Shelonda Darling was an inspirational speaker wowing her virtual audience in the recent PayTechWomenLead Series Part 2 session on ‘How to be a Great Individual Speaker.’

 

The session (recorded and now available on the WNET Thought Leadership Center) was geared to motivate WNET members to break out of their comfort zones, and project their voice confidently while sharing their story and embracing  — and being prepared for —  those moments when you step into the spotlight to talk.

 

Starting with a recap of PayTechWomenLead Part 1: Intentional Branding to lay the foundation of the session, Shelonda walked WNET members through the process of professional branding; finding your uniqueness, building a reputation on the things you ‘want to be known for’ and then, more importantly, allowing yourself to be known for them. Cue: Step into the spotlight and let your growth journey begin!

 

And so PayTechWomenLead Part 2 began…

Engaging WNET members by sharing her personal college graduation speech story — and drawing the audience in — Shelonda artfully introduced the 3 C’s of Professional Speaking (Competence, Character & Charisma) and demonstrated that Charisma without Competence (or preparation) does not make for a great speaker experience!

 

While Shelonda’s natural charisma was undoubtedly off the scale, the audience was not to be disheartened by the high benchmark she set, as Shelonda proceeded to share insights on how to increase charisma in speaking engagements by building a personal connection with the audience through credibility, storytelling and authenticity. 

 

From knowing your niche to the building blocks of the 3 Cs of Professional Speaking, it became clear that the art of great speaking doesn’t just stop there. Reading the room and personalizing both story and delivery to the audience is key to audience engagement, and Shelonda unpacked the different DISC^®  behavioral styles (Dominance, Influence, Steadiness and Conscientiousness) and learning styles (Visual, Auditory and Kinesthetic), that a great speaker needs to take into consideration to ensure their messages are delivered — and received — effectively around any room, or in any corridor.

 

Having identified storytelling as the perfect communication tool to help build a human connection and elevate their voice, WNET members broke into virtual discussion groups to start crafting their power statements on what they wanted to be known for; highlighting their unique story in a simple words, and planning their next steps to move into new spaces and get talking.

 

So if you’re looking for an energized session to motivate you to start singing your own story, to desire to inspire with your insights and voice, take Shelonda’s storytelling toolkit, practice like a master — and step forward.

 

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Learn. Engage. Advance. Drive.
Attendance at all three events grants you a registration discount and an educational certificate that shows you've learned important techniques to become a more impactful leader in the paytech environment.