My full name is Cordelia Ditton but my family have always called me Dilly and most people call me this, or shorten it further to Dil – Take your pick!
Cordelia turned out to be an apt name for my original chosen profession. I trained and worked as an actor for many years, (including playing about the smallest part possible in Dr Who, which my mad Dr Who fan friends say I have to include in any biog!) I have also directed theatre, written a few plays and started a festival. Seventeen years ago I created a communication training business, called voicebusiness, using all the skills I gained in the theatre, creative thinking techniques and my experience as a certified General Practitioner of Neuro Linguistic Programming or NLP. With the help of many gifted associates, it’s been running successfully ever since.
As someone who had to learn how to overcome her own stagefright and to speak clearly and audibly (Drama school teacher: “You have to reach the back of the dress circle darling…”) I feel enormous empathy with those who feel they could do with a few encouragements to help them do the same. The thought of public speaking, presenting or even everyday communication can be terrifying or exciting, depending on your point of view or own experiences. The first step is to realise that a speech is primarily for the benefit of an audience, rather than you! (What are they going to get out of it? Why should they spend their valuable time listening to you?) Couple this with taking control over how you want to come over, and understanding a bit more about how others tick, and you have a sound basis for good communication.
This blog is designed to help anyone get more comfortable communicating, principally speaking in public but also speaking in meetings or social events, being interviewed or perhaps managing others. We’ll discuss voice, breathing, posture, how to prepare and how to deal with nerves, body language, ‘presence’, speechwriting, communication on a day-to-day level, networking, pitching and lots more.
The potential list of subjects is literally endless. Let me know your thoughts. I’ll respond to all I can both in writing and with videos.
Over the past 20 odd years I’ve coached and trained literally hundreds of people from CEOs of large corporations to junior administrators, from politicians to artists, from middle managers to scientists and technologists at the cutting edge of research and development.
If you would like to learn more about my professional services, please visit my company’s website by clicking below
