If You Speak English with an Accent, Here’s a Reality Check Periodically, someone will call to ask me if I do “accent reduction coaching” — in other words, can I make their accents go away? As it happens, I don’t do that kind of coaching; but more importantly, I’ll usually ask why they’re interested. And Read More
100 Top Public Speaking Tips
Public Speaking Tip 93: Use Gender Neutral Language in Your Public Speaking
I recently read an article on founder equity in start-ups (don’t ask!) in which the author always referred to start-up founders as “he.” This not-so-subtle dismissal of female founders was annoying, and it made me want to get better at using gender neutral language when I speak in public. English Is Not a Gender Neutral Language Not to get Read More
Public Speaking Tip 45: Why You Should Answer the Question First (and Then Decide How Much More to Say)
I wrote an entire book about answering questions (and all other things job interview-related), and one of the most important ideas in it is this: Answer the Question First. Why? you may wonder. Because You’ll Relax Your Listener Have you ever asked a question and had to wait a long time before the other person got to their answer? Read More
Public Speaking Tip 92: Communicating for Business is Like Talking to a Toddler (or, It Should Be!)
Whether you have kids… hang out with other people’s kids… or just remember your own childhood, most of us have some experience of talking to a toddler. And, funny thing, sometimes speaking for business can feel very similar — for better and for worse! Talking to a Toddler is Good Public Speaking Think about what you actually do when you’re talking to a Read More
Public Speaking Tip 43: Want to Minimize Negative Reactions? Vaccinate Your Audience
What Does It Mean to Vaccinate Your Audience? You’re probably familiar with the principle behind vaccination: Vaccines contain a small amount of something that has the potential to make you very sick – let’s say, the polio virus. Why would you willingly get shot up with polio virus? Because (and I apologize to scientists everywhere for this Read More