In this solo podcast episode, Sally Z (host of Be Moved) shares speaker‑coaching insights centered on the power of knowing and owning one’s expertise. She explains that clarity about what you do well—your “super‑power”—and, equally important, what you don’t do, builds confidence and lets you step into a niche with two strong feet. Drawing on 15 years of experience coaching teenage speakers in a one‑day program, she illustrates how embracing the limits of a short‑term, high‑impact format can become a strength: the “rock‑star” effect of a fresh slate and no baggage. Sally urges listeners to conduct an honest self‑assessment, identifying both strengths and limits, and to avoid mimicking competitors. She contrasts her authentic, rule‑breaking coaching style with more corporate, prescriptive approaches, emphasizing that authenticity and nuance are key to standing out. Throughout, she provides practical prompts for listeners to pinpoint their unique strengths, acknowledge what they don’t do, and use that clarity to drive themselves to the front of their speaking niche.
Chapters
Hey movers, it's Sally Z with Be Moved. Let's go create some talks that will move this world. We're going to talk with amazing speakers, share tips, tricks, resources, and we are going to be moved so that our audience can be moved. This moved me. What is moving You. I wanna talk about how our expertise can drive us out front and really knowing what our expertise is. And what I mean by that is getting really clear about what you do and what you do not do. What is your particular superpower and what isn't? And I think Knowing what isn't is the key here. Okay. And I'm somebody, I like to spend a lot of time focusing on the positive, the, like, all the beautiful positive virtues, values of each person and their gifts. And, but I think when we know what we aren't an expert at, it gives us confidence to step into the place where we can absolutely stand with two strong feet. So I spent many years working at an organization coaching their speakers for a long time, 15 years, this amazing organization that went out to schools. And so I spent years talking to teenagers, which is a great ground for learning how to speak well. Because they see right through you. And I coached all of the speakers there as well. And we spent a few years, I was also on their communication staff. We spent a few years trying to say that we were things that we weren't because, because we felt some kind of self-consciousness about being a one-day program that we would come in and sweep kids off their feet for a day, give them this amazing experience and leave. The youth workers on our team had some concern about that, that it was like, we don't know kids long-term. We are not building long-term relationships. And once we came to terms with that, what it allowed us to do was to say, it's, we do not do long-term, but there is a particular power in the one-day experience. Here's the particular power in us coming in and being the rock star and then leaving. So some of the gifts of being the rock star is everybody starts with a clean slate with us. Nobody has baggage with us. So it's a great opportunity for a restart, a fresh slate. So we, we started to, instead of feeling self-conscious about the limitations of it, And really believing that narrative, what we had to do was say, yep, that we are not long-term, but here's the power of what we do do. So what I want you to do right now is actually for yourself, think of that same thing. What, what are the strengths to your limits? Does that make any sense? What are the strengths? To you in your very particular niche. So I think in order to get there, what we have to really think about, of course, is the things that make you, you, right? Knowing that for yourself, I do this particular thing, right? And knowing that for yourself and then acknowledging all the things that you don't do. So sometimes this is good to think about when you think about like competitors, and I use that term really loosely, but other people in your area. So they are going to do it their way, and your job is not to do it like them, but your job is to do it exactly the way you would do it, utilizing your superpower gifts. Okay, so we want to acknowledge our limits because there's so much power in doing that. What is one particular strength that you bring in your approach with your audience? What is What is one thing that you do in your approach, in your work, that is very particular to you? Okay. So when I think about me and my approach, there's a lot of speaker coaches out there that take a more kind of corporate feel and a corporate approach. And it's very much like, here is the way. And my approach is much more, here's the way and we're going to break the rules as we go because I want this to be authentic. Authentic. Okay. So it's a much more nuanced approach than many, many people use. So I have to own the limitations of that approach, but when I get really comfortable and confident about my particular niche, then I can stand on that really strongly. Does that all make sense? Okay. Part of, part of stepping out front and being pulled out front by your expertise is not just knowing what we do particularly well and what our particular strength is in our approach, but also what you don't do. What don't you do? What is the thing that you're like, mm, I don't do that. That's not my thing. I just don't do that. Other people do that. That's great, but that's not my thing. Do an honest assessment of yourself. And your particular approach so that you can use that to stand on as you step out front. We cannot— I think, I think it can feel like we're taking on the world when it's like, I speak about this whole huge thing, and all of a sudden it can feel overwhelming. Like, who am I? Who am I to get up and talk about speaking as a whole? But when I say I get up and I talk with people about authenticity, how to stand in their authentic voice. Now that I can talk about. Okay. So, and it's not that I can't talk about speaking as a whole, but when I know that my little particular thing, it's much easier to let that drive me out front. Yes. Okay. Awesome. All right. So you're going to do an honest assessment of yourself. You're gonna think about the strengths of your particular expertise, and then also your limits, what you don't do, and what might, for some people's perspective, look like, like a, a real limitation. But what you're saying is, nope, I'm gonna own this little piece. I'm gonna let somebody else own that over there. This is my thing, and I'm standing strong. Awesome. Okay, perfect. All right, thanks, friends. See you next week. Bye.
