Coaching Lessons From Strictly’s Darcy Bussell?
The new series of Strictly Come Dancing has launched here in the UK and I have to own up to being an avid fan! This year the series has a new judge in the shape of retired English ballerina Darcy Bussell and it was Darcy’s feedback on the show that prompted me to write…
Read MoreAre You Afraid of People Looking at You?
I have had a number of presentation coaching clients who have avoided making presentations because of an acute fear of being looked or judged. The technical name for the fear of people looking at you is Scopophobia and can be a very debilitating. Whilst some cases need specialist 1:1 therapy, many find that simple techniques like…
Read MoreHow to Memorise a Speech
When it comes to mastering the art of public speaking many people ask me for help with how to memorise a speech. Some people say why bother, why not read from a script but the reality is that reading scripts tends to result in a flat and lifeless monologue that is likely to put your…
Read MoreSpeech Writing Tips – Choosing What to Speak About
Sometimes you are told given a speech topic and other times the choice is left entirely up to you. This latter option can leave people feeling completely stuck. The purpose of this short post is to give you some practical guidance on how to choose the best speech topic of a presentation. The…
Read MoreHow To Write A Good Speech – Write For The Ear Rather Than The Eye
When it comes to learning how to write a good speech, there are many common mistakes that you must learn to avoid. One of the commonest is writing for the eye and not the ear. This probably sounds a little odd, so let me explain what I mean. Most of us spend the majority of our time writing…
Read MoreHow to Sound Natural When Delivering a Scripted Speech
Recently I came across a great post by fellow presentation skills trainer Cordelia Ditton. It covers the thorny topic of how to deliver a speech from a script. I loved Her step by step take on how to make the speech sound like it was yours and I thought you might find it useful too.…
Read MoreHow Do You Know if Your Presentations Are Any Good?
Like you, I have sat through thousands of presentations and the majority have been mediocre at best. Reflecting on this the other day I started to wonder how much of our own time, and that of our staff , businesses were wasting due to poor presentations? How often do we assume that our staff or…
Read MoreUsing Visual Aids – Ikea Replaces PowerPoint!
Whilst I am a fan of the intelligent and sparing use of PowerPoint and other presentation tools I am always on the lookout for great examples of presentations which use props to bring their messages to life. I recently came across this short 10 minute video on TED and I commend it to you. Hans…
Read MoreHow to Manage Workplace Conflict
Does your business or at least some areas of it suffer from moaning, bitching & complaining? If it does, these are all symptoms of low level conflict, and they could be costing your business dearly. Think about it for a moment. What are the consequences of such behaviours? Poor customer service, low productivity, poor quality,…
Read MoreThe secrets of running workshops and successful seminars
When people ask me if running workshops and seminars is a good idea for their business, I usually say “It depends.” They are proven to strengthen relationships with existing clients and showcase your expertise to new ones. Seminars and workshops can also create a comfortable environment where existing happy customers can help you to “sell” your services…
Read More