Level up your public speaking

Grow your capacity to speak up creatively and authentically

Do you ever feel nervous before giving a talk or presentation? Do you find yourself with a dry mouth, shaking hands or butterflies in the stomach?

When you are speaking in front of a group, do you feel exposed or vulnerable? Do you find yourself second-guessing or apologising for what you’re saying?

Or in group settings, do you often hold back from speaking and then miss the moment because someone else jumped in?

All of these feelings and reactions are perfectly normal, especially if you’ve been brought up in or experienced situations where you felt like you weren’t able to express yourself or that your voice didn’t matter.

But it is possible to transform out of these reactions. And once you do that, you automatically show up with more confidence, gravitas and clarity. That’s what this programme is designed to help you to do.

Next dates:

Five evening classes (7.30 - 9.30pm) spread over a ten week period:

8 & 22 October

12 & 26 November

3 December

Held at St Mark's Church Hall, Westmoreland Road, Bromley, Kent, BR2 0TB

Plus two 1-2-1 sessions with me at the start and end of the programme where you get to:

set your goals for the 10 weeks; and
strategise your next steps in building your speaking skills after the programme has finished.

Key Features:

Grow your confidence and reduce your hesitancy around speaking
Learn how to speak with clarity and authority
Transform out of established habits using methods taken from the worlds of somatics, mindfulness and improv
Practice in a small, supportive group (eight people max) and receive 1-2-1 input from me- a local TEDx organiser and public speaking coach

Is this programme for you?

This programme is for you if:

you already do some speaking in your business, your job or to advocate a good cause (eg leading meetings, giving presentations, talking on panel sessions) but
are still experiencing some hesitancy or discomfort around this; and
want to overcome this so you can increase your confidence, impact and clarity as a speaker.

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How does it work?

Each week, I introduce you to tools that help you to:

feel more confident and self-assured in front of an audience; and
tap into the strengths and talents that make you uniquely you.

These include grounding practices, breathwork techniques, vocal training and improv games.

You will then use these tools straight away in a speaking setting and learn how to apply and practice them in real life so you continue to grow between the sessions.

A programme designed with you in mind

Most public speaking courses focus on getting you to present the “right” way and pointing out what you’re doing “wrong”. Especially if you’re already a little nervous, this can often feel quite judgmental and send you into your head, or make you feel more self-conscious.

Get our of your head and into your body

Instead, this programme is focussed on taking you out of your head and into your body. It helps you become more aware of your sensations and emotions and your relationship with the audience. This diverts your attention away from worries and overthinking. And by becoming more connected to yourself and others, it can help to transform you out of your insecurities and into a higher level of self-confidence.

Helping you to shine like the star you already are

I also believe that you are at your most impactful when you are being your most authentic self. For that reason, we make you shine by building on the things that make you unique, rather than showing you a “perfect” way to present.

Learn through play and fun

This programme is designed to be fun and lighthearted, not stuffy and formal. We will be using games and exercises from the world of improv to tap into your playful side.

Although I have a set of tools I want to introduce to you, how you use those tools and develop as speakers is designed in collaboration with you as a group. You will each set your own goals at the start of the programme and work together for mutual support.

This programme may be a good fit for you if:

you enjoy learning in a group setting
you are empathic and encourage others to grow too
you are willing to give respectful and honest feedback
you have an open mind and are willing to try out new tools and experiences (the methods we use can feel a bit strange to some!)

This programme would not be a good fit for you if:

you do not respect the views and needs of others
you are not willing to provide support and encouragement to other members of your group
you do not intend to use your new-found voice for the greater good
you wish to express sexist, homophobic, racist or other hate language
you can’t fully commit to the programme requirements. This incudes attending all five sessions, practising the tools between the sessions and reflecting on your experience.

Key benefits:

Short course, long-term impact

In this programme we teach you embodied tools and practices that help you to develop on a cellular and muscular, rather than cerebral level. If you keep up with the practices you learn on the programme, you will continue to develop your confidence and your voice over time.

Group encouragement & support

The small group size means that everyone gets plenty of individual support. An intimate atmosphere is created to help members support each other through their feedback and words of encouragement.

Find your unique style

I believe that everyone is at their most compelling when they are truly being themselves. Rather than trying to produce ‘cookie cutter’ speakers, this programme is designed to help you shine by accessing more of your unique personality.

Opportunities for connection

Participants on my previous courses and workshops have built deep and long-lasting connections and friendships, thanks to the shared and safe experience created. I will encourage you to stay in touch after the programme has completed to keep supporting each other.

My journey

Speaking up has been an ongoing challenge for me. Experiences of ridicule and bullying in my teenage years told me that it was safer to blend in with everyone else or just keep quiet.

I believed that no-one would want to listen to my ideas and that others had more authority and gravitas than me. And because of this ‘less than’ mindset, whenever I did find the courage to speak up, I would get flustered, trip over my words and flush with embarrassment.

In 2001, I began to overcome my fear of speaking by leading workshops and giving presentations in training roles in the accountancy world. This built my confidence in teaching technical material but still, I held myself back from expressing my own ideas and creativity.

In 2015, I pivoted my career towards coaching and began working on the blocks and beliefs that were holding me back.

I worked with a coach to help me find and stand in my own power.
I joined (and later ran) a local speakers club where I began speaking about what matters to me from a place of vulnerability.
I started writing songs that spoke about my own experiences from the heart.
Finally, in 2023 I formed a local TEDx with a colleague. TEDx Beckenham has now supported 16 local speakers to share their voices and ideas on our stage and on TED’s YouTube platform.

My passion is to support others with brilliant ideas so they can share them from the stage.

How much does it cost?

Joining this programme costs £295, payable in advance of the start of the programme.

£100 off concession price tickets are available for the low-waged, carers, health service staff, students and teachers, as well those with disabilities, are diagnosed with a neurodiversity or who are living on a pension or benefits.

How to find out more

If you would like to a free no-obligation chat with me about joining the programme, click on the ‘book a call’ button below and choose a time that is suitable for you. I will then send you a short form to complete before we speak to find out your aims and objectives for joining the programme.

Our call will be an opportunity for you to ask questions and to find out whether this programme is a good fit for what you’d like to achieve. This process also ensures that a safe space is created so each member of the group feels supported by the rest of the group.

If you cannot find a time in my diary that works for you, please contact me at jonesrichardm@mac.com or by text/WhatsApp on +44 7971 165282 letting me know your availability and I will suggest a time that fits with your schedule.

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Frequently asked questions

How can I be sure the group is a safe space for me?

I ask anyone who is interested in joining the programme to have a “getting to know you chat” with me before accepting them onto the programme. This is to make sure that joining the group would be a good fit for them and the other members.

At the start of the programme, the group and I design what we need from each other, so that all requests are aired and shared. I also encourage the group to continue asking for what they need throughout the programme.

Will there be any physical contact between the members?

Some of the embodiment exercises we include in the programme involve you holding or placing your hands on non-intimate parts of another person’s body (eg chest, shoulder, arm, wrist). There are always non-contact versions of these exercises, however, and you are always at choice as to whether you participate in an exercise or not.

Will you be running the programme in other locations?

Yes, I run this programme in Central London and can also bring it to other parts of the capital if you can help me to generate sufficient interest.

What's next after this programme?

After attending the in-person workshop, you may choose to work with me on a 1-2-1 basis to continue building your confidence and voice. If you have a message you’d like to deliver from a TEDx stage, I can also talk to you about the best ways of achieving this.