I just took the Miami Writing Institute class. It’s a 4-5 hour online “taste” of what Miami University has been teaching teachers about writing within each academic discipline and genres through their nationally known Howe Center for Writing. A few weeks ago, I was on panel with its director, Elizabeth Wardle, Ph.D. and had some […]
Why is it so hard to write like we speak? Read More »
When a client tells me they want to do a group presentation, my first instinct is to say DON’T DO IT! They take a lot more time. (I mean a lot!) It’s harder to make the presentation cohesive. The increased complexity means more risk of things going wrong. Long story short, they are just harder
Group Presentations: To Do or Not to Do? Read More »
For over a year or more as I walked the halls at a large executive speaking coach client organization, I’d been told about an executive with the UM, AH and LIKE problem. You know, those filler words people use when speaking, and in public speaking in particular. They were correct but not complete. After a
Stop Using Filler Words in 3 Steps Read More »
Emotion. Besides breath, emotion is one of the most underrated attributes of our oratorical treasure chests. Dig deep and you will find it can unlock the most unengaged of audiences. But what happens when you get really emotional while telling a personal story? Let me preface this by saying emotion is anything that makes you
Go Deep: How to Show and Manage Your Emotions in Public Speaking Read More »
What do you do to feel comfortable before a big talk? In August I had my largest audience ever: 1,800 at the Convocation for the College of Arts and Sciences at my alma mater, Miami University. While I feel at home on campus, I did the things I coach my speakers to do to feel
Big talk coming up? Try these tips to get comfortable. Read More »
So, are your presentations for your audience or yourself? Are they thoughtfully planned stories with which your audience can relate? Convert your conversation into a presentation.
Transform Your Internal Conversation into a Presentation Read More »
As we approach rehearsal day for a TED-style event, without fail the client asks, “Are you worried about any of the speakers?” We’ve coached hundreds of people to give talks like TED, and only one type of speaker worries me. It might surprise you to hear that it has nothing to do with complicated content, or
This blog is in our series of coaching reflections, where we pick an experience while working with a client in public speaking, keynote talks, TED-Like talks, presentation skills, executive communication, storytelling, content framing and/or executive presence. Background: Head of a division of a global company has been invited to give a talk at a a leadership
First, a quick refresher on the classic tale. Goldilocks, after breaking and entering into the empty home of The Three Bears, proceeds to eat the dinner the bear family worked very hard to prepare. First she tries one porridge and decides it’s too hot. The next bowl is too cold. The last bowl is juuuuuuust
Goldilocks inspires to aim beyond “just right.” Read More »
I attended the TEDSummit 2016 conference in Banff, Alberta, Canada, listening to an array of provocative speakers for four days. The proliferation of compelling ideas, experiences, data, story and more is still processing in my overstuffed brain. While I work through the ideas presented, It should come to no surprise that I have an observation
To script or not to script. Read More »
