I spend quite a bit of time working with people on how to communicate: what words to choose and when, delivery, preparation, etc. But one of the most important aspects of communication happens when we aren’t saying anything at all.
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Beforehand, all of the facilitators were asked to attend a training session because we came from various professional backgrounds, and they wanted to make sure we were all on the same page as to what our goals and responsibilities were. Most importantly, because many of us were coaches and trainers (and used to being in the spotlight!) we needed to understand the clear difference between being a facilitator versus being a trainer.
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One day the Sun and Wind got into an argument over who was stronger. The Wind spotted a man walking down the road, wearing a jacket. They decided that whoever could get the jacket off the man must surely be the strongest.
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A few years ago I was teaching writing at a small art and design college in Albuquerque, New Mexico. While I occasionally got to teach a creative writing class, the bulk of my time was spent teaching essay composition. Somewhere between constantly detailing how to develop a strong thesis, endless lessons on how not to plagiarize, and parroting basic essay structure ad nauseum, I could weave in a bit of creativity. Eventually I found myself craving some outlet for my own writing beyond my professional life, but whatever that was I couldn’t seem to feel inspired enough pursue it.
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Most speakers, with enough practice, can overcome the common pitfalls of a bad presentation: using too many “ums” and “ahs,” using too many notes, not moving around the stage, figuring out what to do with your arms, etc. But even the most experienced speakers struggle with something that keeps their presenting from being truly great: authenticity.
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One of the most respected speakers and coaches I've ever worked with it put it like this: "Music is what happens in the space between the notes." As in, without the pause it's just white noise, not harmony. Presenting is the same way.
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Many presenters have ample reason to record their presentations. It can be for the simple reason of watching to improve speaking skills, all the way to creating content for websites and marketing materials. But very few of us have the know-how to really use the camera in such a way that we look great.
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As I described the assignment I could see the look of horror and dread cross even the most optimistic students’ faces. Despite years of indoctrination about how marvelous teamwork is (there’s no “I” in team, guys), group work inevitably brings out the worst in us. And often we don’t know it until we’re standing in front of an audience, giving a truly terrible presentation.
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In only 15 minutes she would need to both educate the audience about the problematic nature of the current American bail system, as well as detail her solution and why we should support it. Steinberg had to manage what every speaker navigates while planning a presentation: How much information does your audience need in order for them to understand what you’re speaking about?
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A friend of mine recently worked with a new speaker coach to get her ready for a big work presentation in front of a room of over 500 people. She was disappointed after the first session because she didn’t feel like she’d gotten what she needed. She noticed her coach struggled to translate his skills as a wonderful speaker into helping her with her presentation. “He didn’t seem to understand I was giving a corporate presentation, not a motivational speech.” She lamented. “And he’s such a great speaker, so I thought he’d be a great coach!”
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Pop quiz: What’s the best way to lose your place during your presentation?
Answer: Look down at your notes.
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Several years ago blogging began mostly as personal online journals where people detailed their day-to-day lives, reviewed foods/music/movies/etc., or served to build communities around niche interests. Today blogging is one of the most effective marketing tools a business owner can utilize to find new customers and clients, and keep current customers and clients happy.
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One of the top goals for many professionals, across all industries, is being invited to deliver a TED/TEDx Talk. The TED brand has become synonymous with high-quality, engaging, and unique presentations about the research, ideas, and programs that are shaping our world.
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The only problem? No one had read the book. In fact, they didn’t even know they were supposed to have read it; furthermore, many had only received their book the day before!
Our entire plan hinged on the participants having read the book.
So there we were, in front of a room of complete strangers at 8:00am, with no viable plan to fill the next 4 hours.
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There’s nothing like staring at a blank page on a computer screen to create a seemingly insurmountable mental block about what you’re going to write. Even the most experienced writers get stuck, and if you don’t have a few good strategies for getting over writer’s block it can create serious issues for your workflow. Here are some of my favorite Do’s and Don’ts for getting over writer’s block.
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Do you ever wish you had paid more attention in your high school English composition class? Maybe you’re feeling rusty on the more obscure grammar rules, or perhaps you wish you knew how to use adjectives in a way that elevates (rather than complicates) your writing. Being a skilled writer takes practice and dedication, but if you’re mostly looking to polish up some skills (instead of becoming the next Hemingway) then here are some quick tips that will immediately improve your writing skills.
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Once upon a time, in a galaxy far, far away, on a dark and stormy night, people used to sit around the fire at night and tell each other stories. In fact, we were storytellers long before we had even developed a written language; stories connected us, taught valuable lessons, and created a shared history.
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In 1995 I took my very first speech class (in high school), because I needed an elective. The truth is, I was dreading it! I’m a hardcore introvert and my preferred natural state is at home and not talking to anyone, much less an audience. But that class changed my life forever, and it showed me public speaking isn’t just something introverts can learn to do
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I was recently speaking to a friend who has had to give various types of speeches throughout the past year, to various audience sizes, and he was stumped about how to maintain eye-contact with the audience in a meaningful, effective manner. He was especially curious about an old tip he learned (which involves choosing one or two people in the audience to focus on throughout the speech), but he was having trouble implementing it in a natural way.
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The first time I was called on to give an impromptu speech in front of my colleagues, I was so nervous and unprepared that I rambled incoherently for 30 seconds, then spoke as fast as I could through my key points. Later someone told me I should’ve been an auctioneer instead of a professor. Does this sound familiar to you?
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