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John Dawson
Helping you re-think public speaking to make it simpler, smaller and more like a chat. If public speaking was no longer scary, what could you do?
John Dawson, Public Speaking Coach and Trainer
John Dawson is an experienced public speaking coach and trainer who has been helping people develop confidence in public speaking for over 23 years.1 He runs public speaking courses in Bristol, London and Manchester, delivering around 30 two-day courses per year.2
Dawson's approach focuses on building authentic confidence and overcoming anxiety around being the center of attention.2 His definition of public speaking is broad, encompassing not just formal speeches and presentations, but also situations like speaking up in meetings where one feels pressure.2
Some key facts about John Dawson:
- He has worked with over 8,000 people who struggled with public speaking anxiety1
- He trained in relational presence work in 2000 and has co-led the European Facilitators Group for over a decade1
- He has added to his training by studying Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to help with his coaching1
- He was the founding editor and publisher of The Spark Magazine in Bristol for 15 years before transitioning to public speaking coaching1
- He is married and has been a photographer since age 121
Dawson's public speaking courses aim to help participants overcome the fear of presenting, learn to be the center of attention with ease, and feel confident in front of any audience.2 He has been praised by past attendees for his unique and effective approach.2
Highlights
On this day, May 21st 2014, after puking on a Tube platform, I taught a course with, what I thought, was food poisoning. I didn't have any lunch. Luckily my wife was in London so she collected me at the end of the day and I staggered back home to Bath. A paramedic confirmed food poisoning that night.
Two days later I start uncontrollably shaking. I was rushed into hospital with a burst appendix and peritonitis. It never had been food poisoning. The following week the Doctor holds his index finger very close to his thumb and said "Last week, you were this close". He didn't need to add the words "to dying".
So I'm very grateful to have had an extra ten years of life. I'm thankful that I can breathe each breath without struggling at all.
I'm deeply grateful for the love of my wife, friends, family and all the NHS staff who were amazing.
I'm grateful to be alive and do work that I love .
I'm not sure how many more summers I have left. I really want to appreciate each one I am fortunate to have.
Today, I'm grateful to be able to post this on LinkedIn.
And the banana photo? This was taken just a few weeks later. I was starting to recover and being daft after a time of not being daft at all . I'm grateful for all the laughter I have had since.
What are you grateful for?
One course participant didn’t leave his job for eleven years because he was scared of giving a leaving speech. He never mentioned his fear to his girlfriend, and she left him because he wasn’t “ambitious enough.”
Another guy on a course moved countries nine times so he was never good enough at the language to do presentations. Imagine how much of a hassle that would be JUST to avoid doing presentations.
A woman on a course walked out of a senior executive role in a huge organization while she was giving a presentation. She didn’t return to a management role for over two years.
And a retired ex-nuclear submarine captain (think how trained he would be) said, “I had enough missiles on board to destroy half of Russia, but I really hated using the tannoy.”
Lots of confident people really don’t understand how strong the fear is and how much suffering is going on at work. As you’ve seen above, the fear can be life-changing. But by its very nature, public speaking fear is quiet; it’s not obvious. Even with people you think should be naturally good at public speaking: “I have always suffered with poor self-confidence despite a seemingly confident exterior. It has held me back at many points in my life.” — Olly
It’s really not just the speaking either; a lot of the time people hate being the centre of attention. They feel exposed, vulnerable, and under scrutiny. “When all eyes or even ears (group calls) are focused on me, I seem to freeze.” — Louise
Over 24 years, I’ve worked with thousands of people saying similar things. But over the last two years, I’ve STOPPED doing in-house work for companies, which at first sight may seem counterintuitive.
I noticed that In-house courses were never as deep-reaching or life-changing as my other courses (based on feedback from participants). I realized that people were holding back on in-house courses because they didn’t want to talk about shame, anxiety, fear, blushing, and impostor syndrome with their colleagues. They didn't feel safe. Would you?
I'd love to hear your take on this.
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Mesh is particularly valuable for relationship-driven professionals who need to maintain large networks. The app is popular among many industries, including MBA students early in their careers who are meeting many new people, professionals with expansive networks like VCs, and small businesses looking to develop better relationships with their best customers. Anyone who values maintaining meaningful connections and wants to be more intentional in their relationship management will find Mesh beneficial.
Mesh offers competitive pricing in the personal CRM market. Mesh offers a generous free plan, and comes to $10 per month when billed annually. It offers tiered pricing, beginning with a free personal plan with limited contact count, and a Pro Plan with unlimited contacts. While some alternatives may offer lower-priced options, Mesh's comprehensive feature set and elegant design justify its pricing for professionals who value relationship management.
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