Did you read Wild by Cheryl Strayed? Perhaps you saw the recent movie adaptation starring Reese Witherspoon. Wild documents the story of Strayed’s 1,100 mile solo hike along the Pacific Coast Trail. In her memoir about this journey of endless challenges and confronting her strength inside and out, Strayed fondly refers to her overly packed and burdensome backpack as “Monster.” It’s big, heavy, and…well…a monster. An albatross.
Luckily, an experienced hiker advises Strayed to limit her gear to only the most essential equipment.
The art of public speaking is a lot like Strayed’s journey.
It requires you to overcome new challenges–whether it’s a presentation, networking at an event, asking for a raise, or simply learning to communicate better with your department–and to work on strengthening yourself within. You must learn to ditch the Monster: useless mind clutter and overpacked resources keeping you from going out there, navigating lightly and easily, and presenting yourself to the world.
The secret? An internal toolkit of a few, refined skills.
On August 30, a four-week learning lab kicks off to help local professionals refine their speaking and presentation skills without feeling overwhelmed by a lot of “bulk.”
The lab, Master the Art of Speaking with Confidence, Connection and Charisma, is already popular among Asheville-area professionals. The previous Spring lab sold out. The series is presented by Stand and Deliver Asheville and facilitated by Barrie Barton. It is purposely designed to be convenient and affordable for professionals in Buncombe County.
Inside the “Master the Art of Speaking” Learning Lab
The Lab takes place after traditional office hours at MindSpring Consulting, just outside of downtown Asheville. It is convenient to both I-240 and the bus line. Professionals can wear what they wore to the office, dive into their Lab session and return home in time for dinner.
Over four weekly sessions, Learning Lab participants hone specific speaking skills, active listening and self awareness. Tweaking these three areas within 30 days will help each participant greatly improve his or her confidence. Plus, he or she will have the ability to be present and deliver a meaningful message.
Mostly importantly, Lab participants shed the “bulk” of stuff that prevents them from becoming someone who has the ability to shine in every room.
Barrie Barton, Stand and Deliver Asheville founder and Learning Lab facilitator says, “We will do the same as Cheryl Strayed….engaging with and focusing on the most essential tools for presentation.” By focusing on core skills, participants can easily and immediately apply the tools.
So what exactly will Lab participants learn?
Here’s a sneak peek:
“Posture always comes first in my trainings,” says Barrie. By extending the spine and anchoring the feet, clients immediately experience internally a sense of confidence. A majority of clients claim this as one of their most “appreciated” skills from Barrie’s training.
If you want to be a participant in the “Master the Art of Speaking” Learning Lab:
Join Stand and Deliver Asheville for “Master the Art of Speaking with Confidence, Connections and Charisma” starting Tuesday, August 30 at 5:30 pm. Register here.
Participants will receive:
- Four sessions with Barrie a group of up to 16 professionals
- A non-competitive, all levels welcome environment
- Support materials including lectures and worksheets or handouts
- One-on-one coaching with Barrie during sessions
By the end of your four-week series, you’ll be presenting more naturally and with greater impact than you thought possible.
“I just finished leading a panel at the Asheville Chamber of Commerce. I used the techniques I learned from the Speaker’s Learning Lab. The woman who hired me said, “This couldn’t have gone any better.”
Robin Schuh – Consultant