In her own words Joanne Lockwood has traded being part of the most privileged demographic in society to becoming part of one that many people will either stare at or do their best to ignore. In this show, Joanne is sharing the story of two journeys…how she came to be an international speaker, and how she came to be standing on stage in a dress as a woman.   Joanne’s early life was as traditional as it gets, joining the air force, switching to a career in IT with global travel, before starting her own IT business to spend more time with her wife and young family. She even became National President of the 90-year-old men’s club, The Round Table.   But it was only in the past few years that in some ways she feels that her ‘true’ life began. It’s a fascinating insight into a journey that most of us will never take, and don’t really understand…but as Joanne says, my mission through my speaking is not to get you to understand, it’s to get you to accept difference, respect the person and be kind to each other.     Enjoy!   What we talk about: Why becoming a woman at 48 was something Joanne felt she had to do. How coming out as transgender impacted Joanne’s life, family and career. How much of Joanne’s own ‘self’ is tied up with gender identity. The reason we underestimate the power of words. What gender-neutral language is and why we should consider using it. How imposter syndrome and negative body image nearly derailed Joanne’s speaking career and how she overcame them. Why we should switch from looking for the negative to finding the positive. How Joanne has grown her speaking career so quickly. How changing reference points from top of the privilege tree to being at the bottom has impacted Joanne. Why the best speakers focus on creating an emotional connection that ‘moves’ people using stories. Why listening to people shows them that they matter. What micro-aggressions are and why we should be aware of them. Why you should never get complacent as a speaker and what can happen if you do.   Resources*   All things Joanne: https://joannelockwood.me SEE Change Happen @Joanne_Lockwood1965   Other Resources: http://www.recruitingbrainfood.com https://www.brainpickings.org   Live Training Class with Sarah on ‘How to Use Stories to Attract and Convert Your Dream Customer in six simple steps.’ Click here to register Thanks for listening! To share your thoughts:                                                  leave a comment below. Share this show on Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn.   To help the show out: Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and review really help get the word out and I read each one. Subscribe on iTunes.