Confidence
How do you develop presence?
When I ask the people who attend my workshops what is the difference that makes the difference between and average speaker and a great speaker they often come up “presence”. When I go on to ask them to be a bit more specific about what they mean by presence, they tend to struggle. So what…
Read MoreIs your thinking holding you back?
When I was a sales manager I saw a number of potentially great communicators stall despite fantastic subject matter knowledge and great technique. It was no surprise to me that sending them on a skills refresher course didn’t solve the problem as I instinctively knew that the problem lay at the level of identity and…
Read MoreHow do you build confidence in nervous presenters and speakers
I have just returned from a camping holiday in Dorset and whilst away I had the delight of lighting and then tending a camp fire every evening. As I was gazing into the embers one evening it suddenly struck me that there are a number of similarities between lighting a camp fire and developing someone’s…
Read MoreGreat presenters – born or made?
I had a fascinating conversation today over lunch which I thought I’d share with you. I was speaking to a colleague who does a lot of work as a professional master of ceremonies and facilitator at conference and events Our conversation covered a range of interesting things including voice projection and accents but we happened…
Read MoreWhat makes or breaks a conference presentation?
As part of a recent presentation skills coaching programme for a large client, I have been reviewing videos of some of their top directors presenting at a company conference. Some presenters got it right and got great evaluations and others clearly didn’t and,as an external observer the reasons for the latter were clear Lack of…
Read MoreProjecting authority
Whether you a presenting to one person or one thousand, the ability to project authority and credibility is crucial. The question is how do you do it? Authority, or “gravitas” as some people call it, is a desirable yet nebulous characteristic that is closely related to charisma. We all recognise it, but are hard put,…
Read MoreHow do we believe in ourselves?
This post was promopted by a comment made by my wife Lyn after an early morning walk today. It was a beautiful morning here in the South of Hampshire. The sky was just starting to colour up as the sun rose and the air was crisp and fresh. After a few minutes of silent contemplation…
Read MorePerfection is not connection
Today I had the privilege of meeting up with my great friends and inspirational speakers Richard & Liz. We talked about all sorts of things to do with success, self-development and happiness and as ever, I left with a whole load of exciting new ideas and insights. I could write several posts on the outcomes of this…
Read MoreHow to be authentic when you speak in public
Why being more authentic leads to speaking success Every time I run a presentation skills workshop I get asked questions like; What is the “right” way to present? Should I use humour? Should I move or stand still? My answer is always the same. “You have to learn how to be authentic.” You see I…
Read MoreDiscourage Critical Feedback If You Want To Improve Faster
I’ve been training presentation and public speaking skills for more than ten years now and today I’d like to share one thing I learned which has had the biggest single impact on the results I get. If you are curious to know what it it, then read on. I still remember the first bit of…
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