What 100+ Workshops Taught Me About Impactful Speaking

Assalamu'alaikum,

Last Saturday, minutes before the certification program webinar, I had the same feeling I get whenever I start any webinar or workshop: heart racing, stomach churning.. nervousness.

It doesn't matter how many years I've been doing this or how many thousands I've trained - those butterflies in my stomach are as active as ever!

I vividly remember my first Productive Muslim workshop in London. 

Picture this:

• 100+ students staring at me

• My hands? Sweaty.

• My words? Stumbling.

• My eyes? Glued to the slides, avoiding all eye contact.

Embarrassing? Absolutely. But here's the kicker - I still meet people today who say that workshop changed their lives. Alhamdulillah!

Over the years, I've learned that what comes from the heart goes to the heart. People can sense when you genuinely care about what you're sharing or you’re just doing a job.

So here's my Barakah formula for being a trainer:

Sincerity + Hard Work + Genuine Care for Your Audience = A Memorable Event

Let me share the three pieces of advice that have helped me avoid common pitfalls and might just be the game-changer for you too:

1. Stay Humble, Always

   Never assume you know more than your audience. The moment you think you're the smartest person in the room, ego creeps in, and people will smell that arrogance from a mile away. Approach every session as if you're the student and everyone else is the expert. Even with youth or teenagers, be curious about what they know (or don't know). You'll be surprised at how much you can learn!

2. Preparation is Key

   Even if you've given the same talk a hundred times, never go in unprepared. Before any workshop, I ask the host about the audience demographics, understand their challenges, and find out what the host hopes the audience will gain. Prepare as if it’s the first time you’re presenting the content and you’ll improve with every presentation.

3. Get Ready Spiritually and Physically

As trainers and speakers, we often obsess over the physical prep for our workshops: sleep early, get coffee at the right time, maybe even a quick run before the workshop to get those endorphins flowing and put us in the zone for training.

But our spiritual preparation is just as crucial, if not more so. Seeking Allah's barakah for our presentation isn't just a nice-to-have; it's a must-have to ensure that we deliver with Ihsaan and Sincerity. This means ensuring that we pray on time (especially fajr), completing our daily Quranic wird, maintaining wudhu (as much as possible) throughout the presentation, making dua for the workshop to be accepted by Allah and impactful to others, and keeping our tongues moist with dhikr (remembrance of God) throughout the day.

Remember, delivering impactful presentations isn't just about nailing the content—it's about showing up at your best, physically and spiritually. 

If you're nodding along and thinking, "I need more of this in my life," then I invite you to apply and become one of our certified trainers for the Productive Muslim program. Not only will I teach you what to teach, but how to teach so that you truly make an impact on others.

The next certification program starts this Rabi-I (October) insha’Allah, and it’ll be held online.

>> Apply here to become a certified trainer

Stay sincere, stay prepared, and keep spreading beneficial knowledge!

Sincerely,

P.S. Seats are filling up fast for our certification program, and we have limited spots. Don't miss out - apply today to secure your place! productivemuslim.com/certification