03 Nov Truly Scary
When speaking, your genuine self is your most persuasive element. Incorporate anecdotes or case studies with specific details. By recalling the actual event, all your senses fire with an inexhaustible source of material....
01 Nov Art and Science
Your content may not be new, but the way you express it can and should be...
20 Oct Owning TED
Julie Cordua is the CEO of THORN, an organization devoted to eliminating child sexual abuse from the internet. Her TED talk is riveting. (Disclaimer: We have trained many of the THORN staff, including Julie, but we did not coach her for this talk.) Julie's delivery was raw and...
13 Oct Field and Foreground
oo often people present as if they're looking at a closeup on a cellphone screen, with one object in focus and everything else a blur. Take the time to establish context and lead the audience to your mountain. Do it with a vivid river or...
06 Oct Ansel’s Bar
Speakers and presenters also need to challenge themselves to improve. Be honest with yourself about the quality of your presentations, and where to sharpen your skills....
04 Oct Can you bottom this?
For years we've asked dinner companions to play a game we call "Bottom This." Each relates an embarrassment, failure or terrible job, doing their best to beat the previous speaker. Interestingly enough, a recent Leigh Thompson article in Fast Company notes that when teams share their failure...
15 Sep Sing Out Sara
Sara Nelson breaks into song and dances around picket lines to rally the troops. Being blonde, attractive and a flight attendant, is she concerned about her image? Not in the slightest. Nelson happens to be the unconventional President of the Association of Flight Attendants. Nelson is...
12 Sep You Don’t Say
Meaningless phrases abound in business presentations. These phrases are filler, or serve as an announcement. They do not reflect well on the speaker and are unnecessary, but old habits are hard to break. Unfortunately, they also waste the listeners' time and test their patience. To illustrate...
01 Sep Gift of Grace
The ancient Greeks thought charisma was bestowed by the gods and set certain individuals apart. But sociologist Max Weber keenly saw that followers attribute leaders with charisma, validating their power. Perception is reality. How can we convey charisma in our speaking and presentations? Likability and charm are foundational...
31 Aug Indian Market
The 98th annual Indian Market was held last weekend in Santa Fe, New Mexico. This juried show draws over 150,000 visitors worldwide, with 100+ Native American artists from 200 tribes displaying their art. We go early to get to know the artists and discover the stories...