"...the element of surprise!"
I believe in the power of humour, clarity and empathy to motivate teams. If you are looking for a more relatable speaker for your event, a host who can engage a diverse audience or maybe a more approachable trainer or facilitator, get in touch.
Inspiring and funny stories from corporate life to help you become more effective at work
A guest speaker is a great way to inspire and entertain your teams at the company conference. No matter how good you are, it is refreshing to have a new perspective. Often, motivational speakers will be impressive individuals from the sporting world. They will deliver inspirational tales of heartache and success that will leave people in awe of their achievements.
However, it is not easy to translate that Olympic medal success to what Bob in Payroll or Jenny in field sales can do differently. Sometimes you want a speaker who can talk on subjects closer to home. That’s where I can help. I may not have circumnavigated the globe, but I have navigated the complex web of corporate silos and conflicts! I can bring a range of business topics to life with real empathy, humour and storytelling. I am happy to work online or on stage.
My natural style of presenting is to talk to the audience, not at them. I weave in a mixture of personal stories and anecdotes to make event the driest of topics relevant. As a comedian, humour is often a big part of how I present, however I will always treat serious topics with the sensitivity they require.
"“I have witnessed Natasha Bye connect a room of 350 people to their corporate goals, through an energising and engaging mix of market insights and comedy. This is a powerful combination that ensures that her content is relevant and her presentations a highlight of the company conference agenda. Highly recommended”
Every organisation is different. So I listen first, to understand the needs of the audience, and then create a talk just for them. My role is to make a topic as accessible as possible. Over the course of my corporate career, as an associate for other firms and as a consultant, I have given talks on a range of subjects. I have spoken on everything from making business goals relevant, breaking down silos and building corporate cultures through to humour and storytelling at work, assertiveness and influencing skills. I will be happy to chat your ideas through with you to see if I can help, or I will recommend others if I cannot.
“Natasha recently spoke at our company conference. Natasha was very insightful in understanding our business, what will do well, our challenges, and the culture. Natasha has the ability to deliver a inspirational message in a hilarious, light-hearted and inspirational manner, which captured the audience bringing everyone together.”
Dynamic facilitator and host to keep your event on track and on message
Sometimes you just need someone to hold an event together. This could mean chairing and introducing speakers at a conference or facilitating a meeting and getting the most from people’s time.
Preparation is a major part of good facilitation. I like to take the time to understand the culture of the organisation, and what you are looking to achieve from the meeting. That way, we can build the agenda and activities around that intent.
As a natural collaborator, I am very inclusive and will do everything I can to make the audience or participants feel safe and comfortable in contributing to the session. I am comfortable in helping teams work through conflict or difficult subjects. I bring empathy, clarity and appropriate humour to those situations. I will check in with them throughout and recap the key messages at regular intervals. If needed, I can capture the insights and outcomes in real time to playback at the end of the session.
Having worked with colleagues from across Europe and Asia-Pacific, I am sensitive to working with different cultures and across language barriers.
I am as comfortable hosting events online over a video conference platform as much as I am doing so face to face. I am experienced in using a range of interactive platforms.
I recognise the fatigue that can set in when dialling into events from home and will use techniques to keep the energy levels up.
Please do get in touch for an informal discussion on how I could facilitate or compere your meeting.
“Tash embraced the challenge with humour, compassion and really hit the mark. She ensured that the team was engaged by making the webex interactive and relevant to the audience and therefore landing the messages well. thank you.”
Entertaining stand-up comedy & after dinner speaking to make your evening a success
A powerful way to motivate your teams is to celebrate success. That could be in the form of an awards ceremony, recognising individuals and teams, or just a celebration event.
I would be delighted to host your awards ceremony or merely bring some light relief at the end of a conference day.
I would start by getting to know your company, so I know a little of what goes on behind your success and how you work. I will find out the company stories and in-jokes and bring them to life for your audience. I can even write a bespoke stand-up set for your audience on a theme.
I promise to give the evening the right balance of gravitas to make any award winners feel special but balance it with humour to ensure it is entertaining for the whole audience.
“Natasha did a comedy compere session for us last night and a super funny set it was! Tash tailored her material to the audience so well the audience were laughing from the outset.”
Team building and collaboration skills development through improvised comedy
It can be hard to find team building activities that are both fun and beneficial to everyone. I’ve been practising and teaching improvised comedy for years – I co-run Bath Improv and have been a guest lecturer in improvised comedy at Bath Spa University. I have discovered the unique benefits of improv for teams in business.
Even the most introverted of individuals can get something from improvised comedy. This is because it is all about setting up others for success, rather than always chasing the laugh yourself. Applying the skills learnt in improv can help people become:
I design and run interactive workshops for teams from within the corporate to the academic world. After finding out more about the participants and their needs, I design and flex the workshop around them. I use a mixture of games to tease out different themes, from building on each other’s ideas to sharing control and celebrating failure.
I am to ensure the sessions are fun and and energising – without feeling like ‘cringeworthy, enforced fun’. I will work with you to provide a team event that even the cynics will enjoy. And don’t worry, I won’t be asking your Financial Controller to pretend to be a tree…
“Natasha in a nutshell is brilliance personified. She ran an engaging in-person improv session for our team that really challenged and pushed us out of our comfort zones, while also providing moments of sheer comedy genius. My sides are still sore! Expertly facilitated and a truly unique experience that every team should try. Thanks again Natasha for a super day.”
Practical training on presentation, communication, leadership and strategy skills
Whilst many clients bring me in to help them with strategy and communications, many just want to get better at doing it themselves. I offer talks, courses and programmes for teams which can be delivered online or face to face. I will design and adapt these specifically for your team(s) so they are relevant. My flagship programmes, however, are:
I offer training on presentation skills to set you and your teams up for success, using my own ‘PAPA’ model. I can help you learn everything from planning and content through to your delivery, how to deal with interruptions or nerves. I can provide this training classroom style (face to face or online) or I can work with you on a specific presentation or meeting that you want to prepare for.
I can offer a range of different topics, so do get in touch as I will be able to adapt something just for you. For business owners, there is my flagship online programme, 9 Questions to Success. This is an online strategy buddy that helps you to build your own strategy. Click here to find out more.
“Natasha has that rare ability to simplify complex processes and get to the nub of an issue in a clear, concise and humorous way.”
natashabye@strategydoctor.co.uk
+44 7506 140337
Registered Address
Strategy Doctor Ltd
Newminster House
Baldwin Street,
BRISTOL BS1 1LT
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