How Millennials Can Be Engaging Speakers with Tiffany Foote.

Welcome to Public Speaking with Peter George. Do you want to be calm, confident, and credible every time you speak in public? Then stay tuned as Peter and his guests discuss public speaking tips, techniques, and tactics that help you increase your impact, influence, and income. Here's your host, Peter George.

Every generation has characteristics associated with it, accurate or not — and Millennials are no exception. Some traits are the same across every generation; others differ due to circumstances, trends, and environment. So when it comes to speaking to audiences made up of Millennials — or having Millennials present — we need to adjust our thinking. To help us with that is today's guest, Tiffany Foote.

Known as the Fearless Millennial, Tiffany helps people communicate effectively, overcome public speaking fear, and not let fear hold them back. Her passion is meeting people where they are and helping them get to where they need to be so they can live life fearlessly.

How Millennials Communicate Differently

Peter: As speakers, we always want to communicate with and resonate with our audience. What is it that makes Millennials communicate differently?

Tiffany: Millennials communicate differently because communication drastically changed our generation. I remember being a child with the phone plugged into the wall — now I watch friends go live on their phones every day. TikTok, Instagram Lives, Facebook Lives. The way we grew up communicating changed drastically because of social media and advances in technology. We grew up using abbreviated words for texts, and that's really affected the way we've grown into adults and into our careers, because you obviously can't speak that way in corporate roles.

There's a huge disconnect, in my opinion, between what the older generations in corporate America expect and what my generation does naturally. When you're talking to Millennials or even Gen Z, have some grace with us. We're so accustomed to talking to everybody like we're on Instagram or TikTok. The only difference is that unlike TikTok, you can't try a thousand times to get it perfect. In a corporate presentation or asking your boss for a raise, you only get one shot.

Getting Millennials to Present

Peter: How do you encourage a Millennial who might not be used to speaking formally to get up and give presentations?

Tiffany: Start with something they're really passionate about. Millennials will talk for hours about what they care about. We love a good cause — we're a bit more empathetic than people give us credit for. If your company gives back to the community in some way, have them start there. Why does that matter to them? Why did they choose to work here? Then have them work their way up to more refined presentations on specific subjects.

When I came to the Leaders Institute, I had two job offers. The other one had four-day weeks, three-day weekends, and free massages. I chose the Leaders Institute because of what we do for communities across America. That desire to help empower future generations struck a chord with me. And the first presentation I gave when I came on board was why I chose to work there. Nobody in the company had ever framed that as a selling point in hiring. It connected — and it still connects.

Giving Feedback That Lands

Peter: Millennials can be more sensitive when it comes to criticism. What's the best way to give them feedback on their presentations?

Tiffany: First, set very clear expectations up front. It's really hard for anyone to do something when they don't know what's expected. If you say "give a presentation" and they give one, and it's not what you wanted — that's not their fault. That's on the person who gave the vague direction. You never meet expectations that were never set.

I worked for a law office where everyone had to give book reports. My first was on day three. I'd never seen anyone else do one. I didn't know what was expected. I went chapter by chapter with my key takeaways. When I finished, nobody said a word. I started crying because I assumed I'd done it wrong. Then they said, "No, you did great." But no one had ever told me what great looked like.

When it comes to feedback, use the compliment sandwich: say something positive, give one or two specific things to work on, then end on a positive note. Don't give a long list of everything that was wrong. Let them leave the conversation feeling like they heard more good than bad — because that's what motivates improvement.

Setting Expectations Around Attire

Peter: A colleague was shocked when a younger manager showed up to an important client presentation dressed inappropriately. How do we address that?

Tiffany: This goes back to clear expectations. If you don't specifically say, "This is a business casual meeting" or "This is business professional — and here's what that looks like," it's very hard for anyone to meet that standard. When I worked as a temp leasing agent, the best thing they did was send visual pictures of exactly what to wear at each location. Some were casual, some resort-style, some were formal. That was perfect guidance.

And if a Millennial says they can't afford a suit — that's a real concern. Some companies now offer a clothing allowance: a set amount each quarter to purchase professional attire. If you want your employees to present themselves a certain way, offer them the means to do it. There's no reason they wouldn't if given the resources and the guidance.

Nerves, Anxiety, and the Universal Fear of Speaking

Peter: You mentioned Millennials tend to be more nervous than other generations. Why do you think that is?

Tiffany: I think it ties back to social media. Everything in our lives growing up has had filters on it, has been edited. So we're going to be more anxious and more nervous. Even now, when my boss asks me to teach a class I've done a hundred times, I still think, "Why are you asking me?" — and I'm the communication coach.

So have some grace with us. Know that they'll get better over time. Encourage them even if they completely flop the first time. One of the most helpful things anyone ever told me was: "You're not going to be perfect, but you're not going to ruin anything either. The sky isn't going to fall. It's only going to get better from here."

And here's something people don't often realize: everyone gets nervous. In my Fearless Presentations class, I always ask the group what they experience when they're nervous — and everyone across the board says the same things. You are not alone. Four years ago, I never would have imagined sitting on a podcast talking about empowering people to speak better. I was petrified myself. But someone told me, "You're not going to be perfect, and it's not going to be the end of the world." That changed everything.

That's a wrap of another episode of Public Speaking with Peter George. Be sure to rate, review, and subscribe wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts. Tune in Monday when you'll hear another episode of Public Speaking with Peter George, and again Thursday for your next episode of QuickBites. Until then, remember — when it comes to speaking in public, you've got this! I'll see you next time.