7 Signs You're Not Ready for Public Speaking Training (Yet).

ed darling public speaking coach

Ed Darling | 4 min read

Last updated: 06/06/2026

If you’re serious about becoming a more confident, influential communicator, this post will help you understand whether now is the right time.

If you’re a professional who understands developing this skill is a crucial step in your career? That’s a great motivation.

If you’re seeking a new hobby, or the fame of being a “TED speaker“, our training might not be the right fit. 

Let’s break down 7 important signs to see if you’re ready for professional speaker training.

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Professional man presenting to an audience during a public speaking training exercise.

1. You Don’t Have a “Why” for Public Speaking

Our most successful clients know why they want to level up their communication skills. They’re pitching ideas, leading teams, growing their personal brand, or delivering keynote talks that leave an impact.
 
If public speaking training feels like a “nice-to-have” rather than a must for your goals, comprehensive training might not be the right fit. That said, if you’re curious about giving public speaking a try, consider starting with something like our 1-Day Masterclass, and taking it from there.  

2. You’re Happy in Your Comfort Zone

It’s fine to start out nervous, introverted, or inexperienced. Many of my best clients would have considered themselves all three!

What’s much more important is the desire to grow. You need to be ready to face those fears, learn new skills, and start showing up as a more confident version of you.

If that fills you with a mixture of nerves and excitement, that’s usually a great sign. But if you’re not (even a little bit) excited at the prospect of stretching yourself, our speaker training might feel like too much. 

3. You Need Sugar-Coated Feedback

Good public speaking training balances encouragement with honesty. I’ll be cheering your wins, encouraging you to go further, and giving you the constructive feedback you need to improve fast.

If you’re looking for a cheerleader who skips the tough love, it’s not going to help you improve. Feedback, as they say, is a gift… but are you happy to receive it? 

Ready to speak with real confidence?

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for helping them feel calm and charismatic in the spotlight.

4. Commitment Isn’t Your Thing

Fear often shows up as legitimate sounding excuses: “I’m too busy, I’ll start later, this isn’t the right time.” 

Our speaker training will transform the way you communicate. But I can’t do it for you, only with you. That means some commitment on your side. If you’re likely to skip sessions, or shy away from the challenges we set, we’re likely to lose steam.

Our training is very flexible – I work with people who have busy schedules and many demands on their time. But the people who get the best results, make their public speaking training a priority.

5. You’re Hunting for Budget Options

There are some great low-cost resources out there for public speaking practice — think online courses or community groups.

Our speaker training is a premium experience tailored for professionals and leaders who want personalised coaching, a step-by-step system, and an expert in their corner. If you’re after quick, cheap fixes, there’s better options out there. 

6. Public Speaking Is Just a Hobby for You

Believe it or not, public speaking is a “fun hobby” for many people. I used to be one of them! Toastmasters is a public speaking club where people socialise while practising speaking.

It can be a great experience, and some of my clients attend alongside our training. But to work with us, public speaking needs to be more than a hobby. It has to be something we leverage for your career, brand, or business.

7. You Need Language or Speech Therapy

If you’re looking for help with English fluency, accent reduction, or speech therapy, we’re not the right fit — but we’d be happy to point you toward experts who specialise in those areas.

If you’re looking to develop confidence, and become a more clear and charismatic speaker, you’re in the right place.

Who is Our Speaker Training Perfect For?

With all of that said, let me lay out exactly who’s right for our public speaking training:

– Leaders who need to convey confidence in the spotlight, and influence their audience.

– Professionals who need to pitch, present, and communicate effectively with their colleagues or clients.

– Individuals or teams who want to overcome their fears, and enjoy sharing their ideas in public.

While I mostly work with corporate professionals, I’ve also had worked with professional authors, athletes, doctors, academics, and even a politician or two.

If you’re still not sure, book in a free no obligation call. I’ll be happy to talk through your goals with speaking, and see if we’re a good fit.

Here’s to your public speaking success,
Ed

When you're ready, 3 ways to work with me...

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Hey Ed,

Just wanted to share some feedback we had from the delegates after the October Away day 😊 You went down a storm!

– Presentation skills session very good
– The presentation skills session was AMAZING! Very informative and will definitely come in handy.
– Really enjoyed the presentation skills
– Speaker was very engaging and interesting and worked for all aspects of our work
– The presentation was amazing, getting to interact with each other and learning different presentation skills.- there wasn’t a moment which I found it boring or not helpful.

Jess Docksey, Workforce & Education Programme Manager

 

“Absolutely Brilliant training session to do, really enjoyed it. Ed was fab made everyone feel at ease, more confident and relaxed. I will take so much away from this session thanks Ed, you do a great job 👍👏”

Diane Axford — GMCA

 

“Attended an excellent full day session hosted by Ed at Project Charisma, it was a fantastic learning experience and would recommend to anyone who gets the chance.
Ed made everyone feel at ease even when facing our insecurities, individual conversations around the exercises left no question unanswered. A great experience that I can put into practice straight away.”

Siobhan Keane — GMCA

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100% recommendation rate! All attendees gave you a 10 on how likely they would be to recommend the workshop to peers!

Here’s a summary of the group’s feedback from the session:

  • “The workshop was well-timed, with an excellent balance of information, interactive activities, and group work that kept participants engaged.”

  • “Ed, the facilitator, was professional, knowledgeable, and exceptional at delivering clear, constructive feedback. His energy and positivity helped create a safe and supportive environment, which was particularly important given that many participants were outside their comfort zones with public speaking. Ed’s personal story of overcoming anxiety resonated with the group, fostering trust and making the experience more relatable.”

  • “The content was well-structured, breaking down key elements to make the learning process less daunting, and the pacing was comfortable for everyone. The variety of tasks, including the workbook to take away, added value, and the session ultimately empowered participants to deliver speeches with confidence.”

Ideas that resonated with the group the most:

Presentation Structure: Key techniques like planning, the “rule of three,” and the power of pausing.

Audience Engagement: Effective strategies such as the “audience hug” and balanced eye contact (“light housing”).

Public Speaking Elements: Focus on body language, voice modulation, and mindset.

Vocal Variety & Filler Words: Importance of vocal variety and minimising filler words.

Mindset Shift: Emphasis on being prolific over perfect; enthusiasm and charisma over confidence.

All the group have rated themselves as an 8, 9 or 10 in terms of confidence in demonstrating the skills they have learnt in your session.

Other comments:

“This workshop has given me a great toolkit to help build my presenting skills. I feel more empowered in my public speaking and have the confidence to participate in presentations within my role.”

“I thought it was well run, the overall content was excellent. Great feedback throughout the course to support not only the individual but also the group. I would recommend the course strongly to my peers.”

“Was nervous going into the class, worried that it would be a bit school-like or based more in acting (which it was not). Thoroughly enjoyed the experience – would love to do it again later on in the year/next year to look see how my skill has (hopefully) improved.”

“I thoroughly enjoyed this workshop and was highly impressed with Ed. Ed’s approach to the subject, his personal story, the layout of the workshop and his energy made for an engaging, memorable and impactful workshop. Ed was able to give helpful feedback to everyone whilst also filled us with encouragement and confidence. I feel he shared some life skills that I will take forward with me in my career and I would love the opportunity to work with him again!”