How A Powerful Self-Identity Helps A Speaker

You must have heard that, “You are the product of your choices”. You become what you choose!. For example, if you choose to smoke, your identity is that you are a smoker. However, if you proactively identify yourself as a non-smoker, you decide not to smoke, else you will lose your identity. It's hard to lose your identity. Isn't it?

"Choices determine our identity. So, proactive people choose their identity intentionally, which defines their choices automatically. Identity also matters when it comes to speaking. So, How do you identify yourself as a speaker? You are an informative speaker. People listen to you because you provide information to them. You are a humorous speaker. People listen to you because you make it interesting for them. You are an insightful speaker. People listen to you when you share your expertise because they like to do what you do.

You may be all of them, that is, informative, humorous and insightful. So, what's your identity as a speaker and how does it impacts you? Let's discuss in three parts:
1. When you prepare your speech
2. When you deliver your speech
3. What you do after your speech

Preparation of your talk:

Has anyone told you that you always come prepared for the meeting? So how does it impact you? Every time you go to the meeting, you try to prepare even if you don't have time. Why? Because you don't want to lose your identity as a prepared person.

If people consider you an interesting speaker, you try to make your speech enjoyable during your preparation. You add humour, stories and examples to make your address enjoyable. You must have seen the TV interview of your favourite comedian. They try to make the interview fun by adding their jokes and comedy bits. Why do they do so? They don't want to lose their identity as a comedian.

Delivery of your talk

I am a facilitator of the John Maxwell Team Leadership Game. At the start of the game, the facilitator shall explain the rules of the game. I identify myself as a speaker who engages the audience, especially during workshops or training. So, I don't waste 5 to 7 minutes explaining the game's rules. Instead, I tell the players to play one round to observe and learn the rule while playing the game itself. I do so because I don't want to look dull and bore my audience.

I have seen John Maxwell start the speech by saying, "I am John Maxwell, and I am your friend". He re-iterates it during the speech also because he values people. It's part of his identity that he loves people.

If a speaker is friendly, he shows the audience by calling him on stage, asking questions, and appreciating the audience during his talk.

After You Talk
Have you received a thank you email from a speaker after attending a program? How was your feeling? Many speakers chose to connect with the audience after the event. It may be for business. Nevertheless, it shows humility and humbleness.

When I was VP of Education of my club, I used to write the summary of meetings and send it to the club member. It helped me retain and share the insights of members and their progress. Now, I am doing webinars to help people improve on leadership and communication. I note down the stories and insights shared by the participants during the webinars and include them in the monthly newsletter of Speak2Connect. It gives me pleasure and satisfaction to retain the memories and share them. Now, it's part of my identity to write a webinar summary and share it through the newsletter. I will not like to lose this identity.

So, your identity is essential. Indeed, if you choose your identity first, it will help you become what you want. For example, if you're going to be a humorous speaker, you will make your speech enjoyable, accumulate jokes, and listen to comedians to learn from them. As a speaker, you can decide your identity and then align your choices to your identity. As a result, you will soon become the speaker you want to be known for.