I recently discovered Speaking Circles International, an organization that helps people improve their public speaking (and their capacity to be present and loving in any situation) by helping people develop their ability and capacity to be relationally present.

Hot damn! I love it!

Lee Glickstein is the founder of the organization, and (in my opinion) he’s developed an emotionally and spiritually mature paradigm for public speaking: focus on Relational Presence, not performance.

If you’re interested, check out Lee’s video below (it’s about eight minutes long), but also check out the Introduction to Relational Presence page, which includes a really great exercise.

One of the great things about this public speaking paradigm is that it’s about love. And doing the exercises and training is about emotional and spiritual development — i.e., growing in one’s capacity to give and receive love — as much as it is about public speaking. Brilliant!

Enjoy … and let me know what you think.