Public speaking — and effective communication in general — is always about preparation. So really, the title of this post should be… How To Prepare to Ask for What You Want I shared these tips at the annual conference of The Women’s Alliance of Xerox: So you get the point: When You Ask for What You Want, You’re Read More
Public Speaking Skills and Techniques
How to Manage Yourself in Public Speaking and in Life
I recently had the kind of week that every consultant cherishes. I delivered three workshops and one major keynote speech to exciting organizations, all in a six-day period. So what did I learn from this whirlwind of activity (aside from, get to the airport early)? In Public Speaking, as in Life, Learning to Manage Yourself Read More
What If You Could Practice to Sound Exciting When You Speak in Public? You Can!
A new client recently shared this self-judgment: I’m not energetic, dynamic, funny, or entertaining. I speak in a monotone. When I asked how she practices her public presentations, she said, I walk around my office reading my bullet points, and then I do it from memory. I took this to mean, I read my bullet points Read More
How Much Information is Too Much for Your Listener?
Imagine that you’re carefully explaining something — to your boss, or a client, or a colleague, or someone who reports to you — and their eyes start to glaze over. This can be a sign that they’re getting too much information. None of us wants to bore our listeners, so here’s how to avoid over-explaining. Use the Instant Read More
When Someone Asks a Question You Can’t Answer (on Stage or in a Meeting), Be Ready with a “Phrase that Pays”
Sometimes your mind purrs along like a well-tuned engine. Other times it coughs up thoughts, feelings, and anxieties that are worse than useless. Flashes of insecurity are human and inevitable. But when negative thoughts pop into your mind, it’s all too easy to freeze up, sputter, or panic. For many of us, this happens when we’re asked a question that Read More