I just wrapped up work with a client who’s about to give a big presentation. And my final, most important advice was to focus on chill thoughts until he gets onstage. What’s a Chill Thought? A chill thought helps you calm down, avoid anxiety, and—best of all—crowd out the ugly, self-demeaning thoughts that so often Read More
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Take This “Fear of Public Speaking” Quiz
While it isn’t true that most people are more afraid of public speaking than of death, it’s certainly true that many of us fear getting up in front of an audience. So it makes sense to start by asking… Just What Is This Thing We’re So Afraid Of? Think of public speaking as any time Read More
Hybrid Work is Here to Stay. What Does that Mean for You?
Working from Home+Office is Our New Normal A recent New York Times piece on hybrid work was called “Remote Work is Here to Stay“—and on the day that it was written, the isle of Manhattan—home to the two largest business districts in the U.S.—had 90% fewer people working in its office towers than a year before. Read More
How to Show More Personality on Zoom
As I write this, we’ve been living in Zoom-land for almost a year. The good news is that we’ve mostly gotten used to communicating with people in boxes (or “Hollywood Squares,” as in the old game show). The bad news is that lots of people are even more reluctant to “let the dogs out” (show Read More
Your Goal is Good Audience Experience
Whenever you speak in public—whether it’s a stand-up presentation (remember those?), a few remarks to open an event, a comment in a meeting, or “just” talking to your boss or a colleague—you get to choose what your goal is. Your goal can be to “be eloquent,” “impress the audience,” or “show people that I know Read More