Be a Fascinating Conversationalist: The Conversation Résumé
In-person gatherings are finally happening again! Have your social skills gotten a little rusty? Maybe your interview skills could use a boost. Or, maybe you are a bit of an introvert, and your idea of a conversation is asking the other person questions, so they do all the talking. Don’t make other people do all […]
How a World Champion of Public Speaking Uses Humor
Do you want to incorporate humor in your presentations? The recent Toastmasters World Champion of Public Speaking, Cyril Dim Junior, from Zimbabwe cleverly incorporated humor in his speech. You can see a short clip of his speech, and my analysis of his humor in the video below, which is part of a longer workshop I […]
Impromptu Speaking: Think on Your Feet
Have you ever been asked a question at a meeting, in a job interview, or at an event, and your mind went blank? Or, maybe you rambled on? Even people who deliver strong, prepared presentations can flounder in impromptu speaking situations. In this talk, I will give you several practical strategies to think on your […]
Stop Apologizing So Much!
In one of my favorite TV series, NCIS, one of the leading characters, Jethro Gibbs, lives by a set of rules. Rule #6 is “Never say you’re sorry.” On the show, that rule is often followed by the phrase, “It’s a sign of weakness.” I disagree with the absolute of NEVER saying you’re sorry because sometimes […]
Public Speaking Coaching/Training Online: Challenges & Opportunities (Interview)
I was recently interviewed via email for a student project that addressed some of the challenges & opportunities of coaching/training public speaking online. Below are 8 questions and my responses. My target client is a subject matter expert who wants to speak with greater confidence and clarity. About 80% of my clients fall into this […]
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.
Giving an A
The sculptor Michelangelo is often quoted as saying, “Every block of stone has a statue inside it, and it is the task of the sculptor to discover it.” The sculptor simply needs to have a vision of the statue and remove the excess material. We can apply this possibility thinking to people, too—to both ourselves […]
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 […]
How to Guide Your Audience’s Attention in PowerPoint
Don’t be THAT presenter. You know, the one who does a data dump on their audience by using slides full of text or complex diagrams. Your audience may get confused or frustrated, and not focus on what you want them to. They may not listen to what you are saying as they try to take […]