September, 2013

Authenticity vs. Preparation?

My September newsletter blog deals with an issue that has arisen lately: an oddly pervasive notion that a speaker's preparation kills any "authenticity" the speech might have. As you may guess, I have a few thoughts about this!

Don't forget to sign up for my October and December workshops. Find details here.
And check out my new personal business video service, Focus on You, here

Tips you can use!

A time not to shine!
If you are going to be taping an interview or even Skyping under bright lights, think about wearing HD-friendly makeup. Your SPF foundation protects you by reflecting light, which is great for outside, but under the lights you run the risk of emitting a ghostly, silvery glow.

 
Dare to waste paper
Make sure you don't look down too much when you deliver your speech; limit your text to the top 2/3 of your page. That way, when you glance at your notes, your gaze will not drift dangerously downward.

Shorter is better
Resist the urge to "embellish" your speech and stretch it to fill your allotted time. If you can say it in fewer words, please do so. Have you ever heard anyone complains about a speech running "undertime?"

August, 2103

Lights! Camera! Action!

This week's blog tells about my adventure producing client video stories,  my "Focus on You" service. One up, more to follow soon! And just for laughs, I also posted a link to an incredibly insightful and funny interview....

Don't forget to sign up for my September 9th workshop. You can find details here.

Tips you can use!

Slow and steady...
You may fear your listeners are "tuning out" and decide to speed it up. But fight that impulse! Speaking at a faster pace won't help; it will probably make them tune out even sooner.

Keep standing tall
When you stand up straight you automatically claim authority. You look and sound more powerful. It feels awkward at first but you'll get used to it to more you do it.

Don't mirror bad vocal habits
It's natural to "mirror" your conversation partner, but don't slip into her/his tendencies to upspeak or engage in "vocal fry." Such borrowed bad habits have a way of insinuating themselves into your speaking pattern. And they can be devlishly hard to get rid of!

July 2013

Summertime!

My latest blog entry, Lessons from a train wreck, focuses on what happens when people get too caught up in themselves to commuincate clearly. Paula Deen opffers us one big cautionary tale.

More details of upoming workshops can be found here. You will note I am skipping August. Don't worry; when I am in town, I will still be available for private coaching sessions!

Tips you can use!

It's hot but you still need to warm up!
It may be tempting to skip that vocal warm-up because you aren't feeling your usual cold weather related back and throat tension, But remember, even runners warm up before a race when it's hot out. You should, too.

Less is more  
You may be an expert in your field, but be sure to only give your audience as much as they can digest in one sitting. This means right-sizing for each speaking occasion. If you don't want to listen to someone else's symposium speech when you were only expecting a few "remarks," don't do it yourself!

You're wearing that. . . ?
OK, you might want to be a little more subtle, but please tell your younger colleagues (think summer interns) that they still need to dress professionally, even though it is summer. Someday they'll thank you!