browse our blog archive - start with a search:
There are great reasons any speaker might have notes, slides, or a podium to speak from. But in each case, these should be tools to help the speaker deliver their message, not a way to hide from the audience. Do you rely on your slides to carry the bulk of your talk? Are they loaded ... Continue Reading
I heard a great phrase last week: “create an insider.” A leader at an organization was addressing a group of up-and-comers, and he exhorted them to “create insiders.” As he explained it, when you find yourself in a place where you already know people, where you have friends, it’s worth it to take time to ... Continue Reading
Esse quam videri To be, rather than to seem This is North Carolina’s state motto, and I’ve always liked it. Realness and authenticity, rather than posturing. What’s at the heart, not on the surface. The motto speaks to trustworthiness and truth. I hope I won’t sound too grand when I say that this Latin epigraph ... Continue Reading
When we ask the nearest person for their feedback, there is no guarantee that they are knowledgeable about the things we want to know about. Usually, they will still agree to weigh in. This is how bad advice gets traction in the world. Here were a couple of things I heard recently that this blog ... Continue Reading
Many organizations ask various team members to report out at meetings. “On Monday, bring us up to speed on this project, you’ll have ten minutes in the agenda. Oh, and leave time for questions.” Y’all. If a presentation like this is on your to-do list, please do this one thing: time yourself. Grab a stopwatch ... Continue Reading
My friend Rachel described a recent email she got this way: “The words were polite, but you could feel her rolling her eyes while she typed it.” I’ve received that email. Heck, I’ve probably written that email. Rachel was laughing as she described it, but we all know what it feels like to be on ... Continue Reading
If you’re giving a presentation, answer this question: What will change for my audience as a result of what I’m going to say? How will their lives be different? If you can’t answer this, you need to go back to the drawing board. The presenter’s cardinal sin is to give a talk that is for ... Continue Reading
Politicians know it. Preachers know it. Teachers know it. You have to repeat yourself. If you want the audience to really get it, to walk out of your presentation knowing the main idea or the call to action, you need to say it a few times. Tell us right up front. Create a headline, a ... Continue Reading
Last week I was on my way to the airport in a cab, and the driver and I fell into a conversation. He is from Pakistan and has lived in New York for 22 years; we figured out that we had overlapped living there by about six months. We talked about our kids, and he ... Continue Reading
I know. I do, too. But you know what I hate more? Getting to a place and feeling unprepared. Forgetting what I wanted to say. The clammy feel of my palms sweating as I realize I might not have re-checked my slides. I practice so I will feel great. I practice so I can forget ... Continue Reading
© 2016 - 2024 IgniteCSP LLC | Site by TheFieryWell.com
