing my mindset to see the public speaking gig as an opportunity and an honour rather than a pass/fail test or challenge!”
The Solution: Tailored Coaching Sessions
To help Natalie shine, we spent hours together refining different elements of her presentation.
But let me share with you the most valuable learnings.
We went from looking at the bigger picture (overall structure) to a more microscopic level, looking at sentences.
Breaking Down Content
We restructured her presentation to spark more suspense.
And we broke it down from dense blocks of text to clear, manageable sections with headings.
Help your future self by simplifying everything as much as possible
Simplifying Language
Written language is VERY different from natural spoken language.
So we edited her script to ensure her language flowed naturally.
We’ve all sat in on long, boring, monotone lectures where professors sound like they’re reading aloud from a paper they don’t care about. '
We wanted to avoid that at all costs.
Building Presentation Skills
Worked on her intonation to emphasize key ideas and keep the audience engaged.
Practiced pacing to allow her audience time to absorb her points.
Overcoming Nerves
Discussed strategies for managing imposter syndrome, reminding her that her perspective deserved a place at the table.
Prepared her for the Q&A by brainstorming possible questions and practising responses.
“The time and energy Emily gives her public speaking mentors is truly unparalleled! She went above and beyond, looking at my script line-by-line, providing incisive comments and suggestions.
She can immediately get to grips with the issues at hand, while remaining so warm, personable and helpful. ”
The Outcome
Natalie delivered a 20-minute presentation that went far beyond the usual lecture style. She captivated the audience with her clear, engaging delivery, and the room came alive with nods, laughter, and even audience members snapping photos of her slides.
One of the conference organizers, a professor, praised Natalie for connecting with the audience in a way few others did. According to him, people were exchanging awed glances and “It really couldn’t have gone better!”
The engagement of the audience was clear in the Q&A session, where most of the questions were addressed to Natalie. She handled them humbly and confidently, like an emerging scholar.
The event went beyond just a presentation; it opened up opportunities for her work to potentially be included in a published anthology.
For me, it was incredibly rewarding to see Natalie push herself outside her comfort zone, and I’m proud of how she handled the entire experience.
“Emily is an amazing coach - everything you'd want and more. Not only delving into the practicalities and specifics of public speaking - from gestures, posture, pauses, intonation, Emily gives you support in every detail - but in our sessions she was an amazing life coach, able to provide advice and delving into the underlying root causes behind public speaking woes, which are personal for so many of us. I loved our time together and anyone would be lucky to work with her!”
– Natalie
Ready to silence your inner critic?
Whether you're preparing for an academic conference, a professional pitch, or a special occasion, I can help you deliver your best speech yet.
Let's work together to turn your nerves into confidence and your ideas into impact.
