S.T.A.N.D. and Deliver – Part 1

Every strong message starts with a commitment to serve the audience. Here is the simple speaking framework I rebuilt from scratch after losing my slide deck, and why step one is serving instead of impressing.

How I rebuilt my public speaking workshop

Last week, I had the opportunity to lead a public speaking workshop for the Supreme Lending Southeast Region sales team. I’ve done this through the years for new loan officers before they launch into the market. This time, it was for everyone, rookies and seasoned veterans alike. And since many of our loan officers are experienced communicators, I’ll admit it was a daunting task.

When I went to retrieve my go-to slide deck, I realized it had been lost during a Google account transition. Suddenly, the task became even more challenging. I would have to rebuild the entire presentation from scratch.

But instead of panicking, I saw it as a fresh opportunity, an excuse to create something new using everything I’ve learned over the past eight years. From teaching continuing education courses for real estate agents to giving my Market Like a Rockstar keynote at conferences around the country, I’ve had a front-row seat to what actually works (and a fair bit of what doesn’t).

The session went great. So I thought I’d share the key takeaways here in a short series for anyone who has the opportunity to speak publicly, whether to five people or five thousand.

Introducing S.T.A.N.D. and Deliver

A simple acronym to help you remember how to not just stand in front of a room, but to actually deliver a message that matters.

Part 1: S is for Serve

Every strong message starts with a commitment to serve the audience.

When I was in the band Third Day, I often spoke on behalf of causes like World Vision, Habitat for Humanity, and the ONE Campaign. I gained a fair amount of comfort and confidence onstage by speaking for something bigger than myself. I took the stage confidently, shared from the heart, and our audiences responded.

Then one day, I received a different kind of invitation: to speak at a local high school’s Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) club before classes began.

Piece of cake, I thought. They were only expecting about 30 students.

I prepared a message I thought would really connect, full of stories and anecdotes, and structured in a way any Toastmaster would approve. But on the drive to the school that morning, I found myself overwhelmed with nerves. My heart raced. My hands were sweaty. I was anxious in a way I hadn’t felt even when speaking to stadiums of 30,000.

So I prayed: “God, what is going on? Why am I so nervous?”

I’ve often heard people say that God’s voice sounds a lot like your own, but it carries wisdom you know you don’t possess. That’s exactly what happened.

What I “heard” in that moment changed the way I view every speaking opportunity:

“You’re nervous because your focus is on impressing them, not impacting them.”

Boom. That truth leveled me.

In that moment, I made a vow: From now on, I will speak to serve, not to impress.

Almost magically, the nerves disappeared. Once my motivation was right, everything else fell into place, for that talk and for every one I’ve given since.

When your focus is on your audience and not yourself, fear has a harder time taking hold. You’re no longer performing. You’re helping. You’re serving.

Want to be a better speaker? Start by asking:

What does this audience need from me?

How can I make them feel seen, heard, or understood?

What can I give, not what can I get?

If you serve, you win.

Tomorrow’s installment: “T is for Trust.” We’ll explore how building trust is the second essential step in delivering a powerful message.

So I have a question for you

When was the last time you walked into a room asking what your audience needed from you instead of how you would come across?

What would change in your next presentation if your only goal was to serve?

If you want help equipping your team to communicate with more confidence and connection, that is exactly what my keynotes, workshops, and leadership sessions are built for. Learn more at taianderson.live/keynotes.

Originally published on LinkedIn, October 6, 2025.