One of the best ways to improve how you come across as a speaker is to cut out filler words. Often known as the “ums and ahs”, they fill in silences when a speaker is thinking about what to say next. It isn’t just ums and ahs that are fillers. Speakers often use other words […]
Supportive slides
One of the most common complaints about any seminar or presentation is that the speaker has put a lot of text on a slide and is reading it out. There really is no point to that. If there is just a lot of text on a slide, the audience could easily have read this themselves. […]
What makes a good seminar?
Whether online, back in the room or new hybrid formats, there are key things that make a seminar good (or not!). Here are some key aspects to consider when preparing and delivering seminars. What is it designed to do? As with any aspect of public speaking, you should start with purpose. Many professionals put on […]
Adjusting to hybrid
The Covid-19 pandemic has undoubtedly changed the world. As we move into new ways of working, it appears hybrid working is here to stay, and for good reason. Many are keen to get back to the connection and interaction you can have in a room. The advantages of enabling online attendance are also clear in […]
Who’s your audience?
At a conference earlier this year, I hosted a panel discussion of experienced speakers. I asked them their thoughts on the most important aspect of public speaking. Every panellist said the same thing – your audience. If you are an accomplished speaker – confident, polished, charismatic – but your audience is not interested in or […]
The Power of Purpose…in Speaking
Purpose can be defined as the reason for which something is done or created; its aim or intention; essentially its why. If you haven’t watched Simon Sinek’s TedX talk on Golden Circles, I highly recommend it. It is one of the most famous speeches of its kind, because it eloquently explains the power of starting […]
What’s the Answer?
We pose and answer questions every day. From a simple “how are you?” to the questions like “why are you a good fit for this job?” which could influence our future. These high pressure questions may come in job or promotion interviews, professional exams or pitching for business, funding or to promote a new initiative. […]
Selling Yourself – Communication Clarity
Does the question “what are your strengths and weaknesses?” send shivers down your spine? In interview and networking situations, selling yourself is important. You need to be able to communicate your skills and expertise clearly. You may not get this exact question, but articulating how your particular skillset will add value is likely to come […]
The dynamics of speaking
Recently in feedback on a speech, an evaluator likened vocal variety to horse riding. How changes in speed can be thought of as galloping, cantering, trotting. I appreciated the analogy as a way of making a concept more lifelike and understandable. It made me think about vocal variety further throughout my daily activities. I don’t […]
Controlling nervousness
One of the questions most frequently asked about public speaking is how to overcome nervousness. A quote I really connect with I read in a book by Paul McGee, The SUMO Guy, a favourite speaker and author of mine. It goes “you can’t get rid of the butterflies, but you can teach them to fly […]
