frank gathering Archives - Amy Lynn Smith

Speaker coaching, for love and money

Posted on: February 28th, 2023 by Amy Lynn Smith No Comments

As a storyteller, I thrive on helping people tell their stories — and that work is not confined to the written word. I embrace every opportunity to provide speaker coaching services, because it means helping people present the best version of themselves and the stories they want and need to tell.

Although I offer this service for a fee, I sometimes do it purely for the love of speaker coaching. Not only does it apply my extensive communication and storytelling skills, it gives me a chance to flex my muscles in theatrical directing, which I did for many years.

Of course, presenting public remarks isn’t quite the same as playing a role onstage. Speakers are putting themselves out there, with no character to hide behind. So it’s no wonder that some people are terrified of public speaking. Heck, even after decades of acting and public speaking I still get nervous before I go onstage. But there’s really nothing to fear, especially if you have a speaker coach to offer tips and insights that help you shape your presentation. When I presented a talk at the 2020 frank gathering of public interest communicators, I was grateful for input from fellow coaches and theatre friends. (You can find some of my other public speaking appearances here.)

Early on, I had a coach who encouraged my public speaking, and my coaching style is informed both by what I learned from the late, great Joel Silberman and my theatrical experience. Every speaker coach has their own approach — and every speaker deserves coaching tailored to their unique needs. I’ve worked with people who have never given a public talk, people who have given TED Talks before I worked with them and everything in between. I meet each speaker where they are, and there’s no end to the kinds of advice that can be helpful to any given speaker. Perhaps they need tips on stage presence or simply the confidence that what they’re doing is really good, although even the best talk can be sharpened by a fresh perspective. Or maybe they need help shaping and refining their content and slides. Like any good story, a public talk should have a beginning, middle and end, and it should draw the audience into the speaker’s world.

I’m proud to have served as lead speaker coach for the frank gathering for so many years I’ve lost count. That role means not only coaching some of the speakers but also offering logistical and coaching advice to my esteemed fellow coaches. That’s work I do almost entirely for the love of speaker coaching (and frank), as a pro bono service. At the 2023 gathering, I also had the pleasure of presenting a workshop entitled, “Get Ready for Your Next Public Speaking Engagement.” I was honored that fellow frank speaker coaches Mark Dessauer and Iman Zawahry joined me.

We began by sharing our own favorite tips for public speaking, and I learned from hearing how they work with speakers. In addition to my tips — let your true self shine and trust yourself; be confident — their tips reinforced the importance of structuring your talk for the greatest impact (there’s storytelling again), engaging with your audience and, whenever possible, including a personal story.

Then we broke into three groups and gave individual coaching to people who brought a talk they were working on. In my case, one participant had a piece that was already beautifully written and nicely presented. But there’s always room for improvement. It’s hard to describe the satisfaction that comes from offering some concrete suggestions (after giving kudos for what’s working well), seeing the “lightbulb moment” in a speaker’s eyes — and then watching them take that input and soar. This participant only needed some minor tweaks: consider pausing here, or emphasizing that word, or showing us more emotion in this section. Every time she rehearsed her short piece again, it got better and better.

It’s always a thrill to coach speakers at frank and others I’ve worked with, and although speaker coaches never tell who they’ve coached, I am grateful for the speakers who have publicly thanked me for my efforts. But I always remind speakers that it’s really all them. They are the ones with an idea they’re passionate enough about to present in front of an audience, and they are the ones who step into the spotlight to share their thoughts.

The way I look at it, I’m there to help them be the best possible version of themselves, offering whatever guidance I think they need and want to hear.

Interested in my speaker coaching services? Please contact me and let’s talk!

Photo credits: Top image unknown; bottom image Anne Savage Photography.

Tags: frank 2023, frank gathering, Iman Zawahry, Joel Silberman, Mark Dessauer, public speaking, speaker coach, speaker coaching
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Learning something new every day

Posted on: February 12th, 2023 by Amy Lynn Smith No Comments

As I head to the frank gathering at the University of Florida, I have many reasons to reflect on learning.

Of course, there’s frank — “the gathering for people who change the world” — which I’ve attended for nine of its 10 years. Within my first day there nine years ago, I knew I’d found my tribe: people who are actively engaged in catalyzing significant social change. It’s work I’d been doing but wanted to do more of, and I soaked in every moment of the brilliant speakers, breakout sessions and opportunities to talk with people at all levels of the field of public interest communications.

Over the years, I’ve been increasingly involved behind the scenes at frank. At times, I’ve served on the steering committee and reviewed research prize submissions, but my most consistent and beloved contribution is being a speaker coach and, for a number of years, the gathering’s lead speaker coach.

As a speaker coach, I draw on decades of directing theatre and being a public speaker myself. I thrive on helping speakers shine onstage, but I greatly value what I’ve learned from every speaker I’ve coached. They’ve taught me fascinating things about the work they do, and the other lessons I’ve learned have been myriad, from helping someone overcome stage fright to knowing when to step back and trust a speaker’s expertise.

But my learning at UF doesn’t end with frank. That’s where I discovered the university’s online master’s degree program in Public Interest Communications. I’m graduating in summer 2023, and my experience returning to school after 30 years has been immensely gratifying. I already work in public interest communications, helping nonprofits, foundations and campaigns tell the stories of their work in a way that motivates others to act. But even when I took the required course in storytelling — my primary area of expertise — I intentionally brought an open mind and found there is always more to learn.

In every class, I’ve sharpened my skills and absorbed new ideas and insights from both my instructors and my fellow classmates. Part of the program’s appeal is that it attracts people of all ages from all over the world, making it a wonderfully diverse learning experience. And much like speaker coaching, the learning can be a two-way street. I was honored when I learned that a story I wrote for UNHCR (the UN Refugee Agency)’s Innovation Service was on the syllabus for the Introduction to Public Interest Communications class.

Although I look forward to holding my diploma in my hands, I’ve been applying what I learn to my work after each semester. I’ve brought new ideas to my clients, inspired them to create value propositions, developed campaigns based on their goals that they can use if they wish — and sometimes, I’ve learned to think differently about how I approach my own work. I’m eager to bring all my knowledge to comprehensive campaigns in my ongoing mission to create great content for the greater good.

I have some idea about what I’ll learn at frank 2023. But there’s quite a bit I don’t know and I can’t wait for the delightful surprises frank always brings forth. I’ll spend the week there with an open mind that’s ready to absorb as much as my brain will hold — and there’s absolutely no question that I will learn something new every day.

Photo by LAF Lines Photography.

Tags: Center for Public Interest Communications, frank, frank gathering, master's degree, public interest communication, UF CJC online, UF College of Journalism and Communications, University of Florida
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No days off from learning is a good thing

Posted on: March 10th, 2017 by Amy Lynn Smith No Comments

“There are no days off from learning,” a friend said to me recently. And it struck me that of all the lessons I will take away from the 2017 frank gathering, it’s that those of us who work in social change must be lifelong learners. We must be willing to learn something new every day — to challenge our assumptions, to say “I don’t know” and to be curious enough to seek answers to the tough questions about the world around us and the work we do.

I’m not surprised by the infusion of information and inspiration I received during the three days of frank, the annual gathering of social change communicators. I came prepared to learn from people who are at the top of their field and the top of their game. What I didn’t necessarily expect was to hear many of those people talk about their relentless pursuit of improvement. They recognize that the work we do — instigating and implementing positive change — can’t be mastered through complacency. It demands that we embrace the challenge of every day as if our lives depended on it. And when we’re championing issues like affordable healthcare, environmental protection or racial justice, people’s lives actually do depend on it.

During the closing ceremonies, Ann Christiano, creative director of frank and Frank Karel Chair in Public Interest Communications at the University of Florida, spoke of the value of virtuosity. Watch her talk online to fully appreciate her message, but these are the words that stuck with me most indelibly: “We must always strive to be our best. We must always self-correct and look for the opportunity to be better.”

Virtuosity is fueled, in part, by curiosity, which was the theme of this year’s frank gathering. We were given a Commonplace Book in which to capture “curious musings.” I covered many pages with ideas from the speakers and sessions I was most curious about, and as I continue filling pages with reflections and revelations I feel certain there will be no holding back the renewed sense of curiosity this year’s gathering unleashed in me.

Now that I’m back at work, I’m reminded of the words of the late, great Wendy Wasserstein, which have long been a mantra for me: “How will you use what you know?”

Some of what I learned at frank is immediately influencing my work, like a bolt of lightning. I’m already putting smarter communication strategies to use, whether they’re concepts that were new to me or approaches I’ve always employed but am applying in more imaginative, innovative ways thanks to what I learned.

But I suspect that what will be even more valuable are the ideas and inspirations that will seep in almost invisibly, like rays of sunshine, over the days and months to come. Our skin tingles with joy when it’s touched by the sun, but the benefits of what our bodies absorb go much deeper. I’m confident that frank will nourish my mind and spirit not just in the moment, but as I continue to pursue curiosity and virtuosity in every aspect of my work and my life at large.

The words of Bridgit Antoinette Evans will echo in my head, perhaps forever. She spoke of “soulful disruptions,” and her frank talk reminded me that who we are is a direct influence on the work we do. I know I’ll also be guided often by the wisdom of Rashad Robinson, who said, “People don’t experience issues. They experience life.” When I’m writing about issue advocacy or telling people’s stories, that truth will provide a meaningful frame for my work. And then there’s Trey Kay, whose Us & Them podcast explores our country’s cultural divides. He said, “When you’re trying to save the world, sometimes you have to recognize that it’s you who must change.” Change is an inevitable part of life — it’s in the name of the work we do: social change. When we see others resistant to changing in the ways we ask them to, it’s important to remember that every one of us can experience that same stubbornness.

Moving forward, I will draw strength and inspiration from the many frank speakers who talked about empathy and hope and optimism. All of these virtues may feel in short supply right now, but after frank I know they are bountiful and necessary to positive action. Just as necessary as the willingness to stay curious, always.

Every day is an opportunity to open our minds and our hearts to new solutions to thorny problems. I’m grateful for the inspiration of the frank community — and the infinite resources it provides for honing our skills and discovering the best use of our talents. From the talks posted online to a new online master’s program in Public Interest Communications launching later this year to a thriving tribe of do-gooders who stay connected and collaborative through frank, there is a steady supply of new things to learn, every single day.

[Photo credits: Top photo by Amy Lynn Smith; other photos courtesy of frank on Facebook].