Exceptional speakers are suprisingly difficult to find in many organisations today. You will know them when you see them because they have a great deal in common. Below are 7 characteristics that we believe exceptional presenters have in common. 1. Courage It’s perceived as risky business standing in front of any audience. We can[…]
Posts by:
Maurice Decastro
Exceptional Speakers Have 7 Characteristics In Common
Mindfulness, Presentation Skills, Public Speaking Aug 09, 2015
3 Presentation Tips to Help You To Stop ‘Waffling’
Advice, Communication Skills, Presentation Skills, Presentation Tips Aug 02, 2015
The internet is full of presentation tips focused on helping professionals to get rid of bad habits. Many of them overlook one of the most damaging, ‘waffling’. Reading slides, reciting bullet points, fidgeting and incessant ‘umming’ and ‘erring’ are amongst the most common. One of the biggest offenders is the menace known as, ‘waffling’.[…]
PURPOSE – The Secret to High Impact Presenting
Leadership, Presentation Skills, Public Speaking Jul 26, 2015
The secret to high impact presenting is, PURPOSE. The next time you are presenting at work, ask yourself what you want your audience to remember. ‘I want you to think back to the very last presentation you attended and tell me the one thing you remember from it’. We ask that question during each of[…]
I don’t think I’ve ever witnessed a sales pitch where the pitcher calls the president ‘incompetent’, the competition ‘stupid’ and then insults his business partners. Until now that is That’s exactly what Donald Trump did during his rambling speech at the Phoenix Convention Centre last week. With an audience of thousands and the prospect[…]
Public Speaker Lessons: Obama’s Eulogy for Reverend Pinckney
Communication Skills, Leadership, Presentation Skills, Public Speaking Jul 12, 2015
There are many public speaker lesssons we can learn from President Obama. As a public speaker I’ve never made any secret of the fact that President Obama stands out for me as one of the most gifted orators in the world today. Politics aside, i’m interested in how he delivers his message and the[…]
Michael Gove, the newly appointed Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, gave his first public speech at the Legatum Institute in London last month and if you’re about to give an important speech yourself it’s worth learning from Mr Grove exactly what not to do. Whether you’re the CEO, a senior Politician or[…]
10 Presentation Tips to Turn the Presenter’s Enemy into his Ally
Advice, Presentation Skills, Presentation Tips Jun 28, 2015
This article shares 10 presentation tips to help you to speak with confidence, clarity and impact. A presenters enemy is also their greatest ally and asset. Such is the paradox and challenge of public speaking and presenting The need to communicate with power and impact can become a significant force in your life and career.[…]
If you are a nervous presenter the one thing you can be certain of is that you are not alone. Public speaking anxiety seems to me to be a little like the ‘tax man’. It doesn’t matter who you are ,where you come from or what you do, he will come knocking at your door[…]
6 Mistakes To Avoid When Closing a Presentation
Communication Skills, Presentation Skills, Public Speaking Jun 13, 2015
Closing a presentation effectively can feel like a greater challenge than opening it. We are all familiar with crucial importance of creating the right first impression when presenting to an audience. Often, the same attention isn’t always given to closing a presentation. Many speakers forget the all-important, last impression. Some of the best presentations can[…]
It all starts with the first impression
Communication Skills, Presentation Skills, Public Speaking May 17, 2015
How long do you really have before you make that all important first impression? Is it 5 seconds, 10 seconds or perhaps a little longer? Researchers at Princeton University believe that it takes only one tenth of a second for someone to judge us as soon as they see our face. That may be[…]
Storytelling in business presentations can have a significant impact on the way we influence our audience. Each of us have stories to tell which hold the wisdom and power to influence, inspire and connect with others. Storytelling in business presentations connect people emotionally In a world of ‘noises’ and distractions, our audience need more.[…]
5 simple body language tips for presenters
Advice, Presentation Skills, Presentation Tips, Public Speaking May 01, 2015
There are a great many body language tips we can offer presenters. This article shares 5 of the simple ones. If there’s a mismatch between what we are saying and how we are saying it, the impact of the words we use is significantly diminished. People won’t trust what you say In other words,[…]
Your voice speaks volumes, how do you use yours?
Communication Skills, Presentation Skills, Public Speaking Apr 23, 2015
How do you use your public speaking voice? You’ve done everything you can to understand your audience, craft the conversation you wish to have, you know your story inside out and have envisioned what success looks like. Effective communication involves both verbal and non-verbal interaction The words we use in delivering our message are critical[…]
We’ve talked a lot so far in this series ‘The Art and Science of Presenting’ about creating and having a meaningful conversation as opposed to simply presenting your thoughts and ideas. When you reflect on the conversations you’ve enjoyed and remembered the most it’s likely you’ll find that it’s those conversations in which you felt[…]
A few tips to manage presentation nerves
Anxiety, Communication Skills, Presentation Skills, Public Speaking Apr 09, 2015
Would you like to learn how to manage presentation nerves? “I was a tiger, a good fighter, in good shape, but I was always nervous before boxing matches.” George Foreman Even the twice heavy weight boxing champion of the world got nervous before a fight and he didn’t have to say a word. When you[…]
How to rehearse for a presentation
Advice, Presentation Skills, Presentation Tips, Public Speaking Apr 02, 2015
Do you practice and rehearse for a presentation? Knowing your material well is one of the fundamental keys to success. The more you know your story, the more ready and able you are to adapt and improvise at a moment’s notice. Rehearsing and memorizing are two entirely different things When you rehearse for a[…]
The envisioning process is the key to a successful presentation. The process begins by visualising the presentation as a whole. The presenter envisions in advance what success looks and feels like long before they enter the room. Visualisation is simply the process of creating images in your mind The subconscious mind cannot distinguish between[…]
Turning a presentation into a story
Advice, Presentation Skills, Public Speaking, Storytelling Mar 13, 2015
Turning a presentation into a meaningful story is every presenter’s greatest challenge. Why is it important to tell a story? That’s how we live and how we learn We’ve been telling stories to each other since the beginning of time. There really is no more powerful a way of communicating and connecting with each[…]
The best presentations are conversations and every great presentation starts with a question which leads the dialogue. What’s so important that you’ve chosen to call this group of busy people together? It may be: – A great idea which they haven’t heard before – One they have heard but don’t understand or buy into[…]
There are a number of mindful ways to start a presentation, ‘Research from Princeton and the University of Glasgow suggests that we judge a stranger in just half a second. As harsh as that may sound, there is clearly something in it Researcher Dr Phil McAlee ,suggests that our ability to make rapid judgments[…]
Planning what you’re going to say in a presentation
Presentation Skills, Public Speaking Mar 01, 2015
Planning what you’re going to say in a presentation is vitally important. In today’s fast paced and highly competitive age of information, often the first thing a presenter will do when asked to speak is fire up their laptop. The second step is often filling slides with everything they know and want to say on[…]
Great Presenting and Public Speaking: 12 Pillars for Success
Advice, Presentating training, Presentation Skills, Presentation Tips Feb 26, 2015
Is great presenting and public speaking a skill you aspire to develop in your profession? History has provided us with a very clear premise on which all great speakers have made their name. Modeling the elements of excellence that we have consistently witnessed is the surest way to great presenting and public speaking. There[…]
10 tips for presenting at work successfully
Presentation Skills, Public Speaking, Storytelling Feb 20, 2015
If presenting at work or speaking in public is a source of anxiety for you then you are not alone. For some, the anticipation of presenting at work is akin to the anxiety you feel just before calling your telecoms provider to tell them that your broadband doesn’t work. Something inside you tells you[…]
5 Tips to Transform Your Business Meetings
Communication Skills, Leadership, Presentation Skills, Presentation Tips Feb 19, 2015
In today’s fast paced corporate environment, many business meetings can be complex and demanding decision making forums. If you spend time in business meetings today, you may have noticed a paradox. It’s likely that you will have to prepare exhaustively for every conceivable eventuality, whilst also being ready to improvise in a heartbeat when in[…]
12 Tactics for handling challenging public speaking situations
Advice, Presentation Tips, Public Speaking Feb 13, 2015
Have you ever found yourself in a challenging public speaking situation? Many of the most experienced and confident presenters have worked in very challenging public speaking settings and have lessons to share. I’ve had my fair share of them as well. This article sets out some of the key learnings I’ve taken from some[…]
How to make an impact in business presentations
Presentation Skills, Public Speaking, Storytelling Feb 08, 2015
The most powerful way to make a memorable impact in business presentations is to tell a story. Human beings have been telling tales from the first moment we developed the capacity to speak. In fact, we’ve been telling each other stories for thousands of years to help us to make sense of the world[…]
5 Presentation tips to connect with a tough audience
Advice, Presentating training, Presentation Skills, Presentation Tips Feb 05, 2015
Have you had to manage a tough audience in a business presentation? You may have considered them a tough audience because: – They have more experience than you do of the topic you are about to speak on – There are a number of dissenters in the room – Of a negative emotional charge in[…]
Even a powerful speech offers no promise of victory in politics, or at least that’s what the pundits thought right across the world 6 years ago. Many believe that Mr Obama’s oratory skills has been one the principal means of his ascent and success, and some, (myself included) would argue he is one of[…]
Presenting and public speaking inspiration from Hollywood
Presentation Skills, Public Speaking Jan 22, 2015
Presenting and public speaking inspiration from Hollywood: Nine People Wounded in Tel Aviv Bus Attack, IS Demands $200m Ransom For Japan Hostages, Shanghai Officials Feasted As Stampede Killed 36, Charlie Hebdo attack: Three days of terror These are just some of the world news headlines as I write this article from my office in London[…]
9 Powerful Steps to Storytelling in Business – Brought to Life
Advice, Presentation Skills, Presentation Tips, Public Speaking, Storytelling Jan 11, 2015
Storytelling has enormous value for professionals and leaders in business presentations. ‘Never be boring again’, written by Doug Stevenson is a valuable guide to storytelling. It sets out in a very compelling way the most effective means of constructing stories to connect with your audience. Many speakers have heard the term, ‘The Hero’s Journey’; a[…]
