Campaign to have Robert Rabbin be a judge
on the new ABC television program,
Strictly Speaking.

http://www.abc.net.au/tv/strictlyspeaking

The following letters were written by students and clients of Robert Rabbin, addressed to the Producer of the new ABC television show, Strictly Speaking, and sent to strictlyspeaking@sstar.com.au.

My name is John Anderson, and I am a marketing expert and public speaker.

Robert Rabbin should definitely be the judge on Strictly Speaking. Here is why:

1. You want a show that will engage and keep people on the edge of his seats. Without question Robert is the most engaging, even thrilling, speaker I have ever seen. He is a brilliant speaker, captivating ,and even mesmerising. (And he has the ability to bring out other peoples' ‘speaking genius’ through his authentic communication classes.)

2. He has a lifetime of wisdom accumulated from years of involvement in different personal and professional development training, so he is rich with stories, anecdotes, and experience that he brings into everything he does.

3. He is fun. His sense of humour puts him up there with some of the best comedians in the world. Being around Robert is like walking on the tightrope: you are alive every minute.

Choose Robert for sure; anything else would be less than the best. (I say this having seen and worked with hundreds of professional speakers.)

John Anderson
co-founder, Visionary Business Leaders
john.l.anderson@bigpond.com

If you only get one judge this year, make sure it's Robert Rabbin!

I've done hundreds of courses throughout my professional life and none have come close to having the impact that Robert's has had. And it's not just me, the feedback I've had from members of my team have been overwhelming with feedback such as, "The public speaking course was one of the best courses I've ever had." And this was from a seriously geeky software developer. If he can engage a senior software developer for a day he can engage anyone.

Apart from being a great teacher and superb public speaker he is damn funny even if he is a Yank. He’d be absolutely perfect.

Darren Leffanue
Service Delivery Manager, OBS
darren.leffanue@obs.com.au

I would love to nominate Robert Rabbin as a judge for Strictly Speaking. I think he’d make a highly effective and very entertaining addition to your panel of Judges. In fact, I’d say more than that, your show absolutely needs Robert Rabbin!

The practical wisdom Robert shares with budding speakers everywhere isn't something they could ever teach you at Harvard, Stanford, Wharton or L.S.E. Rhodes scholars miss out on that too. This, I have learned, is what Zen speaking mentors like Robert are for. If Rumi, Socrates and Robin Williams were somehow to mate, the result would resemble Robert Rabbin — a spiritual force for our times!

As an international award winning social entrepreneur and catalyst of numerous purpose-driven ventures, including most recently the State of the World Forum [Australia] initiative, I have turned to Robert over the years as a trusted speaking and communication strategist, coach, mentor and advisor. Please contact me if you require any further information or if you would like to get in touch with Robert.

Laurent S. Labourmene
leadership expert
laurent@labourmene.com

It has come to my attention that you may be considering Robert Rabbin as a judge on your speaking show. I'm writing to encourage you to place Robert as a judge on your show. I have completed a public speaking training weekend with Robert and during that weekend I learnt more from Robert and grew more in my speaking ability than I have in a year as a Toastmasters member. Robert cuts to the chase, is extremely well spoken, loves to speak his mind, and has that something special that distinguishes a magical speaker from the crowd. I highly recommend him as I'm certain he will bring something to your program that is very rarely found.

Guy Tebbutt
guy@earthlinkelectrics.com.au

I understand Robert has applied to be a judge of your new program and I would recommend that you consider him for that role. I have visited you website and believe he is PERFECT given the subject matter of your intended program.

I have studied public speaking with Robert and found his ability to coach and support people through this process to be nothing short of amazing. In addition, I believe he has the presence, wit, and ability to be an asset to a program of this type.

At least audition him. What have you got to lose. You won't regret it.

Carol Dawson
carolannedawson@hotmail.com

I would like to nominate Robert Rabin to be a judge on the new program Strictly Speaking. I attended a couple of Robert’s courses in Sydney in 2007 and found him to be very different to any other presenter I have ever met. His motto, “Have Mouth, Will Travel,” suits him well. He is extremely outspoken, entertaining, sometimes cringingly honest — but never cruel.

He told my group that he was often accused of being arrogant and his reply is always, “Thank you for your opinion." If someone is a bit uptight and precious about themselves he may well come across as arrogant. I personally found him to be 100% authentic.

I look forward to seeing this program when it goes to air — with Robert on board as a judge.

Jane Gillespie
Author, Counsellor, Marriage Celebrant, Motivational Speaker
hello@janegillespie.net

I don't know if you have already decided on your judging panel for this new and exciting-sounding program, but I would like to offer a suggestion if I may!

His name is Robert Rabbin and he hails from America but has made Melbourne his home for the last few years. I have studied speaking and have been doing it for years but I must say that I believe Robert to be by far the best public speaker I have ever come across! He has a way of encouraging authenticity in all of his students that really works; consequently any one who has been lucky enough to come under his tutelage improves considerably and quickly learns how to speak with genuine authenticity. He speaks straight from the heart and seems to know just how to pass that quality on to his students.

I cannot recommend him highly enough.

You can find him www.realtimespeaking.com.

May I wish you the best of luck with the program.

Bronwyn Baud
acting teacher
bronwynbaud@bigpond.com

I would like to nominate Robert Rabbin from Realtime Speaking (www.realtimespeaking.com) to be a judge on your show.

I am the CEO of Love Your Business, a training company that works with the leaders of small businesses. I do a lot of public speaking, and have been trained extensively by Robert. I have also brought him into my company to run a two day workshop for my whole team.

There are three reasons why I think Robert would make an outstanding judge for your show:

1. His capacity to tell the truth. More than anyone I have ever met in my life, Robert calls it as he sees it. He wouldn't be a mean judge like you see on some shows, but he wouldn't pull his punches.

2. He his a masterful public speaker, engaging, funny and technically brilliant (I have yet to hear him use one filler word when he speaks).

3. He is a great speaking trainer and coach. I think he would be a great contribution in having your speakers improve over the show. His main message is be authentic, and I think having your speakers become more authentic throughout the show would be extremely compelling — that's what I'd love to see watching the program.

If you would like to contact me, don't hesitate to call me on the numbers below.

Peter Cook
CEO, Love Your Business
peter.cook@loveyourbusiness.com

Robert Rabbin is one of the few people who is able to deliver constructive criticism and you receive it and appreciate the feedback. I think he would be a great judge because he does not put a person’s weak points down but builds them up. He gets my highest level of recommendation also because he is able to deliver his objectives even when faced with dealing with participants who are from a non-English speaking background. It would be good to get such an eclectic professional to be a judge on your show.

Chiedza Malunga
community worker, Multicultural Health & Support Service
chiedzam@nrch.com.au

I urge you to consider Robert Rabbin as a judge on Strictly Speaking not only for his wealth of knowledge and experience in the area but also for his entertaining style of presentation and warm personality.

We have had Robert as a consultant to our business for many years now. He has become a valuable member of our extended team and has had an enormous impact on our culture and how we deal with clients and staff.

I am happy to discuss Roberts talents with you further if required.

Jack Palumbo
Partner, Business Advisory, Rees Group Pty Ltd.
jpalumbo@reesgroup.com.au

I would like to nominate Robert Rabbin as a judge on the program Strictly Speaking. I went to a training on Conversation with Credibility, run by Robert and found him very helpful. Robert does not only train you as a presenter but is able to help us look within, ground ourselves, face the fears and other psychological and physiological hold ups and speak out openly and franky. He coaching touches you at a much deeper level.

Sarita Narayan
Senior Program Manager, Department of Planning and Community Development
Sarita.Narayan@dpcd.vic.gov.au

I would like to nominate Robert Rabbin to be a judge on your new television show “Strictly Speaking”. Robert is a gifted human being with the capacity to “hear” what people are saying about themselves in the words and actions they choose when speaking or not. He has the wonderful capacity to re-connect people back to the true intention of their communication. Robert has opened me up to an awareness of how different the impact of my speaking is when I am intimate and authentic and speaking from the heart versus being a talking head and making a lot of noise.

May I leave you with a small excerpt from Roberts’s writings:

“Communication is a contact sport: to play, and play well, we have to touch each other. If we want people to “buy” us, to believe us as we speak, we have to make an authentic connection with them. Authentic connection means that you touch your audience by speaking from your heart to theirs, in a simple direct manner. You look into their eyes and tell the truth. Our credibility and believability do not depend on the quality of our content, but on the quality of our connection”.

These are just a few examples of why I feel that Robert would make an excellent contribution to the success of your new show.

In thanks for your favourable consideration,

Lou Bacher
Managing Director, Charter Security
lbacher@chartersecurity.com.au

It's come to my attention that you're currently looking for judges for "Strictly Speaking".

Look no further, he is here amongst us and his name is Robert Rabbin.

I have taken part in many personal growth type workshops but none have been as valuable, enjoyable and far-reaching as Robert's. In fact, I stopped doing them after Robert, as there seemed no point. This man has a mouth, and can he can really use it.

Yet, he's not some manic self-centred talking machine (do we really need any more of those on TV?). He's an excellent listener (the secret ingredient of good talkers).

HIs sense of humour is superb and he can give the tough feedback without destroying a person's dignity.

Check him out, I know you won't regret it. His website is www.realtimespeaking.com.

Diana Corr
graphic designer
corr.diana@gmail.com

I would love you to consider Robert Rabbin to be a judge on your new television show, "Strictly Speaking." Robert is an American – but his cool personality is enough to forgive him for this affliction — who moved to Australia four years ago and currently lives in Melbourne.

The reason for this recommendation is that, strictly speaking, Robert would be great fun and a masterful voice on such program. What has won me over was Robert’s motto for more than 20 years: "Have Mouth, Will Travel." We in Australia tend to talk ourselves down rather than up. Some of our great home-grown achievements and inventions go unnoticed and unrewarded because we do not use our mouth to ‘travel well’.

I am the founder and Chief Inspirator of a cool national business innovation conference and network InnoFuture, and InnoFuture Momentum. On a recommendation I invited Robert as a panellist and guest speaker to one of the Momentum events on the topic “How to make ideas stick – The art of Persuasion”. I saw him transform a shy scientist, who naively had put up a hand when asked a leading question by Robert, ‘who hates public speaking?’ – so of course he pulled her out of the audience and transformed her into a crowd pleaser, who was holding a comfortable impromptu conversation with the 80-strong audience.

Robert is smart, deep and funny (smart enough to hide the fact that he is deep and smart) — perfect for ABC audience.

Margaret Manson
Chief Inspirator, InnoFuture
mmanson@globaltrendz.com.au

I am writing to recommend Robert Rabbin as a judge for your new program ‘Strictly Speaking’.

Earlier this year I attended Robert’s public speaking workshops. Although I was doing a fair bit of speaking already, I still couldn't say that I loved it. Robert's programs changed that for me. Robert taught me to make a genuine connection with my audience and to speak authentically.

He is an expert in the field of speaking and an entertaining and humorous speaker himself.

He is also a natural at getting to the heart of what it is that holds a speaker back. In the four days that I spent in his workshops I observed time and again how he was able to pinpoint the ‘real’ issue for each participant – it was an incredible thing to see because once this was identified, each person was able to speak to the audience in a natural, engaging manner.

Robert has the art of story telling fine tuned — and he’s great at teaching others how to do the same.

I highly recommend Robert as a judge. He has an exceptional level of awareness about the qualities that make a speaker successful. And he’s a fun guy to have around!

Please feel free to contact me if I can be of any further assistance.

Kind regards,

Kate James
founder, Total Balance Group
kate@totalbalance.com.au

I would like you to consider a very unique and gifted speaker to part of your Judging panel for the up and coming ‘Strictly Speaking’ show on ABC.

Robert Rabbin is a very special talent in coaching and listening to speakers. He hears and sees it all, even though the speaker may be wanting to project or share something quite different, Robert is able to see through the exterior and really challenge, encourage and inspire speakers to speak from their deepest passion with confidence.

Until I worked with Robert Rabbin, I was really just telling rambling stories and being a legend in my own lunch box..now I am connected to my words with feeling and use my whole ‘instrument’ to enchant and truly engage with the audience.

I highly recommend that you consider Robert to be on your judging panel for ‘Strictly Speaking ‘

Pauline Walker
founder, Feeling to Footprint
pauline@pkwalker.com

I would like to nominate Robert Rabbin as a judge for this show. Robert is an inspirational public speaking guru who practices what he teaches – authenticity, integrity and connection. I know this from personal experience.

When Robert comments on someone’s performance he connects heart to heart. As you know contestants are being brave and vulnerable in front of a large audience and the sensitivity and awareness of the judge can make such a difference to their potential. Robert is a master at this – he has the amazing ability to support and inspire people to take risks, connect with who they are and then reach incredible heights.

Robert is a master class speaker himself and will cheekily add so many flavours to your show. He is outrageously witty, highly discerning, knowledgeable and inspiringly honest. I wouldn’t be surprised if people tune in just to hear what he has to say. I know I will!

Linley Anderson
Deputy Principal (Primary school)
Bunbury, WA
linley.anderson@gmail.com

I would like to support a nomination for Robert Rabbin to be a judge on “Strictly Speaking.” I had the privilege of being trained by Robert in public speaking. He is very inspiring, funny and interesting. When assessing your abilities, he is able to point out areas that need improving without being offensive and in a way that not only makes you laugh but makes you accept your flaws and want to improve.

Robert is extremely entertaining and the whole training group was in awe of him. He is very confident, charismatic and has a charm that is infectious. He would make an excellent judge and I look forward to seeing his natural talents exposed to a wider audience.

If you would like further information, I would be very pleased to speak to you at any time. My private mobile is 0422 777929.

Warm regards,

Emmie Lidis
Team Leader Information and Response
Commonwealth Respite & Carelink Centre / CarerLinks North
EmmieL@mchs.org.au

I would like to nominate Robert Rabbin, a brilliant speaker and teacher, for the position of a judge on 'Strictly Speaking'. I was fortunate enough to attend one of Robert's workshops on public speaking, and to my amazement, he managed to get me to stand up there and give a speech without falling in a nervous heap, like I used to do.

Robert is not only a brilliant speaker himself, he also knows what constitutes a great speech, and a great speaker. He is down to earth, has a wicked sense of humour, and teaches with passion, authenticity, and great success. I know that Robert will be a valuable addition to your panel of judges.

I wish you every success with your show.

Best regards,

Leesa Counihan
leesacounihan@yahoo.com.au

I would love to nominate Robert Rabbin as a judge for your television show, Strictly Speaking. I feel he would be a perfect fit because he tuly is the embodiment of a what a master public speaker looks like, sounds like and simply is.

I've known Robert for almost two years and if I were to describe him, I would do so as a transformation speaker and teacher, one who is integrous with every interaction that he encounters and he certainly has a colourful sense of humor that delights his audiences into fits of laughter at times.

In the time that I've known him, I have witnessed his students transform into exceptional speakers through his gentle and bold guidance. His strong intuition helps move his students through their limiting beliefs.

I would strongly encourage you to visit his website, http://www.realtimespeaking.com, to gain a better understanding of this fine character. I remember one of his students stating that Robert is everything but vanilla. I dare you to check him out!

If you would like to have a phone conversation with me to discuss Robert further, you are more than welcome to contact me on the numbers below.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Deanne Mathews
Assistant Producer / The Difference™
deannem@inspiredliving.com.au

Having seen Robert Rabbin (http://www.realtimespeaking.com) in action as a speaker and a coach several times, I wholeheartedly commend him as a judge for Strictly Speaking.

Robert has far more than speaking and coaching skills. He is one of the most intelligent people I know, incisive in his ability to see the best and worst qualities of those he assesses in his courses. His sharpness does not just come from his training, experience and skill but rather from his
intelligent inspirational heart. He does not spare the would-be speaker from what needs to be said, but he also knows how to bring the best out of his charges. Robert is fun, he is challenging, he is practical and he has integrity.

What more would you want from a judge?

Sincerely,
Carla van Raay
best-selling author and public speaker
godsgirl@iinet.net.au

I would like to support Robert Rabbin's nomination to be a judge on strictly speaking. I have participated in several seminars with Robert including a two-day intensive workshop.

I am quite sure that he would make a fantastic judge because:

• he has a wealth (understatement) of experience in speaking and teaching
• he speaks from the heart and encourages and helps others to do the same (it's not about winning an argument, or proving your point, or looking good; it's about communication)
• he is a compassionate man but also a VERY straight talker
• he is a great contributor to the community (I first met him through pro bono work he was doing for the charity where I work, Asylum Seeker Resource Centre: http://www.asrc.org.au
• he's fun to be around

Please do not hesitate to contact me if I can help in any further way with your decision making process (mob. 0438 414 467).

Kind regards and good luck with the program. I'll be watching it for sure.

Patrick Lawrence
Food-Bank Co-ordinator
Asylum Seeker Resource Centre
food@asrc.org.au

I would like to nominate Robert Rabbin as a judge for Strictly Speaking.

I have known Robert for about 5 years now. He has run a number of his RealTime public speaking workshops and events at my business, The Intuitive Well, here is Sydney and I have followed his progress over these years that he has been in Australia.

Robert is very gregarious, he is verbally, physically, and emotionally articulate, funny, quick and engaging. He knows his stuff. He is an ideal person to consider for such a position.

From his unusual background, he would add a very unique dimension that would give an exciting perspective suitable to a broad audience, from simple people to complex thinkers.

His extensive background and work can be best understood by looking at his website, http://www.realtimespeaking.com.

Having been a successful company director for over 25 years, I have met a lot of people and I have placed a lot of people in positions. Therefore in writing to you from this perspective, I could virtually guarantee your ratings would be enormously helped along by Roberts presence on the show and it would make your work enjoyable – which is perhaps more important to you and in the end to the audience.

Michael Dunne
director, The Intuitive Well
info@tiw.com.au

If you're looking for the perfect judge for your new program, "Strictly Speaking", I urge you to call on Robert Rabbin. He's an American who now calls Australia home, living in Melbourne in the suburb of Richmond.

I attended his RealTime Speaking weekend workshop in May this year and it has been life changing. I loved his concept of speaking with an authentic voice. After years of not being able to speak publicly, his workshop promised so much - and he really delivered !!! His approach is so different. He allows no hiding behind notes, a podium, or oneself.

I've since given two very successful public talks, amazed at the ease I was able to present and be totally authentic, with just a few bullet points and absolutely no detailed notes. Answering questions from the floor was a breeze. Robert's no-nonsense, straight up teaching style is brilliant. I can't imagine anyone better to sit on your panel for your new program.

If you're in any doubt, please read his book, "RealTime Speaking: YOU Are the Message!". It's an amazing encapsulation of what he brings to the art of speaking publicly. Pages and pages of enthusiastic comments by many who have attended his classes.

I hope you'll appoint Robert as a judge. He's a great and very funny presenter (definitely no shrinking violet!!)
You can reach him on on 0434 260 828. His website is http://www.realtimespeaking.com

Wishing you well with the new program.

Heather Wilks
heather@ohnaturale.com