Overcoming Fear on Stage: Why Every Speaker Should Try Stand-Up Comedy with John Ball

Send us a text Have you ever wondered if charisma is something you’re born with, or if it can be built—and more importantly, how it impacts your confidence and effectiveness as a communicator? In this episode of Speaking with Confidence, I sit down with John Ball, a keynote and presentation coach who’s spent years helping speakers, coaches, and leaders boost their influence from competent to captivating. Today, we dig into the journey of finding your authentic voice as a speaker, the joys and challenges of adding humor to presentations, and the real value of showing up with warmth and confidence, wherever you are in the world. John Ball brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the table—not only as the host of The Present Influence Podcast and co-host of the Coaching Clinic podcast, but also as a professional speaker on topics like personal mastery and leadership communication. His global perspective as someone who’s lived in both the UK and Spain and spent years as a flight attendant puts him in a unique position to discuss connecting with different cultures, and how traveling has shaped his approach to communication and coaching. In this episode, we cover: How traveling and working abroad expands your communication skills and comfort zones Using humor and warmth as universal connectors across cultures Why every speaker should try stand-up comedy at least once The difference between charisma and charm—and how to spot “fake” charisma Techniques to build genuine charisma (even if you’re not naturally extroverted) The process of testing and refining stories for presentations Emotional leadership and the responsibility you hold as a speaker Why presence and vulnerability matter more than perfection How to avoid charisma killers like overthinking and ego The importance of living with intention and making positive choices in how you show up Stage time as the single most effective way to improve your communication Storytelling tips: focusing on transformation, emotional flow, and audience engagement If you’re ready to take your communication from competent to captivating—and want to put more humor, warmth, and charisma into every conversation that counts—this episode is packed with stories, strategies, and encouragement to get you started. Ready to step up, lighten up, and speak with more confidence than ever before? Listen now, and let’s grow together. Support the show Want to be a guest on Speaking With Confidence? Send Tim Newman a message on PodMatchSpeaking With ConfidenceFormula for Public SpeakingFacebook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices