Speaking tips blog
Communication matters. What are you saying?
Feels like the first time
Had a first-time speaker at Toastmasters104 today -- that first speech is called an Icebreaker. The speaker today, as many have said before her, that "If you had told me a month ago I'd CHOOSE to stand up and talk in front of people, I'd have said 'no way'." And...
How not to follow up
As part of some research for a professional organization I am on the Board for, I had to call a vendor for information (because it wasn't on their web site, but that's for another blog entry). Got droid #1, who listened for a minute before saying I needed to speak...
Sorry, no PowerPoint
A friend attending a conference populated by, designed for, and speakers taken from the populace of highly technical folks (i.e., geeks) related this story, which I found to be both funny and enlightening.The conference runs from 900am until almost 1000pm each day. ...
And things you should say
As a follow-up to the previous post on things that shouldn't be said, there are also things that should be said.I was a newlywed of less than a year when I had some great advice passed on to me from someone who quoted it as being passed to them from a wise sage many...
I really shouldn’t say this
One of the phrases I hear a lot (more than I should -- heard it today) in both private and public conversations is "I really shouldn't say this, but..." When appropriate, I usually cut the speaker off and respond, "Then don't."Looked at even somewhat objectively,...
Getting better
I just finished up a boatload of notes and evaluations I took on some speakers that I observed a few weeks ago. Personal responsibilities, a hurricane, and The Hurricanes (!) delayed finishing up the write-up.While I suppose I was not surprised, it was difficult to...
The worst first impression
Had a student show up late to class the other, which is far from unusual. While my personal preference for honoring time is to be on time and start on time, I don't draw attention to an individual's lateness and do what I can to make them feel welcome. However, I...
Know your stuff
Asked to guest teach an hour lecture at church. Love to, said I. Spent time with the content -- new to me -- and had things all lined up. Perhaps not my best effort, but a winner nonetheless, I figured.Looked in my notebook a bit before class and discovered that......
Energy
Having just come off a string of about 10 days training, teaching, and consulting, the body naturally is a bit run-down (not unlike the Carolina Hurricanes, who apparently feel similarly, but I digress). Anyone who thinks that it isn't exhausting work to talk all day...
First impressions,
The saying goes, "You never get a second chance to make a first impression." Nowhere is that truer than in public speaking and leadership. And that impression starts before we ever open our mouths or say a single word.Due to family activities, responsibilities,...
Hip pocket
All speakers have moments that they don't plan, don't want, and don't need. Throats get tickled; minds forget lines; and tongues tangle over the simplest phrases. It's impossible to ignore -- from the speaker's point-of-view. The temptation is to make fun of it,...
Good hurts great
Seems like there are a billion and one business titles based on the idea that people stop when they think they are good, and miss out on being really great. Many of the speakers I work with fit that description perfectly. And because speaking is not a common skill...
