For sixteen years, the brilliant speaker, author, and consultant Alan Weiss, PhD and I delivered seminars together called The Odd Couple. One technique I learned from Alan, and have continued to use, is the practice of asking, “And your question is?” How often, in the Q&A portion of a presentation, have you felt like pulling […]
Read More...Crafting a Winning Oscar Speech: Why Every Word Counts
Academy Award speeches are not the best examples of great acceptance speeches. There are, however, many unforgettable moments. Here you will find my second list of favorite Oscar segments. We will look to see why. Oscar examples that make the speech bigger than the recipient. Meryl Streep, Best Actress, The Iron Lady, said, “This is […]
Read More...What Makes an Unforgettable Moment from Academy Award Speeches?
Accepting an award is like walking a tightrope. You need to be gracious, grateful, and humble, yet not so humble or self-deprecating that the audience thinks you are trivializing the honor. In general, Academy Award speeches are not the best examples of great acceptance speeches. There are, however, many unforgettable moments. A few of my […]
Read More...Train Your Sales Team Better and Faster than Your Competition
Imagine the impact if your team’s sales presentations are not just good… they were magnetic. This is not a far-fetched dream; it’s a very achievable reality. The Challenge: A Common Hurdle in Sales Not long ago, a prospect called and said, “Help! My team’s presentations are terrible. We do not consistently tell the same story, […]
Read More...Shift Your Perspective: Embrace 2024 with Fresh Eyes
As we stride into 2024, it’s crucial to recognize the impact of recency bias – the tendency to overemphasize recent experiences or the latest information when forecasting future events. This bias can skew our expectations, leading us to believe that the near past is a mirror of what’s to come. However, there’s an alternative viewpoint […]
Read More...The Shocking Truth Unveiled! A Journey Through Time
As a budding entrepreneur embarking on my journey with my upscale men’s hairstyling salon, I vividly remember attending my first management seminar. This was, of course, many moons ago, yet one statement from that day has stayed with me: ‘Your business is as good as your worst employee.’ Quite the alarming thought, isn’t it? Fast […]
Read More...Every Moment Counts: Lessons in Opportunity from TV to YouTube Stardom
Want Success? You Never Know Where Your Next Big Break Is Coming From! A Blast from the Past Frippicism® Opportunity does not knock once. It knocks all the time we do not always recognize the sound. Earlier in my speaking career, I was mostly a keynote speaker. Recently, I was having fun reviewing a couple […]
Read More...Don’t Fade into the Background
When you count your riches, do you do it in money or memories? For me, memories win out every time. At this point, most of my friends and I enjoy experiences together instead of exchanging gifts. Many years ago, on my first and only trip to speak at a series of events in South Africa, […]
Read More...You Don’t Like It: Learn from It. Transform Criticism into Success
Criticism, or as you may prefer to call it, “constructive feedback,” is an invaluable resource for anyone looking to refine their presentation skills. While the sting of criticism can be unsettling, embracing it as a tool for growth is a hallmark of a seasoned professional. The Audience as Critics In my extensive career as a […]
Read More...Make an Emotional Connection the Power of Perspective and Interactivity
To win your audience’s heart and mind, it’s essential to forge an emotional bond right from the beginning of your presentation. However, what does that really mean, and how do you execute it effectively? Case Study: Changing the Point of View During one of my training sessions, Stephen, who has lived with deafness since birth, […]
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