What does your pre-presentation stress look like? I’ve been speaking for many years. I’ve spoken to big audience and small, for teeny local associations and big international corporations. And I still get stressed. Somewhere between T-20 hours and the time I arrive at the venue, I morph from my usual energetic, cheerful self into…
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…
** Announcement: If you are a leader and you need to boost your presence and polish in your virtual meetings, be sure to check out my new video conference skills mini-course Making the Most of Video Conferences! Click here to learn more. ** You can find David Papp on Twitter @DavidPapp Whatever it is you do, you’ve…
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…
You can find Andrea Menard on Twitter @Andreamenard 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,…
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…
You can find Wayne Lee on Twitter @WayneLeeGPS 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…
You can find Gord Sheppard on Twitter @GordonSheppard1 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…
