Never believe "never do this" advice

The public speaking A.I. slop is here

My recent social media feed has started showing me AI-generated public speaking advice that makes me wanna gag.

I get these video ads from a speech coach saying things like, “Never apologize” and “Always assert yourself.”

She has short, cropped gray hair, wears a fitted blazer, and feels like a villain from a 1980s Wall Street B-movie.

Then the video cuts to a panel of speakers sharing more dos and don’ts for communication, and something is OFF!

The advice is generic, not bad, but not insightful. What strikes me is the experts' heartless tone. They are condescending and cold as cucumbers.

Then I look more closely for signs of A.I., like hands, which it can’t do well. Sure enough, their hands look like baseball gloves.

I bring this up because in the coaching industry right now, A.I. coach bots are everywhere. I think it’s worthwhile to think carefully about what A.I. is good for and what is harmful.

I don’t know where you come down on ChatGPT and other A.I.

I have decided to use it for certain, basic tasks that make my life easier. Perplexity can do excellent research, Grammarly helps with my final draft spelling and punctuation, and Canva can create beautiful presentation slides.

What concerns me is a robot telling humans how to communicate. It’s just dystopian.

Sure, there is the boilerplate advice about a power pose and making strong eye contact in front of your audience. But a robot can’t take into account that a woman in a cutthroat corporation is being systematically passed over simply because she has ovaries, or that an entrepreneur has a block in her voice from childhood trauma.

We need humanity now more than ever, not a list of things that we should “never” do when we speak.

In a world that feels pretty dark right now, let’s be compassionate. In my corporate workshops, I’ve even started saying in my intro that I’ll say some “ums” and “uhs “ from time to time because I am HUMAN. The more I see these rigid rules, the more I want to revolt.

My job title has evolved to be a voice & presence coach. I want women to focus on feeling present and connected when they speak, rather than chasing perfection. In my “Speaking With Presence” small-group training program, we are having a great time celebrating how unique and special each of the women is when they speak. It’s about finding their own voice and truth, not someone else’s.

So beware of the shiny, perfect images on your feeds telling you what to do. Trust your inner voice, be yourself, and always do what feels right for you.

Stay Calm & Speak On,

Jessica

P.S. I’m accepting applications for the next Speaking With Presence cohort for women. If you want to speak with comfort and vocal freedom, learn more and apply HERE.