Speaking Tips

 

Sand Through the Glass

Facing an upcoming presidential election with a choice between two elderly men, the issue of age takes center stage. But is it chronological age, or the perception of elderly that concerns voters? Time marches on for all of us, so it’s best to be prepared,...

Road Warriors

This summer, more than 2 million travelers will pass through TSA daily. Nightmarish as that may seem, there are ways to mitigate the pain. Packing: We only take carry-on bags, regardless of the length of stay. (Lost luggage and waiting is lost time.) Shoes take up...

Refined Cut

To all lovers of green, we feel your pain-- and excitement. Anyone who grows plants, bushes or trees knows that with summer coming, it’s time to sharpen your pruners. Our gardens in Santa Fe are in full bloom and growing like monsters in a sci-fi...

Too Personal

The season is here for weddings, graduations, and other festivities. Time to tune up your toasting skills. Recently, we coached a client who wanted to welcome their son’s wedding guests, as well as deliver a meaningful tribute to the bride and groom. We interviewed our client...

Universal Solvent

You probably won’t be surprised that the most well-respected authors at the Santa Fe Literary Festival advocated for the importance of storytelling. But as we listened to their various approaches, we thought of the applications of case studies to our clients’ businesses. For example: “A...

Oh My G-d

The recent Santa Fe International Literary Festival was a hit. The interviewers and authors were on their game. One remarkable thing we heard was the amount of time each writer put into researching their books. David Grann spent eight years writing Flowers of the Killer Moon. It took Anthony...

Reserve Tank

When presenting on a topic, most speakers focus on the content. But that’s not the whole megillah. When you are effective, you will likely get questions after your close. How and what you say at this point can make all the difference. However, when you’ve expended...

Whale Tales

We often remind our friends that their pets don’t speak English. Yes, everything communicates, but each group of plants and animals have specific alphabets. Recently, teams from the Cetacean Translation Initiative found that the expressivity of sperm whales is much larger than previously thought.Whales are...

Rope Wit

We are amalgams of our experiences and education. The challenge is to assemble a version of ourselves that sustains us and satisfies our need for purpose. One thing is certain; how you communicate is critical.Will Rogers grew up when Oklahoma was called Indian Territory. A...

This is your life

From 1952-1961, Ralph Edwards hosted a hit TV show, This is Your Life. He surprised guests and took them through a retrospective of their lives. The show was broadcast with a studio audience and featured colleagues, friends, and family. The series began with the story...