It’s a presenter’s nightmare: some jerk in the audience decides to give you a hard time, asking impossible questions, challenging everything you say, making snarky comments, and trying to make you look like an idiot. Congratulations – you’ve got a heckler. Hecklers can really throw you off your game, and it happened to Laura who…
Whatever it is you do, you’ve been impacted by communication technology in some way, shape, or form. And the rate of change in communication tech right now is staggering. It usually leaves us with a lot of questions like “What sort of apps am I supposed to be using? What is the best software or…
You’re about to give a talk. You’ve practiced, you think you’re ready, but then…your heart starts to pound, your mouth gets dry and your hands get sweaty, your brain goes blank, and you feel like throwing up. What’s going on? Welcome to the wonderful world of speaker’s anxiety manifested in the famous “Flight or Fight”…
How much time should I spend on my presentations? This is the wrong question to ask. A better question to start with would be “What kind of presentation do I need to give? Is this a utility presentation, one I’ve give loads of time and am already familiar with? Or am I creating…
It happens to everyone – you’re fine in front of one group of people, but in front of an audience with more education, or experience, or status then you? Your confidence nosedives, and you find yourself asking “who am I to speak to these people?” This is at the heart of this question sent in…
We have unparalleled access to different ways of making our voices heard. Yet in this wealth of communication means, a huge number of people continue to be slienced, due to shame, fear, and systemic discrimination. In this interview, I sit down with Andrea Menard, a Métis singer, actor, and storyteller who uses her gift with…
Whether you or not you believe the adage “Never judge a book by it’s cover,” the simple fact is that our appearance matters when we give a presentation. A lot of messages get packed into our appearance, hence people getting hung up on picking their outfits when giving presentations. This sartorially-themed post comes courtesy of…
Ever feel like you’re having trouble getting your head in the game? Do you know that you are capable of better performance or higher achievement but feel like you can’t wrap your brain around what to do next? I know you have – I have too. And when we’re in that place, our internal communication…
Have you ever sat in a meeting wanting to pull your hair out in frustration? You are far from alone. Between work and volunteer committments, many of us spend inordinate time in pointless or ineffective meetings, wasting precious time, energy, and money. Today on Talk Shop I’m sitting down with the master of meetings, Gord…
Does talking about money make you want to hide under a blanket? If so, you aren’t alone. Money is a taboo topic for many, especially for people with variable income or non-traditional work. Join personal finance expert and advisor (and professional opera singer!) Chris Enns and I to talk about how to make those money…