Here’s where you’ll find insight into how we think and work, how we look and sound, and the tools we deploy to bring your goals to life. Our blog stretches way back, so you might want to peruse the list to see what strikes your interests or needs. Our videos offer a glimpse of several of our coaches — as well as insights into our methods. And when you do work with us, you’ll want to familiarize yourself with our Resource Toolbox to make working with us that much easier.
Blog
Our blog posts offer a rich gathering of insights, tips and suggestions designed to help you become more polished, more influential and more impactful in how you communicate with others. Skim to a title that strikes your interests or needs. And come back often because we are serious keeping it fresh and useful for storytellers everywhere.
The Power of Breath
I am passionate about the power of breath. It not only makes for good public speaking, but it also helps a person feel grounded and confident in any area of life. Allow me to share a three quick tips to harness the power of your own breath.
They Want the Teddy Bear, Not the Stuffing
Are you trying to sell the teddy bear… or the stuffing? See Ruth Milligan’s presentation to Columbus’ Web Analytics Wednesdays group to appreciate the relevant metaphor shared with her by an analytics client and her top list of components to assure a complicated, complex topic gets understood by their audience.
[VIDEO] Short Words, Big Impact
Step away from the thesaurus. Forget the jargon, too. To engage your audience as a reputable speaker, be relatable instead. Small words can make a big impact in your presentation.
The Idea Reigns Supreme
Once a year, we enjoy an exhausting, exhilarating, thought-provoking discussion to identify the speakers for TEDxColumbus. What the discussions demonstrates is the commitment to identifying ideas worth spreading.
[Video] Take a Breath, or 10
As coaches, we’ve seen it a thousand times before. Speed talker syndrome. Sometimes it happens when a speaker is excited or just plain nervous. Other times it’s the guy who tries to fit 38 minutes of content into a 7-minute presentation. To increase your credibility and make a better impression, slow it down. Take a breath, or 10.
Transform Your Internal Conversation into a Presentation
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.
[Video] The Joke Will Be On You
Use too much humor in your speech? The joke will be on you. Watch the latest episode of Talk Like Someone’s Listening to learn how to engage your audience without losing credibility.
Get Better Results When You Use These Tips for Speaker Feedback
Provide more value to speakers when you deliver actionable feedback using these four tips from Coach Acacia Duncan.
A Standout Second Quarter
It’s safe to conclude that when a client “wins,” we win too. In the spirit of transparency, let’s look at where those win were for
Thanks Ecolab!
Yesterday Ecolab (St Paul, MN) hosted their second extremely successful “StratChats” revealing insights and stories rolling up to their 2020 Global Strategy. We were proud
[Video] Translate Your Science
In the last few years we’ve delightedly become adept in helping scientists (data to medical) and researchers (you name it) understand how to translate their insights to lay audiences. This second video in our Talk Like Someone’s Listening series gently reminds us that sometimes it takes careful effort to turn outward for others to access your insights.
Just Do It: Why Recording Yourself Matters
An executive communication coach explains why one of the most powerful tools for improving public speaking and communication skill is recording yourself.
Welcome To: Talk Like Someone’s Listening
It’s been about 9 years since we opened up Articulation. Which means hundreds if not a thousand talks we’ve watched, coached, edited, coached again, reviewed,
How to Make it Through Giving an Emotional Talk
I work with a lot of speakers sharing personal stories. Patient stories. Caregiver stories. Stories of triumph. Stories of overcoming impossible odds. Audiences crave these
Speaking of the Royal Wedding: Non-Verbal Communication Reigns
I wonder what Albert Mehrabian would have thought of the Royal Wedding. Or more importantly, the news reports of the non-verbal behavior sightings at the
Storytelling as a Competency for Leadership: Lessons from The Greatest Showman
In the The Greatest Showman , P.T. Barnum uses a well placed story to recruit his first circus actor. The scene starts with a knock on
Want a better presentation? Begin with the blueprint.
We kicked off the DiscoveryX program at Nationwide Children’s Hospital last week. Now in its third year, this Transforming Talks, a white-label TED-style talk event,
Trash the Podium
This may be the shortest blog I ever write. With good reason. The message is simple: Trash the podium. Literally. Throw it away. Don’t ask
Videos
Our videos offer a glimpse of several of our coaches — as well as insights into our methods. And you can find more of our videos on our YouTube channel.
Ruth's Tips
FEATURED CLIENT TALKS:
The Ohio State University, Wexner Medical Center, WexMed Live
The Ohio State University, Masterminds
Nationwide Children’s Hospital, DiscoveryX
TEDxChicago
Talks not publicly posted: Articulation has additionally coached talks at the following institutions and corporations: UnitedHealthcare, Ford, EcoLab, NetJets, Designers Brands/DSW, Miami University and University of Virginia.
Resource Toolbox
We go through lots of Magic Markers, Post-it Notes and handouts during our classes and coaching sessions. Aside from these basics, we rely on a set of readily available resources designed to be platform agnostic, intuitive and easy to work with. Take a moment to review the tools we’ll be using together.
Voice Memos
This voice recording app comes standard on all iPhones and is available for free for Android devices at the Google Play store. We use this app more than anything else to record practice sessions. We ask speakers to use it to share recorded versions of their talks. All files can be shared via text or email.
We use this tool to record all of our coaching calls. By using it, you’ll be able to listen to your call history and measure your progress over time.
This is our first choice for remote coaching sessions. If you’re used to working with Webex, that’s okay because we are, too. However, we find Zoom better suited to remote coaching and simplifying interaction online.
Power Point and Keynote
Speakers often use support slides in their presentations. But the slides — whether built in PowerPoint or Keynote — are less important than being able to record over them for practice, timing and sharing. That’s why we encourage clients to familiarize themselves with their preferred slide presentation software and its voice recording features. For more on recording with PowerPoint, visit Microsoft support. For Keynote recording help, go to Apple support.
Undoubtedly, this is the Cadillac presenter on the market. But once you understand its capabilities to help with timing and spotlighting, you’ll want one too.
Our most valuable tool is our Mac to HDMI adapter. Regardless of which computer you use, you’ll need the right HDMI cable to connect to our projector. You’ll find the one right for your computer on Amazon.
At-Home Recording Equipment List
Equipment suggestions for at-home video recordings. Download it now.
