Public Speaking Tips with Jessica Chang-Irish

Episode Transcript

Julianna: Hello and welcome to The Daring to Succeed Podcast. This week I’m excited to share an interview that I recently had with a public speaking coach. Here we go.

Julianna: Jessica Chang Irish is an Emmy award-winning news reporter turned public speaking coach who empowers and trains ambitious pro professionals to look and sound confident and credible when speaking in person or on camera so they can make a bigger impact and bigger income. Since founding her business, Jessica Chang Consulting, she has helped hundreds of professionals amplify their voice and messages through their her proven frameworks and exercises. I’m excited to have her on the podcast so she can share her expertise in storytelling and marketing to help people like you speak up to stand out and rise in your career. Hi, Jessica. Welcome. So welcome to the podcast.

Jessica: So nice to have you, Julia. Thank you for having me.

Julianna: Yeah. So I always like to start with a fun question. Do you consider yourself more introverted, extroverted, or a bit of both?

Jessica: I am an extrovert. I do gain energy from being around other people. I do have a caveat though, that that doesn’t mean. I never feel awkward in social or networking situations because I do too. I do still even feel nervous sometimes and awkward before networking or giving a presentation even. That’s what I do. But I’ve learned how to channel that into more excitement and positive energy.

Julianna: Well, thank you for sharing that. I’m sure all the introverts out there are very happy to know. It’s not just us that feel nervous sometimes in public speaking  situations.

Jessica: No, no, not at all. It’s just I’ve had a lot of practice to kind of like work through that.

Jessica: And so I’ve, I love the quote where, you know, you feel butterflies in your stomach, right? Yeah. And so there’s a quote that is something like this, it’s okay to have butterflies as long as they’re flying in the same direction.

Jessica: I haven’t heard of that. So, if you can train yourself, your mindset, your nerves to channel them into excitement, excited energy or adrenaline, then you’re gonna be that much more confident and you’re gonna be able to show, convey to your audience that you are not only assured, but also energetic.

Julianna: Nice. So beautiful. And well, this leads really well into my next question about how public speaking can be really nerve wracking for all of us introverts. Can you tell us a little bit more about the types of public speaking that your clients look for coaching on?

Jessica: Yeah. I do work with a lot of introverts, as you can imagine. They want help with amplifying their voices, getting out there. A lot of people come to me because they are crippled with fear when it comes to giving presentations. A lot of ’em say like, I’m okay talking one-on-one. Yep. With people, I’m great speaking one-on-one, but when it comes to presenting in front of a group, I get tongue tied. I freeze, I feel sick to my stomach, <laugh>, I, and they, they just avoid it. But they come to me because they know they have to get over that, or they have to work through that in order to rise in their careers. I worked with, I worked with a client earlier this year who is an executive with a nonprofit organization, a really renowned one, and she felt so terrified speaking in front of the board of directors.

Jessica: Oh. She was intimidated. And I bet you guys, some of you guys feel that way too. I’ve felt that way when I’ve worked at a nonprofit organization. It’s like, oh, all these people are so smart and successful, you know, what do I have to say to them that’s gonna be of value to them? Right? And so he or she knew that she was holding herself back. Right. She was, the COO had an opportunity, there was an opening for the CEO position, but she didn’t go for it because she knew how public facing it was. Right. How many of you have been in that kind of situation where you hold yourselves back because of all the speaking and public speaking you have to do in socializing hobnobbing? And so, I worked with her first off, in the very, very first session. I asked her to define and refine her, why, what is her purpose, her reason for waking up in the morning, and to define also her brand superpowers. And she noted her brand superpowers as transparent, collaborative, and honest.

Julianna: Okay.

Jessica: And so this was built into her why. And everything I do, I believe, and that’s a really good prompt if you wanna define your why and everything I do, I believe in working with my team who’s something like this, right. In a way that’s transparent, honest, and collaborative. Something like that. Very, very simple. There was, there was more to it. But you can incorporate your brand superpowers into your why. Okay. So going back to those brand superpowers, identify what is it that you’re proud of? What qualities are you proud of that you also want to be perceived as? So for this person, again, it was transparent, honest, collaborative for you, it could be you having integrity, empathy, hardworking, detail oriented, whatever it is, be proud of those and step into those qualities. If she had not stepped into being transparent, being honest, and being collaborative, then she would stay hidden. Right? But if she steps into those qualities, then it’s like, well, I’m not living these out if I’m not sharing the operations updates Right. With the board of directors. Right. Does that make sense?

Jessica: Yeah. So think about it, like, if I am hiding myself, if I’m not going out to those networking events, or I’m not stepping up for those presentations, am I living out my qualities that I’m proud of? And I wanna be perceived as so that for a lot of my clients, that is the transformation, that mindset transformation at the very first session, that is the foundation to help them, to help us pave the way for the rest of their sessions together, where we can get into the tactical, public speaking tips and frameworks for building a presentation or for thinking about how to network with more intention. So a lot of people come to me because they feel like they’re robotic. I’m too, I feel like I am just reciting or reading off of a script, and they are, or they’re feeling like I just don’t know how to make my presentation interesting. Right. How do I get their attention? How do I keep their attention? How do I tell stories better? So it runs the gamut as far as well, how I coach my clients…

Julianna: Right? And I love that for a foundation, especially for introverts who anytime we have to talk about ourselves or put ourselves out there, it feels like bragging. We don’t really like to talk about ourselves. But framing it, I think in terms of what we’re proud of, I think can really help because then it’s less about who we are. And like you said, that your brand, your identity, that the thing that you’re proud of and want to be known for. I, I just love that so much for an introvert.

Jessica: Oh, good. I’m glad that it resonates with you.

Julianna: And you recently interviewed me about public speaking tips for introverts, and we did find that there were a lot of tips that work really well for both introverts and extroverts. As a public speaking coach, what are your favorite public speaking tips that you find work for everyone?

Jessica: Yes. And I love the conversation that we had had before. It was so insightful for me because since I do work with a lot of introverts, it’s great to be able to tap into your mind, and where you’re coming from, and how I can be of more help and just be more sympathetic to your, your zone and your natural tendencies as introverts. So as far as presentations or networking, no matter what the situation is, I want you to think about, always think about, first off is who is your audience and what’s in it for them? Okay. Because if you don’t recognize and really know who your audience is, then your message could fall flat. Then you’re not gonna have a successful presentation or conversation with someone. So think about your audience for an interview, for instance, even a job interview?

Jessica: No. Get to know them. But for a networking event, do the research ahead of time. Look at the website for whatever event you’re going to, the organization that’s hosting the event, or the company that you’re interviewing with the company or your colleagues that you’re presenting to Find out who they are, what their core values are as a company or organization. Find out who the individuals are, who will be there. And note, maybe you guys have things in common. Maybe you’re both, maybe you’re all parents, right? Maybe you’re dog lovers, dog owners. Maybe you have commonalities in how you climbed the career ladder, right? And so that, in that case, you can give examples, anecdotes, stories throughout your presentation or throughout your conversation that will resonate with them. It’s like you’re getting a little clue, a little glimpse into who they are as people so that you can connect with them. And that’s what you really wanna do. Learning who they are, so that you can build that deeper connection. And then that conversation, that interview, that presentation just rolls more naturally. And then subsequently, you’re gonna have more confidence going into that Right. Speaking engagement, whatever it might be.

Julianna: And I think that’s so helpful for an introvert, because most of us are really awkward in those first few conversations. We don’t know the person, we don’t know what it’s like having that conversation with ’em and with the internet. It’s so easy to do that research now that I think it’s, it’s a really great tip that introverts can go out there and, and do the research and kind of get to know the person before they even meet them.

Jessica: Exactly. Yeah. When it comes to networking events too, or those social events, if you can find out more about the board of directors, right? Who you know will be there, right? You could go on their social media channels even, and not, you don’t have to stalk them necessarily , but you’re just learning about a little bit more about their personalities, but read their bios at least. And then you can go and find that person to strike a conversation with them at a networking event. I learned from you, Juliana, that it’s easier for introverts to kind of put the, take the pressure off of yourself, right? And maybe ask questions of that person first to kind of warm up. Yeah. So if you know that this, this person has been with the company for 20 years, they enjoy sailing or pickleball, then you can, or you’re just interested in what they do for their profession, right?

Jessica: Just ha go in knowing a question, kind of an icebreaker question to ask. Or that person, Hey, I, I know that you’re the vice president of this organization, can you tell me more about it? Yes, of course. They’re gonna wanna tell you more about the organization that they’re part of, that you’re attending the networking event for. And then that can branch into more of the fun stuff. Like, oh, I saw that you’re on your bio, you’re into pickleball, or whatever. Like, so am I, so you find those commonalities. So you’re, again, building that connection with that person with some more intention that makes it a little easier for you. Yeah. And, and some when it comes to presentations,

Julianna: Okay.

Jessica: Knowing your audience, obviously, again, will help. And I wanna give a really quick tip for you all when you’re planning a, a presentation about how to catch your audience’s attention in the first five seconds. I mean, we all know that if you don’t kick it off in a strong way that’s engaging, yeah. You’re gonna lose your audience right from the start, right? Mm-Hmm. <Affirmative>. So the beginning is really important, and there are a few ways to catch their attention. The one I love to go to my, my go-to is starting with a question to which your audience members, at least most of them, will answer yes to, or raise their hand too. Okay? So you could ask, start with a question. Like, oftentimes when I’m doing a presentation or workshop about how to present in a more engaging and compelling way, I ask everyone, how many of you have given a presentation?

Jessica: Okay. Right? Everyone raises their hand, right? Yeah. And how many of you feel symptoms like this? Like butterflies, you feel your heart pounding, da dah, and then everyone’s gonna raise their hand too, right? So one, you’re catching their attention, and that if they’re saying yes or raising their hand, then it makes them think, oh, she’s talking to me. Well, then I better pay attention. Like, this is for me, right? So again, the more you know your audience, the better. But those are easy, no-brainer kinds of questions, right? Again, if you know your audience, then you’re gonna know what they’re gonna answer yes to, right? How many of you, yeah. Starting with how many of you? Or raise your hand if, and then they will say yes. And then you go on, you proceed with the kind of, the introduction to your presentation. Another great way to start a presentation is with a story or anecdote.

Jessica: And that helps to draw people in. You could also start with inspiring or a compelling quote, right? Whether it’s from someone renowned in your industry or even yourself. Like, I started our conversation, not at the very beginning, but sharing that quote about butterflies in your stomach, and it makes people think, right? it kind of draws you in, makes people think. And, and then the beginning, that’s the beginning of the presentation. And then the end of the presentation too. A lot of us, a lot of the endings fall flat because we’re working so hard on the beginning and the middle and the, you know, the core of the presentation that we forget about how to end it. Okay? How do we wanna leave a lasting positive impression with our audience? Hmm. And ways you can do that, or with a call to action.

Jessica: So, so something like, be sure to contact me to have, so we can continue this conversation as simple as that, right? Here’s my contact info, right? Or it could be, it could be, if you’re a non speaking on behalf of a nonprofit organization, it’s, remember how important it is to donate today. Even $5 will help this, you know, these children have a better holiday season. Something like that, right? Just right. Something that the audience members can do. ’cause They’re feeling inspired now they’re feeling pumped with what you’ve shared with them. So what can they do? What’s the next step that they can do? Nice. And then another really great tip, just overall when it comes to speaking for a presentation for on camera, for Zoom meetings, for interviews, is just record yourself. You could record your voice, you could record, I know it’s awkward and it’s kind of intimidating, but only you’re gonna hear it.

Jessica: Okay? And this is gonna help you improve. I mean, just like if you were an athlete or you know, in any other part of your career, it’s like you review your performance, right? Okay. You review what you’ve done, you evaluate. So if you are recording your voice in a presentation, maybe, or you’re recording a zoom meeting, watch or listen to yourself over again and notice the idiosyncrasies. You might have, notice your filler words, right? And if it’s distracting, notice the body language, the gestures that you use. And from there, you, I mean, there’s so many things even for me that I didn’t realize until I watched myself right? Or listened to myself. And it’s really valuable. I did that, obviously as a TV news reporter, and continue to do that and share that tip with my clients today. I did that with a client not too long ago.

Jessica: We were on Zoom and we recorded it, and she’s like, I didn’t realize how much I, how much I do use my hands and my body language. She thought she was just animated and just not very dynamic. But after watching herself, she realized, okay, it makes such a difference when I do use my hands when I keep it in screen. Right? Right. Or if I smile how I thought I was smiling, but I noticed, and this happens a lot with my clients, I thought I was smiling, but I noticed that it didn’t come across that way. Okay. So you might, you might realize some things that will help you improve for your next presentations or video meetings.

Julianna: Yeah. And, and I know our introverts might be super uncomfortable because I got butterflies in my stomach just thinking about that. But having, having to record and edit my own podcast, I know that it does get easier over time, right? Like watching yourself or listening to yourself, and especially knowing that it’s just for you, that might be a little bit easier. Maybe you start with something small, maybe something that you’ve recorded just for yourself, and not a meeting just to get your toes wet, but

Jessica: Exactly. I love that. Just for yourself, just on your phone. Yeah. Yeah. And yeah, that’s a good point. If you, if you’re doing podcast interviews, then you most likely are gonna re-listen to them. So how can you improve beyond that? I do that too for myself. I’m like, okay, this is what I can do better for my next podcast interview.

Julianna: Yeah. Well, thank you so much for your amazing tips, Jessica.

Jessica: You’re welcome. I hope it was helpful for you all.

Julianna: Yeah. And before we wrap up where can people find you? Do you have any offers or freebies that you want to share with everyone today?

Jessica: Yes. I would love to connect with any of you. I’m on LinkedIn at Jessica Chang Irish Instagram, also at Jessica Chang Irish. And my website is Jessica Chang consulting.com. And I do have a free resource for you who want to, for those of you who wanna introduce yourself with more intention. So it’s a worksheet and it has a formula on how to introduce yourself, keeping your audience in mind nice. And to be able to make that more of that emotional connection with them.

Julianna: That’s awesome. I, I know that our introverts will be very happy to get that help because the, the intro is always a little awkward for us. So I’ll make sure all those links are in the show notes for everyone.

Jessica: Thank you, Juliana. Thanks to all of you for listening.

Julianna: Yeah, thanks so much. Bye now.