Kellie Dunn has worked in the Community Services, Mental Health and Crisis Support sector for over 20 years in various NGO’s across Australia. Kellie is currently the Australasian Learning & Development Manager at the Australasian Housing Institute. She also runs her own sport mindset/performance coaching consultancy and she’s also a wedding celebrant! Kellie has specialist skills in teaching/coaching/guiding individuals and organisations through crisis, to connection, and then though to understanding their purpose and meaning so they can be the best they can be. To connect with Kellie in person please visit here.
Kellie attended Michelle’s Persuasive Presentation Skills Masterclass in October 2016 when she was the National Learning & Development Manager for Lifeline. Here’s what she said at the time:
“Fantastic and extremely valuable training. Our whole Lifeline network needs this training to be all on the same page and to upskill. I really liked the pre-workshop contact and the way Michelle used framing in her emails to manage the learning. Importantly, I loved Michelle! I also loved the teaching moments that Michelle created in so many different ways: 4Mat, 13 step process, the resources and Michelle’s humour and energy.”
What kind of presenting do you do at work?
At AHI we are focused on empowering the social and affordable housing sector with online workshops, networking, mentorships, and certification. I am responsible for all the programs that our network needs to ensure they support their clients. Covid-19 has meant we’ve needed to be flexible and adaptive in the online meeting and conference speaking space.
In past roles I presented at family violence and mental health wellbeing conferences. I presented locally, state-wide, and nationally to different stakeholders about family violence intervention and prevention.
In my consulting life I believe if you train the mind, the body will follow, and I have a real passion for helping local and state-based sporting groups to develop both an elite mindset and to ensure mental health wellbeing.
I am also a wedding celebrant, so I help couples plan their ceremonies and then I perform the ceremony for the couple on their big day.
What prompted you to study with Michelle?
I had been a trainer, presenter and facilitator for 20 years when I was referred to Michelle by a colleague at work. I was in a National role with Lifeline at the time, and rather than attend for my own benefit, I actually attended Michelle masterclass with the intention of evaluating the training for my 180+ training team, to help them deliver their very important topics such as suicide prevention, mental health wellbeing and family and domestic violence) more effectively. While I was immersed in Michelle’s masterclass, not only did I formulate how Michelle would be able to help my team, I also walked away personally feeling I was more aware of who I was as a trainer and facilitator. In fact, I set new and exciting goals for myself for my future both professionally and personally.
How did Michelle's teaching change your attitude to presenting in business?
– I think more about putting myself in the audience shoes.
– I am sure to apply Michelle’s Persuasion Blueprint to my approach which means I go into communication scenarios with greater clarity around my objectives.
How have improved presentation skills have impacted on your job and your career in general?
– I use the skills I learnt from Michelle to negotiate tenders and grants more successfully.
– I now know what world-class training and facilitation really looks like and I strive to ensure all my facilitators deliver to this standard at AHI.
– I am more aware of the little details that ensure a positive impact on people in my meetings.
– The Blueprint has helped me win tenders to provide lifesaving initiatives in the community such as awareness raising programs, calling people to arms around family violence, men’s wellbeing programs and others.
– The feedback I have received since attending Michelle’s masterclass has absolutely made me feel more confident and in sync with my audience.
In what specific ways have your presentation skills improved since learning with Michelle?
– I am way more present with my audiences because I am now more self-aware as a facilitator.
– I feel I am much more effective at creating meaning and depth around what I do.
– My call to action is very clear and much easier for people to implement.
– My preparation is more thorough, and audience focused. I am more thoughtful about the process, the delivery and the outcomes.
What were your top three takeaways from Michelle's teachings?
1. I know to be aware of the audience’s needs rather than just focusing on what I am trying to achieve.
2. Know the structure of an effective message. I personally use all the templates that Michelle provides to ensure clarity every time.
3. My visual aids are clear and concise and vastly different to what they used to be.
Why do you think everyone should do Michelle's masterclass?
To aspire to be the very best I can be in my life, I realised that I need to be around people who will push me, so that I keep growing. As an experienced facilitator, in a national role, I could have easily said, “I’ll send everyone else to Michelle, I don’t need this”. Instead, I realised that Michelle was someone I needed to be around to elevate my growth, my skill set, and ultimately my results personally and professionally. She’s the best. And it has to be noted that we had so much fun along the way! When you are dealing with such tough subjects on a minute-by-minute basis, humour must play a huge role in managing your ‘self-care’. Michelle brings joy to the learning experience.
© Michelle Bowden 2021. Michelle Bowden is an authority on presentation & persuasion in business. Michelle is a CSP (the highest designation for speakers in the world), Creator of the Persuasion Smart Profile™ (a world-first psychometric indicator that tests your persuasiveness at work), best-selling internationally published author (Wiley), and a regular commentator in print, radio and online media. www.michellebowden.com.au