There have been so many adjectives to describe Boris Johnson Eccentric, Hugely clever Politically astute, Loveable Funny Quirky Boris Johnson has also been called: Self- promoting Arrogant A clown Charming Flamboyant Larger than life Some think he’s not only brilliant as the Mayor of London but that he should be the next leader[…]
Posts by:
Maurice Decastro
Boris Johnson – Proof That Politics Doesnt Have to be Boring
Advice, Communication Skills, Public Speaking Oct 03, 2014
Whether you like or agree with them or not, David Cameron, Nick Clegg, Ed Milliband and Nigel Farage all know how to speak in public. Some, arguably better than others Each has their individual style and can give a good performance when the pressure is on. Last week Nigel Farage spoke at the UKIP[…]
Barack Obama- Master of the Pause
Advice, Leadership, Presentation Skills, Public Speaking Sep 26, 2014
Barack Obama is arguably one of the best speakers in the world today. In my opinion he is unquestionably, the master of the pause. We saw this again this week in his address to the United Nations General Assembly Barack Obama outlined steps world leaders should take against violent extremists such as the Islamic[…]
Does Ed Milliband speak with the gravitas of Obama, the grace of Clinton or the glow of Cameron? Not quite. That said, he did the right thing speaking without notes at this week’s Labour conference in Manchester. From a technical speaking perspective he: Made great eye contact Paused well Spoke at a good pace Gestured[…]
Forget the Elevator Speech – Just Press the Button
Advice, Communication Skills, Leadership, Presentation Skills, Public Speaking Sep 15, 2014
I enjoy networking, although, I really don’t care too much for the elevator speech. ‘Good morning, my name is John and I’m a partner at ABC; solicitors, accountants, marketing, training, etc. We are based in Richmond, have been in business for thirty years . We not only give excellent customer service but we offer great[…]
The Real Source of Public Speaking Anxiety
Advice, Anxiety, Presentating training, Presentation Skills, Presentation Tips, Public Speaking Sep 14, 2014
Public speaking anxiety is by far the greatest issue we are asked to help professionals with every week at Mindful Presenter. I often hear professional speakers and coaches claim that the reason they believe that people suffer from public speaking anxiety is because they have low self-esteem. Whilst that may be true for some, I[…]
Keynote by Tim Cook – Steve Jobs Would Be Proud
Communication Skills, Presentation Skills, Public Speaking Sep 09, 2014
Yesterday, Apple CEO Tim Cook unveiled the birth of the iPhone 6, iPhone 6 plus and the Apple Watch. His predecessor, the late Steve Jobs was long hailed as one of the best keynote speakers and presenters in the world. It could have been no easy feat to follow in the footsteps of such[…]
Alcohol and acceptance speeches just don’t mix. Not even for the charming actor who’s name incidentally I wouldn’t try saying after having had a few too many scoops myself. It doesn’t take a genius to work out that it doesn’t matter how likeable or famous you may be, being tipsy whilst giving any kind of[…]
Matt Cutts is the man behind search quality and search engine optimization in arguably the world’s most important internet company. Some may envy his position. Few however, would covet the enormous and variable challenges he faces. Cutts was the keynote speaker at PubCon, the premier social media and optimization conference in 2013, and it’s easy[…]
The mindful way to crafting and delivering a brilliant presentation
Communication Skills, Presentation Skills, Public Speaking Aug 17, 2014
Have you been on the recieving end of a brilliant presentation recently? Perphaps you’ve given one yourself. Either way, you’ll know that giving a brilliant presentation at work isn’t easy. It doesn’t involve reading slides, speaking in a monotone voice or dumping data on fellow professionals; that’s very easy to do! The reality is, no[…]
4 powerful ways to connect with your audience
Communication Skills, Leadership, Mindfulness, Presentation Skills Aug 15, 2014
Do you connect with your audience? Are you entirely happy with your presentation skills? What about your colleagues; do they have the presentation skills needed to keep your attention, interest and curiosity? The next time you get to sit through a presentation, make it your business to have a good look around the audience[…]
‘Death by bullet point’- Is it really that bad?
Bullet Point, Communication Skills, PowerPoint, Presentation Skills, Public Speaking Aug 14, 2014
‘Death by Bullet Point’ – What do you think, is it really that bad? If used correctly there’s nothing wrong with PowerPoint or most other visual aid software. It can be used to great effect to significantly enhance your message, make it more meaningful and of course memorable. I’ve seen PowerPoint and other visual aid[…]
Stop networking and start connecting – Why and how
Advice, Communication Skills, Presentation Skills, Public Speaking Aug 13, 2014
At Mindful Presenter the underlying sentiment that fuels our business and drives everyone who works here is our core belief and ethos that ‘Connecting is everything’; it’s on our website, business cards, and etched in hearts and minds too. When we’re not helping businesses connect with their people we are helping speakers and presenters from[…]
This week the world is feeling the loss of a monumental actor and comic genius who won the hearts and minds of millions of people since the 1970’s. Robin Williams the Oscar winning actor brought laughter and joy to countless people from all ages and generations; yet it’s reported that he himself suffered from severe[…]
For many of them their anxiety reaches far beyond simply speaking in public, its intensified by the fact that they have no choice; they have to present as part of their job. Some don’t like their own voice, some feel they speak too fast or too slow, some feel their accent is too strong[…]
After all, what’s the worst thing that can happen? People won’t throw knives at you or scratch your car; they are unlikely to storm out and nobody has ever actually died from forgetting their words. The reality is, whoever you are most people want to see you do well; nobody wants to see you squirm[…]
Just how effective are your presentation skills – have you asked?
Leadership, Mindfulness, Presentation Skills, Public Speaking Aug 06, 2014
Have you recieved feedback on your presentation skills? To be able to truly develop ourselves as public speakers, presenters and leaders the one thing we all need a great deal more of is feedback. 30 years ago, as a young manager, I thought I knew it all. I was climbing the corporate ladder faster[…]
The secret to overcoming nervous speaking and presenting
Anxiety, Presentation Skills, Public Speaking Aug 05, 2014
If you feel nervous speaking in public or presenting at work, you’ll know it can be very unpleasant. Many of the symptoms of nervous speaking are very similar to other life experiences. Approaching a member of the opposite sex to ask them out on a date, going for a job interview and taking your[…]
You can be nervous and still give a great speech
Anxiety, Leadership, Mindfulness, nervous, Presentation Skills, Public Speaking, Storytelling Aug 04, 2014
You really can be very nervous and still give a great speech. At Mindful Presenter we are at very successful at helping people to overcome their public speaking anxiety If you feel nervous at the thought of presenting or public speaking, you’re not alone In fact, you’re in very good company The history books are[…]
Do Presenters Need PowerPoint to Connect With an Audience?
Leadership, Mindfulness, PowerPoint, Presentation Skills, Public Speaking, Storytelling Aug 03, 2014
Is PowerPoint the first thing you turn to when you are called on to present? Simon Sinek’s inspirational TED talk ‘How great leaders inspire action’,is a wonderful example of how effective public speakers and presenters can be without using PowerPoint. With almost 15 milion YouTube hits, it’s easy to see why Simon has been described[…]
The best presenters know how to breathe – they are mindful presenters
Leadership, Mindfulness, Presentation Skills, Public Speaking Jul 31, 2014
The best presenters understand the power of their breath and know how to use it to their advantage when speaking. One of the very first things a good public speaking coaching session will teach if you suffer from public speaking anxiety is to breathe effectively. If anxiety or nerves isn’t an issue for you,[…]
Public speaking anxiety- It’s all in the mind…
Anxiety, Leadership, Presentation Skills, Public Speaking, Storytelling Jul 30, 2014
Google the search term ‘public speaking anxiety’ and you’ll be greeted by a torrent of articles. I came up with over 167million results Everything from: relax, prepare, practice and breathe; to imagining your audience naked. It’s all very sound advice, apart from the naked part! If you are one of the many people affected by[…]
How to own the stage – Lessons from a 10 year old
Advice, Presentating training, Public Speaking Jul 29, 2014
Dalton Sherman is a shining example of how to own the stage. Perhaps he’s had a little presention training. It’s worth seeing exactly how he connects with and inspires an audience with charm, authenticity and a real message. This is a perfect example of how to own the stage A young man of this[…]
Presentation training – 4 questions your audience have for you before you utter a word
Leadership, Presentating training, Presentation Skills, Public Speaking, Storytelling Jul 27, 2014
Presentation training isn’t simply about sharing knowledge, information and insights. It’s ultimately about helping you to connect with your audience. The next time you are called on to give a presentation, you can be certain that sitting before you will be a very diverse group of people. – Some won’t want to be there[…]
The ‘M’ Point of Mindful Presenting & Public Speaking
Leadership, Presentation Skills, Public Speaking Jul 24, 2014
The key to mindful presenting is having clarity of your ‘M’ POINT? The distinction between mediocre and mindful presenting is real and highly visible. For the mediocre presenter, years of unconscious programming can lead to mechanical reactions. In other words, a presentation based on ‘information overolad’. Presenting everything you know and want to say on[…]
The best way to connect with your audience give them SPACE In our training workshops, we are often asked to help people be like other presenters they’ve seen, heard and admire. Our response is always the same; you don’t have to be like someone else to become a great presenter. The best presenters are[…]
