RealTime Speaking is a force that comes from within you, and it is all about your living out loud — authentically, with confidence, credibility, and connection.

Q: Why is it so hard to do that?
A: At some point in our life, we have all had our exuberant, free, creative powers of self-expression criticized, restricted, judged, or condemned. It is a common experience to have compromised what we wanted to say in the face of a strong, authoritative challenge. From these threatening experiences, we created survival-based decisions to repress our true feelings and voice, our authentic self-expression. RealTime Speaking is a means to recover our original freedom, joy, and fearlessness of authentic self-expression. This comes first, because without this return to wholeness, we will never become truly great speakers. Then, we learn to be effective, how to create a conscious, intentional, and purposeful effect through our speaking. RealTime Speaking, as authentic speaking, is about “self.” RealTime Speaking, as effective speaking, is about “other.”

RealTime Speaking requires that we truly show our self in front of our audience, that we be real. In other words, we can't hide, we can't pretend. This is difficult for most people, because we are so used to presenting a facade, an image, a facsimile of who we really are. We may think transmitting information is communicating: it is not. We may think that reading from a prepared text or pointing to a PowerPoint is speaking: it is not. We may think we can be credible by standing behind our title, credentials, or the quantity of our content. We can not.

Q: What is the difference between “YOU Are the Message!” and “Speak for Effect!” workshops?
A: “YOU Are the Message!” focuses on authenticity of self-expression. We explore the nature and feeling of authenticity, eliminate blocks and dissolve fears that inhibit self-expression. We learn about the power of confidence, and become aware of, and practice using, the five elements of our communication instrument. Participants have numerous opportunities to speak on camera, which provides powerful real-time learning and immediate improvement in RealTime Speaking principles and practices.

“Speak for Effect!” focuses on content creation and communication effectiveness — specific ways of connecting with and getting into the hearts and minds of your audiences. You will be introduced to The Five Ps and the RealTime Speaking Flight Plan, a clarifying and organizing tool which enables you to easily generate clear, concise, memorable messages for all manner of communication opportunities: keynotes, lectures, business and sales presentations, fundraising pitches, workshops, media interviews, marketing collateral — even marriage proposals!

Q: Is RealTime Speaking more applicable to business or personal life?
A: Is there a difference? Are we not always trying to make an impact or produce a specific outcome through the integrity of our being and quality of our speaking? I think you’ll agree that everything we do involves speaking, and all our speaking has some kind of purpose — whether it be to nurture intimacy with our partner, demonstrate tenderness with our children, motivate our staff, achieve buy-in for new corporate values, make a good first impression, or sell our product or service to a new customer. Everything in life is dependent on the quality of our communication, which is wholly dependent on the authenticity of our self-expression.

People are always trying to see if we are believable, if we are for real. They want to know this about us. We need to believe someone to trust them. We need to trust them to listen to them. We need to listen to them to understand them and consider what they are saying. If you want people to consider what you are saying, then you'd better be believable, and that can not be faked. There is no strategy or technique in the world to fool the intuitive radar of someone who is sincerely asking: Are you for real?

The only acceptable answer is your authenticity. This answer is valid whoever you are, wherever you are, and whatever you’re doing! If you're not consistently generating the results you want through your speaking, look first to your level of authenticity, the degree to which you are being real with yourself and others.

Q: What’s the difference between RealTime Speaking and conventional presentation skills training programs?
A: The difference is similar to the difference between a manual typewriter and a new MacBook Pro! RealTime Speaking is an intensely transformative experience, which liberates the full measure of your expressive power from self-doubt and fear of criticism and judgment. RealTime Speaking is about authentic self-expression, about the courage and confidence to speak one’s truth with power and passion. RealTime Speaking uses intimacy with self and vulnerability with others to create the authentic connection without which true communication can not occur. RealTime Speaking is a way of speaking in which words, tone, gestures, and spirit are used to reveal, rather than to conceal, one’s authentic self, purpose, and motivation. In RealTime Speaking, one must feel connected to what one is saying: one must feel a true and meaningful synergy between who one is, what one is saying, and how one says it. This integrity is essential in RealTime Speaking, and it comes from this alignment of self, message, and purpose. Yes, we do work with specific behavioral practices and principles of effective speaking — but always as a subset of authentic self-expression.

Q: Do you work with people on specific events, like keynotes and media interviews?
A: Yes! Personal coaching — for individuals or teams — is a very effective way to prepare for a specific event. I also work privately with people in all sectors to develop their RealTime Speaking power and communication skills and effectiveness. Please see the program descriptions in the Coaching section of this website.

Q: What will I learn in RealTime Speaking programs?
A: RealTime Speaking teaches you how to be credible and how to inspire and influence others through authenticity, confidence, and connection. RealTime Speakers are natural, powerful, and persuasive. RealTime Speakers are truthful and transparent. RealTime Speaking will transform and elevate the way you speak — quickly, easily, and permanently. So, if you feel inhibited about public speaking and ever

• withhold your point of view
• fear being criticized or judged
• feel misunderstood or not taken seriously
• miss opportunities to promote your ideas
• fail to command attention and respect
• avoid situations because of poor speaking skills

then you will appreciate RealTime Speaking. If you want to develop a truthful and profound presence, if you want to connect with others and express yourself with

• ease, enthusiasm, and joy
• passion, poise, and power
• clarity, credibility, and confidence

and if you seriously want to

• fulfill your leadership potential
• learn to say what you mean and mean what you say
• positively impact and influence everyone you meet
• effectively express your values, ideas, and point of view
• have others experience you as memorable, credible, and authentic
• improve your public speaking confidence, skills, and impact

then you will appreciate RealTime Speaking. RealTime Speaking is an exhilarating learning experience that radically improves your ability to present YOU, to speak and spread your message in a compelling and believable manner — whether you are a seasoned politician, organizational leader, manager, professional, entrepreneur, teacher, academic, healer, cleric, or fund-raiser.