My speech coaching clients frequently hear me say, โ€œAre you going to do it, or kind of do it? Remember, you do not kind of or sort of do anything.โ€ 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 […]

Read More...

๐’๐จ๐œ๐ซ๐š๐ญ๐ž๐ฌ said, โ€œ๐Š๐ง๐จ๐ฐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ฒ๐ฌ๐ž๐ฅ๐Ÿ.โ€ Patricia Fripp (thatโ€™s me!) says, โ€œPut your words under the magnifying glass.โ€ ๐ˆ๐Ÿ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ฐ๐š๐ง๐ญ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ข๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ฏ๐ž all of ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐ž๐ฌ๐ž๐ง๐ญ๐š๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ, just follow these simple steps. If you have a video of a presentation that you felt went really well, sit down and watch it. However, change your perspective. Imagine you […]

Read More...

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

Read More...

Have you noticed; 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 to not “Show Off.” Or you are uncomfortable when someone else drones on about themselves and all their much-exaggerated accomplishments. I understand. However, from time to […]

Read More...

Yes, it makes me want to scream! Because “super” is not really super. It appears that a huge amount of the population has come to believe that everything even slightly pleasant, wonderful, important, revolutionary, impressive, or valuable is now super. How about super-exciting, super-good, or super-great? Our language is full of hundreds of descriptive words. […]

Read More...

Seven simple steps to your speaking success. You have probably complained about delivering virtual presentations and that you are much better speaking with a live audience. Now that you have the opportunity, you are terrified. In case we have not had the pleasure of meeting, I am presentation skills expert, Patricia Fripp. As your personal […]

Read More...

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 […]

Read More...

Congratulations! Youโ€™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 […]

Read More...

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

Alan Alda says, โ€œIt is the stuff between the lines that makes it a great performance.โ€

(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 โ€ฆ Use this as a guide for pauses.

Read More...