MORE ABOUT TERRY

Terry grew up in England under the heel of a volatile and frequently violent father. Because of this, it was essential for him to pay attention and try to predict when an outburst might be on the way. Body language signals in the form of postural changes, gestures, subtle facial expressions, or vocal modulation often provided the only clues that an outburst was imminent. He didn’t know it at the time, but this experience would lead to a lifetime of interest in the subject of non-verbal communication. 

Vaughan attended human behavior and body language training during his time with the British Royal Marine Commandos and quickly realized he had a gift for decoding others. Upon leaving the military, Terry taught several different combative disciplines including hand-to-hand combat, Muay Thai kickboxing, edged weapons, and tactical firearms. However, the knowledge that it is always safer to avoid a physical altercation ensured that situational awareness instruction was always a part of his curriculum.

After more than 15 years incorporating various personal safety elements into his combatives training, Terry created A Commando's Guide to D.I.R.T. Dangerous Individual Recognition Training®, a workshop that builds trust, teamwork, and emotional intelligence for every group that attends. It also teaches  employees safety skills that will make them safer at work, home, or play. 

Combining a love of body language with his experience of various leadership styles in the military, Terry expanded his workshop and keynote presentations to include A Commando's Guide to Emotional Intelligence. This training goes to the heart of being a leader and showcases how to be one that appeals to a group's anthropological needs. Once a leader understands why they should be displaying certain non-verbal behaviors, they will improve emotional intelligence and the ability to influence, guide, and lead through good times or bad.

To help companies and businesses stay competitive in 2020, Terry created A Commando's Guide to Killin' it on Video. Video content is going to account for more than 80% of all online engagement in the coming months, so regardless of your profession or company, video creation will be essential to stay relevant. Excellent video content will be the only way to separate yourself from the crowd. For many, that will mean getting in front of the camera themselves to become the face of their business.  Utilizing workshops and individual or group coaching, Terry teaches how to overcome nerves, and be great in front of a camera with the best body language signals possible. 

Amongst Terry’s eclectic background he also worked as a teenage host on a BBC television show called No Limits, before enrolling in a stage school and working as an actor, dancer, and occasional singer. Transitioning from dancer to Commando was fraught with hilarious situations and epic challenges, many of which he shares during his highly entertaining keynote, Dancer to Commando: How to Overcome Any Obstacle. This presentation is part inspiration, part motivation, and part cautionary tale. But, above all else, Terry’s account of how and why he signed up for one of the toughest military training courses in the world after life as a thespian, has to be heard to be believed and is the perfect way to launch or close any event.

"Effective communication is part art and part science, and every professional can benefit from maximizing their non-verbal signals." - Terry Vaughan