Help Me Write a Book on Public Speaking
Would you like to have input into a book on public speaking? What are the things you really want to know? What do you wish you knew earlier? I’m actually thinking of getting a quick Kindle book out in about a week or so using mostly a selection of my 2012 speaking tips that you have […]
Digging Up Stories: Highs and Lows Graph
Another way to recall stories, is to draw a “Highs and Lows” graph, or as David Sibbet discusses in his book, Visual Meetings, Peak and Valley Experiences. Decide on a time period (your whole life, a year) and draw a horizontal time line across the middle of a blank sheet of paper. Then mark off time segments […]
Digging Up Stories: Memories from Floor Plans
You can mentally dig for stories in your own back yard! Or, at least a drawing of your backyard. One exercise that can help with your recall of stories is to draw the floor plan of one of your childhood homes (or even a “map” of the back yard). For example, when I drew the […]
Digging Up Stories: Every Face Tells a Story!
Almost any presentation, even business presentations, can be enhanced by using personal stories to anchor your points. But, how do you recall and apply those personal stories? One technique is to look at photos, specifically photos of yourself and try to recall where you were at in life and/or the story behind the photo. Often […]
Be an Audience Magnet with One Simple Act
Do you want to be a people-magnet when you speak? Did you know there is one thing that you can do that will increase your trust-level, likeability, perceived confidence (and competence) and your attractiveness? That one thing is to smile–your genuine smile! Smiling can reduce the levels of stress hormones and increase the levels of […]
Create Your Killer Keynote in a Day!
“Diane pointed out several things that will help me engage my audience better, while communicating the topic more thoroughly. She offered great insight into both the delivery of the speech and the structure so that my audience hears a clear call to action.“~Bill Svoboda, owner Coed Monkey Create a Keynote Speech in a Day Workshop […]
Speech Class for Teens Book Now Available!
Do you remember taking a speech class in high school? That pit in your stomach? Sweaty palms? What if you had become a more confident speaker as a teen? Would that have made a difference in your adult life? In your career? The number one job skill cited by CEO’s again and again is communication […]
Why Do Some Speakers OWN the Stage? Tips from a Champ!
In August 2001, out of 25,000 contestants from 14 countries, Darren LaCroix (above in blue shirt) was crowned the 2001 World Champion of Public Speaking. Last Thursday, Darren came to Minnesota and presented “Own the Stage Coaching” and I furiously took brief notes to share them with you (OK, I really took them for myself). Let’s […]
How to Be a More Confident Speaker in 10 Seconds
You know your message. You know your audience. You’ve practiced. Now, it’s show-time! How can you bolster your self-confidence in the few seconds before you speak? Even as you are walking up to deliver your opening lines? I believe that confidence level can be affected by changing how you act, how you feel and what […]
Ending Your Speech with a Call-to-Action
When you give a speech, you want your audience to think, feel or do something differently than before, right? Even if your speech is primarily informative in nature, don’t you want your audience to do something with the new information? Don’t you want them to consider your ideas and apply them in some way? In […]