#executive presence

How to Coach Someone from Eating at the Filler Word Buffet

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 …

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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 stories— our social media feeds are filled with them. Why do we crave them? They connect us in a deep and human way. But what do you do, as a …

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To be a Winner in Public Speaking, Banish Comparison

This article on praise from TED was passed around the Articulation office/treehouse. It was an important reminder for any coach, manager, or even parent, that comparison, even positive comparison, can have negative (unintended) consequences to confidence. It was with this article at the top of my mind that I watched this year’s Women’s Skating finals …

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Enough IS Enough

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 …

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