Guest Blog: Being Vocal Against Vocal Fry
I heard from several readers after my blog about vocal fry. This response, from Eva in Portland, is a great rant–and, of course, I feel the same way. Anti-vocal-fry enthusiasts, take heart! Our...
View ArticleIntellectual Combat in the Corporate Trenches
In the last few weeks, I’ve been asked by two marketing support functions to help them deal more effectively with the people they serve and support. One is a market research function, the other a...
View Article10 Commandments of Great Business Presenters
Define a problem that your audience faces. Then solve it. The human mind tends to fixate on problems: rubber-necking is a case in point. Presentations about problems have both emotional and...
View ArticleRehearsed vs. extemporaneous speaking
A few years ago I attended my aunt’s memorial service, where anyone was invited to say a few words. I felt the need to tell a quick story that would remind everyone about her contagious enthusiasm for...
View ArticleA movement becomes a racket
Matt Latimer, a Republican speech writer for Bush and Rumsfeld, has written a very entertaining book called Speech*Less. In it, he chronicles his misadventures as an idealist in a palace of racketeers....
View ArticleLend Me Your Ears!
A few years ago, my wife and I took our 3-year-old daughter Georgia shopping for her Halloween costume. She wanted to be a black cat, so we got her a black leotard, white gloves, black velvet cat ears,...
View ArticleScientific Presentations and the Gettysburg Address
When working on scientific and technical presentations, I am often amazed by the wonders of the science being presented and, at the same time, shocked by the speaker’s lack of awe or appreciation for...
View ArticleSpeaking Anxiety: Glossophobia
Glossophobia is the fear of public speaking. It comes, like all the other phobias, from the ancient Greeks, more specifically the Athenians, who spent time thinking about speech communication. You may...
View Article4 Ways to Boost Your Ability to Persuade
For a presenter, few moments are better than feeling you have the audience in the palm of your hand. And few are more painful than feeling the gulf between you and your listeners getting wider and...
View ArticleExecutive presence in public speaking and private speaking
What is executive presence? I hear that phrase a lot. Companies want executives who can take charge and light up a room. A few thoughts. I relate presence to charisma, charm, and savoir faire....
View ArticleMental Practice Helps Conquer Stage Fright
This is the last of our series about concrete ways to conquer stage fright. This tip offers a surprising approach to make almost anything in your life better–mental practice. Or, in other words: 3....
View Article9 Behaviors Cultivated by the Ultra-Charismatic–part 3
This is the last in our series in how to wow with charisma. We’ve looked at Vocal Expression of Emotion, Contagious Laughter, Expressive Face, and more. Here are three more tips to help you stand out...
View ArticleHow Not to Bore an Audience (2 of 3)
Remember, your goal as a speaker should be to have inscribed on your tombstone, “He Made His Point, and Bored Them Less.” To accomplish this lifetime achievement, review part 1 for our first 3 tips:...
View ArticleMy Kind of Champion Speaker
I have been looking at various presentation websites. I am impressed and not impressed, and I am concerned about the distinction between making a convincing argument to serious people with serious...
View ArticleUpgrade from good to great presentation skills
I believe that there are two kinds of presentation skills. One kind helps make the speaker look good. The other kind helps the listeners understand and believe in the speaker. Many presentation coaches...
View ArticleLast Friday in New Jersey: a story about stories
Last Friday in New Jersey I got up at 3am to take part via WebEx in a training program in London. The program was about storytelling. I was invited to discuss the architecture of stories, and...
View ArticleGuest Blog by Jonathan Li, President of The Expressive Leader
The first time I spoke in front of a group, my hands were shaking and my legs were trembling. “G-g-g-g-good morning everyone,” I stuttered my opening. “Today I will talk about…” This was a terrible...
View ArticleDon’t Boast
Whenever you give yourself a compliment in front of an audience, you run the risk of being seen in a negative light. For instance, telling stories about how you won a big piece of business by being a...
View ArticleThe Habit that Ensures You Will Sell More
People are more likely to like your ideas if they like you–as a business person, a leader, and a communicator. I think the best way to get them to like you is to be open and honest about who you are....
View ArticleQuote-a-Week on Goals, Success, and Power for 2017
The end of December is a good time to review what you’ve accomplished and set goals for the coming year. Sometimes, it’s invigorating to think about the 365 days that stretch out before us, and...
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