Is Cancel Culture Bullying You Into Silence?

“No Comment.”  Have you ever wished you had simply said, “No comment”? Are you being silenced for fear of backlash? Michael Toebe, the editor of Communication Intelligence Magazine, recently interviewed me for commentary about the rise of online backlash and “cancellations” in THIS article featuring the story of professional golfer, Graeme McDowell, who experienced tremendous […]

If I Were Elon Musk’s Speech Coach . . .

If I were Elon Musk’s speech coach, I’d offer him some analytics, especially on filler words and repeated words, plus some coaching feedback. In the 2-minute video below, I demonstrate my new speech analytics tool, Yoodli, looking at a short clip of Elon Musk speaking.

Speak with Confidence Today!

Do you have a presentation coming up, maybe in the next day, maybe in a couple of hours? Then, the video below is for you. I’m not going to talk about strategies for building content or creating awesome slides. I’m going to focus solely on what you can do to build confidence on the day […]

“Webinar Replay” Impromptu Speaking Workshop

I recently presented a workshop on Impromptu Speaking and many people asked me for the “Webinar Replay.” But, I hadn’t recorded it because it was actually a Zoom meeting and participants were on camera. However, the next day I recorded myself giving the workshop as a presentation and sent the video to the people who […]

Master Impromptu Speaking Infographic

Master Impromptu Speaking  (points on the infographic–click here for the infographic ) Buy Time Sometimes, you need just a little more time:  time to grasp a concept, time to formulate your thoughts, time to clarify the question, time to breathe.  • Pause for a breath  • Repeat or rephrase the question  • Clarify the question  […]

The Link Between Performance Anxiety and Stuttering

Performance anxiety (or stage fright) is a subset of glossophobia — the fear of public speaking. It’s estimated that 77% of the population suffers from some level of anxiety regarding public speaking. Some physical symptoms of this are sweating, increased heart rate, and muscle tension. This can also manifest behaviorally through stuttering. How performance anxiety […]

Shape of a Story

When you tell a story, you want to engage your audience from start to finish. You can plan an engaging story, if you follow the typical story plot or shape. The basic elements of a story are: A. Context (Time, place, characters, goals)B. Challenge (inciting incident/obstacle)C. Rising Action (more obstacles or events leading to . […]

Free Online Course on Impromptu Speaking for Business

Would you like to speak off the top of your head without sounding like you’ve lost your mind? Have you ever tripped over your tongue or rambled on without making a point during a meeting? Have you ever been gripped by fear when someone asks you a question and your mind goes blank? Yes? It’s […]

My Favorite Public Speaking Tip

There is one public speaking tip that has improved my public speaking more than any other, and I talked about it on a recent podcast (only 54 seconds long!) This tip is the first of 100 tips from my book, 100 Tips & Tricks to Appear Confident in Presentations.

Mini-Workshop: Make a Great First Impression Online

Make a great 1st impression online! Learn how in this Mini-Workshop (29 minutes). -Look Professional Online -Wield Tools of Engagement (online or in-person) -Tame the Technology Monster This presentation was in front of a live, virtual audience for PowerTalk Power Club (some of the audience interaction was edited out). RESOURCE PAGE MENTIONED IN THE VIDEO […]