Episode 1
Eksteen de Waal MBA
President of the Professional Speakers Association Nederland
Topic: Speaker on team relationship empowerment
The power of networking in the speaking business – Public Speaker World
Learn about Eksteen / Contact / Key lessons in the episode
Why you should listen to this episode
If public speaking is about connections then Eksteen de Waal is a super connector.
Eksteen is the President of the Professional Speakers Association of the Netherlands which has a global reach.
He is someone who is never afraid to tell the stories of the ups and downs of the speaking world, stories that range from losing his entire speech notes to getting thousands of people to stand on chairs and shout.
He’s made a name for himself talking about relationships and how they impact work and life.
This first episode of Public Speaker World is a must listen for event organisers as he shows how associations are nurturing new talent ensuring that there will always be fresh perspectives.
For future speakers, Eksteen is a perfect example of how determination to learn a topic combined with charm and humour, can turn you into a global speaker.
About Eksteen
It might seem obvious but do you know how much impact relationships really have on productivity in the workplace?
Eksteen de Waal has been studying the topic for years. In his early days, he even took an internship just to get inside a major corporation to try out his research.
Since then Eksteen has worked with leaders at the European Space Agency, Coca Cola and NIBC.
But Eksteen is also a great storyteller and it’s no surprise that his passion for his research led him to public speaking.
He now runs a company called Exponentially Me which teaches organisations about work relationships.
In today’s episode, Eksteen shares his story with us, he shares some valuable tips on how to approach speaking, as well as some of the lessons from his research on how we can approach our own relationships better.
Eksteen‘s Top Speeches
- GREAT MILLENNIAL LEADERS: Hope heart and the ability to reflect
- Why a cup of coffee makes innovation teams work
- The Inner Ironman: How big data is changing patient relationships
- Why women are better at innovation, and how this can transform your organisation.
Contact Eksteen
Key lessons from this episode
- Talk about things that are close to your heart, things you are passionate about.
- Make your talk relateable. In Eksteen’s case, everyone can relate to someone approaching you in the office and you know you are about to lose an hour.
- It might seem obvious the statement, “it’s not what you know but who you know”, but do you really know who you are talking to?
- Never be afraid to take any opportunity to study your topic. Eksteen took an internship just to see the issue first hand.
- Don’t be afraid to wake up the audience. Eksteen stood in front of a conference and told everyone to stand on their chairs.
- Find mentors to develop your speaking. Sometimes they’ll be free, sometimes paid but they can take you a long way.
- One approach to building talks is the modular one. You create several cycles that you learn really well. You can then mix and match them based on the audience.
- The only way to hear what your audience really needs is to engage with them. Ask them what they need.
- There is a natural fit between speaking and consultancy. Many people want your skills one on one or in small groups.
- When you decide how to market yourself come up with your one core message and use it in everything you do.
