One of the most frequent changes I make with my clients is to force them to slow down when they speak. Speaking slowly, a seemingly simple adjustment, almost always creates a huge change in how they sound. But they sometimes ask: “If I slow down, will I be able to say everything I need to?” … 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
Frank Luntz, a Republican consultant, spearheaded the messaging change from “estate tax” to “death tax” in the 1990s. The term “death tax” had been used decades before, but it was used again at that time as Republicans sought support for its repeal. By shifting the frame from a tax on “estates,” (which sounds like it only affects very … Read more
Framing is everything. I’ve written before about the power of framing in persuasion. At minute 1:40 in this segment on Fox News, Dr Oz shows how it’s done, whether intentionally or not: He briefly turns a conversation about healthcare spending into one on homelessness. Because the whole tone of the discussion to that point is … Read more
Yesterday we saw Dr. Marc Siegel’s weak, meandering, and unclear communication skills. Here we can see Dr. Oz in the same situation: a medical professional with three news anchors. But with a very different outcome. Whatever you think about Oz’s opinions on medicine, the point is he is an excellent communicator. He is crisp, sharp, articulate, … Read more
Dr. Marc Siegel, clearly a very intelligent and experienced physician, has trouble getting his message across. In this 3-minute segment with three goofball news anchors, he tries to communicate some points about salt, but quickly loses control of the discussion: As the only one there with any medical training, or any experience actually treating disease, he should be controlling the … Read more
In a few weeks the UK will go to the polls and elect a new Parliament. The Conservative party of Prime Minister Theresa May is expected to win decisively. The second-biggest party is the Labor party. The leader of Labor is Jeremy Corbyn, who faces off against May during the Prime Minister’s Questions. Looking at … Read more
Steve Jobs’ Public Speaking Style Steve Jobs’ superior skill with presenting and public speaking was a key factor in his success. There were many bright and talented people in the computer field in the 1970s and 80s. But few had the presence, confidence and verbal ability of Steve Jobs. In this video, just 4 years after … Read more
People that struggle with various challenges in their lives–relationships, fitness, careers, social skills, money management, dating–often exhibit the same pattern of effort and failure. Our efforts to break out of a rut and create a new pattern are foiled by our own mistakes. Once you start looking, you can see this cycle everywhere: Stage 1: Over time, … Read more