One of the worst things you can do as a speaker is to avoid eye contact with your audience. It’s not just disrespectful, it’s actually detrimental to your ability to get your point across. If you do any amount of public speaking, whether presenting around a conference room table or addressing a group of hundreds, … Read more
I’ve seen a ton of panel discussions, and according to my totally unscientific observation, most of them are deadly boring. I was reminded of this yesterday when I got to see the rare good panel at a conference I’m attending (and where I’m also speaking). Why Do So Many Panels Suck? The big problem with panels is … Read more
So you’ve accepted the challenge and agreed to do an Ignite talk. And now the terror sets in: what have I gotten myself into? Relax. I did my first one this spring and it was a fun, though time-consuming, challenge. Here are my top 10 tips on how to deliver a successful Ignite talk. What Is an … Read more
A couple of weeks ago I had the opportunity to sit down with acclaimed executive speech coach Patricia Fripp for an hour-long chat about public speaking skills and how to be a better communicator. Part of her Fripp Virtual Training program, we covered the landscape, from rehearsal techniques to listening skills to my star turn playing a … Read more
If you want to learn to be a better presenter, be careful who you listen to. There’s a ton of advice for public speakers out there, and not all of it is good. In fact, much of it is outdated and just plain dumb. I was reminded of this yesterday when three interesting blog posts … Read more
I still don’t get it. Why do good, smart people still give bad speeches and presentations? It boggles the mind. It’s not like we haven’t been shown how it’s done. Examples of great speeches abound, from Martin Luther King to Steve Jobs to the latest TED Talks. But for some reason, we don’t absorb the obvious lessons. … Read more
I came across this cartoon the other day that shows what happens when a presentation goes off the rails. But I submit that the presentation as planned was doomed from the start anyway. Take a look at the “How You Planned It” section. If that looks to you like a solid blueprint for a speech then it just … Read more
Most presenters—the professional ones, at least—work hard on preparing a speech that will delight and enthrall their audience. Unfortunately, the people assigned to introduce them don’t always put in the same effort. Having been there myself, I really feel for the speaker who suffers a bad introduction—one that’s uninspired, poorly written and carelessly delivered. If you ever … Read more
When it comes to public speaking, the age of the one-sided lecture is dead. Audiences today expect more of a conversation. Here are five ways to spur the kind of audience interaction that will bring your speech or presentation to life. 1. Take Questions The most obvious way to create a conversation is to set … Read more
Last week I was giving a really important speech and it almost went completely off the rails, due to technical and other issues. The only thing that saved me was my acting experience, which taught me how to recover from mistakes on stage. When you’re giving a speech or presentation, you have to be prepared … Read more