Public speaking nerves don’t discriminate. They affect new speakers, experienced leaders, and even some of the most talented performers around. Mark Twain captured it perfectly when he said: “There are two types of speakers: those who are nervous and those who are liars.” He wasn’t exaggerating. Barbra Streisand, one of the highest‑selling female recording artists[…]
Posts by:
Maurice Decastro
How Some of the World’s Most Accomplished People Learned to Calm Their Public Speaking Nerves
Anxiety, Presentation Skills, Public Speaking Apr 15, 2017
Do You Have Bad Speaking Habits Without Realising It?
Communication Skills, Presentation Skills, Public Speaking Apr 08, 2017
Most presenters don’t lose their audience because of weak ideas; they lose them because of the noise they create unwittingly. Noise is the silent killer of communication. It shows up in your slides, your structure, your delivery, and even your mindset. Many professionals don’t realise they’re creating it. Here are three of the most common[…]
Article 50: How Memorable Was Theresa May’s Speech on a Historic Day?
Leadership, Presentation Skills, Public Speaking Apr 01, 2017
There are moments in public life when the words spoken become part of the historical record. The triggering of Article 50 was one of those moments. A year earlier, most people in the UK had never heard of Article 50. Yet when the Prime Minister formally announced the Government’s decision to invoke it, the country[…]
Every meaningful act of communication begins with a single decision: to step forward when staying silent would be easier. Most of us were never taught how to stand in front of others and speak with clarity, conviction, or presence. For many, the very idea triggers a quiet dread, a fear of being seen, judged, or[…]
Break the Habit: How Mindful Presenters Rise Above the Noise
Communication Skills, Mindfulness, Presentation Skills, Public Speaking Mar 11, 2017
Poor presentation habits are widespread. You don’t have to look far to spot them; in fact, most professionals have at least one habit they wish they could break. When people approach us to enhance their communication skills, anxiety is usually their initial concern, but their second, often more persistent worry, is the set of[…]
8 examples of very influential and powerful public speakers
Communication Skills, Leadership, Presentation Skills, Public Speaking Mar 08, 2017
I’d like to share 8 examples of some of the worlds most influential and powerful public speakers. Each of them lead the way in showing us how to speak with power, passion and grace. They have also been instrumental in changing the world, each in their own unique way. Michelle Obama I wrote a previous[…]
The Value of Mindfulness in Public Speaking: The Awareness Advantage
Mindfulness, Public Speaking Mar 02, 2017
Mindfulness has become one of the most effective tools available to us today. Not because it is trendy, or because Silicon Valley has adopted it, but because it provides us with something we desperately lack in a noisy world: awareness. Awareness of ourselves, our thoughts, our emotions, and the world we navigate daily. Its rise[…]
The Presenter’s Guide to Handling Difficult Questions Under Pressure
Communication Skills, Presentation Skills, Presentation Tips Feb 19, 2017
Most presenters aren’t derailed by their material; they’re thrown off by a single question. One moment you’re in control; the next, your mind is scrambling for clarity, your confidence evaporates, and the room suddenly feels colder. It’s remarkable how quickly a solid presentation can be overshadowed by a question you weren’t ready for. That’s why[…]
Speak to Lead: The Communication Advantage Every Professional Needs
Communication Skills, Presentation Skills, Public Speaking Feb 11, 2017
The ability to speak effectively in public is no longer optional. It is one of the most powerful career boosters available to any professional. Whether you realise it or not, people judge you and your entire organisation by the clarity, confidence, and emotional intelligence in your communication. In a world flooded with information, merely presenting[…]
The Strategic Power of Storytelling in Business
Advice, Presentation Skills, Presentation Tips, Public Speaking, Storytelling Feb 04, 2017
In a world drowning in information, storytelling has quietly become one of the most powerful strategic tools a presenter can use. Professionals are overwhelmed, attention is scarce, and most messages vanish the moment they are delivered, but a good story, a meaningful story, cuts through the noise. If you still think stories are only[…]
From a purely public-speaking perspective, President Trump’s inauguration address was clear, decisive, and delivered at a controlled pace, with a strong emphasis and moments of deliberate pause. Aside from his familiar finger‑and‑thumb gesture, a hallmark of his campaign style, he appeared disciplined, almost as if he had stepped straight out of a presentation‑skills workshop. His[…]
A Masterclass in Public Speaking: Lessons from President Obama’s Farewell Address
Advice Jan 14, 2017
For years, I’ve written about the craft of public speaking, and one figure appears again and again in that conversation: President Barack Obama. His command of language, his mastery of the pause, his instinct for metaphor, his use of humour, repetition, voice and gesture. These are hallmarks of a communicator who understands not just how[…]
Michelle Obama’s Final Speech Analysis: A Masterclass in Hope, Courage and Public Speaking
Leadership, Presentation Skills, Public Speaking Jan 07, 2017
Michelle Obama and her husband Barack Obama have long been two of my favourite public speakers. Few people consistently combine passion, eloquence, and grace. Whenever either of them steps up to a podium, you can be sure you’ll witness clarity, conviction, and humanity in equal measure. Her concluding speech as First Lady was no exception[…]
Why I Disagree with Simon Sinek About Millennials — With Respect
Leadership, Presentation Skills, Public Speaking Jan 04, 2017
My son knows my passion for public speaking, so when he pointed me toward a Simon Sinek video, I was excited. I admire Sinek. I’ve learned a great deal from him, but fifteen minutes in, I felt something I didn’t expect: discomfort. Not because he’s wrong about everything, but because his conclusions about millennials felt[…]
Effective presenting isn’t about charisma, theatrics or perfect slides. It’s about understanding how human beings think, decide and act. Strip away the noise, and every impactful presentation is built on three pillars: Facts Feelings Future Learn to use these well, and you shift the entire energy of the room — including your own. Facts —[…]
There is no shortage of public speaking advice on the internet, in magazines and book stores today. In fact, I have written over 300 articles myself for mindfulpresenter.com and other online publications. I’d like to share some of my favourite public speaking advice from other respected authors in the field of communication skills. Carmine Gallo[…]
The Queen’s Speech on Christmas day opened in a curious way as she began by referring to this year’s British Olympic medal winners in Rio. 67 medals and 147 at the Paralympics is a stunning achievement, definitely worthy of recognition. It wasn’t quite what I expected though In a year in which we saw the[…]
What would your Christmas message be as we head towards 2024? Note: I originally wrote and published this article on the run up to Christmas in 2016. Reflecting on it again today, it occurred to me that my personal message this Christmas would be exactly the same. Every year on Christmas day, a broadcast[…]
What Social Media Can Teach Us About High-Impact Presenting
Advice, Presentating training, Presentation Skills, Presentation Tips Dec 16, 2016
Social media didn’t just alter how we communicate; it transformed what grabs our attention, what sustains our engagement, and what causes us to switch off. Whether we like it or not, your audience brings those same habits, expectations, and impulses into the room every time you present. If you want to hold their attention, earn[…]
6 Public Speaking Habits to Take Off of Your Naughty List
Presentation Skills, Public Speaking Dec 10, 2016
Are you mindful of your public speaking habits, especially the bad ones? It’s unlikely that a week will pass where you are not called on to either attend of give a presentation. With that in mind, it’s worth becoming aware of your public speaking habits. Get yourself somefeedback through presentation skills coaching or booking yourself[…]
How Mindfulness Transforms Public Speaking: Five Practices That Work
Mindfulness, Presentation Skills, Public Speaking Dec 03, 2016
Introducing mindfulness into public speaking is one of the greatest gifts you can offer yourself and your audience. Many people go through their days on autopilot. They wake up at the same time each morning, check their phones before their feet hit the floor, rush through a shower they scarcely remember, swallow breakfast without[…]
Why Speaking Up Feels Hard — And How to Do It Anyway
Communication Skills, Presentation Skills, Public Speaking Nov 28, 2016
Have you ever walked away from a conversation wishing you’d spoken up, not to win, not to argue, but simply to honour yourself? Stephen R. Covey once wrote that voice is the pathway to greatness. Not volume or dominance, voice, the ability to express who you are with honesty and confidence. At Mindful Presenter, we[…]
Is Vulnerability in Public Speaking Something We Should Fear?
Leadership, Mindfulness, Presentation Skills, Public Speaking Nov 18, 2016
The brilliant TED Talk, ‘The Power of Vulnerability’ by Brené Brown, offers a simple but profound idea: we are wired for connection and connection requires vulnerability. It challenges the increasingly popular belief that the path to success lies in control, certainty and predictability. Instead, it suggests that the real key to meaningful human connection is[…]
This article explores leadership communication and the impact of language. It is not a commentary on politics, policy or ideology. Yesterday Donald Trump demonstrated unequivocally the impact the spoken word can have not only on a country but the entire world. Every so often, the world is reminded of something profoundly simple yet deeply powerful:[…]
The Public Speaking Phenomenon: Why We Feel Terrified While Looking Confident
Anxiety, Presentation Skills, Public Speaking Oct 23, 2016
Are you familiar with one of the most bizarre global public speaking phenomena? It’s the moment when a speaker feels terrified; heart racing, hands trembling, mind spiralling, yet the audience sees someone who appears calm, confident, and in control. It happens far more often than most people realise. This week, during a workshop, one[…]
A Subtle Public Speaking Habit That Quietly Undermines Your Credibility
Presentation Skills, Public Speaking Oct 17, 2016
If you’re attending a business presentation this week, there’s a good chance you’ll encounter one of the most subtle habits in public speaking, a habit that quietly undermines a speaker’s credibility without them realising it. You’ll still notice the familiar problems, of course: speakers turning their backs to the audience while reading every word[…]
One of the most common concerns in public speaking is the fear of developing “bad habits.” In fact, it consistently ranks among the top three requests we receive from delegates at every presentation skills workshop. “How can I get rid of my bad presenting habits?” Most people assume they have at least one. Many[…]
Leadership Communication Under Pressure: What the Clinton–Trump Debate Reveals About Speaking to a Global Audience
Advice Sep 27, 2016
Few communication challenges compare to a presidential debate. Speaking to a room of a hundred people is daunting; speaking to more than 100 million requires a different level of composure, clarity, and strategic intent. The 2016 debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump remains a powerful case study in leadership communication. Whatever one’s political views,[…]
Leadership is probably one of the most written-about skills in business today. For decades, the mantra has been the same: faster, better, cheaper, smarter. However, in the world we now inhabit, one defined by constant change, competing priorities, and a workforce yearning for belonging, purpose, connection, and well-being, that mantra is becoming increasingly difficult to[…]
The Professionals Guide to Public Speaking & Presenting
Leadership, Presentation Skills, Public Speaking Sep 10, 2016
A new way to speak, connect and inspire in today’s workplace Presenting has become a daily ritual in modern business, yet it remains one of the most misunderstood skills in the workplace. Every day, across every industry, talented professionals step in front of colleagues and clients armed with slides, scripts, and good intentions… but[…]
