What is the secret of fearlessness?

Actress Petra Massey (Sandstrom, Miranda) is best known for clowning and physical theatre - she carries herself with a profound inner confidence, and talks to Viv about channelling fear through her body in a productive way.  Another counter-intuitive trick for confidence, is using advocacy to empower others. Vanessa Sanyauke, CEO of Girls Talk Global, explains that when you act as an advocate for other people, it gives you a chance to use your voice and remind yourself of that true unshakeable confidence. As a performance poet, storyteller, best-selling author and co-writer on Beyoncé’s visual album Black is King, Yrsa Daley-Ward performs a lot of her own words on stage and for film. She compares her performance to a jazz improvisation, that is more honest and authentically her.

Viv's new book, Happy High Status: How to Be Effortlessly Confident, is available for preorder.

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Everyone loves to feel prepared, but what would happen if you didn’t really prepare at all?  

How do you prepare for the moments of pressure?

In this masterclass, Viv is interested in our different relationships with preparation. Writer and commentator Bryony Gordon says if you're passionate about your subject, then you don't need a script, while Labour MP Jess Phillips thinks it's important to celebrate the imperfections in spoken delivery. Entrepreneur Debbie Wosskow is great at talking in a variety of high pressure situations.  She advises over-preparation, and that you should also be ready to talk about anything.

Viv's new book, Happy High Status: How to Be Effortlessly Confident, is available for preorder.

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Have you ever felt like you can’t do certain things?

What do you do to tackle your own self-doubt? 

In this 3rd episode, Viv turns traditional thinking about imposter syndrome on its head, and considers alternative outlooks from her guests. Professor Mary Beard talks about the misogynistic origins of public speaking, dating back to the Roman Empire, and actress Katy Brand says that in her experience, confidence can ebb and flow. 

If you find yourself feeling like an imposter,  Paula Hines says that might be because you're working in an area that you're not truly passionate about -  she knows this feeling first hand as she tells the story of moving from a career as a television producer to becoming a yoga teacher.

Writer Kit de Waal shares the key to pushing back against moments of insecurity when you feel like a fraud, and sports presenter Gabby Logan says that it's important to be able to learn from your mistakes.

Viv's new book, Happy High Status: How to Be Effortlessly Confident, is available for preorder.

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Where does confidence come from?

What can you do if you’re very self-conscious and you feel really uncomfortable in front of others? 

In this second episode of weekly masterclasses, Viv talks about nerves and confidence, and how they really do go hand in hand. 

From archive interviews, Viv's previous guests share their words of wisdom.  In the very first episode Nigella Lawson stresses that you don't need to be perfect. Since then we have had many other guests including Margaret Heffernan, business leader and bestselling author, Karen Gibson, leader of the Kingdom Choir who sang at Megan and Harry’s wedding and DJ Cerys Mathews, who talks about forming the band Catatonia as a teenager and how to become comfortable in your own skin. 

Viv's new book, Happy High Status: How to Be Effortlessly Confident, is available for preorder.

@vivgroskop

How do you work out what you want to say and what you think people are expecting?

If you want to speak up, how do you know where to start? 

In this new batch of episodes coming up over the next few weeks we’re going to dig into our archive of over 150 interviews. In these weekly masterclasses, each episode will tackle the things that really matter: confidence, overcoming nerves, imposter syndrome.

This week, Viv looks into what makes a great speech - or knowing what to say. 

Hillary Clinton advises being self-deprecating and hopes that women can own their individuality, while tech activist Dr Anne-Marie Imafidon thinks about what she wants her audience to walk away with. For actress Meera Syal, the most important part of sharing stories is that it allows us to understand each other, share our empathy, experience, history and view of the world.

Viv's new book, Happy High Status: How to Be Effortlessly Confident, is available for preorder.

@vivgroskop

How do you regain your confidence? Viv talks to the author, TV presenter, social media influencer and founder of fashion line Joanie, Dawn O’Porter, on finding your voice again. Dawn, who lives in LA with her husband the actor Chris O’Dowd and their two children, tells Viv with frank honesty about a dark time in her life when her TV career nosedived, how she lost her confidence and eventually wrote her way out of it. She shares her tips about holding onto self-worth when things aren’t going the way you want them to. She urges listeners to give themselves credit for the things that are going right – a relationship, friendships, children, work - rather than obsessing over what is going wrong. Her advice for owning the room is cut yourself some slack and allow yourself to draw strength from what is good. And be prepared to take a different direction if the one you planned has taken you out of the room entirely. As she tells Viv, the path doesn’t go in one direction and you may own and lose and own the room again.

Find out more about Dawn O’Porter’s latest novel, Cat Lady.

A new updated edition of Viv's book, How to Own the Room is out now.

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How can we thrive wearing many hats? Viv talks to the author and co-founder and President of the Women's Equality Party, Catherine Mayer, about shifting emphasis to achieve greatest effect. Catherine shares how having an awareness of your audience and the room you’re in can make it a good experience for you and boost your voice within it. Catherine reveals that while she makes calculations about where to pitch her arguments, they all stay true to her beliefs. Catherine lost her husband, the musician, Andy Gill - a founding member of Gang of Four - in 2020 to suspected Covid-19 and she tells Viv how she’s navigated grief over the last two years. Their interview is recorded at the Primadonna Festival, which was founded by Catherine in 2019. 

Find out more about Catherine Mayer in her latest book, Good Grief: Embracing Life at a Time of Death

A new updated edition of Viv's book, How to Own the Room is out now.

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How do you bring together a winning team so that all voices can contribute to the room? Viv Groskop talks to the Chief Executive of the Southbank Centre, Elaine Bedell, on energy, stress and successfully leading teams of talented creative and commercial people. Elaine became the first woman in the top job at the Southbank Centre in 2017. She joined after a 30-year career in TV in which she developed shows such as The X Factor, Britain’s Got Talent, Saturday Night Takeaway, Love Island and I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! and Strictly Come Dancing. She tells Viv about the adrenaline highs of live broadcasting to primetime audiences and managing big teams with big budgets. And she shares the wise words of her Great Aunt Maggie on owning the room before it was even a twinkle in Viv's eye.

Find out more about Elaine Bedell.

A new updated edition of Viv's book, How to Own the Room is out now.

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What helps to build resilience? Viv Groskop talks to the broadcaster, Gabby Logan, who has pioneered sports presenting for women in the UK. Just this year she co-led the BBC’s coverage of the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games and Women’s Euro 2022. She tells Viv what it was like to start at Sky in her 20s when the channel was just four years old; presenting two live shows a day in a team formed of new voices and old hacks. Gabby shares some of the personal tragedies that have shaped her, such as the death of her younger brother, Daniel, when he was just 15 years old. And she reflects on how having children gave her a new found sense of perspective. The art of public speaking, Gabby believes, is just like sport – it’s all in the preparation. And know your audience.

Find out more about Gabby Logan in her memoir, The First Half

A new updated edition of Viv's book, How to Own the Room is out now.

@vivgroskop