Quiet Superpowers

This is the second episode of the three-part series on how to improve at speaking without preparation. Last episode we looked at the reasons we often find it difficult to speak without preparation. And this episode explores the tools, tactics, and methods you can use to essentially always be prepared! David JP Phillips TED Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nj-hdQMa3uASimon Sinek, Styrofoam Cup: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNf1pKRhay8Books mentioned: 1. Building a Second Brain, Tiago Forte2. Taking Smart Notes, Sonke Ahrens Note-taking app I use: Obsidian (https://obsidian.md/)- I use this for all writing/podcast notes (in addition to a physical bullet-journal)- https://bulletjournal.com/pages/bookAs always - let me know if you have any questions, thoughts, ideas, I'd love to hear them!

This episode is the first in a new three-part topic- on speaking on the spot. The type of speaking you do when you haven’t had chance to prepare.This is the first episode of this topic, where we explore the question of why we often find it so difficult to speak without preparation. We look at the most common psychological challenges that cause this, as well as the common mistakes we make that reduce our confidence and ability to speak well on the spot. This episode is focused on building self-awareness around speaking unprepared. And the following 2 episodes in this topic will look at practical methods and tools we can use in any situation where we don't have time to prepare. Hope you enjoy :) Apologies if there is a little background noise in this one... I stupidly left my window open whilst recording...! As always- let me know if you have any comments, feedback, ideas, questions!

This episode stems from a discussion I had with someone about that balance between having opinions and being heard. I was interested by how often those with more extreme views/opinions tend to be heard by more people. Possibly not respected by more people. But they reach more people. And whilst I didn't like the idea that someone could gain "reputation" for extreme opinions, it made me think about how I have often lacked having any strong opinions on anything...! These are the lessons I learnt about holding opinions over the past couple of years. I'm breaking down the importance of having opinions - which are critical for healthy living, successful relationships, and overcoming fear of judgement! I also dive into the tactics you can use to express your opinions more. Hopefully this is helpful :)

Hello - this is a very different format for an episode.I was away last week - as you'll hear from the episode - and I wanted to share some of my thoughts since then :)Hope you enjoy this slightly different episode.In researching this episode, I also found out about "attention restoration" - which is that when we constantly direct our focus - solving problems, reacting to things, making decisions - we drain our mental resources. This can feel like mental fog - it really did for me. And I felt completely exhausted. But exposure to restorative environments - especially nature - replenishes that attention. This explains why you can often feel so good after a break or holiday from a busy work life.Thank you! As always - feel free to reach out for any questions, comments, ideas, feedback :) [email protected]

In this episode - we look at small talk, and how to progress from small talk into deep talk, or big talk, or however you want to call this. I've struggled with being on both the receiving end of small talk, and feeling like I have to get good at it multiple times throughout my life. I've never quite understood it. So I took some time to research what makes good small talk, as well as how we actually move away from it, into better, more fun, and more fulfilling conversations. Some articles that I reference: https://thequietlife.net/p/how-to-turn-small-talk-into-big-talkhttps://hbr.org/2021/03/remote-workers-need-small-talk-too

Confidence is very often misunderstood. There's a type of confidence that involves creating a facade to try and prove something to people, But there's also a more subtle form of confidence - quiet confidence - that means you are calm and collected during the storms. There's a difference between being confident, and feeling confident, which we explore in this episode. We look at practical steps you can take to build your confidence, regardless of where you're currently at with it. Piano Improv:Today's piano was heavily inspired by Sacrifice Piano Solo Version Seiji "Fish on Land" Ending by Keiichiro Shibuya. Recommend listening to this and similar songs if you enjoyed this one :)As always if you have any questions, feedback, comments etc. - feel free to email me at [email protected]

In this episode, we look at the question of closeness - why we can feel it, but not always be able to express it openly. Being close to people is one of those things that has never quite made sense to me. I had never really known if I was doing the "right" thing when I found it difficult to express. I think it's a challenge for many quiet people to be able to express this closeness without breaking your authenticity. Being able to be yourself whilst still showing to other people that you care about them, and that your quietness and/or introversion does not mean you're being distant. Listen to the full episode where we explore this question more deeply.As always - let me know if you have any comments or feedback for this episode. You can also email me at [email protected]. In this episode I mentioned; Brene Brown - who has been mentioned in previous episodes!Neil Strauss - American Author

In this episode, within the series of questions that quiet people may ask themselves, we explore the question of why communication can be so different depending on who you're with. I've never understood why my communication can change significantly, when there is the addition or reduction of a single person. So I decided to explore this question! Episode mentions:1- Quiet, Susan Cain: https://susancain.net/book/quiet/2- Brene Brown: https://brenebrown.com/Apologies for the late release of this episode...! I was moving place, and had some difficulty with the recording setup. You'll notice the piano quality is also slightly different, as I was using an upright piano without any noise reduction, hope you enjoy the solo improv regardless!

This is the start of a new season of the podcast, exploring questions that quiet people (including myself!) may ask themselves. Hope you enjoy the new format! This first episode looks into the question of what actually is quiet, and where it comes from. Recommended book: "Quiet - The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking" - Susan Cain

Staying consistent can feel like a never-ending battle with yourself. In this episode, we explore why it's normal to be inconsistent often, and how to work with it more effectively.10-Min Vocal Warmup Exerciseshttps://drive.google.com/file/d/1R50NQPxv4ZqFiVO1eazjhmkiz3DRP1hF/view?usp=sharingCommunication Improvement Planhttps://drive.google.com/file/d/1A1UnkWXM_CQf_K_0lqxJ6XjQKxj0hnXr/view?usp=sharing

In this episode, we look at the superpower of storytelling. This is my favourite topic so far, because storytelling can be used in virtually every situation. Telling stories teaches you to be more vulnerable with yourself and other people. It can significantly improve the relationships in your life, and give you a platform to express yourself to people - even those you already are very close with. We explore the core ingredients of what makes a good story, how you can deliver a great story, the common mistakes to avoid in storytelling, and how you can use it to lead a more intentional and creative life. Listen to the full episode to find out more!

In this episode, we look at the superpower of listening. We spend an average of 40% of our total waking time listening. Yet we rarely consider how we can improve our listening.The battle for our attention is only becoming more difficult in the modern world, and listening offers us a way to regain this control.Emily Kasriel's 8-Step Process;1 - CREATING SPACEThis is about making time and the right environment for listening - especially in tough conversations or discussions.2 - LISTENING TO YOURSELFWe all carry our own baggage. And sometimes, before we can really listen to other people, we need to sit with ourselves, until our own minds can be quiet enough. 3 - BEING PRESENTThis is about not being distracted by the many other things happening in life. This is arguably the hardest one here. Because presence isn't something you can force. Life can be really busy and hectic. And sometimes it's really difficult to not be overwhelmed. And then we're not necessarily in the right place to deeply listen to others. 4 - BEING CURIOUSCuriosity means that you're eager to really understand someone. And being understood is such a valuable thing. 5 - HOLDING THE GAZEEye contact also helps people feel seen - quite literally... And it also conveys emotional availability. 6 - HOLDING THE SILENCESilence lets the speaker process things in the space it creates. You can reflect on feelings, and have more meaningful responses. 7 - REFLECTING BACKThis builds on the part about being curious. Because reflecting back is about understanding. 8 - GOING DEEPERFinal step: is to really understand what's beyond the surface level, and take the experience to a new level.https://www.emilykasriel.com/ For more info on Emily and her work - please visit her website, and I highly recommend checking out her book, Deep Listening.Listen to the full episode to learn more!

In this episode, we look at the superpower of writing...This might seem like an unusual topic given the first two episodes on communication and speaking, however, writing is more integral to communication than you might think. We explore the research-backed benefits of why writing can be incredibly helpful to improving the way you communicate, and 3 writing exercises that you can use today to develop this skill. Po Shen Loh - an American mathematician and social entrepreneur. This is a video mentioned in the podcast about what skills we can focus on now that AI exists. Highly recommend!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWYb7tImErIAs always - if you have any questions or feedback, please let me know in the comments below.

In the last episode we talked about what are your quiet superpowers. If you missed it, quiet superpowers refers to the superpower of communicating, especially if you feel or have always felt... quiet. In this episode, we explore how to get started with building this skill of communication. We look at a research-proven method to obtain the most relevant and unique information about your own communication so you can immediately create an improvement plan. ChatGPT Prompt to use for transcription review:Act as an expert Communication Coach for a Principal: I will upload a spoken transcript — read it in full and produce a precise, high-value improvement report that follows these steps: (1) Clarity & Structure — identify exactly where the message is clear vs. where it becomes confusing or unfocused, show 3–6 concrete structural edits (better openings, transitions, signposting, and a stronger close) and, where useful, annotate the transcript with line/timestamp markers for each fix; (2) Conciseness & Word Choice — highlight filler words, redundancies, and long-winded stretches, and provide cleaner alternative phrasings (short, conversational, confident) for those passages; (3) Emotional Resonance & Storytelling — point to moments that land flat and recommend specific ways to add contrast, story beats, curiosity hooks, or emotional detail to make them more engaging; (4) Tone & Presence — evaluate authenticity, confidence and connection, and recommend tangible adjustments to rhythm, pacing, breath, and energy (with examples of phrasing and suggested micro-pauses); (5) Audience Connection — identify where language addresses the audience vs. talks at them, and propose exact wording swaps to make the voice more relatable and human; (6) Top Actions — give 3–5 prioritized, concrete changes that will yield the largest immediate improvement; and (7) Worked Example — include at least one short rewritten excerpt (30–60 words) showing “before → after” so I can hear what “great” sounds like. Keep all feedback actionable, kind, and specific — annotate the transcript where relevant, and finish with a 2–3 line checklist I can practice next time I speak.