The Talking Game

Welcome to

Not everyone wants to become a huge, successful public speaker, but many people would like to up their talking game and become better at simply speaking in front of people. The Talking Game recognises this broad spectrum and seeks to support you wherever you are on your journey.

Maybe you want to feel more confident delivering presentations, business pitches, sermons, TEDx talks, panel sessions, leading your work team, keynote events, apprenticeship training or leadership events. Or maybe you have a one-off event like a wedding speech, an interview or a product pitch. With The Talking Game, you'll receive great speaker training whatever you're preparing for, plus tools you'll use in other areas of your life. Everything is delivered with a personal touch, lots of fun and attention to your needs.

Mail

info@thetalkinggame.com

When we think of public speaking, our minds go to TED talks, political addresses, CEOs addressing the company, global product launch keynotes and the like. However, anytime we have to stand up and speak in front of a group of people, we are doing public speaking, and to the average person, just standing up and presenting to a small team at work is stressful enough. And let us not forget the fear of the job interview. The good news is that we can learn to become better public speakers with the right training and practice. Even better news is that the skills I will teach you can be used beyond public speaking to benefit other areas of your life. Skills like managing anxiety, building confidence and self-esteem, and becoming more self-aware of and in tune with your body.

Blogging before hosting

BBC live event.

My name is Saul and I founded The Talking Game to bring my years of experience as a speaker and trainer, into courses for others seeking to improve their own public speaking skills. My own journey began after years of living with a debilitating stammer and freezing up in any social context where I had to speak or perform. With opportunities, good mentors and delivering dreadful talks, I navigated my way to become a public speaker across the UK to groups as small as 10 people and as large as 2,000. Over the years I've hosted panel events, countless webinars and live events, eventually training others on their public speaking journey. Dealing with my fears, anxieties and insecurities, and learning new skills, were key to becoming a better speaker. Plus I finally overcame my stammer!

Whether you are new to the game or a more seasoned speaker, you are somewhere on your speaking journey. My job is to join you where you are and be a part of it. One of my core goals with clients is to recognise and enhance their authenticity as a speaker. Teaching people the tools available to us as speakers can sometimes lead to creating clones of the teacher. I aspire to make sure that doesn't happen. You will bring a uniqueness to your speaker persona and I will encourage you to find even more freedom in expressing and enlarging this alongside the tools. I believe learning should be fun and interactive, and even more so with speaking as I understand the fear and trepidation that can come from putting yourself out there.

Ultimately, I want you to succeed.

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TESTIMONIALS

I just wanted to say thank you and let you know how much of a positive spiral effect and impact your amazing public speaking course had on me. I keep receiving lovely comments and feedback on my presentations, which is something I would never have thought would ever happen. Francesco - BBC

I would 100% recommend this course. Saul was very well prepared, communicated clearly, thoroughly answered our questions and made the session fun and interactive. This course would be good for people who are in education, business, or community roles. Andy - Church of England

Fantastic challenging day with great substance and personal opportunities to practice and receive feedback from Saul. Also really fun. Would definitely recommend the course. Kristin - Church of England

Thank you Saul, you inspired me and helped me to overcome one of my biggest fears, speaking in public. Tracy - BBC

I had an important panel event coming up, which was filling me with fear! So I asked Saul for some 1-1 sessions. As well as learning to deal with my anxiety, what I found invaluable, was how he got me to be conscious of both panel and audience engagement, and the importance of pacing and communicating to both while sitting down. Really insightful and such a confidence boost. Paul - BBC

As an older woman, I never thought I would see the day I was able to stand up in front of people and deliver a whole talk, and all without notes! I used to shy away from speaking in public, but now I am actively seeking opportunities to do so and continuing to improve my skills. Huge thanks to Saul. Mary - BBC

I had uncontrolleable hand shakes whenever I stood up to speak in front of my team. With notes in hand, this was painfully visible. Saul patiently worked with me over the 4 week course, until I delivered my final talk with no hand shaking, it was miraculous. Now I can't stop speaking! Sue - BBC

Saul had done his homework and tailored the course to our group. The day was fun and interactive and I would definitely recommend it. We will bring him back for follow up sessions and I would now like to do further 1-1 sessions with Saul. Abi - Church of England

My biggest insecrity in public speaking was my accent. I believed no-one took me seriously, or they'd think I was stupid. Saul taught me how to make friends with it and see it as a powerful tool and in doing so, I found a new confidence I never had before. And not just for public speaking. I'm so grateful to Saul, especially being patient with my insecurities. Ems - BBC

Our speakers benefited from doing the course so much, that we saw instant, positive changes in their delivery as speakers. Plus they really enjoyed the course. We will invite Saul back to train our other speakers. Church of England

Saul was patient, knowledgeable and mindful of us as individuals, which helped each person develop their own communication style and build a great deal of self awareness. Max - Church of England

TESTIMONIALS

COURSE TOPICS

COURSE TOPICS

Below are some topics covered across courses L1 and L2, beginner and intermediate respectively, (see Course Options section below). Some parts will overlap with the advanced L3 courses but include more depth.

L1 and L2 courses, cover an introduction to communication and engagement, and then move on to 3 core modules - Your Voice, Your Body and Your Mind.

You'll learn invaluable tools to help you use your voice clearly, confidently and in an engaging way.

YOUR VOICE

Our body 'speaks' through movement. Mostly unconsciously. You'll learn to become more intentional in using your body to maximise impact and engagement.

YOUR BODY

woman sitting on couch while using lapto

Mental training is an important part of speaking in public. We'll cover the management of anxiety with tools that will also be useful for life in general, not just for public speaking.

YOUR MIND

Within these, you'll cover additional topics, like how to work with your audience and understanding and dealing with fear triggers.

The successful delivery of your talk, can often hinge on how well you know and understand your audience. We will cover a two-stage process, helping you improve in this area.

YOUR AUDIENCE

You will have space to learn and practice useful breathwork tools, and mindfulness techniques to help manage any anxiety you may have in the days leading up to your event and on the day.

YOUR FEAR

Learn about the power of word placement and the importance of this when writing your speech and combining this with effective delivery.

YOUR WORDS

The beginner L1 courses, provide a gentle introduction to all of these, seeking to build a solid foundation of basic skills. The intermediate L2 courses cover the same information but in more depth, with slightly more advanced and challenging tasks, pushing the comfort zone that little bit further out.

Other Additional topics include;

Emotional resonance
Language use
Speech mapping
Learning memory and recall
Learning aptitudes
Storytelling
much more!

Level Up with Advanced Content

Learning the craft of public speaking is much like learning to swim or drive a car. There are multiple skills and actions to connect and while we're finding our feet, while everything requires our full attention and nothing is yet automatic, it can be a lot to take on board.

For this reason, there are some things I leave out of L1 and L2, for more advanced sessions, whilst other topics are covered in all levels, but at different levels of complexity. The advanced sessions are for those who feel they have a relatively good grasp on their skill set, find much of it comes naturally and feel ready to dive a bit deeper. It can also simply be fun to learn new skills and gain more knowledge.These advanced sessions are bespoke and modular in nature. (Example modules below).

Six Core Advanced Modules for Level 3

These six advanced modules are delivered in three individual courses. Each course is delivered over one day. So you can choose your preferred course based on its core modules. The courses break down as follows;

Advanced Course A Modules:

Learning Styles
Emotional Resonance

Diving into the core ways humans perceive and process information, and how to represent these in your talk, go hand in hand with connecting to your audience through emotional resonance. This covers talk content and audience engagement.

Advanced Course B Modules:

Storytelling Structure
Speech Mapping

This course leans heavily into structuring stories and talks to enhance your learning and recall of your content for delivery, and for better audience impact and journey experience. We'll look at the complementarity of stories and talks, and dive into the craft of writing an engaging story and managing a coherent flow in your talk structure.

Advanced Course C Modules:

Gesturing
Fear Management
Storytelling Delivery

These three core modules follow on from one another. Fear and anxiety sabotage our physical delivery and body language. Learning fear management tools is essential for creating space for more freedom in our delivery tools. This leads to a deeper dive into gesturing and body language, including facial expressions and audience perception and direction. This naturally leads to learning delivery for maximum impact through storytelling, where you'll put the gesturing into practice.

An overview of each core module can be found in the table below.

Advanced Course B or C

I bring my experience as a screenwriter to these two modules. The Storytelling Structure Module delves into the art of crafting a story, and the Storytelling Delivery Module delves into effectively communicating a story. This separation respects the differences in the skills of a writer and a speaker. The Structure Module is paired with the Speech Mapping Module as both complement each other around structure. Whereas the Delivery Module pairs perfectly with the Gesturing and Fear Management Modules.

Advanced Course A

This pervades storytelling, delivery, crafting our talks and much more. It is a key component of successful engagement when speaking in public. Some of us find this easier to do than others. In these sessions, we'll take a brief look into what goes on in the brain during different types of human connection, how language use is a key part of this and how our body and voice tools play their part in emotional connection.

Advanced Course C

Fear is a primary emotion, that can sabotage us in embarrassing ways, often rendering us defenceless against it. Speaking in public brings unwanted fear-based emotions and behaviours to the surface. In this advanced module, you'll learn some tools to manage these and become equipped to speak more from a place of peace and confidence. The module includes breathwork, mindful breathing practice and visualisation work. You'll also learn about the brain in a 'fear context', the brain-body relationship and how to manage this better when dealing with fear.

Course Options

COURSE OPTIONS

For details of course content, see Course Topics section above.

Beginner =

Intermediate =

Advanced =

GROUP COURSES - FIVE OPTIONS

(Max 6 People)

The Complete+ Talking Game
- Week 1: 90 min Group Time
- Week 2: 90 min Group Time
- Week 3: 60 min 1-1 Sessions
- Week 4: 90 min Group Time (Includes final talk presentation by candidates)

This course takes place over a month and because of this, allows time for candidates to absorb the content, grow with it and see their improvement. It also provides 1-1 sessions with the instructor for each candidate, allowing for private tuition. In my experience, this course has proven the most effective course from this selection, for maximum impact and growth for those working at L1 and L2. It is also the only group course offering 1-1 sessions.

The Complete Talking Game
- Week 1: 90 min Group Time
- Week 2: 90 min Group Time
- Week 3: 90 min Group Time (Includes final talk presentation by candidates)

This course is the same as the 'plus' version above, without the individual 1-1 instructor sessions.

The Complete 2-Day Talking Game
- Day 1 & 2: 6-hour session, inclusive of break times.

Example: 10 am - 4 pm with 45 minutes for lunch and 1-2 shorter breaks.

Day 1 is theory and learning-focused, with some space for practical learning. Day 2 completes the learning content and provides space to put everything into practice, so candidates can become more familiar with the application of the content.

The Complete 1-Day Talking Game
- One Day: 6-hour session, inclusive of break times.

Example: 10 am - 4 pm with 45 minutes for lunch and 1-2 shorter breaks.

This will be a fast-paced day, with lots of content and theory, with some space for practical learning, and fun! However, if you would prefer space for application and practice, I highly recommend the Complete 2-Day Talking Game above.

All these courses are either at the beginner or intermediate level. All the Complete courses cover the topics Voice, Body, Mind, Audience and Fear as outlined above in the Course Topics section. They will also include one or two additional topics based on the group level and needs.

The Advanced Talking Game - Courses A, B and C

(1-1 or groups, max 6 people)

One Day: 6-hour session, inclusive of break times.

Example: 10 am - 4 pm with 45 minutes for lunch and 1-2 shorter breaks.

These advanced courses will be built using the six advanced core modules. There are three courses to choose from, A, B and C. See the Course Topics section above for course details and an overview of each core module.

1-1 Sessions

These will always be bespoke as I will build them around the needs of the individual, using the course topics outlined above. For an idea of the modules covered at these levels, please see the Course Topics (blue section) above. You can book a one-off session or several in a suite, which is more cost-effective.

1-1 sessions will always be preceded with a free consultation, preferably by video call but can also be in person or by phone.

GROUP vs INDIVIDUAL

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Team meeting 2

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GROUP

Some people find these sessions more fun and less intimidating in a group context. In a corporate environment, group sessions can often mean training with known colleagues with whom they feel safe, which can help. It can also help provide an atmosphere of collective encouragement, as the group bond through their shared experience, and doing the journey together. Group sizes are kept small, usually no more than 6, to make sure everyone gets a good amount of personal attention throughout the session from the trainer.

INDIVIDUAL

Some people prefer the 1-1 option because they have specific needs they want to address, either in their speaking tools or because they have an event they are preparing for. Some people find group settings too intimidating. Others may need a one-off boost on their speaking journey or require several sessions over a month or more. In a 1-1 context, you will receive focused attention and a tailored experience. I will be able to pay close attention to and point out, things we can't notice ourselves, which includes your improvement.

Where 1-1 work is sought, I will always start by offering a short, free initial consultation, to talk through your needs. These can be face-to-face or via video call. A phone call is also an option, though some form of face-to-face is preferred.

CHOOSE BOTH

The 'Complete+' group course which takes place over a month, offers one private session with myself for each candidate as part of the course. This means the group will have three group sessions and one private session. I find this can help candidates get the most out of the training and many candidates have said how invaluable their 1-1 session was to their progress. Where we set up a final public speaking event for candidates to deliver short talks to colleagues as part of completing the course, the 1-1 sessions always prove invaluable to the candidates for their preparation.

Having completed a group course, some candidates feel confident to seek individual training sessions to help them continue their journey. Alternatively, you can kick start your public speaking journey with a 1-1 session and then go on to do a group course.

Mail

info@thetalkinggame.com

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HELP

CORPORATE TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT

If you are part of HR or Learning & Development in an organisation, or a consultancy looking to expand your client offerings, and are looking to provide public speaking training, please feel free to get in touch so I can listen to your needs. Together we can work out the best fit for you.

info@thetalkinggame.com

IF YOU ARE AN INDIVIDUAL

Are you seeking 1-1 coaching in public speaking? Want The Talking Game to deliver a session to your company or organisation? Whatever your needs, I'd love to hear from you. In an initial free consultation, we'll discuss what I can offer that best suits your journey as a speaker or that of your team. For people seeking 1-1 coaching, I will always start with an initial and free consultation, either face-to-face or via video conference. Together we will work out the best fit for your needs.

info@thetalkinggame.com

A REGISTERED CHARITY OR UK STUDENTS 25 AND UNDER

As a registered charity or current UK student*, discounted rates are available. Drop me a line and we can discuss this further.

*proof of UK student status required

info@thetalkinggame.com

Mail

BLOGS

Two Minute Tips

ALL BLOGS

Here you can find access to my short blog posts. They are deliberately short, as I understand people are busy and often need quick answers. I hope you'll find this selection of 'Two Minute Tips' a useful support for your public speaking journey. Do pop back as I'll add new blogs from time to time.