Starbucks is one of my hangouts. And I don’t even drink coffee! (I do like their green tea ). Before Covid I would stake out a Starbucks concession to kill time between appointments. Or sometimes in inclement weather, I’d leave my home, take a book and head to the local Starbucks to get out of the house.
With that as a backdrop it should be no surprise that I would use coffee in my presentation coaching. A common issue among my clients is they don’t always sound natural or conversational. They can get so caught up in saying the right words that they stumble and sound awkward. Or, their message is complicated and unclear. What’s happening is they’re stuck in presentation mode instead of having a conversation.
They’re immersed in their self consciousness and perfectionism. It’s at this point that we pick up our coffee cups and I ask them to imagine we’re in Starbucks having coffee. How would they talk to me? How would they explain their topic? And we have a regular conversation. No powerful hook. No transitions. Just a plain and simple talk. It’s amazing how easily they can communicate when they’re just talking. Next time you’re stuck and stumbling over your words, get out a coffee cup or a latte and call a friend. The ideas will start percolating again and the words will come pouring out. If it helps, bring a cup of coffee to the presentation meeting. But then lose yourself to the message. And that’s the way to sound conversational as a public speaker.