In this episode of The Secret Life of Great Leaders, Michael Bunting speaks with Trang Nova, a public speaking specialist and TEDx speaker who coaches professionals and organisations on using their voice with confidence and authority. Trang trained originally as a physiotherapist before a small, strange moment on an early morning run reshaped how she saw her impact on the world and set her on the path to coaching.Together, they unpack why becoming a great speaker is never just a matter of technique, since mindset, self-worth and old programming often decide whether someone can get on stage at all. Trang traces her own path from a shy child who grew up speaking Vietnamese at school to an international speaker and workshop facilitator, and explains why surveys consistently rank public speaking above death as people's greatest fear. The conversation also covers the role accountability and social pressure play in pushing people past their doubts, the real difference between authenticity and rehearsal (including the "danger zone" that catches speakers who under-prepare), and three simple, practical shifts, in articulation, stillness and facial expression, that change how anyone comes across in a room.It closes on something more personal: Michael's own admission that even after thirty years and thousands of audiences, he still wants to run in the ten minutes before he speaks. If you've ever felt that same flood of fear before standing up to talk, or wondered whether rehearsing too much kills authenticity, this episode offers a grounded, practical way to think about your own voice again, starting with one simple question: what would you attempt if you truly believed you could rewrite who you are?

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