Owning the Room: Voice & Presence
Voice and presence training
Most leaders know what to say. Very few have been trained in how to say it. This experiential workshop gives participants a physical toolkit for vocal authority and executive presence. It’s training that professional actors receive, translated for…
Active Listening
Breathwork
Communication Skills Practice
Good Posture
Group Activity
Public Speaking
Workshop
Description
Most leaders know what to say. Very few have been trained in how to say it.
This experiential workshop gives participants a physical toolkit for vocal authority and executive presence. It’s training that professional actors receive, translated for the corporate world.
Through guided exercises, pair work, and real-time coaching, participants explore breath support, vocal resonance, posture, projection, and the strategic power of silence.
Every exercise is immediately applicable: participants practise with their own real-world material (upcoming presentations, pitches, or conversations) so they leave with tangible improvement, not just theory.
What Makes This Unique
This is conservatoire-level voice training - the same methodology used to train professional actors at Australia’s top performing arts institutions - adapted for corporate teams. It’s physical, energising, and nothing like a typical “presentation skills” workshop.
Jack’s dual background in both corporate communications and elite performance training means the session is grounded in real business application, not theatre exercises for their own sake.
Benefits
- Immediate, noticeable improvement in how participants speak and present
- Reduces anxiety and increases confidence under pressure
- Builds team cohesion through shared physical and vocal exercises
- Improves listening skills and the ability to hold attention in group settings
- Develops awareness of unconscious vocal habits that undermine authority
- Practical tools participants can use independently after the session
Hosted by Jack Starkey-Gill
About the Host
Jack is Voice Director at Bell Shakespeare, Australia’s national theatre company, a professional speaker, and founding director of JSG Voice, a specialist consultancy bringing elite performance training into the corporate world.
With a Master of Fine Arts in Voice from NIDA (National Institute of Dramatic Art) and a professional background that spans both the boardroom – including roles at JWT and Hill+Knowlton Strategies – and the stage, Jack bridges two worlds that rarely meet. He translates the techniques that help actors command a theatre into practical tools that help leaders command a room.
His sessions draw on conservatoire-level voice training of breath, resonance, posture and presence to create immediate, tangible and strategic shifts in how people communicate under pressure.
Jack has coached C-suite executives, senior leadership teams, and professional performers alike, and brings a uniquely physical, experiential approach to communication development that participants remember long after the session ends.
Travel Locations
Sydney (home base, no additional cost). Melbourne (+$300 AUD). Brisbane, Canberra (+$400 AUD). Perth (+$600 AUD). Europe – available by arrangement during planned travel periods (next availability: mid-2026). Additional travel costs to be quoted per engagement.
Certifications & Credentials
Bachelor of Dramatic Art (Victorian College of the Arts), Master of Fine Arts in Voice (National Institute of Dramatic Art), Member of Professional Speakers Australia.
Client Requirements
A screen is preferable so that I can use slides, but this is not necessary if none can be provided. Microphone is preferred for large spaces.
Focus Areas
Creative/CultureWell-being/HealthDevelopment/Coaching
Location
Newtown
Languages
English
Corporate Experience
Significant
Session Types Offered
Interactive (eg. improv, group-art, yoga etc.)
Past Experience Doing Sessions
Yes - Interactive
Past Clients
Bayer, Paper+Spark, SBS Radio, Bell Shakespeare, NIDA.
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