Public Speaking
Don’t underestimate the power of storytelling in business and education
Stories are incredibly important tools for communicating all sorts of information. I have been an “unconscious” story collector now for many years and as a trainer, these stories have been incredibly helpful to my participants in bringing the material I teach to life. To be honest I tend to take them for granted because I…
Read MoreDon’t skimp on practice if you want to be great!
In this day and age it seems like everybody is looking for the quick fix without any effort. Whether it’s making money, getting fit, loosing weight or becoming a celebrity. Andit seems to me that this obsession for instant success is supported and encouraged by adverts for all sorts of products both online and offline…
Read MoreSpeech writing tips – How many words in a speech?
When I first started writing speeches, I struggled to know how many words to write for a speech of a given length. The only way I would know was to rehearse the speech and time how long it lasted. I have since learned that I typically speak at an average of 80-100 words per minute…
Read MoreMatch the pace to your content – Changing gear in a speech or presentation
I was particularly impressed with the way Rich matched his energy and pace of delivery to the story he was telling. At the start his pace was slow and measured as he described the rather boring car journey where he was too small to see much out of the car window but clouds. Then, when he arrived at his gran’s the pace picked up dramatically as he described zooming into her house (an Aladdin’s cave for a five year old boy!) with his arms outstretched behind him pretending to be a plane. The pace stayed high as he described how he explored and played and then slowed a little as he started to describe the other family members present. The pace slowed further as he brought us up to the present day and how things had changed. How his granny wasn’t as energetic as she had been, how the food wasn’t as home cooked as it had been and so on. This “gear change”change of pace brought a poignancy and a sense of reflection to this speech that worked beautifully and lead us up nicely to Rich’s take away message.
Read MoreImpromptu speaking tips – part 2
In my last post I focused on the delivery side of an impromptu speech but what about the content? How do I stop by brain going blank and running out of things to say? Well here are two further technique to help you wow your audience ; Use the PEP model Position – Start…
Read MoreDeveloping your Vocal Resonance – how to improve the sound of your voice
When thinking about how to improve the sound of your voice, start by asking yourself – Where does my voice come from? This may sound like a strange question, but it is a vital one for presenters and public speakers. Most of us take our voice for granted and yet it is such a powerful…
Read MorePresentation Tips – Engaging your audience
I regularly get asked how speakers can improve their ability to engage with their audience and hold their attention. Given the number of dull boring and apparently pointless presentations I have had to sit through this is no great surprise, I am often complimented in my ability to quickly engage my audience so today I’ll…
Read MoreTips for structuring your presentation
In several of my previous posts I have talked about the importance of having a clear outcome for your presentation or speech. Today I’d like to take a look at the next step in the design process – finding a logical flow. Your audience need to see that there is a path between your starting…
Read MorePresentation Self-Evaluation – Be Fair on Yourself
What to do after a presentation As well as writing about public speaking and presentation skills, I love to read and learn from my peers. Today, I read a great post from Coachlisab about what not to do at the end of a presentation. She was reminding us of the importance of not being too self-critical, Below…
Read MorePresentation emotion – the key element!
Why is it that so many business presentations are dry, dull and ineffective? Well, it could be the presenter’s delivery style, or it could be the tedious and wordy powerpoint slides they insist on using, but I think there is an even more dangerous principle at work here. I think that most business presenters think…
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