Matt Abrahams

Oh, there's so many good structures. Don't get me started. Problem, solution, benefit, as I mentioned, comparison, contrast, conclusion, past, present, future. My favorite structure in the whole world is three simple questions. What? So what? Now what? You start with the what. The what is your idea, your feedback, your update, your product or service.

Oh, there's so many good structures. Don't get me started. Problem, solution, benefit, as I mentioned, comparison, contrast, conclusion, past, present, future. My favorite structure in the whole world is three simple questions. What? So what? Now what? You start with the what. The what is your idea, your feedback, your update, your product or service.

The so what is why is it important to somebody you're speaking to? What value does it bring? And then the now what is what comes next? So by leveraging a structure like this or many others, the whole second part of my new book is all about structures for different circumstances. You can actually do better. So I encourage people to find structures that work from them and then leverage it.

The so what is why is it important to somebody you're speaking to? What value does it bring? And then the now what is what comes next? So by leveraging a structure like this or many others, the whole second part of my new book is all about structures for different circumstances. You can actually do better. So I encourage people to find structures that work from them and then leverage it.

Now, I want to take a quick time out. I just used what, so what, now what to answer that question. I told you what the best structure was. I told you why they're important. And I encouraged everybody to find one and use it. So it's just a simple, easy way to package up information for me as a communicator. But it hopefully helps you as a listener understand it and then act on it better.

Now, I want to take a quick time out. I just used what, so what, now what to answer that question. I told you what the best structure was. I told you why they're important. And I encouraged everybody to find one and use it. So it's just a simple, easy way to package up information for me as a communicator. But it hopefully helps you as a listener understand it and then act on it better.

That's the power of structure.

That's the power of structure.

Thank you. Thank you. I score a point. Good.

Thank you. Thank you. I score a point. Good.

Yeah, it's not just what goes on between the ears. It's what goes on in your body as well. So in managing anxiety around speaking, you really, again, have to take a two-pronged approach. Everything comes in twos here. You have to manage symptoms and sources. Symptoms are the things that we physiologically experience. What happens in our body? Our heart beat faster. We might get shaky.

Yeah, it's not just what goes on between the ears. It's what goes on in your body as well. So in managing anxiety around speaking, you really, again, have to take a two-pronged approach. Everything comes in twos here. You have to manage symptoms and sources. Symptoms are the things that we physiologically experience. What happens in our body? Our heart beat faster. We might get shaky.

For me, I turn red and I blush. What happens for you, Stephanie, when you get nervous in speaking situations?

For me, I turn red and I blush. What happens for you, Stephanie, when you get nervous in speaking situations?

Yeah, we feel that getting hotter. Yes, absolutely. These are very normal and natural reactions, symptoms. And then there are sources that we can deal with as well. Let's start with the symptoms. There are many things we can do. My first book was called Speaking Up Without Freaking Out. And there were 50 techniques based on academic research that can help us feel better. Let me give you just a few.

Yeah, we feel that getting hotter. Yes, absolutely. These are very normal and natural reactions, symptoms. And then there are sources that we can deal with as well. Let's start with the symptoms. There are many things we can do. My first book was called Speaking Up Without Freaking Out. And there were 50 techniques based on academic research that can help us feel better. Let me give you just a few.

One is to take deep belly breaths. Deep breathing tends to work for most people. By taking a deep inhalation, filling your lower abdomen. If you've ever done yoga or tai chi, it's that deep breathing. And then the key is the exhalation. You want your exhale to be longer than your inhale. And the longer your exhale is, the more impact you have.

One is to take deep belly breaths. Deep breathing tends to work for most people. By taking a deep inhalation, filling your lower abdomen. If you've ever done yoga or tai chi, it's that deep breathing. And then the key is the exhalation. You want your exhale to be longer than your inhale. And the longer your exhale is, the more impact you have.

So just taking two or three deep breaths like this slows down your heart rate, slows down your speaking rate, stops some of the shakiness, and allows your voice to be deep and resonant. When we get nervous, we breathe shallow and our voices change.

So just taking two or three deep breaths like this slows down your heart rate, slows down your speaking rate, stops some of the shakiness, and allows your voice to be deep and resonant. When we get nervous, we breathe shallow and our voices change.