Rob Biesenbach 
Failure to prepare is one of the biggest mistakes presenters make. But most people have a hard time getting their arms around the process. In my workshops I share the technique that works for me. Participants have found it to be one of their most valued takeaways, so here is my totally not-patented five-step process for … Read more
Here is one common phrase that you’ll never hear me utter at the start of a presentation: “Thank you for that kind introduction.” Why? Because it would be vain. After all, I’m the one who wrote that kind introduction! And that’s what every speaker should do. Even if you’re simply an occasional conference presenter, learning how to write … Read more
The worst presenter I ever saw did everything wrong, from not understanding his audience to lecturing instead of engaging us to turning the session into one long sales pitch. Worst of all, his talk was nothing but data — endless columns of it, packed onto dense, ugly slides. There was no narrative holding his points … Read more
There are endless sources of information on what to wear for a presentation, but it’s a question I’m often asked. And it’s getting more complicated all the time as the workplace becomes more and more casual. Like it or not, audiences are making all kinds of conscious and unconscious judgments about you before you even … Read more
It’s one of the most common questions I’m asked during my talks: are the rules different for women when it comes to communication? My answer is no. AND yes. It’s complicated, so I’ll explain. But first, a story. A Lesson from a Favorite Teacher Among the many classes I took at Second City’s training center was … Read more
It happened again yesterday. At an industry luncheon I was attending, a male presenter — and it’s almost always a man — declined to use the provided microphone. I see this a LOT, and it’s ridiculous. If you ever wonder whether you need to use a microphone, the answer is YES. That is why the … Read more
Last year I outlined 10 fatal storytelling mistakes — common ways we undermine the power of our stories — and now I’m back with five more. They all center around one big theme: simplicity, simplicity, simplicity. Storytelling does not have to be that difficult. But we tend to make it hard on ourselves. Here are some common … Read more
Wherever you stand on the issue of guns, it’s hard to deny the power of Emma Gonzalez’s short speech at the “March for Our Lives” rally last weekend. As many have remarked, it wasn’t just the things she said, but the long, dark empty space she left between the words. And with nothing but the greatest … Read more
What can an elephant teach us about the art of persuasion? Plenty. Emotion is the six-ton beast stomping all over our desire for logical, rational thought. And that’s why stories are such an effective tool for influencing and persuading others. What’s Emotion Got to Do With It? We are not creatures of reason. Deep down, we make … Read more
Want to learn how to use stories to win hearts, change minds and get the results you want from your business, your career and your life? Here are more than 50 of the most important storytelling tips from my new book, Unleash the Power of Storytelling. These are compiled from a long series of tweets over five weeks surrounding the … Read more