It recently occurred to me that, from a certain perspective — that of your audience — there’s no such thing as a big crowd. From your point of view as a presenter, it looks like you’re talking to a lot of people. Most of us, when we speak to a group, are acutely aware of Read More
audience
Public Speaking Tip 36: Use These “3 Tech Questions” to Make Sure People Know What You’re Talking About
Do I Need 3 Tech Questions? Trust me, even if you’re not “a technie,” you need them! Most of my one-on-one speaker coaching clients are smart, ambitious people. No surprise there, because smart, ambitious people are the ones who want to become better public speakers. But sometimes being smart can work against you — and Read More
Public Speaking Tip 29: The Word YOU Helps You Connect with Your Audience
The Word “You” Doesn’t Sound Objective — and That’s the Point! Are you a speaker who believes that you should never talk directly to the audience, because “objective” speech is more credible? “Objective” speech sounds something like this: Concerns about the budget are reasonable — even commendable. Due to objections from the community, the decision Read More
For Public Speaking: How to Show the Love
Since I’m about to publish a novel called The Tattooed Heart — you can read the first chapter here — I’ve been thinking about love in all its guises, including vulnerability; and wondering what love has to do with public speaking. Here’s what I’ve come up with so far: As a good (read: authentic and Read More
Cathie Black Illustrates How To NOT Connect with Your Audience (Hint: Start by Insulting Them!)
NOTE: Even though this post is ancient history (2010!), it’s still a textbook description of how to not win friends and influence people. **** A Little Bit of Background Like most New York City public school parents, I was against Mayor Bloomberg’s appointment of Cathie Black — a publishing executive with no education experience — to be NYC’s Schools Chancellor. (Bloomberg’s first Chancellor, Joel Klein, Read More