Speaker Identity and Ethics

🎤 Building Your Foundation: Speaker Identity and Ethics

The Mirror and the Microphone 🪞🎙️

Imagine you have a magical mirror. When you look into it, you don’t just see your face—you see the real you. The you that laughs at silly jokes. The you that cares about your friends. The you that gets excited about your favorite things.

Now imagine this: that same real you is the best speaker you can be.

This is your journey to discover your speaker identity—the unique voice that only YOU have. Let’s explore together!

🌟 1. Authenticity in Speaking

What Does “Authentic” Mean?

Think of your favorite cartoon character. What makes them special? It’s not that they try to be someone else. They’re just themselves!

Authentic means being the real you—not a copy of someone else.

The Cookie Example 🍪

Imagine you’re a chocolate chip cookie. You could try to be a sugar cookie, but you’d be a terrible sugar cookie! Why? Because you’re meant to be a chocolate chip cookie—and that’s wonderful!

When you speak, be YOUR kind of cookie!

Real Life Examples

Why Authenticity Matters

When you’re real, people trust you. It’s like when your friend tells you the truth—you believe them because they’re honest.

🎯 Key Insight: People can sense when you’re pretending. Being real = being trusted.

🗣️ 2. Finding Your Speaking Voice

What Is Your “Speaking Voice”?

Your speaking voice isn’t just how loud or soft you talk. It’s the special way you explain things that’s only yours.

The Orchestra Analogy 🎻

In an orchestra, every instrument sounds different:

• The violin is high and sweet
• The drums are loud and bold
• The flute is soft and airy

You are your own instrument! You don’t need to sound like a trumpet if you’re a piano.

Discover Your Voice: 4 Questions

Ask yourself:

1. What makes me excited? (Your passion shows in your voice!)
2. How do I explain things to friends? (That’s your natural style)
3. What words do I love using? (Those are YOUR words)
4. What stories do I like to tell? (Those become your examples)

Example: Two Kids Explaining Ice Cream 🍦

Maya’s Voice: “Ice cream is like a cold hug for your tummy! It makes everything better, especially on sunny days.”

Jake’s Voice: “Ice cream is the best invention ever. Three scoops, chocolate sauce, rainbow sprinkles—that’s how you do it right!”

Both are great! Both are different. Both are authentic.

graph TD
    A["Start Speaking"] --> B{Am I being myself?}
    B -->|Yes| C["My voice shines!"]
    B -->|No| D["Stop and reset"]
    D --> E["Take a breath"]
    E --> F["Speak naturally"]
    F --> C

🏷️ 3. Speaker Personal Branding

What Is a “Brand”?

When you think of a red can with white letters, you think of Coca-Cola. That’s a brand—something people recognize.

YOUR brand is what people think of when they hear your name.

The Superhero Cape Analogy 🦸

Every superhero has something special:

• Superman = strength
• Spider-Man = quick and clever
• Wonder Woman = brave and fair

What’s YOUR superpower as a speaker?

Building Your Speaker Brand

Think about these pieces:

Your Brand in One Sentence

Try completing this: “I am a speaker who _______.”

Examples:

• “I am a speaker who makes math feel like a game.”
• “I am a speaker who tells stories that make you feel brave.”
• “I am a speaker who explains tech using pizza examples.”

💡 Pro Tip: Your brand grows over time. Start simple. Get clearer as you go!

🏆 4. Building Speaker Credibility

What Is Credibility?

Credibility means people believe you know what you’re talking about.

Think about it: Would you take swimming advice from someone who’s never been in a pool? Probably not!

The Trust Ladder 🪜

Building credibility is like climbing a ladder. Each step makes people trust you more:

graph TD
    A["Step 1: Show Up"] --> B["Step 2: Be Prepared"]
    B --> C["Step 3: Know Your Stuff"]
    C --> D[Step 4: Admit What You Don't Know]
    D --> E["Step 5: Help Others Succeed"]
    E --> F["🏆 CREDIBILITY EARNED!"]

5 Ways to Build Credibility

1. Do Your Homework 📚

   • Research your topic before speaking
   • Example: If talking about dinosaurs, learn the names!

2. Share Your Experience 🌟

   • Tell stories of what you’ve actually done
   • Example: “When I tried this, here’s what happened…”

3. Be Honest About Limits 🤷

   • Say “I don’t know, but I’ll find out”
   • People trust honesty more than fake confidence

4. Practice What You Teach 🎯

   • If you tell people to be kind, BE kind
   • Your actions speak louder than words

5. Get Better Over Time 📈

   • Keep learning and improving
   • Show that you’re always growing

Credibility Killers ⚠️

⚖️ 5. Professional Speaking Ethics

What Are Ethics?

Ethics are the rules about what’s RIGHT and what’s WRONG.

Just like there are rules in games (no cheating!), there are rules for speakers.

The Golden Rule of Speaking 🌟

Treat your audience the way you want to be treated.

If you wouldn’t want someone to lie to you, don’t lie to them!

The 5 Speaker Ethics Rules

Rule 1: Tell the Truth 🎯

• Share real facts, not made-up ones
• If you’re not sure, say so
• Example: “Scientists say…” (not “I think maybe…”)

Rule 2: Give Credit ✨

• When you use someone else’s idea, say their name
• Example: “My teacher, Mrs. Johnson, taught me this…”

Rule 3: Respect Your Audience 🤝

• Don’t make fun of anyone
• Include everyone (all backgrounds, all abilities)
• Example: Use examples everyone can understand

Rule 4: Don’t Manipulate 🚫

• Help people think clearly, don’t trick them
• Share both sides of a story when possible
• Example: “Some people think X, others think Y…”

Rule 5: Keep Promises 🤞

• If you say you’ll share resources, share them
• If you promise to answer questions, answer them
• Example: “I said I’d explain this, so here’s the full story…”

Ethics Decision Tree

graph TD
    A["Before I Speak..."] --> B{Is it TRUE?}
    B -->|No| C[❌ Don't say it]
    B -->|Yes| D{Is it HELPFUL?}
    D -->|No| C
    D -->|Yes| E{Is it KIND?}
    E -->|No| F["Rephrase it nicely"]
    F --> G["✅ Now say it!"]
    E -->|Yes| G

🎬 Putting It All Together

Think of your speaker identity like a recipe:

Your Speaker Foundation Checklist ✅

• [ ] I speak like myself, not a copy of someone else
• [ ] I’ve discovered my natural speaking style
• [ ] I can describe what makes me unique in one sentence
• [ ] I prepare well and admit when I don’t know
• [ ] I follow the ethics rules: truth, credit, respect, no tricks, keep promises

🌈 Remember This!

You already have everything you need to be a great speaker. It’s already inside you!

You don’t need to become someone new. You just need to let the real you speak out—with honesty, preparation, and heart.

🎤 Your voice matters. Your story matters. YOU matter.

Now go out there and share your amazing self with the world! 🚀

Next up: Practice being authentic in the Interactive Lab!