Executive
Speaker Coaching

If you’re in Christchurch we usually do the work in person. If you’re outside of Christchurch then we will do our coaching sessions online.

Yes, we can clump your sessions together and I can do them in bulk.

Yes. Flights and accommodations are charged on top and are not included in the coaching fee.

No, we usually come to your workplace in a training room or board room that is reserved by you. You are responsible for finding/booking the practice space you need.

The global standard for preparation to deliver a world-class talk or presentation is calculated as:

• Plan for one (1) hour of script writing for every minute of speaking.
• Plan for forty-five (45) minutes of delivery practice for every minute of speaking.  

For example, if you have a ten (10) minute talk, you will need to plan for ten (10) hours of script writing and seven and a half (7.5) hours for delivery practice.

This ten (10) minute talk will require a total of seventeen and a half (17.5) hours preparation time.  

Coaching is on top of these hours.

Yes, I offer coaching specifically designed to enhance your on-camera presence and video presentation skills.  

My approach focuses on two main areas: presentation skills and environmental factors. Here’s what that looks like: 
  
1. Enhanced Presentation Skills:   
Drawing from the 12 Charismatic Leadership Tactics (CLTs) researched at the University of Lausanne, I help you elevate your communication and impact on video. These tactics, such as using metaphors, telling stories, and incorporating expressive gestures, have been proven to increase perceived leadership capability by up to 60%.   
  
We’ll start by working on three key non-verbal areas that show immediate results: 
• Animated voice: Learn to add variation and emotion to your voice for better audience engagement. 
• Facial expressions: Develop a greater range of expressions to convey emotions and connect more deeply with your viewers. 
• Gestures: Use hand and body movements effectively to emphasise your points. 
  
Additional techniques we cover include: 
- Increasing camera engagement to bring your videos to life. 
- Using emotional contrast to highlight key points. 
- Seamlessly co-presenting to camera for a polished and professional appearance. 
  
2. Enhanced Environmental Factors:   
We'll also refine the technical setup to ensure your environment supports your performance. This includes optimising your teleprompter use, adjusting lighting and sound to reduce distractions like echoes, and aligning your video backdrop with your message. 
   
If you’re looking to boost your on-camera skills and elevate your video content, I can guide you through every stage of the process to maximise your impact.

All of the people I’ve coached know or have come to learn the value of being seen as the face of an organisation.

They know that when they speak at events people will want to come and talk with them, and those conversations lead to opportunities that might not have happened if they were not on stage.  

They are held in high regard in their industry and on their subject. Their name and face are what appears on the list of conference speakers and that kind of marketing reach is priceless for them, their organisation, and their career.

No, I’m not a script writer, and I believe it’s far more powerful to use your own words, so you will need to write a word for word script as we work together.

This will allow us to repeat and refine your words as we progress and capture the gold within your message.

If you require a script writer, I can recommend one for you.

I’ve trained many high-profile people to not only become better at speaking, but to become more self-aware as leaders.  

In all situations, our message and delivery say we are either capable, cool calm and collected, likeable, approachable, trustworthy and inspiring.  

Or uncomfortable, unapproachable, cold and detached, and unapologetically incomprehensible.

Public forums are not the best place to discover which one of these two types of leaders you are being perceived as.  

You need a place where you can uncover your weak points in your speaking and your leadership perception.  

And you need someone who can be honest with you, you need to know you can do this safely, and that you can trust them.

My job is to help you find the core messages you are wanting to convey and then remove any of the barriers that get in the way of the message being clear and concise.  

This could include the way you speak, the language you choose to use, your natural ability to influence others, your unconscious mannerisms, behaviours and bias that are potentially preventing you from inspiring others.

With executive speaker coaching you’ll have a safe and confidential space where you’ll learn how to educate, engage, entertain and inspire any audience as you become more self-aware of your own areas for personal and professional improvement.

How we practice your delivery will be determined by the environment you will be ultimately delivering in. If it’s freestyle, fully open stage, we will practice using an area based on the researched of the presentation venue in advance.  

If it’s from a lectern we will practice based on where the lectern is positioned on the stage.  

If you’re using full notes, we will practice with a folder that I will recommend or supply.  

If you’re delivering online, we will practice to camera using your equipment that you will use for the live event.  

Practice includes the use of your clicker for your slides, and any other equipment you will need to be comfortable with for the event.  

The core foundation of our delivery practice will align to the 12 charismatic leadership tactics as researched at the University of Lausanne - you can find the link to the research HERE.

In the first few sessions we focus on the design of your talk, presentation or investment pitch, this is the ideas and concepts stage. It’s helpful to either record the session on your phone audio or have a notepad to grab ideas and they start to flow.

I’m not a script writer, and I believe it’s far more powerful to use your own words, so you will need to write a word for word script as we work together. This will allow us to repeat and refine your words as we progress and capture the gold within your message.

I will ask you loads of questions from the perspective of someone who doesn’t know you or your subject. We identify a bunch of ideas, nothing is off limits, and no ideas are too wild, we go wide.

In doing this we go beyond what you may have thought was possible with your talk, presentation or pitch, this is where we find the bigger reason, the bigger idea, the more powerful message. The big problem that impacts us all. The idea that will make a difference in the lives of others.  

The personal story that defines who you are today based on the life choices you have made along the way, and the lessons you have learnt that will resonate with your entire audience.  

Through this process we will have a lot of possible directions and ideas, so we will then refine them to find your core message, this is where we go deep.  

This core message we have identified becomes the skeleton of your talk, presentation or pitch, you will need to work on the content development between our coaching sessions to add the layers of information.  

This is your area of expertise, your work, your story, your experience. The final outcome of your talk will be dependent on you putting time aside to do this work.  

I’m tattooed, I swear, I have ADHD, and I have lived through and overcome a hefty class A drug addiction.

I’ve openly shared my story publicly in the hope that my openness about ADHD and addiction can inspire people to get diagnosed and start living a new life for themselves without fear of judgment.  

I learnt a lot about myself, and human behaviour based on how far people will go to minimise the pains of an unhappy and struggle-filled life.  

Our worst enemy and critic is most often ourselves. We can all do with a bit of calm and shelter from our inner storm.  

As Milton said in Paradise Lost, “Long is the way, and hard that out of hell leads up to light.”  

In my darkest hour I met my wife Astella, that moment was over 14 years ago, and, in an instant, I decided to change my life.  

I have deep love, admiration, and respect for all that she is and does. We have a combined passion for adventure that includes our work together in our business, including scuba diving, and motorcycle riding.  

On the business front, I take what I do very seriously. The outstanding outcomes achieved by my customers and clients speak for themselves.  

I have over twenty-five years of hands-on experience in my field and I’m a Professor Of Practice at the University Of Canterbury.  

I give 100% of my energy and effort to the people I work with, I am committed to doing everything I can to ensure you get the outcome you need.  

However, this doesn’t mean I fit with everyone as their coach, facilitator, speaker or trainer, and I’m ok with that. I suggest you do your own research and make an informed decision about your choice. As with anything, finding the right fit is important. And that fit goes both ways.