Unleashing the Power of Passion: Insights from Journalist Gillian Joseph on Confidence, Visibility, and Enthusiasm in Public Speaking

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In this interview, Gillian Joseph, a well-known journalist, shares her insights and tips on how to build confidence, maximise visibility, and convey enthusiasm in public speaking. She discusses her upbringing and how it influenced her desire for excellence and pursuit of a career in journalism. Gillian emphasises the importance of using social media to grow a following and offer yourself up as an expert to increase your media profile. She also provides practical advice on how to overcome nerves and a lack of self-confidence when conveying passion for a topic or product and the best ways to present in front of a camera or a room full of people. Gillian’s enthusiasm is contagious, and her advice is sure to inspire anyone looking to improve their public speaking skills.

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Where did it all start for you?

Gillian Joseph’s answer: I think probably with my mother, who I think instilled in me the values of wanting to be the best. I think coming from an immigrant family in the UK, you know that well. It was instilled in me that you must work twice as hard. My mom used to say, “It’s ten times as hard just to even be considered on the same level. So, you really must be entrenched in excellence, and you have to want to be the best. And that comes with hard work.

My mother was an extremely hardworking woman. She was a headmistress and, as you can imagine, a real disciplinarian. So, very strict, but in equal measure, very loving. I had that foundation with my family to be able to go for it and be the best person that I possibly could be and be the most professional and accomplished in whatever field I sought to develop in. So, I think that’s my foundation, and I was naturally leaning towards the arts rather than the sciences.

I didn’t have a mathematical brain. I still don’t have a mathematical brain. I knew that I wanted to do something in the arts, and I wrote well. I was great at storytelling, so initially I thought, “Oh, I’ll be an author. And then I thought, “Well, that’s quite difficult because if the idea doesn’t come to you and you’re staring at a blank page, that could be quite a challenging career to always come up with material.

And then my lazy element thought, “Oh, well, what about journalism? Because the story is there for you, and then it’s your interpretation and your storytelling skills that you must employ. And so, that’s what I pursued from a very young age, really driven by my family and predominantly my mom.

Can you share with us some ideas or tips on what it takes for a woman entrepreneur to maximise her visibility and gain the confidence to get the exposure that she needs and deserves for her business?

Gillian Joseph’s answer: Use social media. You should be on it every day. You should be posting about whatever your expertise is, growing a following so that people come to know you in that arena for your expertise. You should offer yourself up as an expert in whatever the field is, so that when organisations are looking for a spokesperson on a particular subject or looking at covering an area, your name is the name that they go to because you become known.

I know that your organisation talks about empowering women by giving them a microphone, and that is so true. And that is something that, if you are looking to increase your media profile, you need to be versed in. So, I would say you need to practise. And it might not be a massive event like the Global Women’s event. Initially, it might be in front of your mirror; sit in front of your mirror and run through your spiel, what you would want to say in an interview, what points you’d want to get across; think about how you appear, your confidence level, your fluency; practise.

And practise simply makes perfect, as we all know. I think it’s important to be the full package and to be able to, if it’s a product that you’re wanting to introduce the world to, know the ins and outs of the product while also having a bit of a human face so that you’re able to share a little bit about yourself. People are interested in items and products, but they’re also interested in you and what you bring to the table. And there might be something a little quirky about you.

You might have green hair, or you just might have a different air about you, and I think that makes you stand out, and that’s your unique selling point. So, don’t be afraid to be yourself because that’s often what people want to see.

What is the sparkle that you look for when building a relationship with potential interviewees?

When building a relationship with potential interviewees, I always look for enthusiasm. Enthusiasm is intoxicating and contagious. When someone is really excited about their subject matter, their product, or themselves, you also share that excitement because it’s like they pass the baton on to you.

It’s important to be enthusiastic about whatever you’re selling or offering. If you don’t love or believe in what you’re promoting, it will be difficult to convince others to feel that way.

Is it important to love what you’re selling or offering when trying to convey enthusiasm to others?

Yes, it is extremely important to love what you’re selling or offering when trying to convey enthusiasm to others. When you truly believe in something, it’s easier to convey passion and excitement.

If you don’t love what you’re selling, it will be difficult to convince others to feel that way. It’s important to have a deep understanding of what you’re promoting and what it can do for people. When you have that understanding, you can naturally convey enthusiasm and excitement.

How do you overcome nerves and a lack of self-confidence when trying to convey passion for a topic or product?

Overcoming nerves and a lack of self-confidence can be difficult, but it’s essential when trying to convey passion for a topic or product. I’ve found that a little bit of nerves can help you perform to the best of your capability. However, if the nerves become too overwhelming, they can interfere with your message.

To overcome nerves and a lack of self-confidence, you have to ride the nerves, conquer them, and get on top of them. One way to do that is to realise that you need some nerves to propel you. Instead of letting them dominate, you need to conquer them and use them to your advantage. It’s not something that’s easily done or done the first time, but with practise, you can learn how to manage your nerves well.

As a journalist, I’ve had to overcome my nerves when in front of the camera, and although it’s still a challenge in certain situations, I’ve learnt how to take control.

How can we overcome nerves when speaking in front of a camera or a room full of people?

It’s about concealing those elements that betray you. It might be the constant umming, talking too quickly, or not breathing properly. Breathing is essential for calming yourself down before a major speech.

Take deep breaths: breathe in for ten, hold for three, breathe out for ten, hold for three. Breathing will help you relax and feel more confident before performing in front of a camera or a room full of people. Believe that everybody there wants you to perform well. Everybody is on your side.

When performing in a studio, talk to one person as if you’re having a conversation. The more natural you can feel, the more relaxed you’ll be.

What is the best way to present in front of a camera or a room full of people?

I would always suggest not going in with lots of notes that you must look at, turn pages, or read because that’s so stunting and very unnatural. You can tie yourself up in knots because if you don’t find the point that you’re looking for, you might panic and have to apologise. Instead, at the most, have bullet points. You know your subject, you know who you are, and you know your product.

Have confidence in that, and don’t feel tied to written notes or think that you have to be perfect. There is neither a wrong nor a right. What is essential is how you present yourself and how you convey your message. Free yourself from the constraints of thinking that you can fail. There is no right or wrong, and it’s about you presenting your product with confidence, vitality, and passion.

How can we deal with mistakes when speaking in public?

There are no mistakes. Try not to read your speech. You can have some guidance notes or bullet points but if you can do away with them altogether even better. As long as you know your subject, you are always in safe territory.

Connect with your audience, look at them. Remember, there are no mistakes. We may think there are but that is False Evidence Appearing Real – FEAR!