You’re sitting in a packed auditorium, watching a dynamic professional speaker deliver a performance full of movement, humor, and insight. Her confidence and charisma seem to fill the room as she masterfully delivers her message.

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You leap to your feet to join in a rousing standing ovation, then hurry off to the side of the stage to congratulate her for such an inspiring keynote. But as you politely chat with the speaker, you’re surprised to find that offstage, she’s quiet, reserved, and seemingly uncomfortable with all the attention.

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Given her onstage persona, you probably never would have guessed that she’s an introvert. In fact, many people even assume that to be a successful professional speaker, you must be naturally extroverted.

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That’s simply not the case. Introverted, extroverted, or anything in between, you can thrive in the spotlight, deliver a transformational performance, and share your message with connection, craft, and confidence.

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(And don’t let the word “performance” scare you. You don’t have to leap from introversion to “bigness” onstage. Performing, simply put, is making your audience feel through actions onstage—actions that are aligned with a performance style that feels authentically “you.”)

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First, a Disclaimer About Labels

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As a society, we often put ourselves into different boxes. You might consider yourself extroverted, introverted, or ambiverted, but onstage, those labels disappear. The way you decide to show up onstage is entirely up to you. Your natural inclination doesn’t determine your ability to succeed in the spotlight.

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Simply labeling someone as an extrovert or introvert can be an oversimplification; it can color your idea of what types of people belong on the stage. In my experience in life and in performance, humans show up in different ways at different times and in different settings in our lives.

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Sure, there are some traits that come with being traditionally introverted or extroverted. But it’s an incorrect generalization to assume that all extroverts enjoy being in the spotlight and all introverts do not. A vast range of types of speakers can and do deliver transformational messages and leave their unique mark onstage.

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There’s no one “Right” Performance Style

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If a speaker’s performance style is more reserved, stoic, and quietly intense, I love that. And, as Performance Faculty, I want to nurture that; I want to see what happens when they really own their unique style.

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If somebody’s performance style is more athletic and they use their whole body, act out the physicality of their speech, and end the performance dripping in sweat because they’re working so hard, I love that too.

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I don’t love either of these performance styles (or any other performance style, for that matter) more than the other. Because there’s no one performance style that’s most effective or most impactful.

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Any performance style can be effective if it’s rooted in honesty, full commitment, and is centered on the audience. Our work as Performance Faculty is to help people discover their specific style, root it in craft, anchor it in structure, and enhance their commitment to it in whatever way feels true to them.

Full Transcript

Don't

let your own perception of yourself (or how others perceive you) stop you from finding and sharing your voice onstage.

find and embody a performance style that sincerely resonates with you, then own it under the spotlight.

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Introverts Can Thrive in the Spotlight

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No matter how you identify yourself, perceive the world, gather information, or interact with others, your voice can be the one that stands out.

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Growing up an introvert—and having worked with many introverted speakers, students, and actors—I’ve pinpointed three reasons why introverts tend to thrive in the spotlight, both in the acting and professional speaking worlds.

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Onstage, You Can Revel in the Freedom

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Being onstage is an opportunity to remove any real or perceived barriers that you experience elsewhere. For many performers, the stage is a place of possibility, a place of exploration, a place of liberation.

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The collaborative dynamic between performer and audience, as they wrestle with big ideas together, is a freeing experience. That freedom of focusing on something bigger than yourself and in helping others can feel like a vacation from the social anxiety of unwanted attention in day-to-day life.

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For effective professional speakers, it isn’t about the attention given to them, and it certainly isn’t about being perceived as “good.” The privilege of taking the spotlight and being the one on the microphone is all in service of the transformation you want to help guide your audience through. The work is about something larger than any one person. It’s about the ideas, the mission, the people you want to serve.

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“I’ll Just Wing It” Is NOT Your Backup Plan

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During GRAD | Stage Performance Mastery, I’ve had the privilege of working with a bounty of wonderful students—each one completely unique. It is incredibly inspiring to see more naturally introverted students set discomfort aside, do the deep investigative work, and master craft—regardless of their initial fear, shyness, or discomfort. By the time they finish the program, I’m absolutely amazed at what they do onstage and the level of growth they’ve achieved.

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Sometimes that truly admirable growth happens precisely because the idea of just “winging it” is just not an appealing option to an introvert. The fear and unknown that come from a lack of preparation can shift the focus back on the self, and it can lead to a confirmation of a perception that the stage is “not meant for them.”

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The only way to remove that anxiety and hyper-awareness of the spotlight is to shift the focus onto the work that needs to be done.

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Whether you’re extroverted, introverted, or whatever label you might put on yourself, the work is the work, and success comes from a rigorous commitment to iteration and craft. Every single student who puts in the reps, rehearses their speech, and does the work that is required to master the craft of stage performance will both deliver transformation in others, and experience a transformation in themselves.

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Your Contributions Are Unique, Innovative, and Necessary

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Often the people who may not want to be the first to speak up in a room have profound insights to share. The ones who spend more time observing than commenting? They bring a unique perspective to the conversation and ideas worthy of standing ovations.

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As a society, it’s crucial to hear from a diversity of perspectives. The stage is a place to reflect the vast breadth of the human experience. Breakthroughs happen when we learn from people who have experienced things we have not. And because of that, we truly can do more together than we can alone.

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“I joined GRAD | Speech Writing and Performance Mastery at HEROIC unsure if I still had what it took. Our cohort represented a wide range of industries, experiences, and voices, yet from day one there was one mission: show up, get real, and get better. And we did—together! The faculty doesn’t coddle; they challenge you, press you, see past the noise, and help you unlock something you didn’t know was there. I’ve learned more about my blind spots and potential in three months than I have in years. We became comfortable with the uncomfortable, walked out with stronger voices, and the confidence to command the stage and speak in service of the audience.”

Tan Wilson

Keynote Speaker, Founder and President of Entellect, LLC

Quick Tips for Introverted Speakers

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Perhaps you’ve avoided the stage before. Maybe you prefer to observe, analyze, and soak up information quietly and discreetly. But if you know you have an important message to share, it’s time to raise your unique voice and own the spotlight.

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Here are a few tips:

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Focus all your attention on your audience. Performance anxiety is centered on the self. If you focus on serving your audience and center yourself on helping them, you’ll be less nervous and more effective. Reframing anxiety as excitement can also help you overcome feelings of impostor syndrome.
Choose the roles you are going to play onstage. Carefully designing the roles you play can help you deliver your message more effectively. Your impact will increase as you make your audience feel, think, and act differently by playing the right role at the right moment.
Embody a performance style that feels authentic to you. Honesty is essential for a performance to feel comfortable and achievable to you, and authentic to your audience. Find what works for you, and slowly take it up a notch.
Rehearse daily. True professional speakers know rehearsal is an essential part of their profession. As you rehearse, you’ll internalize your speech and feel more prepared to show up and deliver your best performance onstage.

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Ready to Step Into the Spotlight?

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We need your unique voice, ideas, and contributions. Everyone has something to say, and we all have something to gain from learning from other perspectives.

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This work is for you. Your audience is waiting to hear all the wonderful thoughts you’ve collected. Your profound thinking is brewing like a quiet storm, and it’s time to unleash it from the stage—in a way that feels honest and authentic to you.

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The narrative you’ve told yourself—about who you are, or who you aren’t—doesn’t matter here. Not under the spotlight. There is no gatekeeping when it comes to who can or cannot do this work. Anyone can deliver a transformational experience onstage, if you’re willing to invest in the mastery of craft.

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That means just one question remains: Are you ready to step into the spotlight?

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We look forward to helping you find your voice and your unique performance style—and to helping you deliver your message in your own authentically unique way.

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Introverts Can Thrive in the Spotlight

‍

No matter how you identify yourself, perceive the world, gather information, or interact with others, your voice can be the one that stands out.

‍

Onstage, You Can Revel in the Freedom

‍

“I’ll Just Wing It” Is NOT Your Backup Plan

‍

The only way to remove that anxiety and hyper-awareness of the spotlight is to shift the focus onto the work that needs to be done.

‍

Dont

Your Contributions Are Unique, Innovative, and Necessary

‍

Don't

Tan Wilson

Keynote Speaker, Founder and President of Entellect, LLC

Quick Tips for Introverted Speakers

‍

Here are a few tips:

‍

Focus all your attention on your audience. Performance anxiety is centered on the self. If you focus on serving your audience and center yourself on helping them, you’ll be less nervous and more effective. Reframing anxiety as excitement can also help you overcome feelings of impostor syndrome.
Choose the roles you are going to play onstage. Carefully designing the roles you play can help you deliver your message more effectively. Your impact will increase as you make your audience feel, think, and act differently by playing the right role at the right moment.
Embody a performance style that feels authentic to you. Honesty is essential for a performance to feel comfortable and achievable to you, and authentic to your audience. Find what works for you, and slowly take it up a notch.
Rehearse daily. True professional speakers know rehearsal is an essential part of their profession. As you rehearse, you’ll internalize your speech and feel more prepared to show up and deliver your best performance onstage.

‍

Ready to Step Into the Spotlight?

‍

We need your unique voice, ideas, and contributions. Everyone has something to say, and we all have something to gain from learning from other perspectives.

‍

That means just one question remains: Are you ready to step into the spotlight?

‍

We look forward to helping you find your voice and your unique performance style—and to helping you deliver your message in your own authentically unique way.

Don't