Speaking tips blog
Communication matters. What are you saying?
Niches and their language
I spent much of this weekend at the local No Fluff, Just Stuff conference watching (and critiquing, of course) folks speaking. Like most of us, these folk were not speakers first, but people with a passion who became speakers because others wanted to hear about their...
Degenerative ending
A typical practice in keynote or executive speeches and town halls is the Q&A session. I've got no problems with questions (and answers!) but I dislike watching a messaging session end with soliciting them.One I saw last week ended something like this:Exec: "Well, we...
Awareness
Had a speaker I'd worked with share a recording of his presentation with me today. He led off with the caveat and warning that he had committed a grievous delivery error at the beginning of his presentation: "...even as I said it during the speech, I felt this...
No shirt, no shoes, no service
Went in to a major home improvement NASCAR sponsor store over the weekend to purchase some plywood. I needed a 4'x8' piece ripped to two 2x8 pieces. Usually this is a service provided for free. At Store #1, I inquired and was told the saw was "down". "But I'll...
PC
I've never been much for political correctness, and it has nothing to do with politics. I'd just rather say things the way they are rather than euphemize (is that a word?) and try not to offend. Of course, I grew up in the day when we kept score in Little League, it...
Modify the content
Back from a nice relaxing few days in Savannah, GA. Did the obligatory things whilst there, including a guided tour of the city to get the lay of the land. As in most tourist destinations, the tour guide was a card-carrying extrovert and very knowledgeable about the...
Clarity
The 'rents came to town yesterday to keep the kids (The Boss & I will be taking some rare days off to celebrate our 3652nd day of marriage!). Coordinating ETA with mom via cell phone (which in itself is a bit of a miracle -- my folks handling cell phone technology)....
Habits
Seth Godin blogs today about habits. I'd probably add another category -- that of the routine. Starbucks in the morning is a routine (OK, for some of you, it's a habit). Brushing your teeth is (I hope) a habit. Your route to work is a routine. Pusing glasses back...
Are you surprised by the verdict?
Had a faithful reader send on the link to an interview with a guy on live TV who turned out to not be the person the anchor thought she was interviewing. The expression on the poor guy's face when they introduce him is priceless (he turns out to be a cab driver...
More from the elite
Following up Saturday's post on the elite consulting group with the presentation from the netherworld...Some things that were just bad slide design made a bad thing even worse. Again, I don't normally try to counsel number of slides, but this presentation had 29...
Clarity
Today was Game 4 of the greatest sporting event on the planet -- first-year Tee-ball. We've seen marked progress on the diamond, to the point where The Boy's team actually made an out (one) and the kids actually run the bases in order and most of them pay attention...
Can this be happening?
With a group of writers today watching an archived webcast of a presentation. Presenters were high-level folks at a very recognizable communications firm. My expectations were sky-high to hear what these respected thought leaders would have to say.Man, was I...
