Even the meeting room is a stage.

Teaching public speaking at U of T has shown me one thing above all else… the professionals who thrive are the ones who can own the room. The good news? This is something that can be learned, practiced and mastered – by anyone!

Every cohort I teach begins the exact same way. Smart, talented, accomplished professionals walk into the room. They’ve built careers, led teams, and solved hard problems. They’re really good at what they do! Some are even THE experts in their fields.

The diversity of experience ranges from technical analysts, project managers, sales professionals, scientists, tax accountants, lawyers, nutritionists, entrepreneurs, teachers, business leaders, researchers and even a police officer. And seriously, the list goes on and on… Should we start talking about all of the things I have learned from everyone since I started teaching this course?!

Anyways, individuals come to my class because they want to incorporate storytelling into their presentations, or they want to stand out in a room full of people. Some need to be able to make their complicated terms easier to understand for clients, or get their information across in a way that gets them the job… the promotion… or the big sale.

Some people simply want to be able to stand up and speak without nerves causing them to go blank, or some are preparing to present their research findings at a conference, which is important because it changes lives, industries, and dare I say the world? Yes.

And yet, the moment comes in the first class where I ask everyone to take a turn and stand up and speak – like really speak – and then something shifts. Shoulders tighten. Words shrink. Filler words and sounds take over. Nerves are in control. I know that I’m only seeing the version of themselves that is just a fraction of who they actually are and what they’re capable of.

That gap between who you are and who you appear to be when the pressure is on is exactly what the Business Communication: Public Speaking course at the University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies is built to close.

“The boardroom, the pitch deck, the interview – these can all be considered performances. And like any performance, they can be rehearsed, refined, and mastered.”

Over the weeks we spend together, I get to watch people transform. Not just because they’ve learned some tips and tricks, but because they discovered something true about communication. Clarity and confidence is a skill.

The ability to walk into a room full of stakeholders, deliver not-so-great news, and still walk out with trust intact – that is something you can learn, practice and be coached through. Along with any other high-stakes situation they find themselves in at work, no matter what their position is.

We work through all of it. Pitches and proposals that don’t just inform – they persuade. Technical presentations are stripped of jargon so they actually land. Impromptu questions start being answered without flinching or going blank. Meeting rooms start being entered with purpose, not hesitation or apology. And storytelling is practiced so you become memorable and stand out in any presentation. Every simulation, every template, every round of feedback is designed to bridge one thing: the gap between knowing your material and owning a room with it.

What can you expect to walk away with after participating in one of my courses?

  • Delivering persuasive presentations, speeches, and sales pitches that move people to action
  • Presenting complex technical material so it’s actually understood – not just heard
  • Contributing to meetings, big and small, with confidence
  • Networking in ways that build real relationships
  • Handling questions from anyone like media and large audiences to clients and stakeholders – all with composure and credibility

The most rewarding part of teaching this course isn’t the final presentations – though those are always a lot of fun! It’s the moment mid-course when someone realises they’re not really scared anymore, they’re ready. That the voice they’ve been quietly sharpening all along was worth developing and the messages they’ve been practicing are clear.

Everyone realizes that speaking well isn’t a personality trait reserved for the naturally extroverted, it’s simply a craft. And any craft belongs to ANYONE willing to take the small risks put in the work. 🙂

If you’re a professional who knows your stuff but struggles to make it land – this course was built for you. The stage – aka: the meeting room – is waiting!

Facing fear in your personal & professional life

Fear always finds a way to show up in unexpected ways, doesn’t it? It’s something that we all deal with in one way or another, in both our personal and professional lives.

For me, living with stage 4 cancer has me noticing that it’s not the kind of fear that paralyzes anymore, because well, I simply don’t have the time! Instead, it’s been quiet, subtle, and creeps in during a routine doctor’s appointment, a scan, or even just a random moment alone.

It also creeps in when I’m about to do something really incredible in my career, like a TEDx talk, or meeting a new group in one of my classes at U of T, or commit to a keynote for leaders in an industry I have so much respect for.

And I’ve learned that fear isn’t all bad because it has a very important role. It’s a reminder to live deliberately, to prioritize what matters, and to embrace courage every single day – in all aspects of life.

Courage isn’t the absence of fear, it’s acting despite it. Wait, that is a good saying! I totally made that up all by myself right now… totally original.

When I was just getting used to this new incurable stage 4 diagnosis I will admit that I was filled with fear. Of course I was, there is so much uncertainty that comes with the territory and no one likes that. But it wasn’t what I expected, because I guess I assumed I’d be scared for my own life or something. But I wasn’t really. Instead, the fear was around the uncertainty that was coming for my children’s lives.

And by that I mean I feared for what their lives would be like in the future if I wasn’t in it anymore. Losing a parent is one of the most traumatic things that can happen to you at a young age, and all I could see was all of the things that could go wrong.

Some kids take tragedy and become resilient adults and live very happy successful lives despite it all – but some don’t. Some struggle in school or relationships, experience depression or anxiety, or can even fall into behaviors of self sabotage or addiction… or insert any bad thing you’ve ever worried about here. Have you noticed how good we are at fearing all of the worst possible outcomes?

At the risk of being very vulnerable, I want to share that this fear overcame all of my thoughts for a period of time after my initial diagnosis over 4 years ago, and I experienced depression for months before I understood what was happening and got help. For a time I felt helpless and hopeless, and it was scary because I had never experienced that before.

As soon as I got through chemotherapy for the second time, all the radiation treatments and another surgery – I had a minute to take a breath and assess how I was going to live this life moving forward. It is after all, the only life I know.

The fact was, I had to figure out how to live with the fear because it was going to be a part of my life whether I liked it or not. I knew there was a way I could find a more productive role for the fear. There had to be.

The real turnaround came when I put in the extra effort to learn how to reprogram my beliefs and thoughts through specialized therapy, mindfulness and meditation. I was lucky because I had all the support I needed, and I was determined to make sure I took advantage of every single tool available to figure this out.

I learned to accept that the future is unknown. Is it fun being uncomfortable? No. Is it possible to be ok with being uncomfortable? If you say so. The truth is that acceptance is the key to not letting it run your life. No one gets to escape discomfort, so we have to learn to use it wisely.

I started questioning my thoughts and beliefs and focused on what I KNOW to be true in the present moment. What is the actual truth? What do I know to be true, for sure, right now?

Did I know for sure that I won’t be here in the future? Not technically, no. Are my kids for sure going to have horrible lives if I’m not here? I mean obviously…. WAIT I mean NO. Also no. Of course no… The point is nothing is actually certain. For any of us.

The other thing is, I came to the realization that I am actually here to help them through the trauma of losing a parent – if that’s what happens – because I’m here right now. I get to help them build coping strategies and find outlets that they can fall back on when life hits them with the hard stuff. And I have a gift of a special kind of perspective (because I choose to see it that way) and it’s helped me see that the present moment is all we really have.

I am present, aware and capable of being there for them and guiding them through life’s toughest lessons. Basically they have an extra annoying mom encouraging them to get out there and make the most of life!

Can’t stop, won’t stop.

So it’s not about avoiding fear – it’s about acknowledging the fear, letting it teach you, and using it to fuel living fully. And living fully means being present at home – and being present at work, so you can chase all your professional goals too.

I believe that there is no work-life separation, truly. Leaving your personal life at home was always something that I thought was rule number one. Maybe it still is for a lot of you, I get it. We all have different circumstances. But the day I learned that it’s ok to be a human at work, and it’s ok to be an ambitious person at home, a lot changed.

What I was dealing with ‘at home’ made me a more empathetic, driven, and passionate, and it fueled my professional purpose. And a more purposeful work-life, with big goals, and stronger relationships at work made me a happier mother, wife and friend.

You can’t be afraid of taking risks at work, going after what you’ve always wanted, speaking up in meetings or volunteering to be the one to present the project in front of leadership. Fear isn’t supposed to be holding you back professionally, it is meant to guide you out of your comfort zone and see what will happen if you GO FOR IT. It your goal scares you, then it’s worth going for!

So the next time you feel fear creeping into your life – either in your personal life or at work – the NEW question you need to ask yourself is WHAT HAPPENS IF EVERYTHING GOES AMAZING? Not thinking about all the ways it can go wrong. It’s a habit that takes a lot of practice to change, and I promise it gets easier with time. The more courage you use on a regular basis, the more you trust yourself and your abilities to figure it all out.

As for those fears about my kids and their experience in all of this? Well, they get to see their mom tackle some pretty challenging things first hand. If I want them to thrive in life despite any circumstances, then I have to demonstrate it. For example, they’ll chase their dreams if they see me chase mine.

They’ll also get help when they’re struggling if I talk about the times I got help when I was struggling. My kids will begin taking risks that require courage at an earlier age if I’m always doing it too. They’ll learn that fear itself isn’t something to be afraid of, it’s just another part of being human. And they won’t avoid facing their fears, hopefully they’ll chase those opportunities instead.

The next time fear shows itself to you in some unexpected (or very expected) way, challenge yourself to accept it for what it is and allow it to help you achieve something new. Better yet, maybe even something extraordinary!