Eric Edmeades teaches you the fast path to influence.

“I was phobic. Terrified. Jittering. I would stare at the stage, the faces in the audience, and I would be drenched in cold sweat.”

Eric Edmeades, like so many of us, used to consider public speaking as a kind of personal torture. And he felt that for the same reason that people consider public speaking to be among their top three fears. In fact, he offers three reasons for this:

1. A legitimate fear over the last 200,000 years of ostracization for doing or saying the wrong thing and getting kicked out of your society – which basically meant death. Cancel culture plays on that today.
   
   
2. Misguided teachers who made you stand up and answer questions to which you didn't know the answer. “Children aren't the nicest audience. They’re cruel, yet you’re forced to face their ridicule unprepared.”
   
   
3. General assemblies only made it worse. “It’s time for the big presentation and the first kid nails it: props, work, slides, music. His parents, who are probably professionals, helped him – and he gets a thunderous applause. The next kid gets up and, nervous, his slides don't work, his props fall over, he’s on the edge of tears, blushing, maybe even peeing his pants. And he never wants to speak on stage again. And trust me, the kids in the audience, though they may be laughing, they absorb the same lesson: speaking is dangerous.”

But Edmeades has come a long way from his initial terror. Once a homeless 15-year-old, he now travels the world speaking to large audiences on subjects spanning health, business acumen, mental discipline – and the skill of speaking itself. He’s shared stages with Bill Clinton, Tony Robbins, and Sir Richard Branson.

Watch Eric Edmeades at METAL

As a result, he has become both an evangelist for – and a leading trainer of – public speaking.

But Edmeades insists he stumbled into his role as founder of Speaker Nation, a leading international public speaking training program. 

“I was teaching business and a student asked me what’s the most effective kind of marketing. And it had become crystal clear to me. You can only conduct so many face-to-face meetings in a day. But from the stage, you can have 5,000 people paying rapt attention to your message. This is real power, as both the worst dictators, as well as the greatest forces for good – Martin Luther King first among them – have known and mastered.”

So what are the keys to a powerful, effective, influential stage talk?  Edmeades lists a few:

• Be Authentic: "The most powerful tool you have as a speaker is your authenticity. Audiences can feel the difference between posturing and when you’re speaking your core truth and being genuine – and they respond to it. Be sure not to broadcast that you’re nervous, because it comes off as an inauthentic plea for sympathy and accolades.”
  
  
• Tell Stories: "Stories are the most powerful way to communicate a message because they engage emotions. Our brains are wired to learn through stories all the way back to cave fires, and your audience will remember your message better.”  
  
  
• Engage the Audience: "Public speaking is not a one-way street. Interaction is key. Ask questions, get a show of hands, and make your audience a part of the conversation."
  
  
• Start Strong: "The first few minutes are critical. Capture your audience’s attention with a powerful opening. Our attention span today rivals goldfish.” 
  
  
• Practice, Practice, Practice: "Rehearse your speech until you know it inside out. Confidence comes from preparation." 
  
  
• Use Visuals Wisely: "Visual aids should enhance your message, not distract from it. Keep them simple and relevant."
  
  
• Manage Your Energy: "Your energy is contagious. Use your body language and voice to convey enthusiasm and passion. Remember: goldfish."
                                                                                    
• Be Flexible: "Be ready to adapt if things don’t go as planned. Flexibility shows your audience that you’re confident and in control."
  
  
• Focus on the Audience: "Shift the focus from yourself to your audience. What do they need to hear? How can you serve them?”
  
  
• End with Impact: "Your closing is your last chance to leave a lasting impression. Summarize your key points and end with a powerful statement or call to action, something that resonates mightily around the room."

The good news, says Edmeades, is that everyone is a born speaker.

“Just have two glasses of wine and it comes out! It’s already in you. Really, anybody can do this and excel. You just need a bit of training and to attune to the frequency of the audience. You get up there, make a strong claim that you're gonna be outstanding, live up to that claim, then receive the accolades. The hard part – but only in the beginning – is believing them all!”

Written by Adam Gilad

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