When I coach executives and high-level conference speakers, one of the most misunderstood tools on stage is the teleprompter. Many of my clients speak at major conferences, where their speech is fed to a teleprompter positioned high enough that the audience barely notices. That is very different from staring down at a confidence monitor. In […]
Read More...How One Letter Launched a Legendary Career and What We Can All Learn From It
Every so often, I receive an email that makes me smile before I even finish reading it. “My good friend Brian Kehew, co-author of the book Recording the Beatles, suggested that, based on the advice you have given your brother, Robert Fripp, you may be able to help me. I am a producer who has […]
Read More...The Virtual Event Moderator: The Most Underrated Role in Event Success
Never underestimate the importance of a moderator. In virtual events, the moderator is not the filler between speakers. The moderator is the glue that holds the entire experience together. When virtual events succeed, audiences credit the content. When they fail, audiences quietly blame the flow. That flow lives or dies with the moderator. After coaching […]
Read More...Enjoy the Results When You Maximize the Power of Well-Chosen Words
Recently, I was interviewed by my NSA colleague Shannon J. Gregg, PhD, for her Life Sciences Sales Lab podcast, and she asked a question that took me straight back to the early 1990s. “Patricia, when was the first time you coached a scientist?” That honor goes to my next-door neighbor, Mike Powell. In the mid-1990s, […]
Read More...Design Your Best Year Ever: How High Performers Turn Intention into Income
Every December, I hear the exact phrase from talented professionals and speakers: “Next year is going to be my best year ever.” Naturally, I am one of them! However, I am smart enough to know that hope is not a strategy. High performers do not drift into exceptional years. They design them. If we want […]
Read More...No Overnight Success—A Reminder for Us All
Recently, I had the pleasure of speaking for the Florida Speakers Association. What a treat to discover their meeting was held at the fabulous Fort Lauderdale Improv! The venue itself inspired me to share one of my favorite stories and offer a suggestion every speaker can use. For those unfamiliar, Budd Friedman was the founder […]
Read More...Want to Know Why Your Weak Words Are Taking Away Your Power?
My speech coaching clients frequently hear me say, “Are you going to do it, or kind of do it? Remember, you do not ‘kind of’ or ‘sort of’ do anything.” Even seasoned executives who should know better use these weak words and phrases. Often, they’re trying to sound modest or approachable. Unfortunately, what actually happens […]
Read More...The Phrase That Pays: How to Be Remembered and Repeated
Every day, we are bombarded with more information than we can remember. Whatever your role—executive, manager, salesperson, or team leader—you want your message to be remembered and repeated. When your words travel beyond the room, you are speaking not only to your audience but to the audience of your audience. That’s how ideas grow, reputations […]
Read More...Executive Presence: What It Really Means and How to Strengthen Yours
The phrase executive presence first appeared in leadership circles in the late 20th century. It quickly became a buzzword in boardrooms, performance reviews, and coaching sessions. Yet for all the talk, it remained elusive. Many ambitious professionals were told, “You need more executive presence”, but few could explain what that meant or how to achieve […]
Read More...Do You Want to Inspire Action and Commitment? Use More Active Verbs
At an all-day event, my client asked me to speak briefly to promote my afternoon session. I said, “I know your morning is full, just give me three minutes.” I only took two and a half. I began with an amusing story about a request for an interview, which made the point that your message must be of […]
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