08 Dec The Cult of Colman
Commit to your material. Be excited about sharing your unique approach. And focus on genuinely connecting with your audience. Then speak as often and wherever you can....
01 Dec Stuff Happens
There is no question that stuff will happen when you present. Be ready and expect it. The gracefulness and candor you exhibit when things go awry is critical....
29 Nov Better Call Saul
We recently watched the Season 4 finale of Better Call Saul. While arguing for his reinstatement as an attorney, character Jimmy McGill put down the letter he was reading from his deceased brother Charles. He went “off script” and tearfully described the conflicted, as well as...
17 Nov Seinfeld
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...
10 Nov Colored Pencils
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,...
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...
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...