Speakers, like comedians, have to work on delivery and content. The more you do, the easier it becomes. Start in low-ante situations, the way Seinfeld performs in comedy clubs to test new material. Introduce a colleague, deliver a lunch-and-learn, or facilitate a panel and watch...
Pianist Joyce Yang sees music in colors and shapes. She can’t help it; she has synesthesia, a condition where one sense activates another. In Yang’s case, hearing music triggers color. She sees black notes on white paper and her brain processes flashes of silver,...
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....
Your content may not be new, but the way you express it can and should be...
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...
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...
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...
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...
As a path into the consciousness of their character, actors leave breadcrumbs for audiences. One method is to develop a psychological gesture, or a repeatable, physical tell. It could be pulling at a strand of hair, twisting a wedding ring, or facial tic. However, we often...
Why are audiences attracted to manufactured reality? TV shows like Survivor, Shark Tank, The Real Housewives of...