April 2016

                        Seriously not a circus

This election has provided us all with many examples of public communications--the good and the bad. You can find out what I think one of the yuugest candidates can teach us in my blog here.

April's workshop has filled, but details of May's workshop on Executive Communications Skills are here.

Tips you can use!

Keep your eyes on the prize

In high-stakes conversations it is easy to become emotional or otherwise distracted from your main goal. Stay focused: remember your objective. What can you do to get what you need out of this interaction? Phrase that in as few words as possible and repeat it like a mantra when you feel a derailment coming on. 

Allergic reaction

Now that it's pollen season, you may be taking antihistamines to help with sneezes and sniffles. Be sure to hydrate more than usual to keep that vocal mechanism "well oiled." You'll find more on tips for speaking during this trying season here.

Slow and steady wins the race

. . . or at least makes it easier for people to hear you! In conversation with friends and family—who are used to our inflection and rhythm—we often speak quickly and mumble. When speaking with others, even in less-than-formal presentations, we need to slow down and speak clearly. If you have to repeat yourself because your listener could not hear, your leadership quotient may be diminished.

illustration from "The Circus Procession," published by McLoughlin Brothers, Inc., 1888
courtesy Library of Congress

March 2016

         Midnight musings of grammar fans

Intrigued by the headline at right? My featured blog this month serves as a timely reminder of why grammar matters, in writing as well as speaking.

I am offering one more Executive Communications Skills workshop at my home studio this spring. Click here for more information. Or send an e-mail if you want to discuss other ways I can help you upgrade your speaker's toolkit.

 Tips you can use!

Draw in the margins

It's OK to put cue words, emoticons, emojis and even old-fashioned free-hand doodles in your margins. Let them help you recall your subtext for a particular passage. For example, put a smiley face beside that paragraph telling the story of your team's fantastic progress. You will remember to "glow with pride," even as you dispense the necessary facts and figures.

Stay centered

Need to sound convincingly strong and dynamic as you battle seasonal allergies or a spring cold? Maintain your energized delivery by relying on inner strength that comes from centering. Use your core to let the breath support your sound. If you speak from your throat and head only, your audience will hear a voice that is even weaker than you feel.

Save the bling

Don't wear showy jewelry or flashy clothing to an event where you are speaking (I'm looking at you, Sarah Palin!). Unless you are introducing your new fashion line or dropping your latest single, it will distract from your message. Save it for your photo shoot! 

February 2016

Critical Communications

My monthly blog features a recent experience I had with some excellent communicators—in a place where I did not expect to find them—and the lessons there for all of us.

Interested in my upcoming workshops? Check here for dates and details. If you can't the workshop at my home studio, send me an e-mail and let's discuss how I can bring it to you.

 Tips you can use!

Kill the PowerPoint

Or at least cut it down to size! Use slides as a visual backdrop to reinforce your message with a thematic image or a well-chosen graph. Get rid of all the tiny bullet points. Unless you are just conveying facts, your job is to offer interpretation, synthesis, analysis. All of which are more effective if you are actually speaking to your audience, not just splattering words on slides.

Be in charge

If your colleagues have fallen into the habit of interrupting every presentation, you need to state upfront that you will take questions after you have finished yours. Often their queries will be answered as you speak, and you certainly will be better at maintaining your "flow." Do your part to put an end to this (sometimes unconscious) collective rudeness.

Dodge the draft

Large rooms that are used for presentations can be drafty this time of year. Take extra "indoor" layers to help you stay warm. Nothing kills your credibility like trying to speak through shivers and chattering teeth!