As a public speaking coach, I’ve been told that I have presidential speaking skills. What does this mean? And have you ever wondered what makes presidents historically remarkable speakers? Why do they orate a cut above the rest of us? We know that presidents are masters of inspiration. One look [...]
“Becoming present is not just about knowing and affirming your story—it’s also about how you narrate your story. Telling yourself what matters to you is one thing, but equally important is taking control of how you tell your story—to yourself and to others.” — Amy Cuddy, Presence Anyone who has attended a presentation skills [...]
Tax season is here and tax day is upon us. Taxes are basically mind numbing, immense amounts of data that must be interpreted correctly in order to reap the benefits. Misinterpretation or simply ignoring the data leads to fines, penalties and all sorts of painful punishment. Why are we talking about taxes? [...]
Living a meaningful life matters, and creating a meaningful presentation that resonates with an audience matters too. Why do you think TED Talks are so popular? Their “ideas worth spreading” tagline embodies the exact definition of meaningful. And, as a result, TED Talks are just that: meaningful. What you have to say–your message–is already meaningful. Your task is [...]
These days, there’s an app for everything. Need to manage your stress? Want to keep track of your workouts? Optimize your vocabulary? You have options. Many options. There’s even The Rock Clock that lets Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson keep you motivated during your daily tasks. Why not harness the power and flexibility of your own mobile device to boost [...]
It’s that time of year: Everyone is getting ready for school to start. Whether you’re currently a student, teacher, parent, or none of the above, going back to school conjures classroom memories for all of us. Book reports, oral presentations–some memories may be more pleasant than others. Talking to a classroom isn’t so different from running a team [...]
What do athletes, actors and speakers have in common? They need to perform–and do it well. With every public speaking engagement, speakers need to “step up to the plate” and “hit their mark.” Eloquent delivery and an authoritative persona are part of the game. And the reason much of the same language is used to describe competent athletes, [...]
You’ve heard of “zero-effort” guides to memorization or tricks to streamline the memorization process. But at the root of all of those quick hacks is the basic truth: There’s no substitution for practice and rehearsal. Rote memorization is a necessary evil–and how could it really be pure evil if it’s the key to a successful talk or [...]
Many people think of a presentation as an obligation they have to fulfill. This is the wrong attitude. A presentation is a chance to contribute to change in a small or large way and isn't that what every human being wants to contribute. I like to think of presentations as works of art because they [...]
MOXiE Talk: Give Your Words the Chance to Change The World Presidents and neuroscientists give them. They have been watched more than a billion times, live and online, all across the globe. They are not merely presentations — They are an inspiration. They are ideas that influence more ideas. They are catalysts and they [...]
