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This is Episode 56 of This Old New Business weekly business podcast with Jeff Korhan.
If you have struggled with the concept of authenticity, then this podcast episode is for you. Michael Port discusses why authentic speaking is misunderstood, and how taking action on your objectives helps you to achieve greater clarity.
Michael Port has been called “an uncommonly honest author” by the Boston Globe, a “marketing guru” by The Wall Street Journal, and a “sales guru” by the Financial Times. Michael Port is a NY Times bestselling author of six books including, Book Yourself Solid, and his hot new release, Steal the Show.
Preparation and Rehearsing Free You To Be Yourself
It is an honor to be considered an authentic speaker, but what that really means and how it is achieved is much more than simply being yourself onstage.
According to Michael Port, the key to being authentic on every stage in life is doing the work to prepare so that you are free to be spontaneous. This means knowing your material well for job interviews, selling situations, or speaking in front of a live audience.
Port says, “If you don’t know your material well, it can be difficult to be in the moment, because much of your brain’s bandwidth is being taken up trying to remember what to do next.” Trained speakers instinctively know what to do onstage because they have rehearsed their performance.
People often think of performing as being fake, but Port challenges you to understand that making the effort to do your best is a performance. To be your best on the platform, Port recommends imagining the ideal outcome as if it were real, and then performing it to the best of your ability.
There isn’t one right way to rehearse for a presentation, but if you listen to the audio and you’ll learn proven techniques such as blocking that will help you to authentically engage your audience.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on authentic speaking. Meet me over on Twitter to take the conversation further.
Key Take-Aways
- Michael mentioned NSA, which is the National Speakers Association, the premier association for professional speakers.
- Learn more about Michael and his work at MichaelPort.com, and his speaker training at HeroicPublicSpeaking.com
- Get the book and lots of free bonuses at StealTheShow.com
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About the Author: Jeff Korhan, MBA, is the author of Built-In Social: Essential Social Marketing Practices for Every Small Business and host of This Old New Business podcast.
He helps organizations use media to create exceptional customer experiences that drive business growth in a digital, social and global world. Connect with Jeff on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Google+
