Episode 90

full
Published on:

3rd Sep 2025

Keynote Like You Mean It: Why Polished Isn’t Always Perfect with Sherril Harris

Is your speaking authentic—or just polished performance? 

Learn why collecting no’s as a speaker isn’t failure—it builds courage, resilience, and the emotional stamina needed to grow.  Discover why the true impact of your words may not be immediate—your message can echo long after you've left the room.  Understand how social neuroscience shows that live speaking activates more areas of the brain, making in-person engagement especially powerful.  Recognize that authenticity and self-awareness are the foundations of effective communication, helping you connect beyond just content.


Uncover how adopting the mindset of “be the water, not the rock” helps you flow around resistance instead of clashing with it.  Realize that criticism is often more about the critic’s pain than your performance—so don’t internalize every negative remark.  Master the idea that courage and generous assumptions are essential when speaking hard truths or challenging norms—because connection beats confrontation.


Discover why:


Rejection isn't failure: every "no" builds your courage and emotional stamina.

Your words have a ripple effect:  impact can happen long after your talk ends.

Live speaking hits deeper:  it activates more of the brain, making in-person talks more powerful.

Authenticity connects: being self-aware and real helps you go beyond just delivering content.

Flow with resistance:  like water, don’t fight back hard; adapt and keep moving.

Don’t absorb every critique:  sometimes, criticism reveals more about the critic than your message.

Lead with courage and compassion:  when speaking hard truths, prioritize connection over confrontation.


Celebrated Speaker, Agent Antoniette Roze, and Transformational Mindset Coach, Sherril Harris shares her insights on the importance of social neuroscience and emotional intelligence in fostering human connection, particularly in the speaking industry.  She discusses her journey into this field, the impact of live versus virtual interactions, and the significance of authenticity and self-awareness in communication.  Sherril emphasizes the need to navigate criticism and embrace rejection as part of personal growth, encouraging listeners to adopt a mindset of curiosity and courage in their interactions.


Ready to Speak with More Impact—Not Just Polish?  Watch now and keynote like you mean it. Because connection always beats perfection!


LEARN MORE at www.speakpact.com, https://taplink.cc/1antoniette


Connect with our guest, Sherril Harris


https://www.linkedin.com/in/sherril-harris/ 

https://www.sherrilharris.com/

Show artwork for SPEAKPact

About the Podcast

SPEAKPact
Speakers, Authors, & Experts leverage SPEAKPACT to bridge the gap between their expertise and the hosts who book them. It is a stage where experts are empowered, connections are formed, and speaking careers are launched to the next level. Celebrated Speaker Agent and large-scale event producer, Antoniette Roze, brilliantly merges thought leaders in wellbeing and optimum performance with the producers who look for them. Cultivate rapport with producers and veteran speakers who share their insider secrets, insights, and strategies to catapult your voice, brand, impact, and income to the next level.
Antoniette understands the struggle of getting seen and heard in today's noisy world and how to set you above the crowd. Seize this unique opportunity to unlock your potential, share your voice, and create your legacy by taking the guesswork and “circling the mountain” out of the equation and elevating you on the direct path to your ultimate targets. Join us as we merge thought leaders in the optimum performance space with the producers who book them and the strategies that make them household names!