The Gift of Speaking: Sharing Your Expertise with Joy

One thing I truly enjoy this time of year is the way most people’s thoughts turn to the joy of giving. I think one of the reasons people like to give gifts is because a gift can say so many things for us. Things like, “You’re important to me,” “You’re special,” “I appreciate you,” and so on.

How many of you are aware that speaking and sharing your expertise with others from the stage is actually you, gifting something meaningful to your audience?

It doesn’t matter if you’re speaking about something profound or lighthearted. There’s no one else quite like you, who shares what they know, in the way that you do. Okay… so now I feel like I’m quoting a Dr. Seuss book, but the fact is, every time you speak, there are people who will feel like they’ve just received a gift.

For years, I was convinced I didn’t need to speak. For me, working “backstage” with people who wanted to learn more about public speaking was enough. Now that I’m speaking more, I have more insight into what stops so many speakers from gifting themselves with permission to share their expertise with an audience. Here are three of those insights that fit perfectly within one of this holiday season’s themes: gifting.

#1: Recognize Your Expertise as a Gift. If you’re thinking your expertise is common knowledge, IT’S NOT! You’ve just forgotten all the time and effort you put into making your content easier for your audiences to understand. You truly are an expert, and it’s time to embrace your knowledge and problem-solving solutions as true gifts to people who will benefit from them. Don’t discount times when people tell you how amazing you are and how you should be speaking more either. That’s a gift from them!

#2: Everyone Has Fear Stumbling Blocks… such as the fear that your presentation won’t be good or interesting enough… that people won’t care… or that you’ll make too many mistakes delivering your content. When you acknowledge and accept the fact that your signature talk is a true gift to your audience, it takes the focus off your fears, and lets the true message of why you’re speaking to them shine through. “You matter.” “You deserve more.” “Your success is important to me.”

#3: Gift Your Best Content Freely. Trust me, it will come back to you. The fact is, there will always be people who will gladly accept every piece of free content you offer—with no intention of working with you. Don’t judge them. And don’t let a few people be the deciding factor for how much content you’re going to gift your true potential clients. Instead, make sure the content you’re gifting is both informative and actionable evidence of how much more time and money you can save them when they start working with you directly.

There’s no denying that it only takes about two seconds to come up with a reason to not risk gifting any part of our personal brand/blend of expertise and knowledge. But there’s also no denying how it feels when our audiences and clients share their stories of success with us. Their stories are gifts that fill us right up. They remind us of what can happen when we genuinely gift ourselves with the joy of helping someone solve their problem.

Now, as I reflect on all the new and seasoned speakers I’ve had the privilege of meeting, getting to know, and working with since the inception of At the Podium, I’m reminded how lucky we are to experience the joy of gifting every time we take the stage.

I wish you and yours a peaceful joyous healthy happy holiday season and beyond!