What a Medieval Fortress Can Teach You About Public Speaking
What does a medieval fortress have in common with presentation structure? More than you might think. Recently, I visited Akershus Fortress in Oslo, a stronghold that has stood watch over the city for more than 700 years. As I walked the ramparts, it struck me that the very elements that made this fortress endure are […]
Breaking the Pattern
This is a guest post by Stephen Welch. He is an expert in communication, HR and professional change. Stephen is the Director and Co-founder of Archetypical Ltd, the company behind Corporate Snakes and Career Ladders, a new approach to learning through play. He is also a visiting lecturer at the University of London. You can find […]
Content or Delivery: Which Matters More?
Content or delivery? This is one of the oldest and most frequently asked questions in public speaking: What’s more important—what you say, or how you say it? In truth, both are essential. Content is the foundation of your message. It’s what gives your speech structure, purpose and value. Without good content, all the style in the […]
5 tips for drinking water on stage
Why do some speakers look polished even when taking a water break, while others seem to fumble? Most speakers focus on their content and delivery, but overlook the small things that can make or break their stage presence. Something as simple as how you drink can either enhance your professionalism or create an awkward distraction. […]
Create mental bookmarks for your audience
I love reading books. Especially physical books. (Remember them?) If you are going to read a physical book, you will undoubtedly want to use a bookmark so that you know exactly where you stopped when you put the book down. It might be a scrap of paper. It might be a treasured bookmark that you […]
Take a risk
It can be scary to take a risk. But as the saying goes: No risk, no reward. Last month, I spoke at the 2025 edition of the Summer School of Rhetoric in Hämeenlinna, Finland. My talk was about how speakers can connect with their audiences when speaking. One of the points I stressed was the […]
The Three Rhetorical Musketeers
The classic novel, The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas, takes place in the 17th century. It follows the adventures of a young man named d’Artagnan who leaves his home to join the Musketeers of the Guard, a prestigious group of soldiers who serve the King of France. Although d’Artagnan cannot join this elite guard immediately, […]
The Four Truths of the Storyteller
“The Four Truths of the Storyteller” is an article by Peter Guber that appeared in the Harvard Business Review. Every businessperson should read it. Guber is a successful businessman who founded the movie company Mandalay Entertainment. That company has produced some big Hollywood movies starring actors such as Al Pacino, Brad Pitt and Johnny Depp. In […]
Like a bridge, your presentation needs structure
A bridge is a useful metaphor for any speech or presentation. I like to imagine that I am standing on one side and my audience is standing on the other. I want the audience to cross the bridge and see things from my perspective. Now, if people are going to cross safely, the bridge needs […]
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