Do you find yourself getting slammed with jittery nervousness right before you get up to give a talk? Many people get a rush of public speaking jitters when they get up in front of their audience, even if they don’t feel nervous when preparing the presentation. And while that nervousness might go away a minute…
Have you ever felt that your voice was blocked, that you wanted to say something but couldn’t get the words out? In today’s talk shop interview, join me and professional soprano and voice coach Rush Dorsett as we look into how your voice works, what can cause you to hold back, and how to overcome…
Do you find yourself always going over…or under…time on your presentation? Many presenters worry that their talk is going to be too short, but then end up running way over time or needing to chop sections out on the fly. Ensuring your presentation fills (but doesn’t exceed) the time you’ve been allotted is important. It’s…
Communication stress and communication fatigue are real things, and they are rife during this time of year. This time of year brings pressure to interact, be social, and put on a display of happiness in our words and actions. Even if you’re feeling very merry indeed (I’ve been feeling quite Christmassy this year), you’ll probably…
There’s nothing like the holiday season to get people worried about their conversation skills. You’d be amazed at how many questions I get peppered with: “I’m a total introvert – how can I start a conversation at the corporate party next week?” “I want to look good in front of my boss. I probably shouldn’t…
So you’ve been appointed to The Committee (or board, or working group…). This group has a reputation for being tough – hard on new members, tricky to get to know and work with. You’re justifiably anxious to make a good first impression and fit in with this group as quickly as possible. How do you…
You can find David Moscrop on Twitter @David_Moscrop Politics and religion: two topics that are never to be broached in polite company. We all know how realistic THAT particular saw is. Political conversations are everywhere, and while there has never been a period in history where politics made for “nice” conversation, current trends towards populism,…
You can find Gord Sheppard on Twitter @GordonSheppard1 It’s not what you say, it’s how you say it… Oh, how true this old saw is! Non-verbal communication (including vocal expression like pitch or pauses) can drastically change the meaning of your words and the way they’re interpreted. And this is a communication skill leaders need…
You can find Gord Sheppard on Twitter @GordonSheppard1 It doesn’t matter how much I explain it, it just doesn’t seem to sink in! Ever feel this pang of frustration when trying to get a point across? It’s pretty common to think that when someone isn’t ‘getting’ what we’re trying to say we need to…
It’s been some time since I posted a book review, and I’ve been getting inquiries about what’s currently on my bookshelf. A few months ago, I got my hands on a juicy new Canadian release that those of you interested in the intersection between politics, critical thinking, and communication will probably love as much as…
