The bravery to speak

“There is nothing so brave as to allow yourself complete vulnerability. When we are stripped bare of all the armor we thought we needed to carry, how high we can finally climb.” Tyler Knott Gregson

I love speaking in front of audiences – and have never considered it brave. But recently, I became conscious of how much armour I bring on stage with me. My professional credentials, my 10,000+ hours of practical innovation experience, my polished (usually overworked!) slides, the models and frameworks amassed over decades of learning from industry experts, the preparation and painstaking iteration of my speaking notes, my improv training, my willingness and tendency to use humour and/or self-deprecation - these are all versions of armour that I’ve worn for decades to make public speaking feel light and effortless.

I started to wonder if I could ever get on stage and let myself be fully seen. To speak not from a place of expertise – but from a place of complete vulnerability and unapologetic ‘unknowing’. To share stories and experiences that are entirely my own but that I’ve never brought voice to. To share feelings and inner thoughts that I’ve supressed or struggled with for most of my life. To share my insights as I attempt to figure things out in hindsight and, day by day, discover firsthand what is possible when we shed the coping mechanisms and survival skills we’ve relied on since childhood. All with no slides, no relevant credentials, and no standard of perfection – all without armour. And then, like magic, along came the inaugural Brave Speaker program. And for three and a half days in a tiny studio in Boulder, Colorado, I got to experience firsthand how much bravery that really requires: and it's a LOT!

Thank you Berit Coleman for placing this opportunity on my path exactly when I was looking for it. Thank you Philip McKernan and Joey Coleman for the immense privilege of watching you in your respective zones of genius. Thank you for your tireless coaching, rich and authentic perspectives, and for creating such a safe container for all of us to share deeply personal and powerful stories, while workshopping the unique messages that we each feel compelled to share with the world.
Finally, thank you to the 12 beautiful human beings who I got to know so intimately in our short time together. I will always remember and be grateful for each of you – and the magic of our collective experience.

More than ever, I believe that every single human has a compelling and inspiring message to share with the world, based on their own distinct constellation of lived experiences. Will you be brave enough to share yours?