Eat Your Veg and Make Art

Fondly remembering the cast of the DC-area premiere of It’s My Party!, October, 2025

Want to live a longer-than-average life? But “longevity bros” kind of creep you out? Here’s a new strategy that does not involve injections, pills, weird workouts or restrictive diets

A recent study out of University College London (UCL) found that 𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘴 is good not only for your brain, but for your body.

Leading to a possibly longer life.

“… ACEng [arts and cultural engagement] a much more recently recognized health behavior, is related to epigenetic aging, with magnitudes comparable to PA [Physical activity]. These findings position ACEng as a potential contributor to healthy aging at the biological level, supporting its inclusion in public health strategies.” 

As someone who has long had to fight the notion that art is "good for kids" “a frill,” “a nice to have but not a 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦,” I am glad to see this study making the rounds.

As an arts practitioner whose public speaking clients inhabit non-arts spaces, I am frequently extolling the benefits of arts participation.

There have been studies before, linking arts to brain health and emotional health. But it's an especially wonderful thing to read that arts engagement is a health behavior that can decelerate, and 𝘱𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘦 epigenetic aging!

Because I need to live a 𝘭𝘰𝘵 longer to get all my stuff done.

The hills are alive!

The Alps near Susa, Italy. Yes, I climbed up there!

My vacation to Paris/Provence/Turin/Milan wrapped up a couple of weeks ago, and I am savoring the memories.

Part of this was a family vacation with lots of relaxing around the pool, reading, strolling into the village of Aubignan to the boulangerie — as well as the one bar that hosted a World Cup watch party for France in the semi-finals.

But where we weren’t lolling about, we walked everywhere! In cities, small towns, around medieval palaces and bridges, and up mountains. I generally value walking, not only for the physical benefits it offers, but because it affords me much-needed time for reflection. On vacation it’s not the same: you are actively engaging with wonderful and surprising new sights, sounds, and smells. Watching where you are going. Sometimes carefully considering how you place one foot in front of the other (on pesky subway stairs with too much literal baggage, as well as up Alpine mountain paths).

But this focus brings its own kind of relaxation. I find that being in the moment, connecting so intently, physically, to what is happening, offers a mental vacation from the daily noise of my life. The background static that often gets in the way of deeper thought. To me, that is what “getting away from it all” means. Not necessarily leaving all decisions and tasks to others. Not turning off my mind, but tuning out the distractions. So my thoughts are clearer. Amazing how restful and restorative that can be! 

When I work with my clients, we explore the connection between physical and mental focus. We don’t do anything strenuous. We modify breathing and posture so we can maintain a relaxed, aligned “instrument” for voicing a powerful message. 

If I could, I would take them all on a retreat! To walk some narrow cobblestone streets or climb a lower alpine trail. But for now, we’ll do our stretch-whooshes, throw balls of sound, and ride the resonance elevator.

And realize that getting out of your head and into your body can be its own kind of mini-vacation.

What is a "grand gesture?"

Speaking to the Middle District of Pennsylvania Bankruptcy Bar Association.

I was speaking at an event recently and mentioned that too many people give bad advice regarding public speaking. Not only bad. Contradictory. 

I used the hands example: “How many of you have been told “talk more with your hands” and then, “use your hands less when you speak”? There was much nodding in my audience, and some audible agreement. The fact is, how much you express with your hands when you speak is specific to you, as an individual, as well as to your speaking context. 

Pointing our someone’s over- or under-use of their hands is not at all helpful. It can only make the speaker self-conscious. If someone is a naturally reticent speaker, having them slap on some big gestures will not only look false, it will make the speaker feel silly at best, destabilized at worst. 

Likewise, telling an exuberant speaker to tone down their hands takes away some of their energy, sometimes making them looks stiff or tamping down their expressiveness.

This was made clear in a very humorous way by my current favorite political Instagrammer, Mayor Zohran Mamdani of New York. Last year when he was running for mayor, some of his staff (who themselves must have gotten old, bad advice) thought he should tone down his gestures. He made a few videos trying to do that – but couldn’t make it stick. His natural energy could not be curbed. But the voters liked his very big energy! So that bit of sage “political wisdom” went in the trash. 

The fact is, we all have our own innate energy to work with as speakers. Some of us need to amp it up for specific speeches. Others can do a little less. But to communicate dynamically, to connect with listeners, we should always start by exploring where our energy is, and how we engage with our topic. Build the message delivery from there. So much better than adding gratuitous gestures/reining in enthusiasm after the fact. Because even if “someone" thinks “that’s what good speakers do,” they don’t.

How to Go Viral

Content creator @biettetimmons (a.k.a. Leo) hard at work!

Are you creating video content to amplify your brand or increase your visibility?

If you’re the “talent,” there are three things you need to focus on before the filming begins:

1) Know your stuff
2) Deliver it with sincerity and authenticity
3) Make sure you say it so you can be understood! 

The first one of these you probably already have a plan for, but the other two? They might require professional help.

Authenticity is hard to fake. Even on a good phone camera with great natural lighting. A coach who can give you tools for showing up as your authentic self every time you press the red record button is invaluable. Don’t invest a lot in mics, lighting kits, editing, or wardrobe if you don’t want to work on yourself. The best post-production can’t fix a wooden or insincere delivery.

 As for being understood? That requires a different preparation, one that I learned in my training as an actor. A more technical approach, including work on:

• Articulation, so you can be sure you don’t mumble or drop the ends of sentences

• Breath, to support your sound, keeping it strong and centered

• Vocal range, so you have tonal variety

This last one is trickiest to master, because most regular conversation involves a narrow range. But if you speak in complex sentences or have complicated ideas to unpack, using a larger range can ensure your audience follows you.

If you’re not a singer, and I ask you to use more tonality, you may feel your voice is swooping from the stratosphere into the depths and rising back to the heights. But what do I hear? An almost imperceptible change.

If you’re not used to this, you need a coach to lend a practiced ear to get that “perfect tone” you hear internally out of your head . . .and into the ears of your listeners!

Practiced Authenticity

The Actor Award (formerly the SAG Award). Presented to actors by actors

It’s awards season, and we’re seeing a lot of acceptance speeches on big stages in front of stars in the room and fans at home.

And it’s thrilling to see our favorite actors not playing roles written by someone else, but being more… themselves. Fresh. Authentic. Spontaneous. 

Here’s a poorly-kept secret: actors prep their award speeches. Most nominees write speeches to be loaded into the teleprompter, even—or maybe especially--if they don’t think they’ll win. There is a hilarious scene from Episode 8 of The Studio (which won multiple SAG Actor Awards earlier this month) where Zoë Kravitz explains how an actor prepares (and rehearses) her speech to achieve the right level of being surprised and in the moment. 

I’m an actor—a proud SAG-AFTRA and Actors’ Equity member. And I can tell you that while some actors seem to have special powers to be “naturally” convincing, there is more to it. Sure, many have a good dose of charisma. Not to mention experience in front of a camera. 

But the real power comes from a lot of hard work. Discipline. Knowing why you are saying what you are saying to a particular audience. And not just thinking about your message, but getting it in your body, So you can convey your meaning expressively, dynamically, convincingly. 

Take a page from the successful actors’ script next time you have to do any kind of public speaking. Prepare. And practice what you are saying so well you really know it. Not just the words. The message underneath them. And the more you do that, the more vibrant you’ll be. 

Not “stale,” or “too slick.”  A real winner.

Fixing the "problem"

Sometimes you just can’t fix yourself. Right Sunny? (@funnysunnynyc)

Clients often come to me after they’ve heard “You’ll go farther faster if you only:

• Get rid of that annoying vocal habit (uptalk, monotone, gravelly voice, etc.)

  OR

• Try to look and sound more like a leader (nonspecific)”

And their well-meaning mentor, leadership coach, or colleague follows up with: “Now that you’re aware, fix it. ASAP.”

Which makes the person who needs “fixing” try to “fix” themselves. Usually they can’t. And of course they get frustrated.

That’s when I get the call.

Not everyone is the same, and not all solutions look alike. So I start off sharing general strategies and tools for speaking best practices. And then we dig into the specifics.

It takes time to refine or redefine your speaking technique. And you need to embrace a new mental attitude toward what your body is doing—what is actually happening to your “instrument”—when you engage in the physical act of public speaking.

Understanding you have a problem is the first step to solving it. But it’s not enough.

So please, tell those advice-givers that you need to find someone who can help you fix whatever they have said you need to improve upon. You’d find a coach to help you with your batting stance or golf swing, right? Or a music teacher to get your bowing right or help correct your pitch?

You need an expert to guide you. It’s a process.

And be patient with yourself: it takes a while to replace bad habits with a new way of speaking. But once you learn how it’s done, you’ll have this skill for life!

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Resolving to be a better speaker this year?

(pictured in Albany, David N. Biette and then-Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani)

Happy New Year!

I know many of my readers were looking forward to 2026, and happy to show 2025 the door!

If your new year began with resolutions that include self-improvement or professional development goals, specifically around better communications, let me offer an approach that will serve you well—snd has been a proven winner!I

So, here it is again. With one big tip for becoming a better speaker in 2026:
Always remember that the most important word in a speaker’s vocabulary is YOU.

When speakers rely on “I” language they turn an opportunity for connection into a broadcast event. If you want your audience to hear you, they need to feel like you understand them—or at least understand where they are coming from.

Remember the Number One Rule for Speakers? Know your audience.

Yes, if you have answers for them, by all means share! But make sure they are specific answers to problems they have.

Last fall’s NYC mayoral campaign provided us with an excellent example of this. Did Mayor Mamdani ever said the word “platform”? He talked about “solutions” and “working for you.” Voters felt he got them. And they liked it!

Centering your audience—meeting them where they are—that is a powerful tool for speakers everywhere!

I’m always happy to do a deeper dive on how you can step up to your current communications challenges. Or any new ones 2026 will bring. I have relocated to the DC metro area but have mastered the art of the Zoom session. I also travel to clients frequently. Reach out to me: ann@anntimmons.com or 703-244-7546.

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One quick tip for LIFE!

The cast of It’s My Party!, photo by Nate Jackson

Whew! What a fall!

My play It’s My Party! ran for two weeks in October. It was amazing: sold out houses, great reviews (you can check them out here,, here and here). The cast and creative team were terrific to work with! An all-around artistically, intellectually, and personally fulfilling experience.

My clients very generously gave me the month of October off (well, after we did some doubling up in September!) and I spent most of November getting back in the routine, coaching them for upcoming speaking events, filming and posting their videos to social media, prepping for new clients, and planning my own upcoming presentations.

And unpacking! We have been in Virginia over two months now, and yes, there are still boxes full of stuff in our basement. We know what’s in them: we’re just not sure where it all goes.

Juggling such a wide variety of activities (or as I call it: Life) makes me realize what is critical to my success in any process, whether it’s putting on a play, revving up a coaching practice, or putting a home together: creativity. Which usually travels with its dear friend, flexibility.

And by creativity, I mean more than problem-solving or thinking outside the box, though it is both those things. Yet it so much more: a shift in perspective, a new vocabulary and mode of expression, even destruction of the box altogether.

Leveraging your creativity can be liberating. But it’s also challenging: sometimes the easiest path is the well-worn one. The expected one, the one that holds no surprises. But that is not usually the best path, because in the long run you don’t go anywhere!

I said in my last newsletter that the act of making art is an expression of hope. Let me add now: Hope is fueled by creativity (and flexibility).

And guess what? That doesn’t just apply to art. If you walk through Life with these two, you’ll never find yourself going in circles.

Wishing you a holiday season of creative solutions and the hope they bring!

Au revoir, NYC!

One of my favorite NYC subway stations. Had to have one last view!

Apologies to those of you who were eagerly awaiting news from me in September. It was a crazy month! I spent the month packing up my Brooklyn townhouse, and a few days ago my husband and I moved back to Arlington, Virginia after seven eventful years in NYC.

I could tell you about why I’m happy moving here and what I already miss, but maybe in another newsletter. Right now I don’t have time to weigh the differences. My play It’s My Party! opens in ten days, at a DC-area theatre that is practically in my backyard.

It’s good to be back in the same locale as my production and creative team, as well as fellow Pipeline Playwrights. Nothing like being in the rehearsal space, “the room where it happens.”

I have felt a frisson of excitement as I hear what I wrote land differently than it has before. I never imagined, when i wrote the play in 2017 for the 2020 celebration of the Suffrage Centennial, it would be as relevant today. As a playwright, you hope your work is not just of a time, but timeless. I don’t know if this one has that quality yet, but it’s certainly timely in a way I did not anticipate when it finally had its premiere in Dallas, post-Covid, in 2021.

The creative process always involves a huge act of faith. Even the most nimble artist needs a certain amount of time to generate, refine, edit, re-create, workshop, tweak, and pronounce the work done. i think it is one of the best things about humans; most of us find ways to exercise our creative spark, whatever it is, to create something valuable and meaningful.

The act of making art is an expression of hope. Hope that it will satisfy (on some level) an urge in the artist. But even more importantly, hope that it will be a bridge to connect—on a deeper level—with unnamed and unknown witnesses who partake of it.

Do what to my who? . . . .

View from my "remote office” in Maine last month.

One of my clients told me last month I am invaluable to her. Because I “tell it like it is.” We were revising her speech for a BIG event. It had apparently been written by committee.

We chipped away at the extra bits of content the other contributors—a number of organizational stakeholders—felt they had to include, the vast majority of which did not further her message. After our cuts, edits, and tweaks, we unearthed the essence of a strong speech that had been hidden underneath layers of details and digressions.

I tell my clients they can always rely on me to “kill your little darlings.” That’s what writers say when we undertake the painful task of excising insights we think are so valuable, but really slow down the narrative or muddy our message.

Sure, my clients could do this for themselves. But it often takes time to get sufficient mental distance to do so. Time busy leaders usually do not have. So it’s good to have an expert take a look, offer revisions, tighten things up.

And if you hire a speaking coach/playwright/performer, you’ll get a bonus: the best version of your authentic voice—with an extra dash of pizazz—so it can sing!

Beware bad advice!

Playwriting can be messy!

Recently I had the arduous (but ultimately exciting!) task of readying my play script of It’s My Party! for publication. As I was taking a mental break from proofreading, my mind conjured up a long-buried memory—the moment I got some unsolicited advice from a career coach:

“You need to focus on one thing. You can spend time either on your business or your art. You can't succeed at both. And since success in the arts is elusive, I suggest you drop it."

Wow! This was at a networking event, btw. I ignored her advice.

Like I said, unsolicited. And unwanted.

The fact is, I might have been more financially successful if I had jettisoned my theatre work—playwriting, directing, acting (then) and producing (now)—and focused only on my speaker coaching practice. But that coaching would have suffered. Certainly I would not have had such terrific clients--dynamic, curious, lifelong learners who are truly interesting people (you know who you are!)

Sure, any financial gains over what I make now might have compensated for boredom and frustration, and being a so-so coach. I’ll never know. . .

What I do know is that I became a better speaking coach because I continued to practice my theatre-making as a professional. With all the discipline and dedication that requires.

My coaching work is fed by my creative work. I help clients speak in their own powerful voices by giving them tools to do so. Tools that I first learned how to use in the theatre. Tools that depend on my clients being in touch with their authentic selves.

If I stifle the large, creative part of myself, how can they trust me to help each of them find their authentic voice?

Dividing my talents into boxes and putting one away would not have worked for me. My hat is off to anyone who has done this successfully.

Batter up!

A favorite photo from days gone by

Want to hit your next speech out of the ballpark? Get out there and take some practice swings.

“Winging it” because you think you’ll be 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘦n𝘵𝘪𝘤 is like stepping up to the plate with two runners on base—and realizing you haven’t even put your cleats on yet.

But don't just take my word for it! 

Listen to the expert: Sabina Nawaz writing in the Harvard Business Review, says “Many people worry they’ll appear scripted and stilted if they over prepare, but. . . knowing [your material] exceptionally well paradoxically frees you to be more natural and responsive.” 

The fact is, when you truly know your message, you internalize it. Use that sense of 𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥-𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 to stay present and connect with your audience. So they really hear you! 

Preparation and practice are key to getting out of your head. When you really know your message you aren’t stuck there, wondering what comes next. You engage in action, and for speakers, that means engaging with your audience.

That’s the trade secret actors—and ballplayers—know. It’s what we have to do to stay 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 on stage or at the plate.

I have many strategies I can offer you to stay grounded, energized, and more confident when you speak. To attain that wonderful sense of presence, like you’re batting a thousand.

Even if you missed Spring Training, it’s never too late to find a practice field and hit a few.

The secret sauce of speaking

Delicious Salmon Wellington made by my in-house chef—and husband—David Biette. For my birthday!

Have you ever wondered what's really going on when you’re speaking? Like—how do your ideas go from a spark in your brain to words coming out of your mouth? Why do they come out in rush, or in a jumble? Why does your voice sometimes sound croaky? And when do you breathe??

I ran a training earlier in the month for a group of nonprofit senior staff members, and a lot of their questions related to this issue — the physical act of speaking. They didn't really understand how it all works.

Most people don’t give the actual speech process a second thought. Which is understandable. We’ve all been talking since we were teeny. Communicating our needs. Using survival speech that served us well. Until we need a more nuanced mode of sharing our thoughts, clarifying our vision. Then we struggle to make the leap from talking to speaking.

Speaking is intentional. It has a point to it. It’s directed at a specific audience for a specific purpose. Even with an audience of one, even in a less-than-formal situation, speaking is not the same as talking.

The way you “just talk” may not serve you as you progress. Sure, you were fine before. But now—? It’s like leveling up your culinary skills when you want to impress someone, or need to get out of a rut. You could survive on what you cooked in college, but now you want to move on. Go from Mac ‘n Cheese to Salmon Wellington. And you realize you have a better chance of succeeding if you have expert guidance. Often this realization occurs after a cooking disaster.

Don’t wait for a speaking disaster to happen! Reach out to a speaker trainer who can explain what’s going on inside. That’s the key ingredient. Once you understand what you're doing, the mastery follows!

It really isn't "woo-woo"

A Fairy Tree near Statford-upon-Avon, from a family trip a few years ago

Regular readers of this newsletter know there is no magic wand that can turn a nervous, self-conscious, or even good speaker into a great speaker overnight.

But I do know something else that works for everyone in their own way: a KEY with which you can unlock your speaking greatness!

That key can be summed up as “Focus on your listener, not on yourself.” And you may say “is that all? That’s easy.” But is it?

Here’s the problem: when we tell ourselves to “think about the audience,” we start second guessing, watching ourselves. And disconnecting more and more from our listeners. We stop seeing them. We each retreat inside our mind, and take a detour that ends in a mental cul-de-sac.

To counter that, we need to stay fully present. With presence. How? By mastering an approach that engages us in the physical act of speaking. I show my clients how to do this by using their breath, body, and voice to maximize performance on their “instrument.”  

I learned this technique in drama school and graduate theatre training. It came in handy during subsequent years, when I spent many hours acting onstage.

My background seems unusual to people in various other businesses and professions. And maybe that is why they sometimes label my approach to public speaking as “woo-woo.” Not entirely sure what that means, except that it is outside-their-box thinking.

But mine is not just a “woo-woo” insight.

Recently I read a wonderful article on public speaking, a McKinsey & Company author talk with Michael Chad Hoeppner, about his book Don’t Say Um: How to Communicate Effectively to Live a Better Life.

Hoeppner has coached many executives, candidates, etc. and is “the foremost expert on effective speaking,” according to one of his websites. I can’t vouch for that — there seem to be a numerous experts in this area! — but he is spot on as he explains why the physical aspect of speaking is key. I have read 𝘢 𝘭𝘰𝘵 of bad public speaking advice and instruction. So this was quite refreshing!

He stresses that speaking is a skill. And as with all skills, to get good at it you have to practice. As you master the moves, you need expert guidance to achieve your personal best. That’s where a good coach comes in.

And you know where to find me!

Theatre collabs that make sense

(photo of me teaching Acting for the Camera in the past. Note the vintage Sony camcorder)

“Law is theatre,” one of my clients—a lawyer—told me as we were taping his promo videos. He’d actually told me that before. He even asked me a few times if taking an acting class would be helpful to him.  

Yes, I said. It would help him very much to go deeper. To be able to understand intentionality and motivation. And how he can express thoughts and feelings behind his words using his voice and body. Such training can result in almost magical transformations.

Except an acting class takes a lot of time and commitment. I knew he didn’t have any to spare.

The third time he asked I had a lightbulb moment. I could offer one-on-one acting coaching sessions!

We used curricula I had developed previously for an Adult Ed class, Acting I. It was so much fun we continued with Acting II. We read acting texts, did exercises, and worked on monologues.

So now I coach lawyers in acting!

As you may know, I’ve worked with many groups on public speaking/presentation skills, including attorneys. I’ve used actor training methods to help all my clients become more focused, dynamic speakers, tap into their authentic presence, and overcome nerves by teaching techniques to combat stage fright.

I’ve done 1:1 coaching using these techniques for many, many years. But individual acting class? That was something new.

It was so very worthwhile. Sharing an understanding of the art and craft of acting gave my client the tools to make better videos and have more dynamic “presence” in all professional settings.

And he enjoyed it! So much that he and his wife took a couples’ class, working on comic and dramatic scenes.

They liked the comic one better!

Want a creative approach to polishing up your speaking? Get in touch and we can find a way to bring acting magic to your next speech event!

Drop the mask

Mask of Lady Liberty, Statue of Liberty Museum, Liberty Island, NYC

When it’s interview season —expected or not—you often feel you’re on an endless interview treadmill. Want a tip to help you jump off?

Don’t hide behind a mask. Even a metaphorical one, like your printed CV. You are not your resume.

Take some time and give some thought to crafting an effective "story of me.” So when they ask the dread “Tell me about yourself,” or any of its variations, you’re ready!

Prepare a very short verbal selfie. Take some time to think about these questions:
🔻  Who am I? What role(s) do I/have I played in my professional and/or volunteer life?
🔻  What are my strengths? How do they make me uniquely qualified for this job?
🔻  Why do I do what I do? What is my internal motivation?

Then craft a couple of short sentences—125 words, about 1 minute, that can become Your Story for this interview. Use your 𝘰𝘸𝘯 words. Jargon and buzz-words get in the way of communicating who you really are. Feel free to add a sentence about volunteer work or other interests if you can link it to the job. Interviewers remember the senior software engineer who is a competitive tango dancer as someone who can bring “outside the box” thinking as well as incredible discipline to the job! Your goal is for the interviewer to get to know who you are beyond your listed knowledge skills, and abilities.

Yes, it’s challenging! But worth the effort.

And reciting your resume? That only wastes valuable time. You wouldn’t be there if they hadn’t already read it. 

Do you have specific questions for an upcoming interview? I’m happy to hop on a quick call. I have many more tips to share. Get in touch.

Your secret weapon in 2025!

A festive but very cold Inauguration Day a few years bsck

I lived in the DC area for 27 years, so I know that each new Administration brings changes that ripple through the lives of just about everyone there. And I would guess that several of my readers may be experiencing professional challenges right now. Hang in there! Whether you are looking for a new position or want to boost your current one, I can help you arm yourself with a secret weapon . . .

Executive Presence. That phrase is bandied about a lot — but what is it really, besides super important to getting ahead? Harvard Business Review says it is “gravitas, communication and appearance.” Things often classified as “soft skills” that occupy a kind of squishy area in workplace competencies.

But finding and communicating your Executive Presence is no mystery. And those who have mastered it know the truth: 

• public speaking that connects with listeners can fast-track you to leadership 

• exhibiting confidence and presence, even before you utter a word, sets the stage for your message to be heard

• engaging as an active listener creates stronger teams through effective exchange of ideas

There are many other ways building up your Executive Presence can help you in a turbulent and competitive job market. 

In my coaching practice, I not only help clients understand what they need to do to project Presence, I tell them how. How to “get out of your head and into your body.” So that you are present with Presence every time you walk into a room, step up to the podium, or open your laptop ‘round the conference table.

And that’s a secret weapon that can come in handy when the going gets tough!

Sing out for the holidays!

Archival photo of the choir of The First Presbyterian Church in the City of New York (www.fpcnyc.org)

Shout-out to my fellow choir members! It’s a busy time for us all.

I am prepping for winter holiday concerts—one down, one to go, with Christmas Eve thrown into the mix. And as I learn the notes of my second alto part, get the words to feel comfortable in my mouth— while still enunciating!— and work for better breath control so I can sing phrases as directed, I am reminded that the process of singing is so much more complicated than speaking. And yet, that process offers valuable tips that speakers can use. Here are a few:

🎵 To sound more conversational in speeches or presentations, put some 𝘮𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘥𝘺 in your voice! Too often, especially speaking to large audiences, we fixate on being heard, so we often fall back on a monotonous, shouty sound.

🎵 To engage listeners and help them stay connected to your message, vary not only your tone, but also your 𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘦. Speakers whose rhythm is steady and too regular lull people to sleep—no matter how brilliant their content!

🎵 To become a good speaker, you need to realize that, like singing, speaking is a 𝘱𝘩𝘺𝘴𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘢𝘤𝘵. I have exercises (physical and vocal, not just mental!) to help you do all these things. Speakers need their practice sessions and warm-ups, too.

Next time you want Mariah to just stop already, or put the Kings Singers on pause, stop and have a thought for what they might teach you. And play your vocal instrument with a bit more intention the next time you speak!

Never waste a crisis

I spent the final 123 days of this election season rewatching the hilarious TV showVeep. I love that show! The writing is so fresh, the acting superb. And laughing at truly awful people who make terrible mistakes is a comforting catharsis.

I’ve been thinking a lot about President Selena Meyer who, when caught up in a crisis, reacts by asking: How can we make this work for us?

Of course she means it in an opportunistic, selfish way. And by “us” she means herself and the sycophants that orbit around her. But I can relate to her question. In an attempt to stave off feelings of doom when experiencing a reversal or calamity, I try to remember that a crisis is a terrible thing to waste. 

We may be entering a new era of compounding crises. Certainly something in the world has shifted, But here’s where the Meyer question comes in. You have the expertise. You can help navigate the twisty road of our current problem. Great! But how do you get the word out? How do you position yourself as that highly sought-after “go-to person?” 

Well, you may have to take a trip back in the time machine. Because the best way to calmly meet today’s upheaval is to be thoroughly prepared. You can’t do that at a moment’s notice. But if you have worked ahead, not just on present-day concerns, you’ll be ready when opportunity knocks.

Likewise, the time to define/refine how you appear to those seeking your help isn’t when they come to you in a crisis. Prepare before by developing your brand and finding your voice. Practice this so it becomes second nature. So you won’t have to think about it when you’re under pressure to perform.  

And put your process in place. A working relationship with coaches and creative partners you can count on is invaluable. The clients with whom I have an established relationship are also ones with whom I have a regular routine. So we are able to jump on every opportunity when it comes up and make it work for them.

Let me know how you take life’s lemons and make lemonade. We’re going to need everyone’s recipes to get through the next couple of years!

That reminds me of a story . . .

It’s election season. 

And you’ve probably been hearing lots of life stories from strategically-dressed strangers who want to be your new best friend.

There’s a good reason for this: research shows that personal stories make your message stick for everything from team updates to product launches, even stump speeches. And that stickiness is what we all want, right? 

Stories can be powerful tools. But like all tools, they only work if you use them correctly. Here are 3 things to consider when deciding which slice of your story to include in any speech:

• Is it true?

  • I shouldn’t have to say it, but . . . making things up, or even stretching them to fit your purpose isn’t a good idea — because someone will always find out. And your most prized attribute as a speaker—credibility—will have vanished.  

• Is it relatable?

  • Does this put you in the room with your audience? Does it make you one of them? This is the biggest reason people give for including stories, yet too often they miss the mark. 

• Is it pertinent?

  • Even the best personal story can fall flat if the audience is left wondering “so what?” Anything that slows you down or gets in the way of your message sends your audience down a one-way street with a roadblock. You can lose them for good.

This election season is rich with personal stories. Some further the candidate’s mission of connecting with voters. And some are just plain . . . weird. 

Want to make your message memorable? Use a good story. But be careful: improper use can result in injury.