Grace Under Pressure

About the Author

Lisa Wentz is the founder of the San Francisco Voice Center, a renowned public speaking expert, and an accent specialist. Recognized as one of the top coaches in the San Francisco Bay Area, Lisa has extensive experience coaching speeches, presentation skills, and accent reduction for executives and managers from Fortune 500 companies, including Adobe, Genentech, Google, Oracle, Salesforce, and VMware. Her book, Grace Under Pressure: A Masterclass in Public Speaking, draws on decades of training in psychology, theatre arts, and vocal pedagogy to deliver in-depth information essential for becoming an admired speaker.

Main Idea

Humans are natural communicators, but societal influences and personal experiences often inhibit our confidence in public speaking. Grace Under Pressure addresses the psychological barriers, physical training for vocal power, and delivery techniques necessary to become a compelling speaker. Lisa Wentz provides exercises to strengthen your voice and enhance your ability to connect with your audience, making this a comprehensive guide for anyone looking to improve their public speaking skills.

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• What Holds Us Back
• Vocal Training
• Delivery
• Bringing It All Together

What Holds Us Back

Public speaking often triggers the flight-or-flight mechanism inherited from our ancestors. This physiological response can tighten muscles, restrict breathing, and affect the voice, stemming from an unrealistic expectation of perfection and fear of judgment. Several psychological barriers need to be addressed: