From the very beginning, surrounded by people who couldn’t handle strong emotions being expressed, were you one of those little girls who was told off for crying? Stop crying now! Pull yourself together! Cry baby! Get over it! I don’t want to hear it! Grow up!
The shame continues to be reinforced. Now, as an adult, crying at work – especially in front of your boss – is a big fat no-no.
I’m often asked whether it’s okay to cry when you give a speech. The short answer is yes. And here’s the explanation:
As a speaker, it’s your job to move the members of your audience. If you don’t, they won’t care about what you’re saying. If they don’t care, it’s impossible for you to inspire, motivate, influence and persuade them. If they don’t care, you’re not doing your job.
Your capacity to move an audience is directly linked to your willingness to express the emotional impact of your experiences ~ Gail Larsen, Transformational Speaking
Tears are a powerful expression. They spell vulnerability and authenticity. They can allow your audience in, to meet you, to walk part of your journey with you.
One of my favourite TED talks is below. Stacey Kramer gives you a perfect example of how strong emotions absolutely have a place in the right talk.
Click play to watch and listen. It’ll only take you three minutes. It’s so worth it, I promise.
[ted id=975]I’d love to hear your thoughts about Stacey’s talk and the place for strong emotions during speeches and presentations. Feel free to leave a comment below.
About the author
Tricia Karp is dedicated to helping women develop their power and leadership through powerful self-expression. She’s the founder of www.TriciaKarp.com, where she shares her strategies and wisdom for becoming a world class speaker and communicator.
To find out about Tricia’s latest Australian workshop – Unprecedented Confidence – come over here.
