Slide decks have become a huge part of corporate life. An essential, everyday communication tool serving multiple purposes, often all at once. From guiding and prompting the delivery of the time-poor, under-rehearsed speaker, to illustrating their words for the audience – and sometimes becoming the… Read More »Visual Aids. The Speaker’s Friend and Curse
Stepping up your performance in front of new and larger audiences is something for which everyone needs a warm up. It’s not just the intellectual challenge of facing something new. There’s an important physiological, even visceral component to it too. You need to feel alright… Read More »Fear of public speaking is natural. So, what’s the solution?
Appearances matter. We all know that. Or we should. Think about how you warm – or not – to a job applicant appearing for interview, to a salesperson who you’ve never met before as they pitch their product or service, or to a new boss… Read More »Appearance matters
Most actors and public speakers rehearsing before speaking to an audience will have heard this before from a well-meaning but impatient critic: “Just give it more oomph!”
Have you noticed how many of us will find any excuse for not rehearsing their delivery before a speech or presentation? Rehearsing is as normal as breathing for experienced speakers, but for those who aren’t born show ponies it often feels awkward. Best avoided, even… Read More »Reading aloud
The calmness and patience of US Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson this week was impressive – and an object lesson for speakers under fire. She remained calm and courteous to a fault through hours of relentless, often cynical interrogation.