Speaking Coach #146: Jon Yeo - The Art of Transformative Speaking Skills

The Coaching Podcast

Welcome to another captivating episode of The Coaching Podcast, where we delve into the world of transformative coaching, speaking, and self-discovery. In this episode, we unravel the art of coaching by exploring fundamental principles such as First Principles and understanding second-order consequences. Our guest, Jon Yeo, a speaking consultant, and licensee of TEDxMelbourne, shares his profound insights on coaching excellence, emphasizing the importance of deep connection, consistent methodology, and empathetic understanding. We journey through the intricacies of effective communication, guided by Jon's expertise in crafting TEDx talks that truly resonate. From exploring inner motivations to creating memorable speaking experiences, we explore the strategies that drive meaningful change. Join us as we navigate through the realms of coaching, speaking, and self-mastery, uncovering the secrets to influence, engagement, and the joy of transformative growth.

Some of the highlights include;

• 1.29: Worst coaching moments: When a coach assumes they know more than they do. Assumptions are your biggest killer.
• 2.03: Best coaching moments: When the coach deeply understands the needs, values, and outcomes of that person. Are you even more committed than the coachee?
  • How can a coach best prepare to be the moment? Do your homework!
  • Meet them where they are at, based on their background and experience.
  • Once you have arguably five times more information than you need, look for patterns.
    • Look for 'First Principles' - what are the prime elements that if you removed them, actually stopped that thing from being? (Car analogy)
    • This helps the coach and their client re-engineer their road map.
  • 5.35: Do you have a practice of excellence that extends well before you even get there? It's more than just creating the time to prepare!
• 6.07: Sliding Doors: "I love what you do, and, do what I love." But that wasn't always the case for Jon. Moving to London transformed the way he thinks and the way he operates.
• 9.19: What Makes a Great Coach?
  • Observant - how is your attention to detail around every micro-facet of their thinking, doing, action, practice, and being? Can you spot a pattern or schism (a split or division between strongly opposed sections or parties, caused by differences in opinion or belief)?
    • Do you have a consistent methodology? Without a baseline, you can't measure improvement or direction.
  • Open - Be honest that one day you might be wrong, or that you don't have all of the answers or you don't have the clarity that you really should have. If you are not open and vulnerable to this fact that you will never learn, grow, and evolve.
    • How can you shift from a "know-it-all to a learn-it-all?"
  • Empathetic - are you putting yourself in your coachee's shoes?
• 12.31: What drives someone to do something? (the human psyche)
  • Inner exploration - How do you think, act, and operate? Who are you? Because everything you do is an expression of those elements.
• 14.12: What causes someone to pause, rewind, or abandon a TEDx talk?
  • Pause and rewind: For reflection purposes
  • Abandon:
    • 1) The speaker is not interesting
    • 2) The idea is too complicated
    • 3) Or it wasn't the idea they expected
  • Therefore, knowing why people engage and why people disengage will come down to your ability to say the right thing, at the right time, to the right person, and in the right way = the craft of speaking.
• 15.38: You need basic rules to follow for a successful talk (it's an art and science).
  • TEDx talk TIPS and considerations: Most people take about 8 drafts before they are even more comfortable sharing their message with the world. Remember that before you get this draft it probably won't feel good, and/or sound great but that's okay and it is a part of the process. Most people 'stop here' but keep defining and refining because that's the fun and compulsory part.
  • A typical draft will take half a day to a week (Chat GPT can speed up this process).
  • Prioritizing the importance will help you determine the amount of time you need to prepare.
  • Memorize the key bullet points (25 times to know the content) and note that it will take you 50 times of practice before you will be able to deliver a LIVED EXPERIENCE. Can you deliver your talk without thinking about it?
  • Remember that "hope is not a strategy when you are trying to influence someone,"
  • 98% of the time, speakers have anywhere between 60 - 90% too much content.
  • What do you want people to THINK, FEEL, and DO after listening to your talk?
  • A TEDx talk is - Ideas worth spreading, they are not lectures worth learning.
  • When we are speaking, it is actually an opportunity to engage, build rapport, and establish and build a relationship. Otherwise, you are just transferring information and you would be missing the point of the purpose of speaking.
• 20.46: What are second-order consequences? (The consequence of the consequence.
• 24.29: How can we make STEM more appealing to girls at a younger age?
  • Follow: Sarah Moran is co-founder of Girl Geek Academy, a movement to bring one million women and girls into technology careers by 2030.
  • Book: Invisible Women by Caroline Criado Perez (Data bias in a world designed for men).
  • Men need to be honest that they are successful because the world is built for them.
• 28.58: TED talk recommendations: Mastery talks because of their simplicity and profoundness:
  • 1) Weird or Just Different by Derek Sivers
  • 2) How to Tie Your Shoes by Terry Moore
  • Great speakers are able to create this two-way dynamic
• When we are more symbiotic the joy of life seems to show itself and the struggle disappears.

The Coaching Podcast is sponsored by The Sampson Agency - a talent entertainment and sports management company owned and operated by Tina Samara.

Visit: www.thesampsonagency.com or email: [e-mail]

To learn more about becoming a workplace coach or advancing your coaching skills, visit: www.opendoorcoachingusa.com or email: [e-mail]

About Jon Yeo - Speaking consultant and licensee of TEDx Melbourne

Jon works with Leaders and Changemakers to understand strategic influence. While leading TEDxMelbourne, he saw the YouTube data for, "What causes someone to pause, rewind or abandon a TED Talk?". He combined this data to better understand how to design for empathy, and engagement and simplify complexity. Jon has been the Licensee for TEDxMelbourne since 2009 and is a past National President for Professional Speakers Australia.

Connect with Jon

Website: https://www.brightstar.net.au
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonyeo/