PUBLIC SPEAKING CONSULTING
Overview
I help mother tongue and non-mother tongue speakers of English from various professional backgrounds improve their public speaking and presentation skills in local, national and international contexts, whether at an interview, at a company meeting or at a conference in front of hundreds of listeners. My clients succeed thanks to a combination of increased self-confidence, excellent technique and a great deal of hands-on practice, whether in one-off individual sessions or as part of a series of group workshops.
A “Hard” Skill
For years people have referred to effective public speaking as a “soft” skill (as opposed to a “hard” skill, for example, the ability to write computer software or to understand chemical reactions). This partly comes from a belief that public speaking is not quantifiable or measureable in the traditional sense. I disagree with this opinion. For me, Public Speaking is very much a “hard” skill. I believe that a speaker’s public, peers, and colleagues can see, hear, feel and most importantly evaluate the various elements which constitute their overall performance. How many times have you thought about the elements of a speaker’s performance as you listened to them? e.g., “Good voice but no eye contact”, “He looks totally uncomfortable”, “What a boring voice”. Even more importantly, I believe that with time and practice, the speaker can analyse how well they are performing. This is certainly an “internal” subjective process of self-assessment, but I feel it is a valid one.
An essential skill
Effective Public Speaking is also an essential skill in business and career development. Over years of training and coaching professionals, I have met clients with similar qualifications, backgrounds and work experience, who are all hungry to find a new job or to move their career forward. But given this homogeneity of qualifications and experience, what are the qualities that make someone stand out and succeed in their endeavour? The answer, I believe, lies in the quality of their communication, their empathy and their ability to understand what the other needs and wants. These are some of the fundamental skills required for successful Public Speaking and presenting.
Approach
Effective public speaking involves an understanding and use of emotional intelligence combined with practical and tangible technique. I do not try to change who the learner is naturally, nor do I try to force a series of mechanical rules (“dos and don’ts”) on him/her. Instead, I start with an overall analysis of the individual’s current abilities and needs. I believe in the value of work which starts from within. Who is this person in front of me? What is their experience of public speaking to date? What concerns, fears and needs do they communicate? What positive aspects can already be seen, heard and felt from the way they present and speak? What tools do they need to improve their connection and communication with their public as well as their self-confidence as presenters? How can I help them discover, access and improve those tools?
I believe in a practical, hands-on, empathic approach which is tailor-made to suit individual and group needs. My passion and positivity are key ingredients in training, as they invigorate learners, stimulating them to take risks, to experiment, and to trust in themselves.
The results can be seen in greater self-confidence, technique, preparation and delivery.
My greatest reward is to see my clients successfully and knowingly put into action all they have learned.
About my work
I have worked as a consultant in Public Speaking for over ten years. My career background includes many years of dedicated, full-time professional study and experience as an actor, coupled with more than ten years’ international experience as a trainer in both language and intercultural awareness in three countries, and several years of experience working as an advanced technology technician in the day-to- day operations of a multinational company in two continents. This rich and diverse working experience and educational background puts me, I believe, in a very singular position with respect to the type and quality of coaching in Public Speaking which I offer. My clients include scientists, engineers, marketing specialists, IT managers and company executives.
Client Portfolio
Studiopepe.
- Consultancy for world-renowned Italian design studio for an international presentation in Montreal, Canada.
- Specific focus on increasing self-confidence and presentation coherence.
Il Sole 24 Ore Business School
- Public Speaking and Communication workshops (in English and Italian) to Master’s students in various professional sectors.
- Workshops on successful interviewing in English.
British Council
- Workshop: “How to get them to say yes” – a general introduction to Public Speaking for a single group of 50 adult learners of English.
- Highly theatrical design to captivate, motivate and persuade.
A.I.D.E.S – international association
- Tailor-made consultancy for president’s plenary speech at the XVII International Conference on Aids in Mexico.
- The successful speech took place in front of 20,000 people.
Univ. of Aix-Marseille
- Two-year weekly classes in presentation in English with undergraduate and Master’s students.
- Focus on “hands-on” learning through doing.
AEP Consulting
- Multi-week Public Speaking training course for business employees and executives in the ICT sector.
- Aimed at improving capacity to influence and persuade current and future clients.
Dr. Paola Mollo, Univ. of Pisa
- Preparation for speech of non-native English speaker at SBL Annual Meeting, San Diego, USA.
- Focus on content, structure, clarity and coherence.
- Special attention given to voice and posture.
Pr. Angela Taraborrelli, Univ. of Rome
- Training for Keynote speech at the International Conference “Martha Nussbaum Cosmopolitanism and Global Justice”, Nottingham, United Kingdom.
- Primary focus on presentation content – clarity, efficacy, simplicity of language.
Testimonials
CHIARA DI PINTO and ARIANNA LELLI – Founders of Studiopepe, Milan
“Jude helped us a great deal in a very effective way, both to organize the contents of our speech, and to improve how we presented, especially in a language that we do not speak perfectly …. he gave us many useful tips for managing “performance anxiety” … not only was the experience very useful from a professional point of view, it was also a lot of fun.”
“Studiopepe deals with interior design and style consulting for the most important companies and brands operating in this sector. Founded 12 years ago in Milan, Studiopepe has grown very quickly, developing an aesthetic language and a very personal stylistic alphabet.
In May 2017, we were invited to present our studio’s work at the Faculty of Design in Montreal, Canada, analyzing several aspects, from what inspires our daily work, to the organization of the study and the relative modalities of presentation of our projects. All to be done in English!
Working mainly with images, we are not at all used to talking about our work and and describing it in words. Jude helped us a great deal, in a very effective way, both to organize the contents of our speech, and to improve how we presented, especially in a language that we do not speak perfectly.
I would also say that having a professional and objective look at the presentation of our work helped us a great deal in subsequent presentations in Italian.
Jude provided us with many useful tips for managing “performance anxiety” that came in handy again on other occasions. Not only was the experience very useful from a professional point of view, it was also a lot of fun. The presentation, which took place in a congress hall with over 200 people, we believe, was a great success. We managed to be clear, natural and perfectly at ease, even in the final phase that included answering a series of questions from the public.
Jude’s skill and professionalism certainly helped us turn this opportunity into a real success. Thanks Jude!”
ELENA ARISTA – Chief Operating Officer – A&P Consulting, Rome
“The course in Public Speaking with Jude was not only very useful, it was also a lot of fun! Now when I present my company to a new customer I bring with me that same energy that Jude helped us bring out of ourselves! “
“We are a consulting company in the complex world of information technology, and we wanted to invest in the skills of our managers to communicate with customers, creating a relationship of trust right from the first contact. The course in Public Speaking with Jude was not only very useful, it was also a lot of fun! Now when I present my company to a new customer I bring with me that same energy that Jude helped us bring out of ourselves!”
BRUNO SPIRE – President assocation A.I.D.E.S 2007-2015 – Research Director INSERM, Marseille
“Jude…helped me increase my self-confidence, which is essential when speaking in front of 20,000 people in a language that is not your own…the stress completely evaporated when I made my speech, in a calm and natural manner, thanks to Jude’s training.”
“I have been a researcher in HIV / AIDS since 1983 and am an activist with the association AIDES. This double role led to the prestigious International Society of AIDS (IAS) inviting me to make a speech at the plenary session of the international conference on AIDS in Mexico in 2008. Every two years this conference brings together between 15000 and 20,000 participants, researchers, activists, caregivers, field actors, and public health decision-makers. The challenge was to make a presentation on HIV prevention, which could relate both to the research perspectives given the realities of different European and African contexts, and which would also stress the link between human rights and disease prevention. An ambitious request! All this in 20 minutes, and especially in English which is not my mother tongue. That’s why I asked Jude. Of course, with my colleagues I developed the content of my presentation. But to have an impact in this type of conference, it is necessary to speak with eloquence and conviction for the message to be heard. Initially, Jude corrected my English and simplified certain sentences to make them easier to pronounce. He immersed himself in the subject with passion. But above all, Jude made me practice, knew how to help me accurately place my voice and my intonation. He also helped me increase my self-confidence, which is essential when speaking to 20,000 people in a language that is not one’s own. The day of the conference and those that preceded it were of course not without stress but I managed to keep it under control. This stress completely evaporated when I made my speech, in a calm and natural manner, thanks to Jude’s training. I had never seen so many people stand up and applaud me, it was very moving. Thank you Jude for helping me to deliver this presentation at this conference which will remain forever a milestone of my career inscribed in the depths of my memory.“
ANDREW HOLGATE – Technology Lead – WFP- Rome
“Jude gave me an express course in public speaking… taught me how to truly engage with the audience…in front of the 150 audience conference members.”
“With very limited time until my presentation at the international DrupalCon conference in Barcelona in 2015, Jude gave me an express course in public speaking that made an enormous difference in front of the 150 conference members.
He coached me to better find and express the fundamental takeaways of the presentation and taught me how to truly engage with the audience using various techniques. In the end, I received an average of 4.5 / 5 based on feedback from the audience thanks to Jude’s effective public speaking coaching.”
ANGELA TARABORELLI – Professor of Philosophy, La Sapienza University, Rome
“Jude’s expertise and enthusiasm enabled me to address the conference with serenity; the work done with him contributed to the success of my performance, which was much appreciated by my colleagues.”
“A few years ago I was invited as a keynote speaker at a philosophy conference, at Nottingham University in England. I turned to Jude to improve the content of my speech, enunciation and my performance as a presenter.
We first worked on the text, to make it more effective and dynamic. Then I read the text aloud several times to improve my English pronunciation, intonation, rhythm of the language and to introduce the right breaks. Jude then gave me important tips on posture and how to maintain a visual connection with the audience. Jude’s expertise and enthusiasm enabled me to address the conference with serenity; the work done with him contributed to the success of my performance, which was much appreciated by my colleagues. “
TOM GRAINGER – Director of Languages and International Relations- Aix-Marseille University
“His experience in technology and acting combine to give him a unique perspective on speaking in public which his natural and highly contagious enthusiasm allows him to pass on to his students.”
“Jude worked for me for two years in the Faculty of Science in Marseille, France. During that time I was able to appreciate his enormous talent and energy, all put to the service of making people, be they students or university personnel, more at ease in their use of English. His experience in technology and acting combine to give him a unique perspective on speaking in public which his natural and highly contagious enthusiasm allows him to pass on to his students.
Since Jude left France to return to Italy, more than ten years ago, his reputation has remained as strong as ever, proof indeed of his exceptional nature. Try him and be convinced.”
PAOLA MOLLO, PhD in Oriental and Hebrew Studies, University of Pisa
“…it was not an easy endeavour, given my shyness, my deep voice and my natural “uncommunicative” style. But with Jude’s passion, energy and motivation…I noticed unexpected improvements from every suggestion and every exercise, and felt increasingly comfortable with public speaking techniques… In only a few sessions, the fear of speaking in English for 30 minutes in front of an audience of mother tongue specialists completely disappeared… Of the six presentations given in the session…I was the only non-native speaker among all the presenters… and the only one to receive compliments for ‘enthusiasm and involvement.”
“I had the first training of my life in public speaking with Jude Sweeney. It was Autumn 2014, and I already knew Jude for more than a year as a private English teacher. When the opportunity to present a paper at a major scientific conference in the United States arose, I asked him to accompany me in the first steps of preparation, despite the very tight time schedule (4-5 meetings at most). In my opinion it was not an easy endeavour, given my shyness, my deep voice and my natural “uncommunicative” style. But with Jude’s passion, energy and motivation the meetings proved very effective: I noticed unexpected improvements from every suggestion and every exercise, and felt increasingly comfortable with public speaking techniques. The maximum self-confidence I had in myself and in what I had learned was when Jude asked me to “throw down” the sheet of notes I had in my hand, and to launch into a presentation completely without text, using only Powerpoint support: I accepted the challenge because I felt ready (if someone had said to me before that day that I could do this, I would never have believed them!), knowing that by doing this I would be really communicative with my audience. We worked very hard to integrate speech, gestures, posture and the use of Powerpoint. In only a few sessions, the fear of speaking in English for 30 minutes in front of an audience of mother tongue specialists completely disappeared, and all that remained was the pleasure of departing for the conference and living that experience.
The presentation in the US went really well: a real presentation, not the usual cold reading of one page after another. Of the six presentations given in the session, mine was the only one to receive compliments for “enthusiasm and involvement”, and although I was the only non-native speaker among all the presenters, the public speaking techniques I acquired enabled me to arouse the audience’s interest and curiosity regarding my topic.
For all of this, I give the credit to Jude Sweeney, who for years now has been my trustworthy translator, English teacher and trainer in public speaking.
PS: I have been invited back to the US for the same conference … of course I already know who to turn to for the preparation!”