What’s your biggest fear?
If you’re anything like the rest of the world, public speaking is probably one of your top three. But what if that was one thing holding you back from taking your business to the next level? Would you do something about it?
Guest Joe Yazbeck joined us on the #FlipMyFunnel podcast to talk about what he coined leadership-quality communications. He’s on a mission to help leaders come out of hiding and confidently speak about their business.
Here’s what we’re unpacking today:
- Why effective communication is integral in every industry
- How any personality style can become a stronger public speaker
- Why some executives and business owners refuse to speak up
- Nailing commercials and speaking confidently on camera
- Getting published and building your influence
This blog post is based on a podcast with Joe Yazbeck. If you’d like to listen to the full episode, you can check it out here and below.
One of the most valuable services you offer is what you call leadership-quality communications. Tell us about this.
Joe: This is something that evolved from my book, No Fear Speaking. I realized after conducting several global tours and getting my book translated to eight different languages that leadership was a common key essential and desirable goal for people to be successful at. And not just in business, but in government and public service as well. When I looked at the word public speaking, it seemed to be associated with an awful lot of negative emotion. It happens to be the second greatest fear next to fear of the death of a loved one.
And so I looked and I thought, I’m in the leadership business, and a primary ingredient that I teach and coach on is public speaking. And what does an inspiring, motivating, and influential leader do to affect change? They learn how to communicate well.
So, I decided to put these two words together: leadership communications. This is now a coaching program where we train people on leadership quality communications. It’s simply a standard of communications that leaders must be able to perform in order to affect change or positive action.
I think communication is the single most important ability anybody can have if they want to be successful, especially leaders. What do you think about that?
Joe: Well, it’s indispensable. You cannot become an effective leader if you’re not a confident, dynamic communicator. You’ve got to be able to speak, you’ve got to be able to reach people. Now, I’ll tell you, it’s not just in areas in the world where you’ve got the top of the top in business, public service or community. We’re talking about people that need to attract clients to their businesses. Nowadays, I think every top executive, or every entrepreneur for that matter, regardless of the size of that business, should be able to master communications and be able to send their messages out, whether it be live or on camera or in front of a group at a board meeting, on radio, podcasts, webinars, or social media postings.
I mean, it is a visual age today, and so what I say to each and every one of my clients is if you don’t get visual, you’re not going to attract the ideal client you’re looking for. And so it’s not only important to communicate clearly with confidence, but also with the messages that are intended for that particular type of audience. The messages need to travel on that specific channel. It has to be the correct message on the correct channel going to the correct audience.
You mentioned these things can be taught. What do you tell somebody who says, “Well, I’m just not a very communicator naturally? Good communicators are born, not made.”
Joe: Communication is a talent that can be developed by anyone. Now, I think there’s a certain percentage of people, it’s a fairly low percentage, but there are people that aren’t communicating because they’re hiding. These are people who don’t want to be found out. I don’t trust people who don’t want to communicate and improve themselves.
I think social personalities, I think well intended, honorable, high-character people want to improve. Those are my clients. Those are the people I want to be standing in front of delivering a workshop to. The people that think they have all the answers are hiding behind a screen. What they’re really saying is, “I don’t want to be found out.” I think most people do want to learn how to become a confident, dynamic communicator and leader.
Joe’s Challenge:
Everybody has it in them, I think everyone has in them this kind of greatness, if you will. I think most executives or business owners are risking humiliation to themselves by not stepping up and getting more visible. And that can be handled in a training, coaching scenario where you can build that person’s confidence, where that lack of confidence, or that shyness or that nervousness or fear does not get in the way between them and their public. Download free my mini e-book, 30 No Fear Speaking Tips, which a lot of people love to use as a reference guide to get started.
