Would you believe that we developed most of our bad microphone habits before the age of 10? If you’ve ever sung your favorite jam into a fork or hairbrush microphone, you’re just as guilty as the rest of us. That experience, of course, doesn’t mean we know how to use the real thing …. read more

If you clicked on this article expecting to be mildly entertained while learning a few useful tips on how to effectively use a podium, now is a good time to stop reading. After spending the last decade immersed in all things public speaking, the one topic that continues to elude me is the podium. Now,… read more

  If the title of this article reminds you of the 1980’s anti-drug egg and frying pan commercial, you’re not alone. For those of you who missed it, you can check it out here. Although the commercial did a poor job of connecting with its intended target, the imagery and those last two words, “Any… read more

If you have ever suffered through a presentation where the presenter beat a point to death, you’re going to love this one! First, let me define the idiom, “beat a point to death.” A speaker is guilty of beating a point to death if they go into unnecessarily granular detail or wonder off in several… read more

If you’re anything like most busy executives, you are accustomed to operating under tight time constraints. In fact, your ability to juggle multiple priorities at the same time is probably an attribute you wear like a badge of honor. But what happens when a high-stakes presentation gets thrown into the mix? On top of everything… read more

Welcome back! Where did the time go? We left off last week with my invitation for you to practice dropping your arms to your sides when you’re not gesturing ― rather than locking them against your midsection. The point of that uncomfortable and seemingly silly exercise was to help you create the very important habit… read more

  There are two schools of thought when it comes to nervousness and public speaking. Some believe that with practice you should be able to stomp out nervousness. I’m in the opposite camp that believes something is seriously wrong if you don’t feel a bit of nerves before you speak. Despite their differences, both sides… read more

Although it’s increasingly rare these days, there was a time when you could pick up the phone and dial the wrong number. In fact, it was quite common! The good news was, the corrective action was simple— apologize and quickly terminate the call. I’m sure I’m not the only one who remembers the awkward feeling… read more