Tristan de Montebello

Episode #284

Co-Creator

Ultraspeaking

⚡Execution🚀Career & Leadership👥Team & Culture

📝Full Transcript

21,492 words

Tristan de Montebello (00:00:00): People tend to get into a public speaking voice. We'll be in a class and they'll be chatting normally and look super normal. And then we'll say, "Okay, now just a timer, I'm just going to give you a speech. Just speak for 60 seconds so we get a baseline," and I click play, and suddenly I say, "The important part about doing this," and they enter into a different version of themselves, a professional version, whatever that would mean. It's so much more freeing, powerful, connecting, and effective to speak conversation. So the cue I often give people is- Lenny Rachitsky (00:00:36): Today my guest is Tristan de Montebello. Tristan is the co-Creator of Ultraspeaking, which is the best public speaking workshop I have ever come across. In 2017, Tristan became the fastest competitor to reach the finals of the world championship of public speaking. And based on that experience, built a very unique course that helps you quickly build the skills to become better and to become more comfortable speaking in public, and especially speaking on the spot. (00:01:04): I'd like to spend time on this topic on this podcast because becoming a better speaker is such an accelerant of your professional life. And in this episode, we delve into a bunch of tactics and also misconceptions about how to become a better speaker, and to make it even more fun and interesting, we go through a few of the exercises that Tristan and his team have developed live on the podcast. He goes through them, I go through them, it was a lot of fun. I'm excited to hear what you think. If you enjoy this podcast, don't forget to subscribe and follow it in your favorite podcasting app or YouTube. It's the best way to avoid missing future episodes and it helps the podcast tremendously. With that, I bring you, Tristan de Montebello. (00:01:45): Tristan, thank you so much for joining me and welcome to the podcast. Tristan de Montebello (00:01:49): Thanks so much for having me. Lenny...

💡 Key Takeaways

1Speaking is a meta-skill that accelerates all other professional competencies.
2If you don't enjoy speaking, you are likely overthinking; aim for a flow state.
3Don't 'leak' your insecurities; the audience cannot see your internal anxiety unless you verbalize it.
4Look up to think (access visual memory) rather than looking down (which signals insecurity).
5Use the 'Accordion Method' to internalize speeches rather than memorizing scripts.
6Practice implies creating 'turbulence'—simulating distractions and pressure in low-stakes environments.

📚Methodologies (3)

The Accordion Method

by Tristan de Montebello

⚡ Execution

A preparation technique that involves iterating through a speech with varying time constraints to distill the core message and then expand upon it. Instead of writing a script, you speak the content to internalize the structure.

Core Principles

1.Compress: Start with a 3-minute timer, then compress to 2 minutes, 1 minute, and 30 seconds to force prioritization of the absolute core message.
2.Expand: Once the 30-second 'essence' is clear, expand back up to 1, 2, and 3 minutes to add nuance and stories.
3.Internalize, Don't Memorize: By the end, you know the 'pillars' of your talk naturally, allowing for flexibility during delivery.

"One should discover the words they are saying at the same time their audience is."

#accordion#method#execution

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The 'No Leaking' Protocol

by Tristan de Montebello

🚀 Career & Leadership

A mindset shift where the speaker commits to 'staying in character' regardless of internal anxiety or minor mistakes. It treats speaking like a pilot flying a plane—you don't announce turbulence unless absolutely necessary.

Core Principles

1.The Audience is Blind: Realize that people cannot see your internal state; you look more confident than you feel.
2.Stay in Character: Even if you stumble, continue with the energy of an expert. Do not break the 'fourth wall' to apologize.
3.End Strong: Resist the urge to trail off or hedge at the end of a sentence. Commit to the landing (the period).

"If you don't share your insecurities, people can't see them."

#leaking'#protocol#career

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Gamified Turbulence Training

by Tristan de Montebello

👥 Team & Culture

Using specific games (like Conductor or Triple Step) to simulate high-pressure cognitive loads in a low-stakes environment. This separates the fear of failure from the act of speaking.

Core Principles

1.Short Reps, Fast Feedback: Practice in 60-second bursts followed by immediate correction, similar to agile iterations.
2.Artificial Constraints: Introduce random words (Triple Step) or emotional states (Conductor) to force the brain to adapt on the fly.
3.High Intensity, Low Stakes: Create a safe environment to fail so the brain learns that mistakes are not fatal.

"Pros are just amateurs who've learned to recover gracefully from their mistakes."

#gamified#turbulence#training

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