Breath, Tone, and the Art of Not Sounding Boring with Bailey Massey - 321
The Speaking Club: Mastering the Art of Public SpeakingShow Notes
"Finding your voice" might sound like a personal development cliché, but for speakers and leaders, it's the secret weapon that too many overlook. As a speaker your voice is your most important tool and mastering how to use it to its fullest effect is one of the most impactful things you can do. This isn't just about sounding 'nice', your voice is also a signal to your audience about your confidence, clarity, and credibility (…or lack of!). My guest, Bailey Massey, is a speech therapist turned voice and dialect coach who's helped everyone from actors to execs find their vocal power — without losing their authenticity. She's worked with clients who felt like their accent was holding them back, leaders struggling to be taken seriously, and speakers who were unintentionally sabotaging their message with vocal habits they didn't even know they had. Bailey brings a refreshing, practical approach to voice work, and in this conversation, she breaks down what makes a voice sound trustworthy, what you should do about fixing your accent, and why developing your voice might be the missing link between your expertise and the impact you want to have. If you want to communicate the best version of yourself — whether on stage, in a meeting, or on video — listen up as there's gems in this episode for you. What You'll Discover: Why all powerful communication starts with the breath The biggest myths around having an accent as a speaker How your voice affects how trustworthy, approachable, and confident you seem How to make the shift from monotone to engaging without sounding forced, or fake. Tips for vocal projection that protect your voice and energise your audience Why many voices sound flat on Zoom — and the mental trick that can help you overcome this. How to build vocal confidence Where to start if you would like to develop your voice Bailey's favourite success stories from clients who found their voice and changed their life Enjoy! If you'd like to watch the video of the episode, you can do that here: All things Bailey: Website: https://baileymasseyglobal.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/baileymassey/ Books & Resources*: All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir Speaking Resources: Grab Your From Blank Page to Stage Guide and Nail the Topic for a Client Winning Talk Want to get better at finding and sharing your stories then check out our FREE Five Day Snackable Story Challenge Thanks for listening! To share your thoughts: Share this show on X, Facebook or LinkedIn. To help the show out: Leave an honest review at https://www.ratethispodcast.com/tsc Your ratings and reviews really help get the word out and I read each one. Subscribe on iTunes. *(please note if you use my link I get a small commission, but this does not affect your payment)
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Let's be honest... Most of us think moderating a panel is just introducing the speakers, asking a few questions and making sure nobody waffles on for too long. Turns out... it's a little more complicated than that. Xenia Wickett has moderated conversations with some of the most influential people in the world, CEOs and senior policymakers including people like Elon Musk and Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Xenia has spent her career working at the highest levels of international affairs, advising governments and businesses, and moderating conversations. In this episode she shares what she's learned about guiding discussions, managing disagreement, reading an audience and asking the kinds of questions that unlock genuinely interesting conversations. Whether you ever plan to chair a panel or not, you'll come away with ideas that will make you a better speaker, interviewer and communicator. What you'll discover: • How Xenia found herself moderating some of the world's biggest conversations • Why moderation is far more than asking questions and keeping time • What interviewing CEOs and world leaders taught her about communication • How to challenge influential people without becoming confrontational • The subtle signs a conversation is losing the audience • How to keep discussions productive when opinions collide • The mistake many speakers make that frustrates moderators • Why listening is often a communicator's greatest superpower • Practical advice if you'd like to moderate panels yourself • The communication habits every speaker can borrow from great moderators Enjoy! If you'd like to watch the video of the episode, you can do that on our YouTube Channel shortly. Guest Information: Website: www.wickettadvisory.com Xenia's Blog: https://www.wickettadvisory.com/blog LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/xenia-wickett-2686b0 Books & Resources*: Winnie the Pooh by A.A.Milne TEDx | 5 Tips for Asking Better Questions, Xenia Wickett: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IuyCJUJgDk You can find Xenia's interview with Elon Musk here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWCfqBb0YTE Blog: How to Moderate Powerful Conversations: https://www.wickettadvisory.com/post/how-to-moderate-powerful-conversations [Quick Tip] Talk Flow Tips: Create Seamless Transitions Like a Pro, Episode 326 Speaking Resources: Grab Your From Blank Page to Stage Guide and Nail the Topic for a Client Winning Talk: https://saraharcher.co.uk/newguide-tsc Want to get better at finding and sharing your stories then check out our FREE Five Day Snackable Story Challenge: https://www.saraharcher.co.uk/challenge To share your thoughts: · leave a comment below. · Share this show on Facebook or LinkedIn. To help the show out: · Leave an honest review at https://www.ratethispodcast.com/tsc. Your ratings and reviews really help get the word out and I read each one. *(please note if you use my link I get a small commission, but this does not affect your payment)
Many speakers think that the sexiest part of their story for the audience is the before and after. They're wrong. The most valuable bit is often missed entirely or not given the space it deserves in your talk. In this episode, I'm covering what that missing part is, what leaving it out is costing you and why you might feel resistance to including it in your signature story. If you've ever felt your story isn't quite landing with your audience, or not getting you the results you want when you speak this episode might explain why ... and completely change the way you tell it. What you'll discover: • The storytelling mistake Sarah spotted happening judging this year's Speaker Awards • What The Odyssey can teach you about telling a memorable signature story • Why audiences care less about your success than you might think • The missing piece of your story that undermines trust • Why sharing your failures can make you more credible, not less • The reason audiences often admire your transformation but don't believe they can achieve it themselves • How expert blindness can sabotage your story • The simple questions that help you uncover the lessons hidden inside your story • How to include the struggle, even if you've only got a short speaking slot • Why the decisions you made matter more than the destination you reached • What caterpillars, butterflies and chicken recipes have to do with great storytelling Enjoy! If you'd like to watch the video of the episode, you can do that here>> Speaking Resources: Grab Your From Blank Page to Stage Guide and Nail the Topic for a Client Winning Talk: https://saraharcher.co.uk/newguide-tsc Episode 194, Storytelling. The Long and Short of It: https://thespeakingclub.com/episodes/tsc/194 Want to get better at finding and sharing your stories then check out our FREE Five Day Snackable Story Challenge: https://www.saraharcher.co.uk/challenge To share your thoughts: · leave a comment below. · Share this show on Facebook or LinkedIn. To help the show out: · Leave an honest review at https://www.ratethispodcast.com/tsc Your ratings and reviews really help get the word out and I read each one. *(please note if you use my link I get a small commission, but this does not affect your payment)