SpeakEasy with Eric Egan Eric Egan

Your interests must take priority. Avoid the disease to please. Frankly, no one ever said this would be easy, but standing your ground or sticking up for yourself in professional and personal settings is essential to building the confidence required to speak effectively. When the discomfort and anxiety overwhelm, and giving in suddenly seems like the best option - Eric is providing a path to remaining committed to your points, steps you can easily implement to stay the course. Saying what's hard helps you set a personal precedent. You'll get better at it, at every turn. 

As much as we'd like to snap our fingers and immediately turn into speaking experts - it's just not going to happen that way. Building up your speaking arsenal takes time. Eric pulls from a recent experience involving his son, and a superhero story. Even those gifted with superpowers struggle to find the right words. This episode will refresh and remind you how to stay sharp and improve your technique. Never stop learning - and you will never stop growing.  

Don't confuse vulnerability with weakness. Imperfection, maybe, but the same shortcomings you fear could resonate with your audience. Eric shares why being vulnerable is a ticket to connecting with a crowd. Let them in by being willing to share a personal story, or acknowledge a flaw. You have a better chance at connecting when seen as relatable. This will allow an audience to invest and engage with you as a speaker. Plus - the types of stories worth sharing and when they can be most impactful. 

On average, we meet our best friends around the age of 21. So what happens later in life after those formative years? Are we supposed to be ok with the struggle of finding true friendships in our 30s and 40s? Eric examines a recent write-up in The Atlantic  magazine (Katharine Smyth), with the focus on why making friends gets harder as we get older, what gets in the way and why it can be frustrating. It's tongue-in-cheek but it needs to be said. Keep your chin up, there is still a bright side.

There are two sides to every conversation, there must be. So, be strategic and listen. Forget the sales tactics, show your interest by understanding the needs of the person across from you.  Eric sits down with Media Maven Public Relations founder, host and blogger, Christina Nicholson - to get to the bottom of what it takes to sincerely reach people. To some degree It will involve a personal and genuine connection, face to face communicating, and at times a filter-free mindset. Eric and Christina also talk new business game plans and how to turn fear into excitement, when speaking to a crowd!

In simplest terms, be strategic in simplifying your approach. From your outline to your language, you and your audience will find wisdom (and success) in this process. Take away the pressure to perform while providing clarity for the crowd. Simplicity leads to originality, creates space for the true you and allows for better understanding. Your next time at the front of the room will suddenly seem more achievable.