“In closing, I would like to leave you with this final thought . . .” Those words are music to an audience’s ears. Speakers often delude themselves into thinking that audiences lean in at the close of a presentation because they can sense that it is about to end with a time-saving, money-making or life-changing… read more

Once upon a time in professional speaking and consulting circles, it was considered a  really big deal if you conducted business beyond the borders of the United States. The prestige of being an international speaker or coach earned you an extra helping of esteem from your colleagues. Today, thanks to technology and more affordable airfare,… read more

    As I write this blog, my dad is laughing hysterically at the fact that I have the unmitigated gall to author an article titled ‘Learn How to Use Your Voice like an Instrument.’  According to him, I can’t carry a tune in a bucket. That’s his affectionate way of telling me that singing… read more

At some point in the history of the English language, birds got a raw deal and became the butt of jokes and negative slurs. For example, if someone called you bird brain, jive turkey or old buzzard, you most likely would not leave the conversation feeling terribly friendly towards that person, or particularly good about… read more

  About two weeks ago, I’m wrapping up a video coaching session with a client named Gary. Always inquisitive, Gary said “Dez, one last question before we finish up . . . what is the sparkling jewel (glaringly obvious thing) that most speakers overlook during the presentation process?” For a moment, I struggled to answer… read more

In today’s social media-induced world of likes, shares and tweets, it’s easy to be seduced into believing that just because you’re standing in front of an audience, you automatically have their undivided attention. The reality is, every single time you address a group, you are auditioning. It doesn’t matter if you’re the company’s CEO, senior… read more

I’ll never forget coaching Angela Page back in July 2017. She was preparing to give a 15- minute, high stakes board presentation. Her coaching package included a draft of her speech, two revisions and four 90-minute coaching sessions. That’s correct . . . four sessions for a 15- minute presentation. What you don’t know is… read more