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Maria Tecce is an actress, singer, keynote speaker and Voice & Speech Coach. She uses all her experience and techniques as a performer and Voice and Speech Coach to empower business professionals and performers to take their public speaking and performance to the next level.
Maria has coached for companies like KPMG, Ulster Bank, Bank of Ireland, Ericsson, Novartis, Trinity College, Smurfit Business School, Volkswagen, and Johnson & Johnson. Instead of fear or dread, you’ll feel powerful, excited, and joyful when you think of that presentation, meeting, or upcoming TED talk. Your voice is your body, and your body is your voice. Start working the work and let your light shine!
From Performer to Voice Coach
Coaching started on a natural way for Maria, since she had a long career in performing arts. After some time it was natural for her to share all the knowledge she has been gathering. About 10 years ago she started coaching actors and singers but recently she expanded her services to business and the corporate sector, so she created a program to help people conquer their nerves and use their voice to gain confidence and transmit successfully their message.
Managing Nerves at Stage. Don’t Panic
Some time ago Maria had direct experience with panic attacks on stage. Short after that she started getting help to overcome and leave behind those episodes.
All these experiences taught her not only how to deal with nerves on stage but to create and develop her “Nerves Masterclasses” in which she gives her clients a nice run up and all the steps that they need to take to prepare themselves for the situation.
Top 5 Strategies for Communication Situations
- Breathing. Breathing is the Cornerstone for all great communication. But we talk about breathing down into the lower belly. Keep the breath deep and you’ll get out of your head where all those fear thoughts are going on.
- Practicing, Prep and Making a Plan. We’re talking vocal skills, your physical presence skills. And it’s also warming up and getting in the zone. It’s having a little warm up for yourself.
- Mindset. Mindset is about looking at how you are feeling, the thought you’re having, disproving that thought and also looking at what is true. It’s about managing that moment and managing energy in that moment.
- It’s about your audience. When you get into that communication situation, no matter what your agenda is, and what result you want. The audience has got to feel like it’s about them. So remember, it’s not about you. It’s actually about how generous you can be with your audience, with what you have to give in that moment.
- Generosity. After you are prepared, it’s time to be generous!! Take the spotlight off of yourself and put it on the audience. Don’t hold anything back for yourself. Just give it all!
A Last Piece of Advice? Again… breathe!
Breathing is the foundation of all great vocal work. Because if you’re not breathing correctly, there’s no support for your voice. Breath is where it all begins and it’s so easy to forget, because your body does it anyway, so remember: breathing is the starting point for everything.
Related: How to Perfect Your Speaking Voice
Favorite quotation
“A leader is someone who awakens possibility in the people around them.” — Benjamin Zander
Recommended book
Steal like an artist by Austin Kleon
Routine to Shine
Besides breathing, one of the favourites exercises Maria recommends is the so called “tongue stretching”.
For doing this you have to put the tip of the tongue behind your bottom teeth and you stretch the middle of your tongue forward like a cat and it stretches the tongue and releases the tension in the back of your tongue.
This exercise is helpful to release the tension prior to a presentation.
Just be careful to do it in a private area before going to stage.
Links
Maria’s LinkedIn
Maria’s Instagram
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