Dealing with a creaky stage

Have you ever listened to a speaker who is standing on a creaky stage? Have you ever had to speak from a stage that creaked whenever you stepped on certain spots. It is annoying for both speaker and audience. But there is a simple, effective way to deal with it. All it takes is a […]
The importance of a first step

If the purpose of your presentation is to persuade the audience to do something, getting them to take a small, simple first step is one of the most important things that you can do to achieve your ultimate objective.
An important question for every speaker

There is an important question that every public speaker must be able to answer: Why should the audience care about what I am going to say? If you can’t answer that question, you have a problem. Either you are speaking to the wrong audience or you are giving the wrong talk. This post marks the […]
Humour in a speech: 5 reasons you need it; 10 tips for using it

Using humour is a great way for speakers to connect with their audiences. Victor Hugo said, “Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face.” When you speak to an audience of dozens, hundreds or thousands, the effect is multiplied. THE BENEFITS OF HUMOUR When used properly, humour is a powerful tool in […]
Find the extraordinary in the ordinary

My friend, Lance Miller is an award-winning public speaker and trainer. He graduated from Michigan State University with a Degree in Food Systems, Economics and Management. Lance has an extensive background in business and is a philanthropist who has worked in numerous humanitarian causes around the world. In 2005, Lance won the Toastmasters World Championship of Public […]
Product Review: Logitech Spotlight Remote

Slides are a staple of most presentations. And if you use slides, you should use a good remote to go through them. I recommend the Logitech Spotlight. I have been using the Spotlight for the past couple of months and am now able to share my opinion with you. There’s a lot to like and […]
Squeezing the last minute out of a session

Seth Godin is the author of several books about “marketing, the spread of ideas and managing both customers and employees with respect”. They are bestsellers. His blog is one of my favourites. squeezing In this blog post from 21 February 2017, Seth reminds us that less is more and that conclusions are important. Plan appropriately so that […]
8 secrets for a presentation that makes an impact

Creating impactful presentations does not have to be difficult. In fact, with a little thought and effort, it is easier than you might think. My friend and presentation design expert, Timo Sorri, has created a slide deck that is featured on SlideShare. Timo asked me and seven other speaking professionals from around the world for one […]
Filler Words

My fellow professional speaker, Gavin McMahon, is a founding partner at fassforward consulting group. He also writes a great blog on public speaking and presentations: Make a Powerful Point. Gavin recently turned his attention on filler words. He assembled a virtual panel of experts and asked the following question: “How do you get rid of the […]
An Afternoon with Hans Rosling – Part 1

Today, I had the good fortune to meet and speak with Dr. Hans Rosling, the international rock star of statistics. I then had the pleasure of watching him give a fascinating 90-minute presentation on some key global health trends. A physician and Professor of Public Health at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden, Rosling is also […]
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