Amy Port: Performance

In today’s show of Words with Friends, Phil interviews Amy Port, Co-Founder and President, Heroic Public Speaking.

Today we are going to talk about “performance”. And there is no one better suited than Amy to give us some nuanced insights on this topic.

Drawing on her years of coaching experience, Amy shares how listeners can improve their public speaking skills. Many of us fail to realize that subject matter expertise does not translate into public speaking expertise. 

So, how can we reign in our nervousness when speaking on stage in front of thousands of people? The biggest mistake that public speakers make is worrying about the frivolous – like how they look on stage, for instance. Amy shares that listeners need to focus on “results” instead of “performance”. Rather than serving out egos, when we are on stage, we need to consciously remember that we need to serve the audience.

Amy also reveals that access to a safe haven where you rehearse your public speaking skills in front of well-meaning critiques is the best way forward. Doing so will allow you to test out purposeful and bold choices, adapt, and then pivot.

The latter segment of the show is particularly relevant as we talk about communicating with your family, peers, and employees in these trying times. Listeners will learn why transparent and empathetic communication is the need of the hour.

If you are a business leader struggling to put your thoughts into words, this segment of the show will be particularly interesting to you. 

We wrap up this show with a fun and engaging rapid fire round. We hope you enjoy this show!

What You Will Learn In This Show

  • Why subject matter expertise does not translate into great communication skills
  • How to use a feedback-driven approach to improve your public speaking skills
  • How to effectively communicate with your family and employees in these trying times and reign in stress and overwhelm
  • And so much more!

Quotes

“When we are performing well, when we are up-leveling the quality of our performance, we are able to create a potentially transformational experience”.

“When we think about keynoting as an art, not being data-driven, then in my experience, we can tap into a whole level, a whole different level of potential and connection with the audience”.

“So high levels of performance means that you’re in service of your audience or you’re in service of the outcome or you’re in service of the moment, not in service of your ego”.

“If part of the point of live experience is connecting and creating an experience for the people in the room, it requires that we be in the moment as performance speakers”.

“If we’re looking for approval for our work, that hole will never be filled completely”

“Performance at its best is grounded in reality. It is grounded in humility”.

Resources

Find out more about Amy Port here:

Season 4

Season 3

Season 2

Season 1

Your host:
Phil M Jones

Phil M Jones has made it his life’s work to demystify the sales process, reframe what it means to “sell,” and help his audiences to learn new skills that empower confdence, overcome fears and instantaneously impact their results.