Hiding Doesn't Keep You Safe: Mike Ganino on Visibility and Storytelling

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When the stakes rise and more is on the line, everything about visibility shifts –– what it means, what it costs, and what it asks of you.

And if you ever experienced bullying, relational trauma, betrayal, or abuse, visibility can be more than just awkward or uncomfortable. Unprocessed echoes of those burdens can make the past feel like it is happening in the present.

We have to do the work of building more trust within, getting clear on who and what really matters, and learning to follow our values even when we do not know the results.

As my guest today reminded me, when we go silent, we may feel safe, but our voices are not out there, and others will step in to define the direction of conversations and the topics that matter most to us.

Showing up and letting people see and hear you isn’t always easy, but with practice and courage, we can reshape the narratives we carry about ourselves and our visibility.

Mike Ganino works with professional speakers, keynote speakers, and executives to help them create transformative speaking experiences worthy of standing ovations. As a keynote director with a background as an actor, writer, director, producer, hospitality executive, and corporate trainer, Mike learned to view storytelling and performance from the audience’s perspective and uses these insights and experiences to help his clients develop talks and performances that go beyond just wowing the audience to truly transform their thinking.

• How a fourth-grade substitute teacher showed Mike the power of making people feel seen

• Why getting comfortable with visibility requires us to address the relational wounds that have kept us quiet

• What we can learn from actors about the choices we make as we show up and interact with others

• Why developing as a speaker is a physical practice before it’s an intellectual practice

• Two essential elements for telling an effective story

• How fears of losing status and being misunderstood keeps us from showing up for ourselves and others

• https://mikeganino.com/

• Instagram: @mikeganino

• Facebook: @mikeganino

• Connect on LinkedIn

• Make a Scene: Storytelling, Stage Presence, and the Art of Being Unforgettable in Every Spotlight

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• The Face: A Natural History, Daniel McNeill

• Ariana Grande

• E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial

Where in your life or leadership do you feel called to be more visible—and what story about yourself makes that feel risky?

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