New year, new skills: public speaking

If you’ve ever wished for the verbal expertise of a TED-talker, you’ll likely benefit from joining Toastmasters, a global non-profit organisation that teaches oral communication skills and leadership. William Hagerup, a Toastmasters Club President, shares some tips on presentation skills.

8 mins read
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12 Feb, 2025

The thought of public speaking usually conjures up one of two things for professionals: terror or acceptance. It rarely seems to be something anyone looks forward to or enjoys unless you’re blessed with natural stage presence, witty repartee, and profound confidence.

If you’re looking for a new challenge, learning how to overcome your fears and/or make improvements to your overall presentation style could be one of the best things you do for yourself this year. Not only can it be a huge benefit in your career, but it can also help with life in general – enabling you to speak with confidence and eloquence in situations that may be challenging.

Soft skills such as public speaking are highly sought after – and are vital in leadership roles. With dedication and practice, it’s possible for anxious or shy people to finesse their presentation skills and learn how to deliver to any audience. 

William Hagerup, President of the 104 London Debaters, has been involved with Toastmasters for more than 10 years. He took up public speaking initially for his work which led to it becoming a hobby and passion. At the London club, he mentors people in the art of debate – an exciting challenge for those who have already mastered the art of public speaking.

Q: How transformative can public speaking skills be in the workplace?

A:In the workplace, the ability to speak confidently and present in a convincing way can be powerful.

Good communication skills can encourage people to get on board with your ideas, regardless of your role. For example, speaking well can make all the difference if you need to sell a product or your own skills in a job interview.

Q: Ahead of a presentation, aside from testing any equipment, what key things should the individual do to help their confidence?

A:It’s very important to understand what makes your presentation successful, to help you gain confidence.

"As part of your rehearsal, it’s worth recording your presentation. Watching yourself can be painful, but it’s a useful exercise to help you spot habits or ticks."

William Hagerup

Club President of Toastmasters' 104 London Debaters club

As part of your rehearsal, it’s worth recording your presentation. Watching yourself can be painful, but it’s a useful exercise to help you spot habits or ticks – I used to have a tendency to move my head too much. If you’re far away from the audience people may not notice these things, but if you’re projected on a big screen, or in an online meeting, the camera magnifies you which can be very distracting for the audience.

It’s also useful to get feedback from a trusted mentor, friend, or colleague who is more experienced, and who can give you some honest feedback.

Q: Introverts and extroverts – can they master public speaking in the same way?

A: It’s often easier for extroverts to stand up in front of people, but it’s okay to have different presentation styles if you don’t have that confidence. The important thing is to find your voice and a way that you can be yourself in front of people without being too nervous, finding peace in being just the way you are.

Extroverts, like me, have one disadvantage in that we can sometimes have an unsubstantiated self-confidence which can lead to a lack of focus, and perhaps not communicating in the best way.

The introvert tends to be much more careful with their preparation, making sure they have everything clear for the audience, with their PowerPoint and with what they say. I’ve often seen examples of this with the nervous, wobbly-voiced introvert outshining the confident extrovert whose presentation is rushed or disjointed.

Q: Handling nerves – what to do when your throat goes dry before you’ve said a word?

A: If your nerves are debilitating so that you just can’t deliver, you should practise well in advance.

I’ve found breathing slowly and deeply really helps just before you start, and then look away from the audience. Perhaps the introduction is being given before you speak and your heart is pounding – use the moment to look out of the window to distract yourself, just don’t look at the audience.

Once you take the podium and you're in the focus, look over their heads and scan back and forth, so you only pretend to look at them – fake it till you make it.

Gradually your confidence will build because you’ve realised the sky didn’t fall down and no one is throwing things at you. But still don't look at the audience because sometimes if you’re nervous and start looking at people’s faces for reassurance, it can put you off your stride, especially if they’re not very receptive. Only when your nerves are under control should you start to make eye contact, if you wish.

Q: Delivery – can you share any tips for keeping to a designated time slot?

A: Preparation again is the key. Run through it a few times and use a timer.

A good rule of thumb is to use about 100 words a minute, which is a fairly slow speaking pace but a good one to help the audience follow you. Also, it gives a bit of leeway so that if you do improvise and add things that come to mind as you’re speaking, you have enough space to do that.

"You should never read from your PowerPoint slides or from a script as it’s really boring. Only refer to them for key points, graphs or pictures that will help engage the audience."

William Hagerup

Club President of Toastmasters' 104 London Debaters club

You should never read from your PowerPoint slides or from a script as it’s really boring. Only refer to them for key points, graphs or pictures that will help engage the audience and jog your memory if you need it. If you run through that a few times with a timer, you can give a fluent presentation without speaking too fast.

If you do need notes to hand, print them large enough that you don’t have to peer at the paper as you’re speaking. You can just have them as a reminder. Index cards are a good idea because you can hold them without fumbling with a big piece of paper, which can act as a barrier between you and the audience. If you are inexperienced or very nervous, write down the main points.

Q: When the tech goes wrong – how should you regain composure when the PowerPoint fails?

A:It’s good to prepare a joke in advance. If you’re able to say something funny when something goes wrong, it takes the edge off the situation. Perhaps just have an ‘emergency’ question ready to put to the audience or ask if they have any questions.

If your presentation depends on you showing some graphs or papers, you might have some print-outs ready to share rather than waiting for something to be fixed, which may take a long time.

I think it’s generally better not to rely too much on just one technology. Always think of backups. 

Q: Presenting online – what common pitfalls are there to avoid?

A:The basics are having good light so your face is bright. The sound is very important and should be tested in advance, perhaps with a friend. It might be worth investing in a slightly better microphone which can make a big difference. And then I’d say the position of the camera is important. You don’t want it too far up so that people are looking down at you, and not too far down, because then it looks like you’re standing over them like a strict headmaster.

Speakers sometimes get concerned that they need to look at the various screens and look at people’s faces, but audience members often turn off their cameras. I just ignore that a little bit and write my keywords on a document placed on the screen underneath where my camera is, so I’m looking in the direction of the camera. It's not noticeable to the audience because my eyes are in that direction, so they think I'm looking at them. So that’s quite a nice way of doing it and once I finish, I can just take the notes away and more fully engage with people. 

I also often ask if it’s possible for everyone to turn on their cameras because it’s a bit disconcerting talking to a blank screen or staring at their avatars. And it’s easier for them to zone out and start doing other things and not really pay attention when their cameras are off.

Q: Q&A time – what if you don’t know the answer?

A:I’m quite strict on this so I would say you should’ve done your homework better. I don’t think one should show up for a presentation if you haven't researched your subject thoroughly. There’s no real excuse for lack of preparation – you’re either showing disrespect for your audience or complete ineptitude if you’re not ready to answer any relevant question.

Of course, if it’s not relevant, it’s perfectly fair to say, “I'm sorry, I don’t think that's relevant. It’s not something that is specifically to do with what I said, so I’m not going to be able to answer that one now, but we can talk about it perhaps afterwards or in a different setting”.

If something comes up unexpectedly that you ought to have researched, you’re going to have to be honest and say you haven’t explored that in-depth but will be happy to go back to them with an answer through the contact details of the meeting organiser.

Looking for a new challenge in 2024? Get in touch with one of our expert consultants today.

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Scientific CV Template
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Scientific CV Template

​If you are looking for your next position in the science industry, it is important to optimise and tailor your CV to give yourself the best possible chance of securing your dream role.

Build the perfect scientific CV with our free template below:

[Full Name]
[Home Address]
[Contact Number] • [Email Address]

Personal Statement

This section is your chance to summarise the rest of the CV, and convince the recruiter to get in touch. It is important to keep it brief, between 50-200 words and outline; who you are, any specific skills you have to offer (including ‘soft skills’) and your career aim.

Depending on the role, the key ‘soft skills’ employers are likely to look for include: communication, decision making, leadership skills, problem solving and being a team player. Be sure to reference your ability in these areas wherever possible in your CV.

I have gained valuable experience in [area of expertise] at [organisation name] and have a particular wealth of experience and skills in [specific area]. I graduated in [year] from [university name] with a [degree class] degree in [subject], and am now an [industry] professional.

My important achievements include working alongside the [team name] team at [organisation], and contributing to projects such as [project name]. I was responsible for/organised [task] and increased/decreased [profit/other metric] by [£X/X%].

I am looking for my next opportunity within an [business type/industry] organisation, where I can bring real value and develop my [scientific/research] skills further.


Education

This is your chance to talk about your qualifications, academic and vocational. This is a particularly important section for those with no relevant work experience. You should give detail about what you studied, where and when, and list them in chronological order. If you have many of one qualification, such as GCSEs you might find it useful to group them together.

  • [University Name]

  • [Date M/Y– Date M/Y]

Degree subject and class achieved (list Masters/PhD first)

  • Modules studied

  • Skills used

  • Dissertation brief

[College/School Name]
[Date M/Y– Date M/Y]

A-levels:

  • [Subject] – [Grade]

  • [Subject] – [Grade]

  • [Subject] – [Grade]

[College/School Name]
[Date M/Y– Date M/Y]

GCSEs:

  • [Number] GCSEs, grades [range], including Maths and English

Skills

This section is useful to clearly outline the laboratory/scientific skills you’ve gained at university or in industry. Include even minor relevant skills to increase your chances of being discovered in a CV database search.

Work experience
This should be brief and, as a general rule of thumb, focus on the last five years of your career, or last three roles, in chronological order with most recent at the top.

If you are a recent graduate then work experience should be listed before your degree details - if the work undertaken was relevant. If it was not relevant to your industry then list detailed degree/dissertation information first.

You should highlight your key achievements and use bullet points rather than lengthy descriptions.

[Job Title], [Company Name] [Location]
[Date M/Y- Date M/Y]

Achievements and responsibilities:

  • Brief role overview

  • Worked alongside [team] to produce [project]

  • Implemented [change] which resulted in [benefit]

  • Received an [award name] for [reason]


Hobbies and Interests

This section is not essential to include, but you may wish to depending on the role you are applying for. It can be a useful chance to show a little more of your personality. However, be warned this can be very subjective, ensure anything listed here reinforces your application and the idea that you’ll be the right fit for the role. If you don’t have any real relatable hobbies, it is probably best to omit this section.

I organise a weekly [sport] game, manage bookings, transport and help to coach the team.

Undertook a [course] in order to improve my [skill].


References

References are available upon request.

Download our full scientific CV template.

Coaching for intersectional inclusion
9 mins read

Coaching for intersectional inclusion

​​Everyone has multiple layers to their identity, and no one is one label. There are other aspects of their identities to consider, and no one should be put in a box. Many businesses, which celebrate Pride Month, for example, are perceived as not doing enough for people who are underrepresented in more than one way.

Recent research by Culture Amp in ‘The Workplace Diversity and Inclusion Report 2024’ found disabled women and black women are more doubtful of their employers’ equality, diversity, inclusion and belonging (EDI&B) efforts than any other group.

This is likely because women might feel their entire identity and additional barriers aren’t being considered, if they are part of more than one underrepresented group. Some employers’ initiatives provide a base-level overview of inclusion for women, but they might only explore the perspectives of white women, for example, or women in general, with no specific solutions explored for LGBTQ+, disabled or black women, for instance. Each may have very different experiences of what it means to be a woman.

Coaching people within your organisation can help leaders and employees gain a deeper understanding of intersectionality and why it’s important. We interviewed Mary-Clare Race, CEO of Talking Talent, for her insight and best-practice tips on all things coaching and inclusion.

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Q: What's the difference between coaching, mentoring, and other types of training, especially when it comes to equality, diversity, inclusion and belonging?

A: These terms are often used interchangeably in the world of talent development, but we see a clear distinction between them that is especially important when it comes to EDI&B.

In a training situation, the primary goal is typically to transfer knowledge from the facilitator to the participant, to raise their awareness and understanding of a particular topic or skill and provide them with practical tips on how to put that skill into action for themselves.

In a mentoring situation, there is also an element of knowledge transfer, but in a more personalised, relationship based, one-to-one situation where the mentee is paired up with a more experienced mentor who is there to provide them with support, advice and guidance.

Coaching takes the relationship-based approach one step further and focuses on supporting and facilitating the coachee to actively step in and facilitate their own outcomes. It is not about giving them the answer but rather supporting them to find their own answer, their own way forward.

At Talking Talent, we favour a coaching-led approach because it enables a deeper level of behavioural change. The coachee must be actively engaged and motivated to do the inner work on themselves and the coach is there to hold them to account. However, there is a role for all three approaches when it comes to solving EDI&B challenges and real power in combining all three.

Q: How can coaching help businesses become more inclusive and diverse?

A: If you look at what it takes to really move an organisation forward with their EDI&B strategy, we believe you've got to take a systemic approach and build inclusion into your culture and in how people behave every day.

There are several ways coaching can help with this:

Leadership behaviours: by working with a coach, leaders become more aware of their own biases, preferences and how their own identity shapes how they show up as a leader. The coach can help them develop the skills needed to foster a culture of inclusion and hold themselves and others accountable.

Developing talent: in many organisations there are pockets of talent who have been overlooked because of some aspect of their identity. Coaching-led programmes can support under-represented talent to thrive and overcome what may be holding them back so they can fulfil their true potential. And by offering coaching-led programmes that address the unique needs of underrepresented individuals, organisations demonstrate their commitment to supporting the needs of all their employees - thus driving retention and engagement levels up.

Improving culture: at the heart of culture change is the need to move behaviours forward at an organisational level. We believe coaching is the most powerful way to do this for an organisation - by helping individuals and groups develop the self-awareness, emotional intelligence and relational competency to work effectively in diverse teams and build inclusion into the culture.

Q: In your experience, why are diversity and inclusion initiatives so important to organisations and their talent attraction and retention?

A: In our industry, there's been significant backlash against EDI&B efforts, particularly in North America, and this sentiment seems to be growing globally. The issue often lies in viewing EDI&B initiatives as separate from core organisational culture. For me, EDI&B is about creating an environment where every individual, regardless of identity, can thrive and contribute fully. This isn't just about ticking boxes – it's critical for attracting and retaining talent, and crucial for overall business performance.

Ultimately, EDI&B isn't merely an add-on; it's integral to effective leadership and to building success at all levels of your organisation. It's about fostering authenticity, encouraging diverse perspectives, and empowering individuals to contribute their best work. These principles are essential for any business striving to maximise performance and leverage a diverse talent pool, regardless of their specific commitments or strategies. It's about creating a workplace culture where everyone can succeed and where the organisation benefits from the full potential of its people.

Q: Who should be coached in inclusion and diversity within an organisation? And why?

A: When considering who should be coached in inclusion and diversity within an organisation, it's crucial to view these efforts as integral to successful business practice. While not everyone needs individual coaching, it's essential to ensure all members of the organisation are engaged in the journey towards inclusivity.

For leadership teams, coaching can be particularly impactful in fostering a culture where inclusion is actively cultivated and practiced. Leaders can learn to demonstrate inclusive behaviours and set the tone for the entire organisation.

Additionally, focusing coaching efforts on groups that have historically faced barriers – such as women, marginalised ethnicities, or neurodivergent individuals – can be highly beneficial. By addressing systemic challenges these groups face, organisations can promote fairness and unlock their full potential.

Ultimately, the decision on who to coach should be informed by the organisation's current state and readiness for change. A tailored approach ensures that coaching initiatives align with strategic goals and create meaningful impact across the entire workforce.

Q: To what extent is intersectionality considered in your coaching and why is it important?

A: This is one of the reasons why coaching is so effective, because intersectionality is really about the need to recognise we are all more than a set of labels. We have a lot of different aspects of our identity that intersect. Our gender, race, age, sexuality, social background, neurodiversity etc. are all important elements to consider. And it's important to consider the unique experiences individuals have, particularly when they have one or more identities intersecting, and where there might have been barriers against people with those identities.

That's key in our coaching approach, because coaching allows you to meet the individual where they are. It's not so much that we are coaching people about intersectionality, but we're really considering the unique person that comes into the coaching experience.

And the risk of not doing that is you put people in a box, and it can be further disenfranchising for them because they're thinking, "Well, actually, I'm being given this opportunity as a woman, but it's not taking into account all of these other aspects of my identity that are intersecting with it and I am being required to leave that part behind."

By failing to consider intersectionality in a coaching situation you can, in fact, make the situation more difficult for the coachee.

Q: You’re teaching others to be inclusive, but how does your organisation ensure it's walking the walk, not just talking the talk?

A: It's something we're very passionate about obviously, we have our own DE&I council, which is chaired by myself as a CEO, in partnership with our Head of People, and HR.

We are actively looking at all aspects of our culture in terms of how we build inclusion, and how effective our leaders, policies and processes are. Do we feel that they're fair? Is there any way in which we're discriminating against certain groups? Whether that's in our recruitment processes or in how promotions happen or how opportunities are given within the business – and we make that very much a managerial responsibility.

We're also constantly looking at our own metrics and where we need to be rebalancing our employee profile. So, across all aspects of diversity, it's a big focus for us.

And we have a DE&I strategy and plan that we're working to with the support of a council which is made up of different members of our workforce.

Q: What advice would you give to those companies that maybe can't afford coaching services in EDI&B? What can they do themselves to make improvements?

A: For companies facing budget constraints and unable to invest in external coaching services for EDI&B, there are practical steps they can take to drive improvement internally.

Exploring alternative coaching methodologies can be effective; options like group coaching sessions or coaching circles, facilitated by peers, harness collective insights and promote shared learning.

Additionally, companies should leverage existing coaching resources and talent internally. Assess whether there are individuals within the organisation who possess coaching skills or can be trained in coaching as part of leadership development initiatives.

Talking Talent, for instance, has digital offerings that are coaching-led and digitally enabled, making them accessible and scalable for organisations looking to expand their impact globally.

By exploring these approaches, organisations can foster a culture of continuous improvement in inclusion and diversity without incurring significant external costs. These steps not only enhance organisational effectiveness but also contribute to