I was looking through some old blog posts and found this image of me with Dale Williams about an hour after he finished his talk at TEDxAuckland 2013. Also with us is Vaughn Davis who was coaching the TEDxAuckland speakers. Good times! TBH the after party and breaks were easily as interesting as the talks, if not more so! 😃

🎤 **Mastering the Art of Stage Presence: A Simple Yet Powerful Practice** When it comes to delivering an impactful talk, preparation goes beyond memorising your content—it’s about mastering your performance. One technique I’ve found invaluable is rehearsing my *eyesight lines*. Here’s the reality: on most stages with professional lighting setups, the bright lights can act as a sort of “blindfold,” making it difficult to see your audience clearly. Yet, your audience can see you—and they expect to feel seen in return. So, how do you ensure every person in the room feels engaged, even when you can’t see them? The answer lies in intentional gaze practice. When rehearsing my talk, I divide the space in front of me into six segments: 🔹 Middle, right, and left 🔹 Higher (above eye level) and lower (below eye level) As I deliver each sentence, I rest my gaze on one segment. When I pause to breathe, I shift my gaze to another. This creates a dynamic connection with the entire room, ensuring no one feels overlooked—even if I can’t physically see them. Pro tip: Practice this technique while rehearsing against a blank wall. It trains you to focus your gaze intentionally, regardless of visual distractions or limitations. By incorporating this into your preparation, you’ll walk on stage with confidence, knowing you can engage your audience—even when the lights are blinding. What’s your go-to strategy for commanding the stage? Let’s share tips below! 👇 #PublicSpeaking #Leadership #CommunicationSkills #StagePresence

For those of you who want to know a bit more about the whole TEDx process, pros and cons of doing a TEDx talk, I have put together a few short videos in a classroom for anyone who joins this free community. I am working on a similar free classroom for pitching. Please feel free to give me feedback on them, anything you think I need to include there that I have missed. Enjoy.

I recorded a TEDx talk breakdown in the weekend. This is something I have been putting off for a while, I was unsure if anyone would find it interesting. The video is not perfect, but I decided to hit publish this morning anyway. All feedback welcome!