"Fred gave us tools to sharpen our presentation skills. From breathing to blocking and having intention—we are well equipped to make the most of our time and message.
These skills can and will serve our staff well—from novice to seasoned professional.
Fred taught us not only how to speak better, but how to listen better to both our audience and ourselves."
Heather C. Fomin
Associate Director of Undergraduate Admissions
New York University
More Testimonials...
Group Workshops
Fred Rivera's Speaking With Presence, Passion and Power
An Overview Of My Group Workshops
(only for businesses, organizations etc.)
Using my fifteen years as an actor/director, I have created a unique method that accesses speakers' natural instincts and abilities in order to teach the following basic public speaking skills:
- Pacing: the rhythms of compelling speaking
- Pausing: the where and why of pausing
- Inflection: how to call attention to certain words by slight changes in pitch instead of just loudly hammering them
- Eye contact: seeking the audiences' eyes instead of a blur of faces
- Body language: what you're saying with your movements
- Breathing correctly: so you relax and produce your best sound
- Using visualization: to prepare and relax you—similar to what top athletes do
- Movement: moving around in the presentation area to increase impact
These public speaking skills are important. However, there is a glue that holds all of these skills together, and that is: Knowing the objective of your speech and how you intend to reach it. This is a basic acting technique that mirrors how we successfully act in life.
Surely, knowing your objective and how you intend to get there is not a strange concept to successful businesses. Yet many businesses short-change this concept. To quote the well-known writer and management consultant Peter F. Drucker: "Management by objectives works if you first think through your objectives. Ninety percent of the time you haven't." What's true for management is also true for public speaking: Know your objective and how you intend to get there.
In my workshop, participants actively explore how to realize this concept—nothing convinces like experiencing something for yourself. You will learn how to pursue your objective so that you compel your audience to listen.
All of the above are done in a highly supportive atmosphere. Using your company's message we will do fun exercises that will strengthen all of the basic speaking techniques: Pacing, pausing, inflection, body language, eye contract, etc. Practically anyone can learn how to speak in public but you will also learn how to speak with compelling presence, passion and power.
