A speaker explains why audiences connect with real people, not polished personas. Authenticity isn't oversharing everything, but dropping the protective layers that hide your actual voice. When you show up vulnerable, people listen differently.
Authenticity is perhaps the biggest buzzword in speaking, and there's a really good reason for that. Audiences want to feel like they know us— recognizable, human, and real. So it's our job to actually show up fully, which is hard. I mean, some people think that authenticity means you just share it all without thought for context or what this audience really needs, which is not it. Authenticity is something that the audience can feel because it's brave. Instead of putting layers on to impress, to be liked, to protect our credibility, we take layers off to be fully seen. It's scary and exhilarating, and there is room For you! We need your full self, your unique voice, ideas, expression. We want the real you. So, be authentic.
Speaking My Story: The Talk That Changed Everything (Sally Z's Epilogue) | Speaking Story
The Walk-'n'-Talk and the Stumble-Through: Two Rehearsal Methods That Actually Work | Ch. 39
