“Literally can’t believe how different I feel since our meeting!! So grateful to have met you.....”
“You’re like an angel always sitting on my shoulder.”
“There should be more people in the world like you with a magic soul and spirit.”
“You are a guardian angel.”
“Sometimes, I’d rather listen to your voice than to music, I find it more inspiring.”
“Experiencing meditation under Susie’s guidance opened up new realms of discovery, from mental strength, freedom and the power to be in the now. I am eternally grateful for the work does and continues to do.”
“Your input was extremely well received and added value to a very enjoyable day. We will treasure your words of wisdom and practical exercises for a long time.”
“Susie Johns has worked on several high profile events within Liberty. She entranced all who met her from customers to the Liberty staff. Her energy is second to none as is her professionalism”
“Although I do quite a bit of public speaking, there is always room for improvement and I was keen to get some advice from an expert on how to achieve a more natural and spontaneous delivery. Susie’s approach was exactly what I needed and she really helped me improve in this area.”
“Susie’s meditation classes were greatly enjoyed by staff at Grosvenor, where she ran weekly one hour sessions. Her great skills enabled us to learn how relax, concentrate on visualisation and return to work feeling calm, energised and refreshed.”
“Every time I see you, I feel lighter, empowered and ready to take on the world.”
???????? Partner at Oliver Wyman Consultancy
End of Course Report and Testimonial
I am writing to share my experience with executive performance coaching from Christopher Barr and Susie Johns at 21st Century Presentation Skills. I'm a Partner at Oliver Wyman and sought out this unique offering to strengthen my public speaking skills. I've always been keen to invest time to improve my ability to translate my ideas into clear and engaging presentations that connect and convert.
Christopher and Susie helped me to identify voice specific opportunities for improvement and developed a customized coaching plan for me — Key areas of focus included improving my vocal projection, my body language, and my storytelling skills. They also provided valuable feedback when combining speech with my presentation content.
After working with Christopher and Susie, I noticed a significant improvement in my public speaking skills — I am now more confident and engaging when I speak in front of groups, and am already seeing an improvement in commercial results and new business wins as a result.
A few specific examples of how Christopher and Susie helped me improve my public speaking skills:
Vocal projection: Developing a stronger voice that can be heard clearly by an audience. I've learned how to breathe from my diaphragm and how to project my voice from my chest in order to use it to full effect.
Body language: Improving my body language so that I appear and feel more confident and engaging when I speak. This has included stronger eye contact, gestures, and body language to emphasize key points.
Storytelling skills: Developing my storytelling skills so that I can deliver my presentations in a more engaging way. I've learned how to use stories to illustrate my points, how to create suspense, and how to build to a climax.
Presentation content: Receiving valuable feedback on my presentation content has helped me to clarify my message, to organize my points in a logical way, and to use vivid language to capture my audience's attention.
I would highly recommend 21st Century Presentation Skills to anyone who is looking to improve their executive performance. The coaching is effective, personalized, and transformative. Christopher and Susie are experienced and knowledgeable voice coaches, and they are committed to helping their clients achieve their goals.
Here are some additional details about my experience working with 21st Century Presentation Skills:
My preconceived idea about what vocal training might involve contrast with the actual experience:
I thought that vocal training would involve learning a set of techniques, such as how to project my voice or how to use different vocal tones. However, the training with 21st Century Presentation Skills was much more than that. It was about developing a deeper understanding of myself as a communicator and how to use my voice, body language, and energy to create a connection with my audience.
The difference between Susie and Christopher as niche trainers versus corporates:
Susie and Christopher are both experienced and qualified coaches. However, I found that they had different strengths. Susie is very good at helping me to develop a personal connection with my audience. Christopher is very good at helping me to develop a more confident and engaging speaking style.
The highlights or breakthrough moments:
One of the highlights of the coaching was when I gave a presentation to a group of senior executives. I was nervous before the presentation, but I felt confident and prepared thanks to the coaching. The presentation went well, and I received positive feedback from the executives.
Another breakthrough moment was when I realized that my voice is a powerful tool. I used to be self-conscious about my voice, but I now realise that it is one of my strengths. I am able to use my voice to create a connection with my audience and to persuade them to take action.
The nature of me and my colleagues heavy workload; the difficulties that caused me and their flexibility to adapt to that issue:
I am a senior consultant and I have a very demanding workload. I often have to travel for work, and I often have to work long hours. This can make it difficult to find time for coaching. However, Susie and Christopher were very flexible with my schedule. They were able to accommodate my busy schedule, and they were always available to answer my questions.
How I feel I’ve benefitted overall and how you see yourself going forward. What I feel I can do now that I couldn’t do before but feel confident to tackle now:
I have benefited from the coaching in a number of ways. I am now more confident, engaging, and persuasive when I speak in front of groups. I am also more aware of the impact that my communication has on others. I am confident that I will be able to use my new skills to achieve my goals in my career.
I see myself going forward as a more confident and effective communicator. I am excited to use my new skills to make a difference in the world.
How other people in Oliver Wyman might benefit from working with us:
I believe that other executives in dynamic client facing roles could benefit from working with 21st Century Presentation Skills. The coaching can help them to develop the skills they need to be more effective communicators. This can help them to build stronger relationships with clients, to deliver more persuasive presentations, and to advance their careers.
I am grateful for Christopher and Susie's support — Their coaching has helped me to become a more confident and effective speaker.
Sincerely,
April 2023