Episode 41

Jessica Breitenfeld | The art of clowning and why playing the fool can help you be a better speaker and presenter

Nobody wants to look like a fool. Or do they?

As a speaker or presenter, if you are not able to play and clown around then you are missing out on a whole range of presentational flexibility that may well be doing you and your clients/audience a huge disservice.

When I first encountered my guest Jessica Breitenfeld, I was attending a Toastmasters convention and competition in Malaga (where I was competing and won first place in my category) and I attended a workshop being led by Jessica which was really all about emotional flexibility. I asked Jessica to give us a taste of that and she does, as well as a whole lot more.

Jessica Breitenfeld was voted the top speaker in the Barcelona division of the Toastmasters World Championship of public speaking in 2020. I was fortunate enough to see her compete and she really knows how to deliver and how to tell a story. She's entertaining, clever and has a unique playfulness that makes her a delightful guest and great to watch.

You can watch the whole show on YouTube

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Jessica advises that the best place to connect with her right now is Linked In. You will be welcomed with open arms and possibly a big red clown nose. You can also check out her website.

Enjoy the show and keep an eye out for much more coming on the topic of humour and comedy in presentations as I speak with many other entertaining professional speakers and professional comedians, in some cases both in my new 'Leading With Laughter' mini-series.

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About the Podcast

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Present Influence
The podcast that helps professional communicators learn the skills that increase influence, impact and authority.

About your host

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John Ball

John Ball is a keynote coach and professional speaker on a mission to help upcoming leaders master their communication, create impact and stand out as experts in their field.
John left the high life of his flying career to do something more meaningful to him and has since worked with several leading personal and professional development organisations as a lead coach and trainer.
The heart of everything John does involves helping people shift to personal responsibility and conscious awareness of how they show up and perform in every situation, whilst equipping them with the tools to be exceptional.
John also co-hosts The Coaching Clinic Podcast with his great friend and colleague Angie Besignano.
He lives in the beautiful city of Valencia, Spain with his husband and often visits the UK and US for speaking and training engagements. When he's not speaking or podcasting, he's likely to be out swimming, kayaking or enjoying time with friends.

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