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...Punch Up Your Presentations with Your Life Experiences
As a presentation skills expert, I’m often asked, “Where do I find good stories and examples for my presentations?” The answer lies in our everyday experiences. Here are a couple from my own journey, focusing on the important role of customer service. Consider this: every interaction your organization has with customers either strengthens or weakens […]
Read More...Be the Star of Your Own Show: Hollywood’s Advice on Dressing for Success
Do you hold the position, earn the salary, or command the respect you believe you deserve? If not, I encourage you to dress and speak for the role you aspire to, not merely the one you currently have. When I was growing up, my mother gave me great advice. “Patricia, of course, it is the […]
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...How to Win With An Audience Who Does Not Speak Your Language
Twelve Years Later: Reliving the Unforgettable Presentation Experience In 2011, Salve Finance from Slovakia invited Darren LaCroix and me to deliver a presentation skills program in Las Vegas. The audience was their sales winners. Our challenge was… nobody spoke English. As their president, Peter explained, “Our generation grew up speaking Russian. We did not learn […]
Read More...It Is Not Just Ten Minutes
My friend and collaborator in The Odd Couple seminars, Alan Weiss, PhD told this story in one of his thoughtful weekly messages: “There’s a small tailor shop run by one tailor on Main Street who has been there for forty years. The place is a mess. Everywhere you look there are threads, samples, and tools. […]
Read More...The Screenplay of Your Life: Time for a Rewrite?
Every story has a “Once Upon a Time.” Part Two. The place where the intricate weave of values, experiences, and influences begins to shape the fabric of our lives. When I was twelve, I knew I was more artistic than academic and enjoyed engaging with, and learning from, adults. It seemed a good idea to […]
Read More...Develop Your Storytelling Abilities: Life Lessons from Movie Stars and Hollywood
When we reminisce about Hollywood, it’s often the stories that movies tell that captivate us the most. Screenwriting teacher Robert McKee eloquently states, “Stories are the creative conversion of life itself into a more powerful, clearer, more meaningful experience. They are the currency of human contact.” Storytelling: The Cornerstone of Effective Leadership Many of us […]
Read More...The Art of Conversation A Hidden Treasure Trove for Stories
You may be sitting on a goldmine of untapped stories to use in your presentations, and you don’t even realize it. How? By paying close attention to your everyday conversations. Let’s explore two ideas that may seem at odds but can work in tandem: The merit of recounting stories you’ve heard from others, versus the […]
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