Are you among the many (MANY) people who like to “take the edge off” before giving a speech with a drink or two? Whether you’re giving a speech at a corporate gala, acting as emcee for an event, or making a toast at a wedding, a quick drink before taking the microphone is a common…
Holiday party season is upon us! Once the ides of November hit, so to the holiday festivities, and you may find your calendar packed full of events that require schmoozing and small talk. Whether you love or dread these events, they’re important to go to – especially if you see them as an opportunity to polish…
Is your office embroiled in email warfare, with people sending passive-aggressive messages or getting worked up into a froth after taking an email the wrong way? Email can be a hotbed of miscommunication, but there are ways to ensure your emails are clear, effective, and are interpreted the way you intended. In today’s Communication Q&A…
Ethos train wrecks are pretty entertaining. I’ve been delivering a lot of training and talks over the last few weeks that involve the rhetorical appeals (those are Logos, Ethos, and Pathos, for the uninitiated)*. These are three different ways your argument will appeal to someone’s sensibilities. There’s no perfect translation, but roughly it’s this: Logos…
The first few minutes of your speech or talk are critical. Putting together a really solid opener can be tricky, and Ian is looking for advice on how to create stronger openers will grab his audience’s attention from the start: Hi Lauren, My name is Ian, and I’m in the financial sector. I give lots…
You can find Roger Haskett on Twitter @rogerhaskett Communication is all about connection. If you want to get people to want to genuinely connect with you, then you have to figure out how to engage them first. Engagement can be something of a buzzword, especially in today’s corporate environment. But to help us deconstruct…
** 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…
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 Chris Enns on Twitter @rags2reasonable 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…
You can find David Gouthro on Twitter @davidgouthro Ever get the feeling that communication and idea sharing in your organization has been stymied? Sometimes the best way to deal with this is to bring in an outsider – a neutral third party with no personal stake in the decisions or ideas being proposed. Someone who’s…
