You have a monotone voice if you have little or no variation in your pitch as you speak. Monotonous speaking is one of the most common ways that speakers and presenters become boring for audiences. By contrast, engaging and charismatic speakers usually have a lot of variety in their vocal tonality, hitting both high notes … Read more
Many clients and students come to us with a common challenge: “I need to learn how to be assertive at work.” You might need to get more assertive to get your ideas heard, command more respect, or get team members to follow through on your guidance more consistently. How to Be Assertive at Work: Tips … Read more
The Power of Speaking Speed When I start working with a new client, their speaking speed and pacing are two of the first things I look at. People speak very fast when they’re presenting because they’re nervous or they feel under pressure. They have an urge to just get information out as quickly as possible. … Read more
Elizabeth Holmes was charged in 2018 with an “elaborate, years-long fraud” by the SEC. At its peak, her company Theranos (founded in 2003) was valued at $9 billion. Holmes was recognized as a genius innovator, the female Steve Jobs, an example for young women everywhere. She was celebrated by Forbes magazine as the youngest self-made … Read more
(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, but don’t laugh at theirs. And the classic: never break eye contact … 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
There are three main skill levels in public speaking, identified by our inner dialogue: At the beginner level, we think “how do I look?” This is the most basic mindset, where we are most concerned with how we look to the audience and whether they are judging us or accepting us. Most people don’t get past this … Read more
Persuasion is a tool that almost anyone can learn to use. But just like all tools, what matters is the person using it, their intentions and ethics. I told someone recently that I help people to become more persuasive and effective at communicating. He responded flatly “I don’t like to be persuasive. I like to … Read more
I’ve been stood up. I’m sitting in a coffee shop as I write this. I was supposed to meet someone to discuss business, but the person never showed, despite confirming the time and location with me just yesterday. I texted and emailed them. No response. Seriously guys, communicate! If you have to cancel a meeting … Read more
Listening skills are an area that lots of people struggle with. How many of us ask someone their name or what they do for a living, and then immediately forget it? I’m not a perfect listener. But I have improved a lot from where I used to be. In my case, I had so many … Read more