How effective is your public speaking voice? ‘The human voice is the most beautiful instrument of all, but it is the most difficult to play.’ Richard Strauss Despite the truth and elegance of this quote, I believe that the word ‘voice’ means a great deal more than the sound produced in a person’s larynx. The[…]
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Leadership category
5 Ways to Improve your Public Speaking Voice
Communication Skills, Leadership, Presentation Skills, Public Speaking Aug 08, 2022
The business presenters guide to great storytelling at work
Communication Skills, General, Leadership, Storytelling May 18, 2022
Great storytelling is one of the most powerful ways of communicating your message with impact in the workplace today. It’s not new, the Greek philosopher, Aristotle taught us about the value of great storytelling over 2000 years ago. Long before, PowerPoint and Prezi, storytelling has been the key to helping people enjoy, remember and connect[…]
7 Powerful Presentation Habits for 2022
Communication Skills, General, Leadership, Presentation Skills, Public Speaking Dec 28, 2021
Bad presentation habits are easy to find and hard to break. The good ones are available to us all and we don’t have to look too far to find them. Stephen R. Covey’s book, ‘The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People’ contains everything you need to know to achieve extraordinary results. It is a[…]
5 Reasons why mindful presenting offers benefits outside of the office too
Anxiety, Communication Skills, Leadership, Mindfulness, Presentation Skills Jun 19, 2021
Mindful Presenting offers far more than the key to speaking with confidence, presence and impact. Comnunicating in a way which is clear, memorable and compelling is just the start. The original premise of mindful presenting was to equip professionals to connect with their audience emotionally as well as intellectually. The clarity of this intention[…]
President Joe Biden’s Inauguration Speech – Proof that words really do matter
Communication Skills, Leadership, Mindful Selling, Public Speaking Jan 22, 2021
Joe Biden made his inaugural address on Wednesday. It was an inspirational masterclass in the choice and use of words. I’m not a US citizen, I live in the UK. I’m not particularly interested in politics; I’m interested in people and progress. I have zero interest in division, I live in hope of unity wherever[…]
Annoying Features of the Mind; not just for presenters but all of us
Communication Skills, General, Leadership, Mindfulness Mar 29, 2020
What is the mind exactly? Is it your brain, your consciousness, the reality of your being, or is it indeterminable and unquantifiable? Many scientists insist on the mind being distinct from the brain yet still struggle to offer a meaningful separation. Despite that, it’s generally accepted that the mind is the seat of our thoughts,[…]
Public Speaking for Children – A message for teachers and parents
Leadership, Mindfulness, Presentation Skills, Public Speaking, Storytelling Mar 26, 2020
What do you think of public speaking for children? The benefits of learning to speak confidently in public at the youngest possible age can pay huge dividends. Lessons in public speaking for children can help young people: – Boost their personal confidence and self-esteem – Value their voice and express themselves openly, with greater ease[…]
12 Mindful Selling attributes of top performing sales professionals
Communication Skills, Leadership, Mindful Selling, Mindfulness, Sales Skills Mar 19, 2020
Mindful Selling isn’t a new age buzzword riding high on the back of mindfulness. Selling has changed more in the last ten years than it has in the past five decades. Advances in technology, competition, buying decisions, highly discerning and savvy purchasers present today’s sales person with a formidable challenge. Mindful selling is the route[…]
How to Present with Confidence – 3 steps to liberation
Anxiety, Communication Skills, General, Leadership, Mindfulness, Presentation Skills Dec 29, 2019
If one of your goals is to present with confidence, Mindful Presenter has the solution. Standing in front of colleagues or clients to speak can be a daunting experience. Public-speaking anxiety isn’t an affliction isolated to the meek or inexperienced. It has no respect for age, position or experience; it can trouble the best[…]
Two types of presenter – The autopilot majority v the mindful minority
Leadership, Mindfulness, Presentation Skills, Presentation Tips Oct 07, 2019
Everyone is a presenter; the question is, what type of presenter are you? Every day, in organisations across the world, millions of people are presenting. They are called on to inform, update, inspire and lead colleagues and customers to think or act differently. Many don’t have the time, inclination or knowledge to present as effectively[…]
The Presenting Challenge – How to inspire action and lead change
General, Leadership, Mindfulness, Presentation Skills, Presentation Tips Aug 31, 2019
The presenting challenge is real. Politicians still won’t answer a simple question directly. Many business presentations are still boring and virtual presenting hasn’t helped the phenomenon of ‘death by bullet point.’ With more and more of us stifling yawns on Zoom and sneaking a quick look at our emails and LinkedIn while being presented to,[…]
10 Tips for Presenting to Senior management
Communication Skills, Leadership, Mindfulness, Presentation Skills, Presentation Tips Apr 13, 2019
Presenting to senior management can feel like a challenge for many presenters in organisations today; even the most experienced. It’s one thing having to speak up in a team meeting to update your colleagues on a project you have been working on but having to convince or co-opt the executive is something else. We all[…]
How effective are your leadership habits? Mindful leadership is not only the key to success, it is critical to our well-being, happiness and peace of mind. Whether it’s you or I leading our own personal lives in this uncertain world or the CEO at the helm of the world’s largest business, leadership matters. In his[…]
Can you buy presentation charisma from a coach?
Leadership, Presentation Skills, Public Speaking Feb 20, 2019
Can you buy presentation charisma from a good public speaking or presentation coach? A really good presentation coach can teach you a great deal about how to present with confidence, clarity and impact. What about presentation charisma? It’s one of those words you don’t really hear too often these days, it’s a bit like[…]
3 presentation tips you don’t often hear from the experts
Bullet Point, Communication Skills, Leadership, Presentation Skills, Presentation Tips, Public Speaking Feb 18, 2019
Presentation tips are everywhere. Put those two words into Google as I did this morning and you will get 924M results. Tell stories Pause Make eye contact Slow down Know your audience Prepare ‘Cut the fat’ Smile Breathe Move Practice Start strong Close stronger Show passion Ditch the bullet points Following those 15 presentation tips[…]
Donald trump’s 2nd state of the union: Cool & Calm, or dull?
Leadership, Presentation Skills, Public Speaking Feb 06, 2019
Donald Trump, the 45th President of the United States gave his second State of the Union Address yesterday. Politics aside, I often find myself called on to review the rhetoric of world leaders to see what we can learn from them in the way of connecting with an audience. Commenting on Donald Trump’s oratory skills[…]
7 Keys to Powerful Digital Presentations in Business
Communication Skills, Leadership, Presentation Skills Feb 04, 2019
Do you find yourself called on to deliver digital presentations, speaking with colleagues or clients online? Make eye contact, project energy and contrast. Speak, move and connect with your audience. Keep them fully engaged, maintain their attention, interest and curiosity. Deliver a clear and compelling message is often the brief. How do you do all[…]
Presentation Content – make sure yours is compelling
Communication Skills, Leadership, Presentation Skills, Public Speaking Jan 23, 2019
How rich and compelling is your presentation content? The prerequisite to a brilliant presentation, before focusing on delivery, is to ensure that your message is supported by rich, relevant and rewarding content. Sometimes it can be helpful learning from the mistakes of other professionals. I recently attended a conference which was designed to show leaders[…]
Presentation mistakes to avoid when presenting to the boss
Communication Skills, Leadership, Presentation Skills, Public Speaking Jan 13, 2019
Presentation mistakes are very easy to make, especially when presenting to the boss. I still remember the very first time I was invited to make a presentation to my senior management team. I couldn’t sleep for days. My mind was filled with dread and every nerve, cell and fibre of my entire being felt like[…]
Don’t just present, make a few waves too
Communication Skills, Leadership, Presentation Skills, Public Speaking Nov 25, 2018
If you are called on to present soon take a moment to ponder on the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson: ‘Waves are inspiring not because they rise and fall, but because each time they fall they never fail to rise again.’ When it comes to presenting our ideas with clarity, confidence and impact many of[…]
The 5 Most Important Words in Business Presenting
General, Leadership, Presentation Skills, Public Speaking Nov 04, 2018
Business presenting is a challenge for many people. Millions of professionals are presenting their ideas to clients and colleagues all over the world every day. For many, it’s a challenge because they know that they can’t simply turn up and read out their slides. Reading slides in business presenting may have been acceptable two or[…]
4 Keys to Successful Company Summits or Conferences
Communication Skills, Leadership, Presentation Skills, Public Speaking Oct 21, 2018
Company summits and leadership conferences present an invaluable platform to inspire, enthuse and rally the troops. Whether you’re celebrating success or need that extra lift to meet your business targets, the vital ingredient required for success is communication. The courageous leaders understand that it’s not an expense, it’s a visionary investment. Most shy away from[…]
Theresa May: “It is something I will never agree to…” 2 Powerful Public Speaking Lessons from Theresa May
Leadership, Presentation Skills, Public Speaking Sep 22, 2018
Theresa May demonstrated the power of clarity to the EU following the recent summit in Salzburg. The uncertainty of Brexit has left many of us in the UK dismayed, disillusioned and divided. Politicians and punters everywehere are telling us what to think about Brexit. That’s why as a public speaking coach I found Theresa May’s[…]
7 lessons from Barack Obama that will make you a better presenter
Leadership, Presentation Skills, Presentation Tips, Public Speaking Sep 16, 2018
Former President Barack Obama is noted for his public speaking excellence. In 2004 he raised the bar for speakers all over the world. His keynote speech at the Democratic National Convention in Boston can help us all to be a better presenter. That moment propelled him into the spotlight. His speeches have changed the way[…]
The critical role of leadership in presentation skills training
Communication Skills, Leadership, Presentation Skills Aug 28, 2018
The need for highly effective presentation skills is profoundly evident in the workplace today. Every day, in businesses all over the world professionals find themselves presenting in: – Meetings – Conference calls – Conferences – Networking functions – Important staff and management updates – Pitches to clients Outside of those scenarios, arguably every conversation is[…]
The A to Z of Mindful Presenting – Presentation Skills Zest
Leadership, Presentation Skills, Public Speaking Aug 05, 2018
Do you have the presentation skills zest to connect with an audience? For many professionals, being on the receiving end of a typical business presentation today feels akin to the way they wake up most mornings; tired, vacant and depleted. How many business presentations do you walk away from each week filled with vigour and[…]
The World is Changing – What About Public Speaking?
Leadership, Presentation Skills, Public Speaking Jul 24, 2018
We live in a world of change; the question is, has public speaking and business presenting changed over the last 3 decades? We now have: The internet Wi- Fi Email MRI DNA testing Non-invasive surgery GPS ATMs Wind turbines Bio fuels Facebook… That’s just scratching the surface of advances in technology and we all know[…]
16 presentation tips to help you to stand out from the crowd
Leadership, Presentation Skills, Presentation Tips Jun 10, 2018
Would you like to stand out from the crowd as a presenter? Cast your mind back to the last business presentation you sat through. Did the speaker drone on and on telling you things that had little relevance or value to you? Or Did they capture and maintain your attention, interest and curiosity throughout their[…]
Presenting in business meetings is a challenge
Communication Skills, Leadership, Presentation Skills May 22, 2018
For decades presenting in business meetings has been far too lacklustre. I’m generalising of course, although I’m not exaggerating. Despite the widely acclaimed power of storytelling, presence and mindfulness, professionals still insist on donning their corporate spokesperson cloaks. The result of which is that many lose their sense of selves and tell their audience what[…]
Mindful Presenting – 9 Ways to RESPECT your Audience
Communication Skills, Leadership, Presentation Skills, Public Speaking Apr 08, 2018
The first commandement of mindful presenting is to, respect your audience. The most precious resource we all have, is of course time. Each time we present we are using peoples most valuable asset, time. We live in such a fast-paced world with so many demands on our time that we scarcely find moments to value[…]
