Speaking with Confidence with Cat Matson: communication coaching for humble leaders
A podcast for humble leaders who want to communicate with confidence. Cat Matson offers coaching on speaking authentically and impactfully in various settings, from leading teams and hosting webinars to speaking on stage. The show helps listeners collect their thoughts and express themselves without coming across as pushy or arrogant.
Episodes
203 - The Lost Art of Casual Conversations (and the cost to our relationships)
I've become very present, recently, to how our work-from-home, online world, is reducing our casual conversations.And with that, we're losing the key human skills of building relationships through conversations.In this episode I'm 'working out loud' on this 'trend' ... Listen in to hear:my 'evidence' for this diminishing human skill of conversations and connecti
202 - Why I Ramble, And How I Don't (when I don't want to)
It will probably suprise you to learn that, despite being a communication and speaking coach, my natural tendency is to ramble.In fact, it was my rambling, and my deep frustration that I wasn't making sense to my colleagues (despite my intelligence and experience) that inspired me to start my business and podcast. So in this episode I want to share what I now understand to be the causes of my
201 - Breathing Space for Greater Impact
What happens when you take a few deep breaths?You feel better. Every time.Well, your messages need breathing space, both at a micro-level as well as at a macro-level, and that's what I'm talking about today.As I click over into the next century(!) of this podcast with episode 201, I'm changing the pace and style (a smidge) of these podcasts.Listen in to hear:how the algorithm-obsessed
200 - Lessons in speaking, podcasting & imposter syndrome!
A milestone episode, the 200th, deserves a celebration! 🥳To do just that, in this episode I’m answering a series of listener questions about speaking, podcasting and speaking highlights, as well as sharing what I’ve learned, and what’s coming next, for the Speaking with Confidence with Cat Matson podcast.Listen in to hear:The most popular episode of all timeThe common mistakes people make when the
199 - Making It Simply Obvious
Nothing is obvious to the uninformed ... yet so often when we communicate we assume that our audience knows what we're talking about. I've been reading award entries this week and so many of them don't make it obvious what they do. It's a lost opportunity for them to make an impression and to make an impact with the judging panel.It's not just award entries where this happens t
198 - Speaking with substance (and length) without a script
197 - Trusting Yourself To Say The Right Thing
How often have you NOT spoken up because you don’t trust yourself to say the ‘right’ thing?I was recently asked these 2 questions:How do you build the confidence in knowing what to say? How do you trust yourself to provide the right content?How do you develop the confidence to trust your intuition?And I thought answering them would make for a delicious discussion.Listen in to hear:How I determined
196 - Where Does Your Confidence Come From?
Where does your confidence come from?Is it authority?Is it something else?That was a question I was asked recently and I’m answering it in this week’s podcast.A listener asked:>> When you stand up as a public speaker, how do you build your confidence? Through authority, or something else? And, if authority, is it internal or external authority?What a question!Listen in to hear my exploration
Speaking with Impact Day 7 | Bringing it all together
SPECIAL EVENTThis week, from 20 April, 2026, I am hosting the 7 day Speaking with Impact Practice Series.Each day's practice video / podcast will be shared here.To get all the extras, including the opportunity to get your questions answered, and the TWO live coaching calls, join here
Speaking with Impact Practice Series Day 6 | Bragging without sounding arrogant
SPECIAL EVENTThis week, from 20 April, 2026, I am hosting the 7 day Speaking with Impact Practice Series.Each day's practice video / podcast will be shared here.To get all the extras, including the opportunity to get your questions answered, and the TWO live coaching calls, join here
Speaking with Impact Practice Series Day 5 | Overcoming "I'm not good enough"
SPECIAL EVENTThis week, from 20 April, 2026, I am hosting the 7 day Speaking with Impact Practice Series.Each day's practice video / podcast will be shared here.To get all the extras, including the opportunity to get your questions answered, and the TWO live coaching calls, join here
Speaking with Impact Practice Series Day 4 | Managing Nerves
SPECIAL EVENTThis week, from 20 April, 2026, I am hosting the 7 day Speaking with Impact Practice Series.Each day's practice video / podcast will be shared here.To get all the extras, including the opportunity to get your questions answered, and the TWO live coaching calls, join here
Speaking with Impact Practice Series Day 3 | Collecting Your Thoughts
SPECIAL EVENTThis week, from 20 April, 2026, I am hosting the 7 day Speaking with Impact Practice Series.Each day's practice video / podcast will be shared here.To get all the extras, including the opportunity to get your questions answered, and the TWO live coaching calls, join here
Speaking with Impact Practice Series Day 2 | Clarity of Message
SPECIAL EVENTThis week, from 20 April, 2026, I am hosting the 7 day Speaking with Impact Practice Series.Each day's practice video / podcast will be shared here.To get all the extras, including the opportunity to get your questions answered, and the TWO live coaching calls, join here
Speaking with Impact Practice Series Day 1
SPECIAL EVENTThis week, from 20 April, 2026, I am hosting the 7 day Speaking with Impact Practice Series.Each day's practice video / podcast will be shared here.To get all the extras, including the opportunity to get your questions answered, and the TWO live coaching calls, join here
195 - What Is My Authentic Voice Anyway?
Authenticity is important - I think we all accept that.But how do we find our authentic voice, anyway?You know that saying, we teach what we most need to learn? Well, it’s no accident that I bang on about authenticity as much as I do … it’s something I’ve struggled, and struggle with.So in this week’s episode I’m sharing my personal experience with authenticity, how I keep working to find my authe
194 - Does This Make Sense ? Is it really such a bad question to ask?
‘Does this make sense?’ - a simple 4 word sentence that some of my peers would suggest you should NEVER ask?Why?It’s suggested that asking this question can be eitherCondescending - suggesting your listener is too stupid to understand whatever it is you’re explaining; orDamaging your credibility - suggesting you’re questioning your communication effectivenessI disagree, HARD, on both accounts.I ha
193 - Tired of Repeating Yourself? How to Be Heard Without Burning Out
Ever feel tired, no, EXHAUSTED? Saying the same thing over and over and over and over again, and being dismissed, not heard, not understood or just getting polite nods?If you’re striving to influence change, or make an impact, it can often feel like you’re bashing your head against a brick wall, or yelling into the void.If that’s true, this episode is for you. Having been there (many times), today
192 - Stop Over-Explaining! Tell Stoies Instead
If you’re prone to over-explaining yourself, you’re going to love this episode.Using stories to illustrate your point is a powerful way to land your message. The trick though is to not make your story too long, or a shaggy dog story, either.Listen in to hear:Why you might over explain yourselfHow I changed from over explaining to using storiesHow to tell stories that are based on your lived experi
191 - How To Have Conversations for Commercial Outcomes Without Being Salesy
Delivering commercial outcomes is one of the reasons we have conversations - whether it’s one-on-one or at scale through panels, keynotes, webinars or on podcasts. But so often we focus so much on giving value, we forget to actually move our listeners along the customer journey - towards a commercial outcome.In this episode I’m sharing my thoughts on how to be of service, be friendly and build rap
190 - How To Develop Gravitas
Gravitas - we know it when we see it, but how do we develop it for ourselves?In this week’s episode I’m exploring what gravitas is, what it’s NOT and how you can develop it for yourself, NOW (without any more experience, knowledge or expertise).Listen in to hear:The true essence of gravitas (and how you’re probably closer than you think to having it)The things we do that undermine our gravitas, th
189 - Authentic Storytelling in an AI World
Gabrielle Dolan is a keynote speaker and author who teaches leaders the art and skill of strategic storytelling, teaching them to communicate more effectively with stories.In her recent book, Story Intelligence. The Craft of Authentic Storytelling, Made Smarter with AI, Gabrielle explores how we can stay authentic while using AI to tell better stories to boost our credibility, lead change and make
188 - How to Speak Up in Meetings with Senior Leaders
A key form of professional influence is speaking up, and being heard, in meetings with senior leaders. That might be really daunting, or, you’ve struggled with knowing saying the right things to get people nodding in understanding.Having been in this situation myself, and then sitting in senior leadership roles, I’ve seen and worked through these communication challenges from all angles, and I’m s
187 - How To Be Concise Without Being Abrupt or Cold
If I had a dollar for every time someone told me they want to speak more concisely … Sure, there’s value in getting to the point, but concise isn’t as necessary as we think it is.And, if you are being concise, how do you do it in a way that doesn’t come across as cold, abrupt or uncaring?Listen in to hearThe distinction between concise and effective communicationHow you can still get to the point
186 - Getting a Seat at the Table (& speaking so people want to listen)
It’s hard to influence the conversation when you’re not in it.In this week’s episode of Speaking with Confidence with Cat Matson I’m sharing my thoughts, from my own experience, of how to get a seat at ‘the table’, and, how to influence the conversation even if you’re not directly involved.Listen in to hear;Why we often struggle to get included in the important conversationsHow our default reactio
185 - From Knowing It to Saying It Clearly
You know your stuff. Everything makes sense when you’re thinking it through, or when you write it out.But when it comes to saying it.What (the hell) happens?This is such a common issue experience, I’m revisiting it. Why, despite our intellect, our knowledge, our insights, do the words get stuck between mind and mouth.Listen in to hearHow it’s perfectly normal to struggle with expressing your thoug
184 - How to Speak with Authority Without Over-Explaining
Over-explaining and over-talking to establish credibility and authority is such a common challenge … it’s easily in the list of top 5 challenges I hear from my listeners and clients.In this episode you’ll learn WHY you-over explain, how very normal it is AND how you can establish authority without using too much detail.Listen in to hear how to:distill your knowledge into conclusions and insights,
183 - Speaking with Impact: Being heard, remembered and taken seriously
Why do you want to stop rambling, stop losing your words, be more concise or just more articulate?Because, when you speak you want to make an impact. You want to be heard, you want to be seen, you want to contribute your ideas and your expertise.It’s easy to think that in order to be heard we need to ‘speak up’, or ‘speak louder’; be more emphatic or be bolder.But none of that feels comfortable, o
182 - How to Stop Rambling and Get to the Point
How to stop rambling is SUCH a common challenge, I wrote an ebook about it! When I ask the question, ‘what’s your biggest challenge, frustration or issue when it comes to speaking’, ‘rambling is up there in the top 5 responses.So, in this episode, I’m sharing how to STOP RAMBLING and get to your point.Listen in to hear:Why we ramble and how it’s actually a sign of intelligence, knowledge and exper
181 - Why Your Mind Goes Blank When You Speak Under Pressure
I’ve asked more than 2,000 people ‘what’s your biggest challenge, frustration or issue’ when it comes to speaking, and the answers are the same, over and over again.‘My mind goes blank when all eyes are on me’ is one of the most common responses, so today I’m talking about WHY this happens, how it’s NOT a sign of incompetence or lack of smarts, and how to stop it happening to you.Listen in to hear
180 - How To Get The Right Words To Come Out [Summer Season]
In this summer season episode I’m revisiting the most popular episode of the year - How to Get The Right Words to Come Out ….Does it ever feel like your brain and mouth are out-of-sync? You know what you want to say but your mouth just doesn’t play along?That’s exactly the experience that’s been described by a regular listenerThis is SUCH a common challenge!Listen in to hear:The biggest mistake we
179 - Being Confident to Be DISLIKED with Kate Toon [Summer Season]
In the summer season of Speaking with Confidence I’m revisiting some of my, and your, favourite episodes.And this one is one of my all time favourites.In this conversation with Kate Toon, digital marketing expert extraordinaire, author and most recently, bookshop owner, we unpack how to build the confidence to be DISLIKED.Yes … how to get comfortable with rejection so we can go and do our thing, a
178 - Using Your Voice, Your Way, a conversation with Denise Duffield-Thomas (summer season)
Welcome to the summer season of Speaking with Confidence with Cat Matson, where I’m sharing some of my favourite and most popular episodes.This week I’m revisiting my interview with Denise Duffield-Thomas, a Money Mindset Mentor, author and host of the wildly popular and successful Money Bootcamp, where she has supported more than 10,000 people overcome their money mindset gremlins.Denise epitomis
177 - Sales Conversations That Feel Faboulous - a real coaching call
Sales conversations tend to trip up even the most confident of communicators - we don’t want to feel salesy or pushy, we don’t want to be rejected and of course, we still have our sales targets to reach.Rather than just talk about this in theory, today’s episode you’re getting to listen in on a real confident communication coaching call that I had with a small business owner.Caitlin runs a success
176 - Are you rambling, or are you verbally processing?
"I want to stop rambling" is the number one 'problem' people come to me to solve.But what if your 'rambling' is actually how you process information, make sense of things and form your opinions.If you're a verbal processor like me, it's not a flaw that needs to be fixed, in fact, it's the very thing that helps you see what others don't. The issue isn't
175 - Umms, Ahhs, and Filler Words - Are They Really That Bad?
Concerned your umms and ahhs are undermining your credibility?In this week’s episode I’m answering a listener question about training yourself OUT OF saying ‘ummmm’ and ‘ahhhh’, and also providing my thoughts on whether umms and ahhs are really as bad as we think.Listen in to hear:Why you might want to ‘chill out’ when it comes to your use of umms and ahhsHow silence, and ‘speaking to your full st
174 - How Personal is Too Personal
‘How much of yourself do you share?’ and ‘how to make a speech engaging’ are the questions I’m answering in this week’s episode.Storytelling, particularly lived experience storytelling, is easily THE BEST way to make your speeches engaging. But how personal is too personal, how much of yourself do you share?Listen in to hear:How to balance the line between misery porn or self-indulgence, and stori
173 - Lecterns, Mics and Unfamiliar Stages
Ever rocked up to speak at an event, expecting a lectern, or a certain kind of microphone, and the set-up was NOT as you expected?Or you were forced to use a headset mic that just felt weird, or a lapel mic that kept slipping?Well, in today’s episode I’m talking about how to manage just these situations!Listen in to hear:The pros and cons of using a lecternWhat you want to consider if you choose N
172 - Tips For Pitching a TEDx Talk
Want to know how to pitch to speak at a TEDx talk?Listen up, because that’s the exact question I’m answering today.A listener has set herself a challenge of speaking at a TEDx event and wants to know how to pitch her talk.Listen in to hear:Whether a TEDx event is the right platform for youIf it is, how to pitch yourselfHow TEDx speaker selection really happens, and what you need to do to be notice
171 - How to Manage Disagreements And Conflict
Are you hiding, or not speaking up, because you’re concerned people might disagree with you?Well, chances are, someone will! After all, if they already agreed with you, you wouldn’t need to say what you have to say, right?So in this episode I’m sharing some techniques to manage disagreements and conflict.Listen in to hear:Why disagreements are not as bad as you thinkHow conflict is NOT tied to you
170 - Making a Difference Over The Long-Term
Ever feel like you’re tired of the sound of your own voice? Or the sound of your message? But you’re still not making the impact you want?Yep, I get it.Influence and making a difference is an endurance sport, so in this episode I’m sharing my top 3 ways to have making long term impact feel easier.Listen in to hear:How you can plan out your long term influence using the same techniques you might us
169 - It Was A Disaster! How To Recover A Presentation When It’s Going Pear-shaped?
How do you recover a presentation where your slides don’t work, you’re not feeling great, and when you see audience members sleeping during your presentation?Well, that’s exactly the scenario Lauren experienced recently, and so I’m providing some guidance and answers to help her feel a little better about the whole thing … and what to do if it ever happens again.Listen in to hear:How to hack your
168 - How Can I Boost My Confidence Quickly?
In honour of World Smile Day today I want to share the simplest, and most under-rated way to boost your confidence … Yes, SMILINGBefore you think, ‘oh, that’s ridiculous, if it were that simple … ‘Consider this a little gift to you to make you smile today.Listen in to hear:Why smiling really does make you feel more confidentMy little experiment, that you can do while listening to prove the power o
167 - How To Get The ‘Right’ Words To Come Out
Does it ever feel like your brain and mouth are out-of-sync? You know what you want to say but your mouth just doesn’t play along?That’s exactly the experience that’s been described by a regular listener, and they’ve asked me for some tips:“You know, as much as I prepare myself to aid my confidence, it always feels like the right words won’t come out when presenting. Of course I am nervous, proba
166 - How To Ask Questions From The Audience
Ever been in the audience at a conference, asked a question of one of the speakers, and got completely tangled up in giving context?Well, that’s EXACTLY what I’m addressing today - how to ask questions FROM the audience in a way that elevates you, gets the answer you want and doesn’t get you all tangled up.This is in response to a listener question who saidMany times I hear questions in presentati
165 - Can I Present for 20 Minutes Without Notes?
“Is it realistic to do a 20 minute speech without notes?”, that’s the question I’m asking in this week’s Speaking with Confidence podcast.It’s a myth that we need to memorise our speeches, and it’s also a risk to take a stage with a script or highly detailed notes. The more details in our notes the more we’re looking at the lectern, instead of connecting with our audience. Regular listeners will b
164 - How To Engage Your Audience
I was recently asked this question:“How to engage the audience? I love watching speakers who engage the crowd but don't put people on the spot?’Putting people on the spot is NOT an engagement technique and it can often have negative impacts on the audience.So, in this week’s episode I’m sharing my top tips for engaging your audience without singling people out, or putting them on the spot.List
163 - How To Make My Audience Relax (& Maybe Even Laugh)
In this episode of Speaking with Confidence with Cat Matson I’m answering another community question: “How can I make my audience relax, and maybe even laugh 😅?”This is such an insightful question … if your audience isn’t relaxed they’re not going to be open to what you have to say.Listen in to hear:My simple technique that you can use in your opening 2 lines to build rapport with your audience an
162 - How To Prepare in 2 Minutes
“How do you quickly prepare when you’re put on the spot?”, that’s the question I’m answering in today’s episode of Speaking with Confidence with Cat Matson.I was recently asked, “How to prep in 2 minutes - I went to a networking event recently and once I got there the host said "ok, we're going around the room and everyone will come up to the front and introduce yourself, your business, a
161 - Personal Reflections on Imposter Syndrome
It’s my birthday … it’s a big milestone birthday … as such, this episode is a little bit different to normal episodes.As I reflect on my career, my business, and my work, the themes of imposter syndrome, humility and authenticity have been percolating … and I wanted to share some of those thoughts today.Listen in to hear:My own ‘I’m not good enough’, ‘who am I to be teaching this’ thoughtsHow the
160 - How To MC Like A Pro (even if you’re not)
“How To MC an Event” is the question I’m answering in this week’s episode of Speaking with Confidence … a question asked by Louise in my community.MCing is my favourite speaking format … so I LOVED answering this question!Listen in to hear:What is the role of an MC (and what many people get wrong)How to do an Acknowledgement of Country that is meaningful and DOESN’T sound tokenisticWhy as MC you w
159 - How To End Your Talk
How do you end your talk so that your audience takes the next step with you? And how do you end your talk so you’re memorable?This week I’m answering just those questions - questions asked by my community.Listen in to hear:How to craft a call to action that moves your audience closer to working with youHow to manage questions at the end of a presentation and STILL finish with impactWhy your call t
158 - Tips to Ground Yourself Before a Speaking Gig
“What are your grounding hacks before a speaking gig?” is the question I’m answering in this week’s episode of Speaking with Confidence.Grounding isn’t always about nerves, sometimes it’s about getting present to where you are and what you’re about to do.Listen in to hear:What I do when nerves hit just before I walk on stageMy ‘standard start’ that lets me settle, ground and get presentHow I conne
157 - How to Record Social Media Videos
In this episode I’m giving you my top tips for speaking on camera, and getting over that reluctance to record when it’s just you and the camera.I record A LOT of video content - this podcast, for one, as well as course videos, Instagram reels and stories, and I’ve picked up a few tricks along the way to move past that reluctance to hit record and just do it.Listen in to hear:Why it’s perfectly nor
156 - Knowing WHEN to Speak Up
In this episode of Speaking with Confidence, I’m discussing the importance of strategic communication and how to effectively contribute to conversations that matter. I’ve been noticing my own ‘desire’ to contribute to ALL THE CONVERSATIONS, but actually, realising I need to focus on my own circle of influence and control, and the value of thoughtful contributions over mere opinions. The episode al
155 - Umms & Ahhs and How To Stop Them
Today I’m answering the question, “how do I train out the excessive umms and ahhs and other unnecessary fillers that take away the conviction and strength in the message”Well, I don’t think you need to get rid of all your umms and ahhs … they’re part of an authentic and real connection. But, if they’re undermining the impact of your message, there are some simple things you can do to remove them.L
154 - Managing The Fear Of Public Speaking
It’s often said that the fear of public speaking is second only to the fear of death itself.If this is even close to true I find it incredibly sad - how many people are not speaking up, and not contributing their insights and knowledge to the world just because they’re scared something bad might happen?In this special episode of Speaking with Confidence with Cat Matson I’m sharing a snippet of my
153 - How To Memorise Your Presentation So You Don’t Need Notes
If I had a dollar for every person who’s asked me ‘how do I memorise my presentations?’ … In this episode of Speaking with Confidence with Cat Matson I’m talking about why memorising your presentation is a REALLY bad idea, and what you can do instead to deliver a powerful presentation.Listen in to hear:Why you DON’T want to even try to memorise your presentationMy top strategies for note-taking an
152 - The Problem With Shortcuts Like AI and Templates
It’s really tempting to use shortcuts like AI or templates when crafting a presentation; but if you’re not careful they’ll trip you up more than they help.In this episode of Speaking with Confidence I’m sharing the ‘colour-by-numbers’ mistake I see many people make when using a template, or AI, and how to overcome that.Listen in to hear:The ‘secret’ to effective presentationsWhy your unique experi
151 - How To Talk About Myself Without Sounding Too Braggy
How do you showcase your awesomeness without sounding like an arrogant twat? Well, that’s exactly what I’m answering in today’s episode!Most humble leaders I know DON’T like talking about themselves, and they hope ‘their work will speak for itself’.However, we often don’t have time for our work to speak for itself, and we need to be a little more overt in letting people know how we can contribute.
150 - How To Speak Up Even When I’m Scared
It’s REALLY hard to speak up when you’re scared or nervous; worried about looking like an idiot or being rejected.Yet we need to, right? Because, chances are, you’re listening to this podcast because you are fearful of speaking in public (whatever that looks like to you) and therefore, it follows, you need to speak up even when you’re scared (or never speaking up at all …. Which, in my opinion, is
149 - How To Be Heard In Meetings
We’ve all been there. In a meeting, we have ideas we want to contribute, and we just can’t make ourselves heard.Whether it’s dominating personalities in the room, people interrupting, whether it’s deliberate or just unthinking, it can be REALLY tough to make ourselves heard.In this episode I share some ideas (from lived experience) of how to be heard without getting defensive.Listen in to hear:How
148 - How to Speak Clearly & Confidently Under Pressure
“I’m fine in normal conversation, but as soon as all eyes are on me, I just lose my confidence, and my words”If I had a dollar for every time a podcast listener said this to me!When we’re in a pressure situation - we need to win the pitch, present a dissenting opinion - when the stakes are high, it can be difficult to stay cool and calm, let alone speak clearly and confidently. In this episode of
147 - How To Show Up EVEN WHEN You’re Not Feeling it
Ugh! How do you show up and be engaging, inspiring, energetic, motivating and enthusiastic … when you’re not?That is the topic of this podcast because, I’ll be honest, that’s how I felt on recording day.And rather than just ‘fake it’ I decided to ‘work out loud’ and let you in on my ‘secrets’ for shifting my mood when the only option is to ‘show up’.Listen in to hear:How to ‘find’ energy, even whe
146 - How Personal Is Too Personal
How do you balance building rapport by sharing personal stories but not getting ‘too personal’ with your audience?That’s the topic of this episode where I talk about the distinction between authenticity and over-sharing, why connecting personally IS important to effectively share your information and how you can find balance you’re comfortable with.Listen in to hear:How authenticity and vulnerabil
145 - What is the best way to practise my speech?
What is the best way to practise my speech? This is a question I am asked A LOT, so I’ve answered it in this podcast episode.Unlike many speaking coaches, I’m actually NOT an advocate for practising your speech over and over again in the mirror, or in front of your family. Why? Because by the time you come to the ‘live performance’ you’ll risk sounding robotic and rehearsed, instead of connecting
144 - Using Your Voice, Your Way, with Denise Duffield-Thomas
Denise Duffield-Thomas is a highly successful business woman. As a Money Mindset Mentor she has supported more than 10,000 people deal with their money gremlins in her Money Bootcamp. Denise is also an author of 3 books, has been podcasting for well over ten years. She has spoken on small and massive stages around the world (even though she’s not a fan of it) and has been open in her discussions a
143 - How to establish credibility (without sounding too boastful)
“How do I establish credibility, how do I demonstrate my experience, without sounding arrogant?”I’m easily asked this question at least 5 times a week.We like to think that ‘our experience and expertise speaks for itself’, but that’s not always (often) the case.In this episode I talk about why it’s important to tell your ‘brag stories’ in a way that establishes credibility so people WANT to listen
142 - But what if I freeze when all eyes are on me?
“Cat, I recently FROZE, completely froze, when the MC introduced me to talk. I was prepared, I knew my topic, but my nerves got the better of me and I froze. How do I NOT freeze next time?”That’s the conversation that has sparked this episode, and I’m recounting the advice I gave in a recent group call.Freezing on stage is a ‘normal’ response - it’s part of the nervous system’s fight, flight or fr
141 - Stepping into the Spotlight - Why You Want To (even if it’s scary)
Even if you’re an introvert, if you don’t like ‘all the attention’ or you’re happy ‘being in the background’, sometimes it’s important to step into the spotlight. Whether that’s on a stage or, more often than not, simply ‘speaking up’ in a meeting, in a community conversation or for your business.As humble leaders we often ‘fall back into the shadows’ even though we have a contribution we want to
140 How do I showcase my talents?
In this episode of Speaking with Confidence, I’m answering another community question,How do I bring everything I know, together?This is a question I’ve grappled with myself, because I didn’t want to ‘lose’ the opportunity to influence someone by NOT sharing the relevant information. Using the storytelling canvas, I can connect with both long term influence outcomes as well as short-term, micro co
139 - I have to write a speech, where do I start?
In this episode of Speaking with Confidence I’m answering a community question:How do I write a speech? Where do I even start?It’s an excellent question and in this short episode I talk you through my step-by-step process for writing ANY kind of speech.Listen in to hear:Why the starting point of any good speech is actually the endHow to limit your speech to just a handful of key messagesWhy I’m a
138 - How To Speak Naturally, Not In 'Presentation Mode'
In this episode of Speaking with Confidence I’m answering a community question:
How do I show up more naturally and not in ‘presentation mode’? And, how do I allow the passion I feel about my business and my work shine through?”
I love this question, because I’m all about authenticity - in a world of AI generated content, AUTHENTICITY is what will help you stand out and connect with your audienc
137 - I Talk Too Fast - How To Slow Down
In this episode of Speaking with Confidence I’m answering a question from my community:
“How do I stop talking so fast when talking to someone in person?”
Talking fast isn’t always a bad thing, but when you’re nervous, anxious or trying to say ‘all the things’ in a limited amount of time we can talk too fast and drown our listeners in all the words.
Listen in to hear
How to manage your nerves
136 - How To Make Online Meetings More Engaging
In this episode of 'Speaking with Confidence' I’m sharing my top tips to effectively host and show up in online meetings. We all spend a LOT of our time in meetings and now, a lot of those meetings are online or hybrid (ugh!).
How do we effectively connect, engage and facilitate engaging online meetings that don’t suck!
Listen in to hear:
Why online meetings require a different approach
135: How To Pitch For Speaking Opportunities
In this week’s Speaking with Confidence episode I’m answering a listener question,
“If a speaking opportunity comes up, what is the best way to pitch yourself?”
Conference speaking is one of the most powerful ways to reach new audiences, share your expertise and boost your profile. Whether you’re a business owner, a public servant or a corporate leader, speaking can have a fabulous impact on you
Episode 134: Mastering Simplicity In Your Communication
How do I have my listener understand even the most complex of concepts? How can I stop overwhelming my audience with all.the.things?
They're the questions I'm answering in this week's episode of Speaking with Confidence - a coaching podcast for business owners, public servants, corporate hippies and humble leaders who want to speak with greater impact.
In this episode
Simplicity is key in commun
Episode 134: Mastering Simplicity In Your Communication
How do I have my listener understand even the most complex of concepts? How can I stop overwhelming my audience with all.the.things?
They're the questions I'm answering in this week's episode of Speaking with Confidence - a coaching podcast for business owners, public servants, corporate hippies and humble leaders who want to speak with greater impact.
In this episode
Simplicity is key in commun
Episode 133. The psychology of Imposter Syndrome in Business with Kara Lambert
In this episode of Speaking with Confidence, business psychology consultant Kara Lambert talks about the mental hurdles that can hold business owners back.
We share our insights openly about imposter syndrome, fear of showing up authentically, and the pressures of hustle culture.
We discuss why creating a business that truly aligns with personal values is key to long-term success, and how sp
Episode 132. How To Impactfully Communicate Complex Information
In this week’s episode I talk with Dr Anneline Padayachee, a nutritional food scientist who bridges the gap between food science and nutrition.
This is a rich and delicious conversation about food science, nutrition and how to educate and inform all stakeholders in the supply chain.
Listen in to hear:
Anneline’s unique journey into science;
How she found herself an ‘accidental speaker’
her insight
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