Category Archives: Motivation

An important lesson from Bohemian Rhapsody

Posted on 29/11/2019 by

I finally got around to watching the film Bohemian Rhapsody. I was not disappointed. Queen is one of my all-time favourite bands and the driving force behind Queen was the inimitable Freddie Mercury. It’s hard to believe that it has been … Continue reading →

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“Duck and Cover” won’t help

Posted on 18/10/2019 by

In the years following World War 2, the threat of nuclear war hung over the world. As the United States and its allies faced the Soviet Union and its allies, a Third World War was a distinct possibility. Given the … Continue reading →

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A lesson from the Toronto Raptors

Posted on 14/06/2019 by

Congratulations to the Toronto Raptors! They are the 2019 NBA Champions. I am delighted for Toronto — where I lived for over 15 years — and for all of Canada.  In a thrilling Final, the Raptors defeated the defending Champion … Continue reading →

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Naomi Osaka’s Australian Open Speech

Posted on 26/01/2019 by

Naomi Osaka of Japan won the 2019 Australian Open in dramatic fashion. She beat the Czech Republic’s Petra Kvitová 7-6 (7-2) 5-7 6-4 to become the first woman since 2001 to follow her debut Grand Slam win with another one. Even … Continue reading →

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Don’t let this moment define you

Posted on 15/01/2019 by

Have you ever had one of these experiences while speaking in public? You forgot what you wanted to say and froze on stage. Your computer crashed and you fumbled your way through the presentation. An audience member made a comment … Continue reading →

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This year, push yourself beyond your boundaries

Posted on 07/01/2019 by

My wife Julie and I recently returned home after three days in Zermatt, Switzerland with our friends, Florian Mueck and Rose Chong, and some of their friends. Great people and great skiing! Besides being a friend, Florian is also a fellow public speaker, … Continue reading →

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Five Public Speaking Resolutions for 2019

Posted on 30/12/2018 by

I am one of the co-founders of Presentation Guru, a digital magazine for public speaking professionals. This post is part of a series designed to share the great content on Presentation Guru with the Manner of Speaking community. ——— As 2018 draws to a close, many … Continue reading →

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Quotes for Public Speakers (No. 289) – Oprah Winfrey

Posted on 21/07/2018 by

“Do the one thing you think you cannot do. Fail at it. Try again. Do better the second time. The only people who never tumble are those who never mount the high wire. This is your moment. Own it.” — Oprah … Continue reading →

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Quotes for Public Speakers (No. 288) – Salvador Dalí

Posted on 17/07/2018 by

“Have no fear of perfection. You’ll never reach it.” — Salvador Dalí

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A lesson from the 2018 World Cup

Posted on 16/07/2018 by

A month of terrific football (soccer) came to an end yesterday in Moscow with the World Cup Final. France lived up to expectations and claimed the title of World Champion by defeating Croatia 4 – 2 in an entertaining game. Félicitations … Continue reading →

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Quotes for Public Speakers (No. 280) – Tim Ferriss

Posted on 01/04/2018 by

“I agree with Warren Buffett that public speaking is one of the best investments you can make. … When you take the ability to communicate messages effectively to groups of people and layer it on top of almost anything else, … Continue reading →

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25 Principles of Adult Behavior

Posted on 25/02/2018 by

John Perry Barlow was an American poet, essayist, political activist and cattle rancher. He was also a lyricist for the Grateful Dead. On 7 February 2018, Barlow passed away. As the tributes an obituaries poured in, Barlow’s 25 Principles of Adult … Continue reading →

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