Are you ready to take your presentations to the next level and captivate your audience from the very beginning? One surefire way to make a memorable impact is by incorporating interesting statistics and little-known facts into your opening. In this article, we will explore a brilliant example of how industry expert Lisa Poole used these […]

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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, I believe they are attempting to sound humble. However, it only […]

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The World is Full of Sloppy Speakers…You Do Not Want to Become One Many excellent presentations sound “conversational.”  However, be aware that there is a distinct difference between an ordinary conversation (with run-on sentences, unfinished thoughts, sloppy language) and a presentation delivered in a conversational style. The best way to improve formal presentations and reports is […]

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Have you noticed that some people are very uncomfortable talking about themselves even when they are very successful? This may be because when you were young, your parents told you not to “Show Off.” Or you are uncomfortable when someone else drones on about themselves and all their much-exaggerated accomplishments. I understand. However, from time […]

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Tips on How to Give an Acceptance Speech 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 May of 2022, Dan Maddux, my best long-time client and Executive Director of the American […]

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Congratulations! You’ve been asked to moderate a panel. This is a great opportunity to build your reputation and add value to your customers. Moderating a panel can be more challenging than delivering a keynote speech. As you probably realize, when you moderate a panel discussion, you have multiple responsibilities and many more elements to stay […]

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The Importance of the Pause in Public Speaking and Executive Presentations can not be over estimated. Continuing my comparison with Hollywood..

Alan Alda says, “It is the stuff between the lines that makes it a great performance.”

(I know I hate that word stuff. However, it is an actual quote.)

When you pause the audience has time to digest what you have just said. The faster you speak, the more you have to open up your talk with silence.

Consider where you have a comma, period, paragraph, and exclamation mark, an underline or … Use this as a guide for pauses.

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