The Appalling State of Applause
The Appalling State of Applause At the National Speakers Association, we joke that everyone—including the salad chef—gets a standing ovation. Funny, yes. Accurate, no. Most conferences are far more restrained. My other association family is the Professional...
When You Open Your Presentation This Way It Is a Certain Crowd Pleaser
Do you want your audience to lean in from your very first sentence? One technique that works with many presentations is to begin with a surprising statistic or a little-known fact that makes your audience think, “Really? Tell me more.” Many of my speech coaching...
Memories of a Motivational Speaker
Perhaps you can relate? After forty years in the same home, I finally decided it was time to tackle my office. Yes… the drawers, the boxes, the files I promised myself I would “get to one day.” That day has arrived, and with it comes a mixture of nostalgia, discovery,...
Where Words Come to Life
Last week, I attended the Professional Speechwriters Association World Conference. What truly made it unforgettable was the setting: Planet Word in Washington, D.C. If you’ve never been, Planet Word isn’t just a museum—it’s an experience. It’s a living, breathing...
