In part 2 of his Showman-to-Speaker framework, Tom Elliott tackles two pillars: grounding and internalisation. He opens up about his own nervous habits on stage, shifting feet, unnecessary pacing, an involuntary giggle, and shares practical fixes like using a handheld mic instead of a headset to give your hands somewhere to go.
From there he moves into internalisation, making the case that memorising a script word for word is a trap. Instead, Tom recommends reducing your script to bullet points, then to core concepts, and internalising the structure the way you’d naturally talk through a story from your weekend.
It’s a shift from performance-by-recall to performance-by-understanding, and it’s what makes a delivery feel natural under pressure.
Key Takeaways:
- Identify your nervous tell: Feet, hands, pacing, giggling and neutralise it with a physical anchor, like holding a mic instead of wearing a headset
- Don’t memorise, internalise: Write the full script first, then strip it down to bullet points, then to core ideas
- Build internalisation through repetition: Talk the presentation out loud (in the car, walking, wherever) until the structure sinks in naturally
About Tom Elliott:
Tom Elliott is an award-winning corporate event host, awards MC, and comedy magician with over 15 years’ experience, working with clients including Deloitte, the International Accounting Forum, and CGI. He won the South West Prestige Award for Corporate Entertainment in 2026.
He’s also the author of Breaking the Script, applying performing-arts techniques to help speakers present with more confidence and command.
📖 Grab the book here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Breaking-Script-Speaking-Business-Professionals/dp/1105674738
