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You know how powerful storytelling is in your presentations and talks. How can you go about integrating your stories in a way that truly connects you to your audiences? There is no *one way* to integrate stories into your talks. Your story can be...
You know how powerful storytelling is in your presentations and talks. How can you go about integrating your stories in a way that truly connects you to your audiences?
There is no *one way* to integrate stories into your talks.
Your story can be central to your talk or it can be a supporting element.
You can play with the timeline of the story - start in the middle and then come back to the beginning later or start at the end.
In this episode, our lead speaking coach Diane Diaz hosts three of our clients who were at our recent 3-day in-person speaking retreat, Darci Foshay, Dani Einsohn, and Teri Reuter, for a roundtable discussion on what they learned and insights they have for you as speakers.
They talk about:
This audio is from a live broadcast we did on March 25, 2024. You can watch the video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_dRghtWuEE.
Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/385/
Discover your Speaker Archetype by taking our free quiz at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/quiz/
Enroll in our Thought Leader Academy: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/academy/
Connect on LinkedIn:
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It's time to escape the expert trap and become an in-demand speaker and thought leader through compelling and memorable business presentations, keynotes, workshops, and TEDx talks. If you want to level up your public speaking to get more and better, including paid, speaking engagements, you've come to the right place! Thousands of entrepreneurs and leaders have learned from Speaking Your Brand and now you can too through our episodes that will help you with storytelling, audience engagement, building confidence, handling nerves, pitching to speak, getting paid, and more. Hosted by Carol Cox, entrepreneur, speaker, and TV political analyst. This is your place to learn how to persuasively communicate your message to your audience.
Carol Cox:
This is an excellent roundtable discussion
all about leading with story in your talks,
both in your content and in your delivery.
On this episode of the Speaking Your Brand
podcast. More and more women are making an
impact by starting businesses, running for
office and speaking up for what matters.
With my background as a TV political
analyst, entrepreneur and speaker, I
interview and coach purpose driven women to
shape their brands, grow their companies,
and become recognized as influencers in
their field. This is speaking your brand,
your place to learn how to persuasively
communicate your message to your audience.
Diane Diaz:
Hi there and welcome to backstage with
Speaking of Brand, or I should say, welcome
back to backstage with Speaking of Brand.
I'm Diane Diaz and I am lead speaking coach
at Speaking Your Brand.
I am thrilled to bring you today three of
the women who attended our live in-person
speaking retreat here in Orlando back in
February. And during these three days, they
went through trainings, group activities and
filming their speaking engagements or
speaking segments on our stage.
And they all really, really delivered.
And it was amazing to see how much they grew
over the three days to the final delivery of
those segments of their talks.
They did amazing.
So today we are going to chat with them
about why they decided to attend the
retreat, how they used storytelling in their
talks using the stage and body movement,
which is part of active storytelling and
engaging storytelling. And then what it was
like to practice their talks and get filmed.
So let me introduce you to these wonderful
women that we have here today.
So we have Darcy Foster, Danny Einsohn, and
Terri Reuter.
I think I'm saying that correctly, I hope
so. Darci is an interior designer and a
women's workshop facilitator for women who
are making big life shifts, both
professionally and personally.
Dani is a certified women's empowerment Life
coach who works with women to help them
pursue their dreams and goals, and Teri is
an executive coach, wellbeing counselor, and
learning experience facilitator, and a
former Jazzercise instructor, which is fun.
So we'll talk a little bit about that later.
Um, so let me get started first with you,
Teri. Uh, we'll start by just talking about
why you decided to attend the in-person
retreat in February. What brought you to
that decision, and what were you hoping to
get from that?
From that, uh, coming to the retreat.
Teri Reuter:
So what I was hoping to get is what I got.
I really wanted to do something in 2024 that
was going to be uncomfortable for me.
So, you know, every year for my own
development, especially being a coach, I
feel like I have to walk the walk.
I try to do something to pursue that.
And I had done coaching with you and Carol a
couple of years ago, and then this year I
was looking for something and I wanted to,
um, challenge myself.
Carol and you had talked about the idea of
how many women's voices we have in our
lives. And I realized as a Jazzercise
instructor, current, although actually, I
found that my music library didn't have that
many female artists.
And on my bookshelves, while I have a lot of
women who've written fiction that I've read,
a lot of the business books weren't women,
and I work primarily with men, and I really
wanted to do something that I was going to
be surrounded with women's voices.
I thought the atmosphere would be, um, safe,
maybe helpful to get to learn from them and
to feel good about something I was
uncomfortable with and everyone delivered in
such an amazing way.
It was. It was, I think, just hearing from
everybody else and hearing their stories.
Uh, let me try out some things that were
uncomfortable. So thank you to all of you.
Diane Diaz:
Oh, I love that, Teri.
I love that idea of making yourself
uncomfortable, getting outside your comfort
zone and trying something that's new and
different. And I think you probably got that
too, with the improv that we did.
So that might have I mean, that pushes me
outside my comfort zone every time I do it,
because I'm not the biggest fan, but so
thank you for sharing that.
And by the way, I just want to add anybody
who's watching this live.
If you're watching on our YouTube channel on
LinkedIn, go ahead and pop your questions
there into the comments, and we'll try to
get some of those answered too.
If you have any questions for our women here
today, let us know.
All right. So, Darci, now you and I worked
together first in a strategy session, which
was interesting, what we worked on.
You can maybe talk a little bit about that,
but then you join the Thought Leader Academy
and you were all in.
So you then signed up for the retreat.
What led that to that decision for you to
come to the retreat? And what was your
experience like at the retreat?
Darci Foshay:
Well, I have to say that I think that my real
reason for coming is all about like my
personal enrichment.
And, um, like Terry said, doing things
outside of your comfort zone.
And that's what my that's what I'm all.
About. I'm all about women embracing change
and thriving, especially in midlife.
And for me, this was something that thought
Leader Academy was just wonderful.
I loved every minute of it, and so it was a
natural progression for me to go to the
retreat, and I wanted to be in person
because the Thought Leader Academy was via
zoom, and I loved it.
But I did want to be in person to meet other
women that are going through similar
situations that I'm going through.
And, um, and I just found it wonderful
personal enrichment.
I just enjoyed every single minute of it.
Enjoyed everybody that I met.
We've now made this text ring called The
Sisterhood, and I just feel so lucky, lucky
to have been involved in that.
Diane Diaz:
Now I'm so happy to hear that, Darci.
And, you know, I'm glad you mentioned the
in-person component because yes, we do a lot
of of course, the Thought Leader Academy is
virtual online on zoom.
And we do a lot of that stuff now because,
you know, since the pandemic, we've all
become very virtual.
But it's so nice to be able to go to things
in person and make those human connections,
which as speakers, is why we're doing these
speaking engagements on stages, in person,
in front of people live, because there's
definitely a deeper connection that can be
made when you're in person and you can see
facial expressions, you can react to what
people are saying.
You can engage with people more personally.
So I'm glad that you brought that up because
it's a it's a really good point.
Um, and so, Dani, for you now, you told a
really powerful story at our retreat.
And I think you your story really hit
everybody. It was I mean, it was incredibly
powerful and meaningful.
And so we'll talk a little bit more about
that in a bit. But what led to your decision
to attend the retreat and what were you
hoping to find from that experience?
Dani Einsohn:
So yeah, as you mentioned, I have this story
and it's what prompted me to go into
coaching, um, in this third third of my
life. Uh, you know, kind of at a late date.
Um. I.
When I started my coaching business, I had a
business coach and he heard my story and he
said, you have to tell this story.
It's very important.
Go out there and tell your story.
So I had a couple of opportunities through
women's networking groups here locally where
I got to tell the story, and I connected so
much with the audience, or they connected
with me. And, um, it was such a powerful
experience to be seen, to be heard, to have
them recognize themselves in my story.
So I came running home and I went back to my
coach after one of these experiences, and I
said, I think I want to do this every day
for the rest of my life.
And she said, okay, in true coach like form,
how are you going to make that happen?
And I said, I need a speaking coach.
And she said, I have one for you.
So she introduced me to Carol and I heard
about the retreat, which was just coming up,
and I already had the basis of the talk
down. Um, but I wanted to polish it.
I wanted to make sure that because it's such
an intimate, um, a little bit, there's some
graphic stuff in there, a little bit.
And I wanted to be able to tell the story in
a way that doesn't put people off, but helps
women identify and connect.
And, um, so I was able to get that.
And the bonus was to be with all these
amazing women, uh, and to have that support
and camaraderie and learning together and
having fun together and being wackadoodle
crazy with each other.
Courtesy of you.
So, yeah.
So that's that was why I went and, um, and I
got so much out of it besides just learning
how to polish my talk.
Diane Diaz:
Well, I think you just called me crazy, and I
resemble that remark.
I said yes, crazy.
Yes. Wackadoodle.
We had a lot of fun in addition to the hard
work that everyone did.
We did have a lot of fun at the retreat.
And you know, we because it can be so heavy
at times because our stories, you know, some
of the stories are fun, but some of the
stories are very serious.
And so we do a lot of dance breaks and
activities that break up all of that, you
know, hard work and diving deep into those
uncomfortable stories and the vulnerability.
And so speaking of that, you know, I know,
you know, you're telling that story with a
vulnerable component to it.
So I'm curious if you could share with us,
did you ever have what we call a
vulnerability hangover from telling that
story? Did you ever think maybe the next day
or after you told it?
Oh, I don't know. Was it too much or did
that ever come up?
Dani Einsohn:
Every single time.
Diane Diaz:
Oh, interesting.
Dani Einsohn:
Time. Because it sort of when I'm telling the
story, number one, it takes me back and I
have to, you know, repeat the history that
I'm talking about and the feelings that I
felt. Um, but I also am wondering, you know,
I'm watching the audience for horror or
dismay or some other kind of discomfort, and
I don't want them to be comfortable, I want
uncomfortable, I want them to be inspired.
So yes, I feel that hangover every time,
like, oh, I shouldn't have said that.
Oh, is this too much?
Oh, am I too much?
Which is kind of what happened.
Diane Diaz:
Yeah, it is a really great point.
Um, but I will say that from the segment of
your talk that you gave, you did a really
great job of also, while it's a heavy topic,
what you were talking about with that
particular story, you did a great job of
integrating little moments of humor.
And I don't mean that in a to make light of
what the situation that you were sharing,
but little humorous things that you injected
into it just to sort of break the tension,
which was extremely effective.
So good job on you for the way that you
managed that, because I think it it let the
audience know that you are okay.
So if we know that you're okay, then we're
okay hearing the story because we know
you're you're okay now.
So I think it accomplished that.
So well done now.
So um, let's talk a little bit about body
movement using the stage.
And so during the practice sessions, uh, you
know, when we first everybody started, first
started practicing, we noticed everybody's
kind of stuck in the same spot or maybe
moving around too much because they weren't
quite sure what to do.
So, um, Terry, maybe you can speak to how it
felt trying to incorporate maybe a new way
of moving that you hadn't tried before or
just moving in general.
What did that feel like as you were
practicing? Did it feel comfortable?
Uncomfortable? Strange?
What was that like?
Teri Reuter:
Uncomfortable. But, you know, I think what I
got from it is that what we're looking for
is movement with intention.
So it's not just movement as many times as
you ask participants or suggested that we
try movements, you also suggested other
people quiet those movements.
And I think it seemed to be dependent on on
two things. One, the personality of the
person. So some people were quieter in their
bodies, and that suited really well.
And other people needed to have more
movement. And so for myself, I was guided to
block out various pieces, which I did and
felt uncomfortable. When I was able to watch
the recording, I realized that I had some
natural movements that the next time I'm
actually going to block those movements,
which it showed me that the some of the
intended movements looked a lot more natural
than they felt, and some of the natural
movements looked like I was fidgeting.
And so that was a really interesting.
At one point I referenced rowing, like
rowing, and in the video I just sort of went
like this, but you couldn't tell.
And other points where I was instructed.
I had a much more specific movement.
So that that was interesting, that the plan
actually looks more natural.
So I continue with that.
Diane Diaz:
That's so interesting.
And I think I think that's where the video
comes in handy, because to everybody
watching this and listening later on the
podcast, also, we had all the attendees
record themselves on their phones during the
practice sessions too, so they could even go
back and watch those to get a little bit
more comfortable with where it might, like
Terry just said, where it might make sense
to put in intentional movements versus maybe
quieting movements where it made sense,
maybe in a quieter part of the story.
And so, you know, all of the feedback given
was with that in mind.
And so I think that's where the video does
help, you know, you to see where it makes
the most sense. And then hopefully over time
and practice, all the movements just become
natural. And they don't feel like they're
being kind of wedged in or something that
you're not naturally doing or comfortable
with.
Teri Reuter:
Um, I think it's also trust in who you're
watching because you can't know what your
impact is on a listener when you're the
deliverer. And so really, I felt like we all
just trusted and we did what you said and
that. So Darcy and Danny, you would know
just to lean into that.
It sort of relieves you.
So having someone to practice with is super
helpful.
Diane Diaz:
That is such a great, such a great point.
And so to that point about stage movement
and practice, I'll, I'll ask you, Darcy, how
did it feel to do the improv exercises to
get you kind of more comfortable with moving
around, get you out of your out of your
head, out of your body and feeling a little
bit more free.
What was that like?
Darci Foshay:
I loved it, um, I loved it.
I was so surprised that I did love it, but
I, like Terry was saying, I think that we
all just felt so comfortable with each other
immediately that I just felt like, all
right, whatever is going to come to mind,
I'm just going to do it, say it, act it out.
Um, now, when I was on stage, I felt like it
surprising how much you have to think about
what your movement is going to be.
I was surprised at that.
How? Like.
All right. I'm. I'm working on my speech.
I'm delivering my speech.
Now. I got to think about how I'm going to
move. And so sometimes it just fell a little
disconnected. Um, but the improv was so
good. Um, because it got you out of your
comfort zone, got you to say and do things
that you wouldn't normally do.
And dancing, you know, just dancing to fun
music. Like whenever you girls would just
throw the music on, we'd have to get up and
dance, you know, and it was just.
And you look over at other people and you
go, if they're doing it, I'm going to do it.
You know, I love it.
I thought the improv was hysterical.
And when I came home and told my husband
about it, he's like, he just rolled his
eyes.
Diane Diaz:
Well, interestingly, um, so I'm glad you
enjoyed it first of all.
Now I will say and carols.
Carols here. I saw her in the comments so
she knows she and I have a love hate
relationship with improv, but what we do
love about it is that it does.
It does get you out of your head, and it
does make you better able to think on your
feet because you that is going to come up
when you're speaking right.
And then it makes the thinking on your feet
feel more natural, so that it doesn't feel
so much like you're thinking about it,
because it just sort of comes to you now.
So, Darcy, you because you used props, you
had printed out props for the tarot cards
that were part of the segment of your talk
that you were filming. And so there was
movement involved in going to get those how
to show them. And so I think maybe doing
improv and of course, practicing that really
helped you because that when you got to the
filming portion, it was seamless and smooth.
Oh, it worked out.
It worked out so beautifully.
So, yes.
So I do think that the improv, it helps with
things like that, where you need to know how
to move around on the stage in a way, like
Terry was saying, that's intentional.
And that doesn't take away from what you're
talking about. So so kudos to you for loving
improv. I still do not, but but I do know
the value of it to everybody.
Um, let's talk a little bit about practicing
then. And then we'll also talk about what it
was like getting filmed.
So. You know, Carol and I are looking at
this from the outside, as you know, the
speaking coaches. And we're seeing you on
day one and then all the way through to day
three. And so we can see huge
transformations in everybody.
So many things about how you deliver your
talk comfort level using the stage, just
just confidence all of it.
But I'm curious.
And so we'll go to you, Danny.
How did those practice sessions feel.
And also because for you, you're repeating
that same story over and over again.
But how how did the practice sessions feel
for you?
Dani Einsohn:
I. They felt good.
The first one was so awkward because it was
almost like we were introducing ourselves to
each other. In fact, that was the exercise,
right? Tell us your story.
So. And then we had some time to craft it a
little bit and some time to talk to you or
to Carol. And I think that really helped me
because I had the whole thing written.
And of course, I wasn't working from a
script. I was inhabiting it.
I don't know how else to put it.
It was just becoming part of me.
I wrote the words, but seeing the words came
from my heart, from my soul.
Um, but there were things that I knew I had
to tweak, and I got to talk to Carol.
And so then getting up and doing it over and
over again, um, each time it was easier and
easier. I did not like filming it, though.
I, I hated it, made me so nervous, even with
my own camera.
Yeah.
Diane Diaz:
To really?
And why? I'm curious.
Why do you think that is?
Um.
Dani Einsohn:
Just my own feelings about, you know, how I
would look, how I would sound.
Diane Diaz:
Yes, yes.
And so I will say I'm glad you mentioned
that, Danny, because.
We can have all the confidence in the world
and the words that we are saying.
But I think, and this isn't just you, this
is all almost all of us.
I don't know a woman on earth that isn't
being filmed. And then thinking, never mind
the message, like, how am I going to look?
What do I sound like?
None of us like to hear the sound of our own
voice. But what I can say too, is that over
time, I used to hate watching myself on
video or listening to myself.
Like if I go back and listen to a podcast
that I'm on, I just. I used to hate it.
But over time that goes away and we become
more. I have become more interested in how
did my message come across and less
thoughtful about, like, what did I look
like? What did I sound like? But it's so
normal to feel that way so I can completely.
I was just curious, you know why?
Because of course, I don't think about it as
much now, but I can see where that would be
the case. And also, you're in a small group.
It's not. It's not like you're in front of
500 people. You're in a small group and all
eyes, including the camera, are on you.
Yes.
Dani Einsohn:
And as far as the small group went, I felt
totally safe with the other.
Diane Diaz:
Are.
Dani Einsohn:
I really, really did.
And that happened very early, like within
the first day. Um, there was that that sense
of we are in this together.
We are here for each other.
And so every time I got up, I was not afraid
of the audience. I was just afraid of me.
Diane Diaz:
You know, that's so interesting.
Maybe that is our biggest.
Our biggest nemesis is ourselves.
Dani Einsohn:
And that's kind of what my talk was about
also. Yeah.
Yes.
Diane Diaz:
Interestingly, I think it all comes full
circle.
Dani Einsohn:
Thing, you know.
Diane Diaz:
Yes, yes.
Well, and so we touched a little bit on the
idea of getting feedback.
And so each of you throughout the three days
and just the two days of practice, got
feedback on the delivery of your talk,
feedback on a variety of things, stage
movement, saying things, or maybe say it
this way, maybe that would be better.
Maybe shorten this part, maybe focus more
here. So Terry, how did it feel for you?
Because you speak a lot.
You do already do a lot of training
workshops, all sorts of speaking.
How did it feel to get that feedback during
the practice sessions and then incorporate
it sometimes on the fly, but also into your
final delivery that was filmed?
How did what was that like?
Teri Reuter:
Oh, it was fantastic.
I think because of the kind of work I do,
I'm often my role is to focus on someone
else, to really lean in, and I lose myself
in what my clients are doing.
I help people prepare sometimes for
presentations they're making, and at first
it was weird to have someone focus on me.
That's not usually my role, and it was
really nice to hear, you know, both the
praise of things that were working, but also
the redirection of things that could be
different or better.
And I, I really I was really appreciative of
every little piece that I got so that you
could try out something different.
And, and I think it was and it was
interesting too, because we all got to do
it, not in a vacuum with ourselves, but we
got to hear the feedback that each of us,
that that were for each of us.
And I think that while maybe we were saying
something to Darcy, you can look at yourself
and say, oh, I could incorporate that too.
Or, you know, so it was just such a
multidimensional experience.
I think the environment of the feedback was
exactly what you would hope.
You know that expression, all feedback is a
gift. It really felt like that the whole
time we were together.
Diane Diaz:
Oh, I'm so thrilled to hear that because, you
know, I do love, of course, you know, Carol
and I are giving feedback, but I love that
the other women feel comfortable giving
feedback as well to whoever's practicing,
because everybody's receiving it a little
bit differently. Everybody keys in on
something different based on whatever, you
know, maybe what they speak about, what
their industry is or what their experience
is. And so all of the feedback that
everybody gave was so good.
I felt and a number of you kind of worked on
your frameworks kind of on the fly like,
well, I don't have a framework like help me,
help me with this framework.
And so during during the practice time and
the working on your segments time, some of
us like I pulled out my laptop, let's pull
up, you know, let's try look for a word for
this or you know, we'd go around the room
and just give feedback.
And then I think other women were giving
each other feedback and working together on
things. So it was I agree, like the feedback
in a setting like that, it all is a gift,
right? Because it's really when we got to
the filming day, which we'll talk about now,
the I wish that we had like a full day
filming of day one and then a full day
filming of day three, just to see Side by
Side the difference, because in my brain,
when I think about it, it always blows me
away. I don't know if I could make that much
improvement, but you guys, not that you were
bad on day one, but just the the polish that
you had on day three was just mind blowing
because it's just the delivery was
incredible. The stories were incredible, the
impact was incredible.
It was just a beautiful everybody's delivery
was beautiful.
So Danny, maybe you could talk a little bit.
Well you talked a little bit about the
filming being uncomfortable but.
What did it feel like once you finished your
filming? How did you feel once you were done
with that?
Dani Einsohn:
Um, I was relieved that that was over.
It had been a lot of, you know, is it going
to be okay? Am I going to be okay?
And then as I'm walking off the stage, I'm
like, damn, I missed.
I forgot to say, I didn't say that.
So it was I mean, it was fine when it was
happening. Like it wasn't obtrusive in any
way. Like, I, I enjoyed the the little zing
of adrenaline.
Um, and I think that it helped.
It helped me enjoy the experience more
because I felt like I was really performing.
And I think for many of us, yes, we learned
that speaking is performing and.
Diane Diaz:
Absolutely. Darcy.
For you.
You. Of course, I mentioned that you used
props and, you know, that can cause
sometimes discomfort.
You seemed totally natural at it.
So how was your filming experience?
What was that like?
How did you did you have any nerves?
If you did, how did you handle those?
Darci Foshay:
Well, it's so funny that when you when we
were talking earlier, I was thinking about
how, um, there is a lot of improvement from
the first day to the last, but in my
situation, I have to get over the fact that
the first time I deliver my my talk, I'm
looking for that shock value.
And I'm looking for that laughter because, I
mean, my my talk has a specific meaning to
encourage women to embrace change, but it is
the whole talk is taking stories from
ordinary life and and mixing it up and
turning around, turning it around on its
head and making it fun and funny.
So the first time that I did it, of course
no one knows what you're going to say.
So it is fun and funny.
And then after you do it twice a day for
three days on that third day, when it comes
to filming, I have to try to remind myself
that they're not going to think it's as
funny when they they've heard it for the
eighth time, you know?
Yeah.
Teri Reuter:
You were funny on the eighth time to Darcy.
Thank you.
Dani Einsohn:
Every minute Darcy.
Diane Diaz:
Kitten chops never gets old.
Darci Foshay:
Never gets old.
No she doesn't, but I think that I have to
remember that that it is a performance.
And you do have to, um, bring up that
excitement and enthusiasm to tell that story
again, even though, you know, people have
heard it several times, like, you still have
to say it in a really fresh way so that
people really enjoy it, because I really
enjoy telling it, and I don't want to look
at the audience and think that they're not
enjoying it, you know, as much as they could
be because they'd already heard it or
whatever. Yes. So I think that just takes
practice. And we got a lot of practice.
And, you know, I just again, I just loved
every single minute of it.
Diane Diaz:
Good, good.
I'm so glad to hear that. And so if you like
to get laughs, you might need to do a stand
up comedy set because then you will get the
laughs you were looking for.
Well, so much more fun than improv.
So much more fun.
Darci Foshay:
I'm thinking maybe I might I might want to do
it. I have a little inner.
It's either a little Lucille Ball or Rodney
Dangerfield. I don't know what it is, but I
have.
Dani Einsohn:
A little.
Diane Diaz:
Dangerfield. Definitely do that.
Well, okay, so, um, Terry, now you led us
through a really fun dance segment in your
talk, which I loved, and I, I can really see
you doing that talk and that bit with the
dance part in a large group, because imagine
a huge audience standing up and doing that
would be so incredibly powerful.
Um, how do you feel about your confidence in
leading an audience in an exercise like
that? Maybe a big audience and getting them
involved and really getting them into the
message?
Teri Reuter:
Um, well, I will say I feel very comfortable.
I've done that before.
Uh, in so speaking, I do sometimes as a
speech, like what we worked on, but speaking
in front of groups, I do on a very regular
basis, and sometimes people are surprised
who I can get up to move.
But so far I've never had an audience, uh,
that has not gotten up.
I think the most reluctant.
I was in Dallas last week, and I worked with
a group of about 40 people over two days
that were in their late 20s, early 30s.
It's the only group that I work with that I
think of as like sort of my kids.
Everybody else is more sort of my cohort
anyway. They were the most reluctant, but I
got them. I have a couple of different
things we do a thing that I bring out the
song bust a move to, and um, so we use a
particular personality, uh, assessment and
to help them remember the, the quadrants of
the assessment, we do a dance and, uh, the
first go round, they were like, we came back
after the second break and somebody actually
said, can we dance again?
Oh.
Diane Diaz:
That's a rousing endorsement.
Teri Reuter:
But I have to say, people, you know, we spend
more time at work than we do doing anything
else. And so if you can just bring a little
bit of a lightness to work, I think people
welcome it. So.
I do feel really comfortable doing that, but
I think it's a little bit like what Danny
said or what you were saying to Danny about
the filming. It's something you have to get
used to. It's practice.
I mean, I've been doing this for 20
something years and incorporating movement,
and so now I don't care if people think it's
silly. Where before I might have wondered,
uh, so it's an invitation to people to join
me if they'd like.
Diane Diaz:
Yeah. No, it's a really good point, because I
think if you do anything enough times, it's
going to start to feel natural and
comfortable. And so really and that's why
the practice that we did at the retreat,
right, was so important is to just repeat it
and repeat it so that it starts to feel more
comfortable. So on filming day, everybody
seemed natural that everybody seemed like
they had been giving this talk for a long
time. The nobody looked uncomfortable,
nobody looked like they didn't have
confidence. So even if they were faking the
confidence, it came through and it felt
real. And so everybody I thought just really
knocked it out of the park.
So kudos to to you three.
But to everybody at the retreat for
delivering, you know, for growing so much
and just building that confidence and
learning how to use the stage and telling
stories and making that audience engagement.
It was beautiful, such a wonder to behold.
I love the retreat so much.
So it was really just incredible watching
everybody grow.
And so now I want to know what is next.
So I'll start with you, Darcy, why don't you
tell us what you're speaking topics are
about, and then tell us what your plans are
for your next speaking endeavors.
Darci Foshay:
Oh, boy. You know, I do have to say, as soon
as I got home from the the retreat, I wrote
down a little snippet of what everybody had
talked about in their in their speech and
then like little fun things that we had, you
know, chatted about in between, you know,
just getting to know each other a little bit
more. And I think I sent it out to everybody
and just said, you know, we could make a
play about this and it could be really
funny. It really could be.
It could be really good.
Um, I have a couple things that I'm going to
do. I just had another workshop recently and
it went very, very well.
I did a little recap about what we had done
in the first workshop, and so just really
fun. And a lot of women are making
connections. The the next thing I'm going to
do is in June and it's going to be called
Talk and SIP.
And people are coming out to Peaks Island.
We're going to do a wine tasting in
different parts of the island and um, and
recap what we've been talking about in these
last few workshops and, um, yeah, a couple
things. There's there's one big idea that I
have brewing that I'd like to bring to
fruition. I have to figure out how I'm going
to do it. But there was a video made a while
back called The Empowerment Project.
I don't know if you've heard of it, but it
was wonderful and it was about women in
their journey, and I would like to do that.
I'd like to create a film and talk to all of
us and and other women that have made these
big shifts in their life and taking chances
and, and just done some self empowerment of
their own.
And so I'd like to I'd like to interview
women that have done that and make a little
empowering film about it.
Dani Einsohn:
So anyway, Darcy.
Diane Diaz:
If there's anything that I know about you,
it's that you will do that.
I feel I 100% believe that in six months a
year you will contact me and say, guess
what? My film's coming out.
I'm doing it. I have a distinct feeling
about that. So we will definitely look for
that. Either that or we're.
Dani Einsohn:
All going to Broadway.
Oh, exactly.
It's something we might be doing.
Darci Foshay:
Both might be doing both.
Dani Einsohn:
Because I think that play would.
Darci Foshay:
Be so fun. I can already see the opening act.
I can already.
Diane Diaz:
See. I told you, she's already got the
opening act planned out. It's going to
happen, you guys. It's only going to happen.
Okay. So then, Danny, what about you?
What are your topics that you speak on and
what's on the horizon for you speaking wise
or anything?
Dani Einsohn:
Yeah, I came home just jumping out of my skin
wanting to or find other places to speak.
So while I'm doing that, I'm creating sort
of a list of ways that I can craft the the
basic message of my talk about women feeling
good enough.
And no matter what happens to you, you can.
You are resilient and you're powerful and
you're good enough.
Um, so I'm, I'm sort of crafting different
messages for different types of groups that
I might approach.
I'm also going to take the wonderful video,
thank you very much and sort of edit that
and create a speaker reel to help me launch
that part of my business.
And I'm working on a coach, um, on a
coaching class workshop for, again, midlife
women just like Darcy, uh, on similar topics
about the transition and not letting your,
your, your limiting beliefs stop you from
going where you want to go.
Diane Diaz:
Oh, wonderful. Well, that's very needed.
This. As we all know, this midlife area can
be challenging, so I think that's something
that's definitely needed.
So, Terri, then what about you?
What are your speaking topics and what is on
the horizon for you for speaking?
Teri Reuter:
So, uh, last year, the year before, I had
focused more on speaking and had ended up
doing more speaking on mental health at
work, which I find very important.
Uh, and I was brought into that because I
have a background in psychology.
And somehow when we did the retreat, I
decided to come without a topic because I
really wasn't interested in furthering
speaking. Each one of those presentations or
speeches that I had done before.
They gave me so much anxiety before I did
them that I decided I didn't want to do that
anymore, and I only came to the retreat to
be with you all. And then as we got through,
I mean, Diane sitting with you that very
first day, it you helped me put together a
framework that frames a lot of what I do
completely. And so it renewed an interest in
even wanting to be on the stage, you know,
working with groups of people as a
facilitator and facilitating their
experience is something that I will continue
to do.
So now I'm contemplating whether or not I
want to try to build out that part of my
business of being a speaker.
I will say I'm still undecided, but from the
framework, I've already started putting
together a multi-day course that would take
people through this idea and perhaps
primarily women for some groups, but for
people in general who feel overwhelmed by
their self-doubt, uh, how they can really
show up to, like, what Danny was talking
about, you know, being able to, even in
uncertainty, lean into their potential.
And so, uh, this course is being built out
to be a couple of day experience to move
through, understanding themselves to how
they can use their language for their inner
voice and an outer voice.
Diane Diaz:
I love to hear that.
So to everybody listening and watching, that
is the power of having a framework that you
can take it from a part of your talk to a
workshop, a course, even bigger content, a
whole program.
That's what a framework can turn into.
So having that framework, whatever it is,
and however you incorporate it into your
message and your talk can become so much
more. So it has legs, right?
It grows. I love to hear that you're doing
that. So yay!
Um, good for you.
All right. Well, as you all know,
storytelling and vulnerability are super
important and powerful in a talk.
And that's what connects with the audience.
And you, you all have such amazing stories,
and you did such a great job at the retreat,
incorporating those stories, telling them,
being vulnerable with everybody at the
retreat, but also getting filmed.
Right. And then now you've got that on film.
And so being vulnerable can be hard and
challenging. But that is the the beautiful
part of someone's message is the
vulnerability and how that connects with
everybody else. So thank you to all of you
for coming to the retreat and spending your
time with us, and for being vulnerable and
for supporting the other women as they were
doing the same.
And so for those of you who are watching and
listening and or listening, be sure to
connect with Danny, Darcy and Terry on
LinkedIn. If you're listening to this on the
podcast, you can go to the show notes page
and get their connection information there.
But go to LinkedIn, make sure you connect
with them, comment to them, and just let
them know that you appreciate the work that
they're doing. Um, and so again, thank you
to all of you for being here.
Now, for everybody else, if you want to work
with us to develop your thought leadership
message, create your signature talk and
learn the business of speaking.
That's exactly what we do in the Thought
Leader Academy. So make sure that you reach
out to us. You can.
The next Thought Leader Academy starts on
April 2nd. So if you want to learn more
about that, you can go to speaking your
brand.com/academy. Again that's speaking
your brand.com/academy.
And then of course the best way to stay up
to date on all things speaking your brand is
to go to speaking your brand.com/join and
you can get on the email list.
So once again thank you Danny, Darcy and
Terry for taking the time to come on
backstage to share with everybody who is
watching and just for being so generous and
vulnerable with all of us.
We appreciate you.
So thank you for your time today.
Dani Einsohn:
You're welcome.
Darci Foshay:
Thank you so much.
Dani Einsohn:
We appreciate you.
Diane Diaz:
Oh, thank you so much.
All right. Well have a great rest of your
day. Bye.
Carol Cox:
That was so much fun and so many useful
insights that they shared that you can start
using in your own presentations.
Until next time, thanks for listening.