When Acting Less Powerful is the Right MoveWatch this video on YouTube (Listen or read the post below) Some people think they have to act powerfully in every situation. Their goal is to “win” every battle. Always have the cleverer comeback. Always interrupt people more than they interrupt you. Have others laugh at your jokes, … Read more
(Listen to the audio or read below) You can’t sell something if you aren’t completely sold on it yourself. Or can you? What if it’s your job to persuasively communicate something, regardless of your personal feelings? We might see this with sales development reps (SDRs), account executives, management consultants, or marketing professionals. We can also … Read more
Incongruence: The Kryptonite of Charisma (audio)Watch this video on YouTube (Listen to the audio or read the post below) Continuing on the theme of charisma from my previous post, I was thinking about what really makes charisma. Why do some people seem to be “blessed” with this mystical magic of magnetism, and others hopelessly condemned … Read more
Charisma is “the ability to attract, charm, and influence the people around you.” It’s also defined as “a personal magic of leadership arousing special popular loyalty or enthusiasm for a public figure” And as: “compelling attractiveness or charm that can inspire devotion in others.” Notice anything in there about extroversion? Of course not. The essence of … Read more
It’s frustrating when you are speaking to a group of people and they just don’t seem to be grasping what you’re saying. You might feel at a loss. You thought you were communicating in a good way, but apparently not. Here a few ideas to make it easier for an audience to understand you. 1. … Read more
Three Examples of How to Start a Presentation This past weekend I attended the Synergy Global Forum in New York. Some of the biggest names in business and entrepreneurship presented. It was a public speaking coach‘s dream. Specifically I was interested in how everyone opened their presentations. So I took videos of each speaker right … Read more
I gave a presentation recently here in New York about group conversations. We discussed: The basics of group dynamics. Understanding the types of group situations there are, dynamic vs rigid group situations, and how to take pressure off of yourself when approaching a new group. How to contribute and engage with a group even if … Read more
If you want to become a better speaker, there is a wealth of information available. Today we have access to countless apps, blogs, video courses and scientific papers. Many of these resources are great. They have useful information and they help us understand how to improve our desired skillset. But when it comes to speaking … Read more
Concise Speaking in Professional Communication Concise communication is a frequent challenge we see with clients and students. Concision is hard because professionals have lots of information to convey in a very limited time. Important decision-makers are usually very short on time, and have a limited attention span. You have to get your point across quickly and … Read more
Introverts are notorious for hating small talk. I used to be one of them. I avoided small talk, and situations where I would need to partake in it. I preferred to focus on important discussions about things that mattered to me: philosophy and metaphysics, culture, psychology, business, economics, etc. In other words, heavy and fascinating … Read more