Conversations with ourselves

Personal

People like you and I spend a lot of time planning words that we are to deliver to other people.  It’s impossible to get away from it, really.  Every speech is a conversation, every conversation contains mini-speeches, and this is true whether the speeches or conversations are pre-conceived, rehearsed, or utterly spontaneous. We focus so…

So you are not outspoken…

Confidence

There are people who come to me for help because they love speaking and want to get better at it. There are people who come to me for help because they are terrified of speaking, because they are desperately uncomfortable being heard and raising their voice, or because their shyness has started to get in…

The communicator you need

Getting the message across

It may be that the person who makes you uncomfortable, who openly challenges your actions and ideas, who unapologetically but lovingly debunks your dearly held notions is precisely the communicator you need. Good communicators are not necessarily those who make you feel good or uplifted.  They are the ones who bring you clarity, who get…

Making cold calls red hot

Connecting

The term ‘cold calling’ strikes fear into the hearts of many a professional.  Heaven’s knows it does to me. Cold calling, though, has its place.  Actually, it can be a very useful activity for both the caller and the receiver. It can save time and energy, create new connections and opportunity, and grow your network.…

Don’t say sorry

Confidence2 Comments

“Sorry” is quite possibly one of the most pernicious words I hear in regular conversation. When used in its truest sense, a sincere sorry is lovely – both strong and vulnerable in the way in admits and accepts responsibility, or empathetic in the way it expresses understanding. These uses, however, are heard with woeful infrequency.…

Off the Introspective Cuff

Connecting

One of the keys to being able to ramble out a good, solid off-the-cuff or spontaneous speech is introspection – and lots of it. The purpose behind this introspection isn’t to indulge in endless navel-gazing.  That’s what Facebook and Instagram are for.  This self-reflection is to develop an acute awareness of your values, your personal drivers,…