Articles
Anxiety as a Doorway to Transformation
If anxiety in some form is not a regular part of your life experience, good for you and you can stop reading now. Some us come from families in which we felt like outsiders. And my guess is that many of you reading this came into adulthood feeling cut off in some way...
Anxiety Allowed
Instead of putting our attention on ways to "get over" stage fright or "cover up" anxiety in front of groups--ways of focusing that just attract more of what we don't want--we focus on the pleasure of being natural in front of the room and let ourselves receive...
Toastmasters and Speaking Circles®
Two complementary but very different approaches to public speaking My approach to public speaking blends together a comprehensive set of stress management tools with a specific public speaking methodology, developed by Lee Glickstein of Speaking Circles International,...
Transforming Stage Fright: From Self-Consciousness to Self-Confidence(SM)
In 1989, still desperately seeking a solution to my life-long stage fright, I invented the group process that came to be known as Speaking Circles®. Utilizing soft-focus group support for finite periods of time, this deceptively simple method has turned out to be the...
Relational Presence: The Key to Masterful Communication
You know it when it happens. Sometimes, probably not as often as you’d like, you genuinely communicate. You’re right there in the moment, truly listening. When you speak, there’s no self-consciousness or fear. The words flow easily; your thoughts are heard and...
How to Redirect Performance Pressure to Engage Your Audience
There's nothing more crucial to success in business than bringing a receptive and commanding presence into every meeting, whether one-on-one or with groups. Trainers need to motivate their participants; executives need to inspire their people; employees need to...
Frequently Asked Questions About Speaking Circles®
What is a Speaking Circle? What happens at a Speaking Circle? What do you mean by "Relational Presence"? Why the emphasis on listening? Why do people attend? How do Speaking Circles cure stage fright? What can a newcomer expect? What are the benefits of Speaking...
Speaking Circles® Standards of Support
For the safe exploration of Relational Presence, we agree to maintain the following standards of support: As audience members, to the best of our ability we: Keep our eyes gently available to the person in front of the group Remain quiet, except for laughter if it...
Speaking Circles®
Learn how to move through stage fright rather than trying to mask it by sharing who you really are.